Baha'i Blogcast with Rainn Wilson show

Baha'i Blogcast with Rainn Wilson

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 Episode 63: Anne & Tim Perry (In Honor of Abdu'l-Baha) | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 01:02:56

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this special episode in honor of the 100th Anniversary of the passing of Abdu'l-Baha, I'm joined by Anne and Tim Perry, the couple behind the fabulous documentary about Abdu'l-Baha's visit to North America called 'Luminous Journey'. They tell me how they became Baha'is, what inspired them to make the documentary, and share stories about the making of the film, and of Abdu'l-Baha. I know you'll enjoy the conversation as much I did! Find out more about some of the things we covered below: * Watch 'Luminous Journey' here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx4Vj0KUNSYBc1lY7_UAVyQ * Learn more about Abdu'l-Baha and the commemoration of the Centenary of His passing here: https://bahaiworld.bahai.org/special-collections/the-mystery-of-god/ * Abdu'l-Baha: https://www.bahai.org/abdul-baha/ * The Universal House of Justice: https://bit.ly/3mgH0wN * Shoghi Effendi: https://bit.ly/3rCOeNM * The Bab​​: https://www.bahai.org/the-bab/ * Baha'u'llah: https://www.bahai.org/bahaullah/ * The Baha'i World Centre: http://www.bwc.org/ * Greenacre Baha'i School: https://www.greenacre.org/ * Sarah Farmer: https://bahaichronicles.org/sarah-jane-farmer/ * Book by Anne Perry called 'Green Acre on the Piscataqua': https://www.bahaibookstore.com/Green-Acre-on-the-Piscataqua-Originally-16-P6883.aspx * Seals & Crofts: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seals_and_Crofts * The Nineteen Day Feast and Why it’s Important: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2012/11/the-nineteen-day-feast-and-why-its-important/ * 1992 Baha'i World Congress: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bah%C3%A1%CA%BC%C3%AD_World_Congress * 239Days.com: https://239days.com/ * Thronton Chase: https://bahaichronicles.org/thornton-chase-disciple-of-abdul-baha/ * Baha'i Firesides: https://bit.ly/2QVLfCp * Louis Gregory: https://bahaipedia.org/Louis_Gregory * Agnes Parsons: https://bit.ly/3v4HHx0 * Liz Dwyer: https://bahaiteachings.org/author/liz-dwyer/ * Anne shares quote from Abdu'l-Baha: "...for any movement animated by love moveth from the periphery to the centre, from space to the Day-Star of the universe. Perchance thou deemest this to be difficult, but I tell thee that such cannot be the case, for when the motivating and guiding power is the divine force of magnetism it is possible, by its aid, to traverse time and space easily and swiftly." * Tim shares quote by Abdu’l-Baha relating to the election of the United States president: "The president must be a man who does not insistently seek the presidency. He should be a person free from all thoughts of name and rank; rather, he should say, ‘I am unworthy and incapable of this position and cannot bear this great burden.’ Such persons deserve the presidency. If the object is to promote the public good, then the president must be a well-wisher of all and not a self-seeking person. If the object, however, is to promote personal interests, then such a position will be injurious to humanity and not beneficial to the public." * The Importance of Service in the Baha’i Faith: https://bit.ly/3rDjg82 * Juliet Thompson: https://bahaichronicles.org/juliet-thompson-need-dates/ * Paris Talks: https://reference.bahai.org/en/t/ab/PT/ Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO​​ * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL​​ * Soundcloud: https://bit.ly/30dX0G4​​ * Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb​​ If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content, check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/​ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

 Episode 62: Shahin Sobhani (In Honor of Abdu'l-Baha) | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:59:39

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this special episode in honor of the 100th Anniversary of the passing of Abdu'l-Baha, I'm joined by my good friend Shahin Sobhani, who among many other things, was the creator of 239days.com, a site dedicated to the time Abdu'l-Baha spent in North America. Shahin tells us about his childhood and his Baha'i ancestors, and shares stories about Abdu'l-Baha, whom Baha'u'llah called "The Mystery of God". I'm sure you'll enjoy this conversation as much I did! Find out more about some of the things we covered below: * Learn more about Abdu'l-Baha and the commemoration of the Centenary of His passing here: https://bit.ly/3meSCjX * Website created in honor of Abdu'l-Baha's visit to North America: https://239days.com/ * Read this Baha'i Blog interview with Shahin Sobhani about 239Days.com: https://bit.ly/3cKzWWo * Find out more about: - The Universal House of Justice: https://bit.ly/3mgH0wN - Shoghi Effendi: https://bit.ly/3rCOeNM​ - Abdu'l-Baha: https://www.bahai.org/abdul-baha/​ - The Bab: https://www.bahai.org/the-bab/​​ - Baha'u'llah: https://www.bahai.org/bahaullah/ * Shahin mentions the following: - Mulla Husayn: https://bit.ly/31Id0kg - Battle of Fort Tabarsi: https://bit.ly/3wiY8qu - Nabil-i-Azam: https://bit.ly/3mfIJme - The Dawn-breakers: https://bit.ly/3cK6q35 - Quddus: https://bahaipedia.org/Qudd%C3%BAs - Islamic/Iranian Revolution: https://bit.ly/2OhbsdV - Persecution of the Baha'is in Iran: https://bit.ly/3rIjaLx - Landegg International University: https://bit.ly/2OglkV7 - Dr. Hossein Danesh: https://bit.ly/31GKLlU - Suheil Bushrui: https://news.bahai.org/story/1065/ - Townshend International School: https://www.townshend.cz/ - Baha'i Firesides: https://bit.ly/2QVLfCp - May Maxwell: https://bit.ly/3sKDj4Z - John Robarts: https://bahaipedia.org/John_Robarts - Audrey Robarts: https://bahaipedia.org/Audrey_Robarts - Baha'i Pioneering: https://bit.ly/3cLWrde - Tablet of Ahmad: https://bit.ly/2QSHZru - Louis Gregory: https://bahaipedia.org/Louis_Gregory * Shahin talks about Douglass Martin: https://news.bahai.org/story/1455/ * Douglas Martin 'Historical Consciousness and the Divine Plan' talks: https://bit.ly/2POBEgq * Shahin mentions Nader Saiedi, who was also a guest on the Baha'i Blogcast: https://bit.ly/3rMYmCN * Shahin mentions Rhett Diessner, who was also a guest on the Baha'i Blogcast: https://bit.ly/31DdtEi * Rainn mentions Mona Foundation CEO, Mahnaz Javid, who was also a guest on the Baha'i Blogcast: https://bit.ly/3cMuhz8 * Website about 'One Common Faith': http://onecommonfaith.net/en * 'One Common Faith' article: https://bit.ly/39xhnD1 * Audio reading of 'One Common Faith': https://bit.ly/3sLgePz * Here's the animation Shahin helped with: 'What is the Baha'i Faith? An Introduction by Rainn Wilson': https://bit.ly/3wjCKBn * Book: 'God Passes By' by Shoghi Effendi: https://bit.ly/2OerdSG * Quote by Baha'u'llah about Abdu'l-Baha: "Blessed, doubly blessed, is the ground which His footsteps have trodden". * You may also be interested in listening to 'The Journey West' podcast: https://bit.ly/3wfmd1k * QUOTE: “Freedom is not a matter of place. It is a condition." -Abdu'l-Baha Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO​​ * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL​​ * Soundcloud: https://bit.ly/30dX0G4​​ * Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb​​ If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content, check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/​ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

 Episode 61: Paul Hanley | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 01:05:53

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode, I'm joined by multi-award-winning writer, Paul Hanley, who has written thousands of articles and several books mainly about the environment, sustainable development, and agriculture. Paul tells us how he became a Baha'i, and about the extraordinary life of Richard St. Barbe Baker, the first global conservationist. We also discuss population growth, urban farming, how everything is interconnected, and the need for an ethical revolution in the world. I hope you enjoy this fascinating conversation! Some of Paul Hanley's books are: - Eleven: https://amzn.to/2PUDQ5Z - Man of the Trees: Richard St. Barbe Baker, the First Global Conservationist: https://amzn.to/3vbF8cM - Richard St. Barbe Baker: Child of the Trees: https://amzn.to/2OFVDNq - The Spirit of Agriculture: https://amzn.to/3qBxo08 * Baha'i Blog interview about 'Eleven': https://bit.ly/2OHTSiO * Baha'i Blog interview about 'Man of the Trees': https://bit.ly/3t5yTFK * Paul and his group received the Food System Vision 2050 prize: https://bit.ly/3eu6R2K * Find out more about 'Men of the Trees' here: https://bit.ly/3esZhFi * Find out more about: - The Universal House of Justice: https://bit.ly/3erOPhB - Shoghi Effendi: https://bit.ly/3rCOeNM - Abdu'l-Baha: https://bit.ly/2Ok3tN8 - The Bab: https://bit.ly/3tc1nNV​ - Baha'u'llah: https://bit.ly/38roigm - The Shrine of the Bab: https://bit.ly/3vdUqOj - Baha'i Pioneering: https://bit.ly/2N944kc - The Three Protagonists: https://bit.ly/3veFmjl - Baha'i Firesides: https://bit.ly/3epOMmb - Importance of Service in the Baha’i Faith: https://bit.ly/3rDjg82 - Baha'i World Centre: http://www.bwc.org/ * Paul shares this quote from a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi: "We cannot segregate the human heart from the environment outside us and say that once one of these is reformed everything will be improved. Man is organic with the world. His inner life moulds the environment and is itself also deeply affected by it. The one acts upon the other and every abiding change in the life of man is the result of these mutual reactions." * Film: Frontiers of Learning: https://bit.ly/3by4fyU * Film: Light to the World: https://bit.ly/3bAm8x5 * Film: The Man Who Stopped the Desert: https://amzn.to/2OFib0N * Paul mentions Rattan Lal: https://bit.ly/3etcxKo * Rainn mentions Mahnaz Javid: https://bit.ly/3l66igL * Paul mentions Richard St. Barbe Baker's book called Sahara Challenge: https://amzn.to/2MUlfWs * Rainn shares this quote from a letter from The Universal House of Justice: "Every choice a Baha’i makes—as employee or employer, producer or consumer, borrower or lender, benefactor or beneficiary—leaves a trace, and the moral duty to lead a coherent life demands that one’s economic decisions be in accordance with lofty ideals, that the purity of one’s aims be matched by the purity of one’s actions to fulfil those aims. Naturally, the friends habitually look to the teachings to set the standard to which to aspire. But the community’s deepening engagement with society means that the economic dimension of social existence must receive ever more concentrated attention." - Read the full letter here: https://bit.ly/3t7xcHJ - Listen to an audio reading of this letter here: https://bit.ly/3cjPrmv Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO​ * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL​ * Soundcloud: https://bit.ly/30dX0G4​ * Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb​ If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content, check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/​ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

 Episode 60: Nanabah Bulman | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 01:22:19

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode, I'm joined via zoom by the wonderful Nanabah Bulman, a Navajo Baha'i who's been actively engaged in service to her people, especially with the youth. Nanabah tells us about life on the reservation, and shares Navajo culture and beliefs, and what we can learn from the Native Americans. She tells us the Navajo legend of the Twin Brothers, and explains how she strives to live up to the meaning of her name. I hope you enjoy this awesome conversation! To find out more about some of the things mentioned and covered in this episode, check out the following links: * Watch this video featuring Nanabah and some of the Navajo youth service activities: https://bit.ly/38BHoky * Watch this talk by Nanabah: https://bit.ly/3oFBrZq * We mention the following: * Baha'i Year of Service: https://bahaipedia.org/Year_of_service * BOOK: The Covenant of Baha'u'llah by Adib Taherzadeh: https://amzn.to/3qdJIUF * The Training Institute: https://bit.ly/3qkIJSR * What is the Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program? (JYSEP): - ARTICLE: https://www.bahaiblog.net/junior-youth/ - VIDEO: https://bit.ly/35E2EUW * The Baha’i Covenant: https://bit.ly/3qifqAq * Listen to these Baha'i Blogcast episodes featuring Native American guests: - Kevin Locke: https://bit.ly/3nH4MkR - Anisa & Doug White: https://bit.ly/3qgDL9u * I talk about the passing of my father, which I discuss on Baha'i Blogcast Episode 54 with Sean Hinton (part 2): https://bit.ly/39vGzZA * Baha’i Concept of Life After Death: https://bit.ly/2LGL0Zs * Some Native American Prophecies & the Baha'i Faith: - ARTICLE: https://bit.ly/2XC9WUM - AUDIO: https://bit.ly/2LP5iji * Why Do Baha’is Say Allah’u’Abha 95 Times?: https://bit.ly/3skRGgJ * Obligatory Prayer: https://bit.ly/2XCdh64 * Importance of Service in Baha’i Faith: https://bit.ly/2XxBjiN * I mention my uncle Rhett Deissner, who was on the Baha'i Blogcast: https://bit.ly/3ikblsJ * The Four Valleys of Baha'u'llah: https://bit.ly/35SaWsv * Bicentenary of Baha'u'llah: https://bicentenary.bahai.org/ * Native American Baha'i Institute (NABI): https://bit.ly/2Ls04dI * Grand Canyon Baha'i Conference: https://grandcanyonbahai.org/ * Rainn's talk at the conference 'Empowering Youth': https://bit.ly/2XNWHk1 * The Tablet of Ahmad: Who Was Ahmad?: https://bit.ly/3by09ar * 114 Youth conferences around the world: https://bit.ly/38EquSn * QUOTE: "We cannot segregate the human heart from the environment outside us and say that once one of these is reformed everything will be improved. Man is organic with the world. His inner life moulds the environment and is itself also deeply affected by it. The one acts upon the other and every abiding change in the life of man is the result of these mutual reactions." -Shoghi Effendi * QUOTE: "We must build the capacity to truly hear and acknowledge the voices of those who have directly suffered from the effects of racism. This capacity should manifest itself in our schools, the media, and other civic arenas, as well as in our work and personal relations. This should not end with words, but lead to meaningful, constructive action." -National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States, 19 June, 2020 Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL * Soundcloud: https://bit.ly/30dX0G4 * Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content, check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

 Episode 59: The Spirituality of Climate Change | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 01:07:48

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode, I wanted to talk about climate change and issues relating to the environment, so I'm joined via Zoom by Arthur Dahl, Christine Muller, and Afsaneh Angelina Rafii. These three Baha'is have been passionately involved in environmentalism in some way, shape, or form, and we discuss a range of issues relating to the environment including both practical, and spiritual themes that need to be addressed. I hope you enjoy this important conversation as much as I did! Watch the video here: https://bit.ly/37v1JGd My guests in this episode are: ARTHUR DAHL Arthur is President of the International Environment Forum, and a retired Deputy Assistant Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme [UNEP], with over 50 years of international experience in environment and sustainability. He teaches in various university programs, lectures widely, and has published many scientific papers and books. * His website: http://yabaha.net/dahl/ * Books: - In Pursuit Of Hope: https://amzn.to/39AzE33 - The Eco Principle: https://amzn.to/33zykth - Unless and Until: https://amzn.to/2Jkx3zJ - Mark Tobey, Art and Belief: https://bit.ly/2Jm7NJr - Global Governance and the Emergence of Global Institutions for the 21st Century: https://amzn.to/2I9m6QU CHRISTINE MULLER Christine is a Board Member of the International Environment Forum (IEF) and a Wilmette Institute Adjunct Lecturer, and is passionate about environmental issues and has been systemically studying climate change and sustainable development. She has given numerous talks on the environment and has a keen interest in the role spirituality can play in providing solutions. * International Environment Forum: https://bit.ly/36yhu03 * Wilmette Institute: https://wilmetteinstitute.org/ AFSANEH ANGELINA RAFII Afsaneh is the creator of the Icarus Complex magazine, a printed biannual magazine and also a website, aimed at taking an in-depth look at the issues surrounding climate change and environmentalism from economic, political, legal and grassroots perspectives. * Her website: https://www.angelinarafii.com/ * Icarus Complex magazine: https://icaruscomplexmagazine.com/ More links to some of the things mentioned in the conversation: * Collection of extracts from Baha’i Writings compiled in 1989: 'Conservation of the Earth’s Resources': https://bit.ly/3qh85Sp * Science and Religion: Best Friends Forever: https://bit.ly/2Vueuvh * Arctic Basecamp: https://arcticbasecamp.org/ * Soul Pancake series 'An Idiot's Guide to Climate Change': https://bit.ly/39B06tf * Baha’i Blogcast with Rainn Wilson – Episode 41: Halldor Thorgeirsson: https://bit.ly/36vDqZG * Story of Tanna, Vanuatu: - Resilience: https://bit.ly/3qitLxz - Baha’is of Vanuatu Begin to Rebuild After Devastating Cyclone: https://bit.ly/37xXDNA * FUNDAEC: https://www.fundaec.org/en/ * Christine shares quote: "Each one of the ordinances We have revealed is a mighty stronghold for the preservation of the world of being." -Baha'u'llah * Independent Investigation of Truth: https://bit.ly/39CZp2z * What is the Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program?: https://bit.ly/39Cyxje * Children's Classes: https://bit.ly/33DmpL6 * Importance of Service in the Baha’i Faith: https://bit.ly/3g1kEwk Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL * Soundcloud: https://bit.ly/30dX0G4 * Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content, check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

 Episode 58: Louis Venters | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 01:16:00

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode, I'm joined virtually by Dr. Louis Venters, an author and history professor who specializes in African American studies and the Baha'i Faith in South Carolina. Louis tells us how he became a Baha'i, and also explains how the Baha'i Faith became the second largest religion in South Carolina, sharing some of the history and the nuances that come with that, especially as a result of the Jim Crow era. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did! To find out more about some of the things we covered in this episode, check out the following links: * Louis Venters' website: https://www.louisventers.com/ * Louis Venters is a professor at Francis Marion University: https://www.fmarion.edu/ * Baha'i Communities in South Carolina: https://find.bahai.us/community/south-carolina * Louis Gregory: https://bahaipedia.org/Louis_Gregory * Who Were the Hands of the Cause?: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2014/06/hands-cause/ * Louis G. Gregory Baha'i Institute: https://www.lgbi.org/ * Louis Venters' book 'No Jum Crow Church': https://amzn.to/2UjTOWp * Louis Venters' book 'A History of the Baha’i Faith in South Carolina': https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/Products/9781467117494 * Bahai Blog interview with Louis Venters about 'No Jim Crow Church': https://bit.ly/3eKJpMs * Video news report by Mandy Noell about the Baha'i Faith in South Carolina: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6t0F7HyFf1Y&feature=emb_logo * Baha'i House of Worship for North America (also known as a temple) in Wilmette, USA: https://www.bahai.us/bahai-temple/ * Baha’i Temples: A Brief Introduction: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2018/07/bahai-temples-a-brief-introduction/ * Louis talks about not knowing what to do when he became a Baha'i, so we thought this article may be interesting: 'So you’ve become a Baha’i. Now what?': https://www.bahaiblog.net/2014/08/youve-become-bahai-now/ * Baha'i Year of Service: https://bahaipedia.org/Year_of_service * Baha'i community in Togo: https://www.bahai.org/national-communities/togo * The Nineteen Day Feast and Why it’s Important: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2012/11/the-nineteen-day-feast-and-why-its-important/ * The Universal House of Justice: https://universalhouseofjustice.bahai.org/ * Shoghi Effendi: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2013/11/shoghi-effendi-a-bridge-to-the-world/ * Abdu'l-Baha: https://www.bahai.org/abdul-baha/ * The Bab: https://www.bahai.org/the-bab/ * Baha'u'llah: https://www.bahai.org/bahaullah/ * Abdu'l-Baha in the United States: https://centenary.bahai.us/abdul-baha-in-america * 'Century of Light' document commissioned by the Universal House of Justice: https://www.bahai.org/library/other-literature/official-statements-commentaries/century-light/ * The Training Institute: https://www.bahai.org/action/response-call-bahaullah/training-institute * Ruhi sequence of courses: https://www.ruhi.org/materials/list.php * Children's Classes: https://www.bahai.org/action/family-life-children/childrens-classes * What is the Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program?: https://www.bahaiblog.net/junior-youth/ * What is the Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program? [VIDEO]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrfGBM0kGfc&feature=emb_logo Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL * Soundcloud: https://bit.ly/30dX0G4 * Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content, check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

 Episode 57: Juliet & Novin | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 01:03:28

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode, I'm joined virtually by Novin and Juliet who are based in the UK and are the founders of Oneworld Publications, an awesome boutique publisher that punches way above their weight with tons of awards to their name! We talk about working in the circus, becoming a Baha'i, living in Cyprus, starting Oneworld, and the power of books in creating social change and also showing us what's possible for the future. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did! To find out more about some of the things we covered in this episode, check out the following links: * Oneworld Publications website: https://oneworld-publications.com/ * Check out this Baha'i Blog article interviewing Novin and Juliet about Oneworld Publications: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2011/12/an-interview-with-oneworld-publications/ * Listen to The Oneworld Podcast: https://soundcloud.com/oneworldpodcast * Novin mentions the philosopher John Hick: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Hick * We mention The Universal House of Justice: https://universalhouseofjustice.bahai.org/ * We mention Shoghi Effendi: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2013/11/shoghi-effendi-a-bridge-to-the-world/ * We mention Abdu'l-Baha: https://www.bahai.org/abdul-baha/ * We mention The Bab: https://www.bahai.org/the-bab/ * We mention Baha'u'llah: https://www.bahai.org/bahaullah/ * Novin mentions Edward Granville Browne: The Only European Historian Who Met Baha’u’llah: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2017/07/tribute-edward-granville-browne/ * Novin mentions The 200th Anniversary of the Birth of the Bab: https://bicentenary.bahai.org/the-bab/ * The Book of Certitude (The Kitab-i-Iqan) by Baha'u'llah: https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/bahaullah/kitab-i-iqan/ * Juliet mentions Juliet Thompson: https://bahaichronicles.org/juliet-thompson-need-dates/ We talk about the following books: * A Brief History of 7 Killings by Marlon James: https://amzn.to/3kiu87C * The Book of Night Women by Marlon James: https://amzn.to/3dG1g6Z * The Bassoon King by Rainn Wilson: https://amzn.to/3jggm4i * Memories of Mohammed: Why the Prophet Matters by Omid Safi: https://amzn.to/2HfZygO * Oneworld's book series called 'Makers of the Muslim World': https://amzn.to/34cX3UZ * The Baha'i Faith in Words and Images by John Danesh, Seena Fazel, Paul Slaughter: https://amzn.to/35f0M3Z * The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine by Ilan Pappe: https://amzn.to/2H7BSeB * The Sellout by Paul Beatty: https://amzn.to/37BfuoP * An American Marriage by Tayari Jones: https://amzn.to/37pA3UL * How We Disappeared: A Novel by Jing-Jing Lee: https://amzn.to/2H8S27z * From Copper to Gold: The Life of Dorothy Baker by Dorothy Freeman Gilstrap: https://amzn.to/2IN2vWC * The Bab and the Babi Community of Iran by Fereydun Vahman: https://amzn.to/2H7EwB3 * Juliet talks about the principle of bringing yourself to account each day, as found in the Writings of Baha'u'llah: "O SON OF BEING! Bring thyself to account each day ere thou art summoned to a reckoning; for death, unheralded, shall come upon thee and thou shalt be called to give account for thy deeds." Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL * Soundcloud: https://bit.ly/30dX0G4 * Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content, check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

 Episode 56: William H. “Smitty” Smith | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 01:21:13

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode, I'm joined via zoom by Dr. William H. Smith, or “Smitty” as he's affectionately known. Smitty is the Founding Executive Director of the National Center for Race Amity, and he's truly lived an exceptional life. He talks to me about growing up during segregation, and shares how he became a Baha'i. We talk about the challenges of balancing social activism while trying to obey the law, and he stresses the importance and serious impact genuine friendships can have on creating justice and lasting social change. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did! To find out more about some of the things we covered in this episode, check out the following links: * Smitty is the Founding Executive Director of the 'National Center for Race Amity': https://raceamity.org/ * Smitty is the Creator and Executive Producer/Co-Producer of 'An American Story: Race Amity and The Other Tradition': https://raceamityfilm.org/ * Smitty is the Executive Producer/Producer/Co-Writer 'The Invisible Soldiers: Unheard Voices': https://bit.ly/3l87YFt * Smitty talks about his love as a Baha'i for Jesus Christ. You may find this article interesting 'The Station of Jesus Christ in the Baha’i Faith': https://bit.ly/30xkeYf * Smitty shares the following quote from the Bible: "And I have other sheep which are not of this fold. It behooves Me to bring those also, and they will hear My voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd." (Berean Literal Bible) * Smitty mentions: - Baha'i Firesides: https://bit.ly/31SILYP - Baha'i World Congress in London, 1963: https://bit.ly/33aTpL9 - Fort Tabarsi: https://bit.ly/3kQc5pa - The Dawnbreakers: https://bit.ly/3mU2nUR - The National Spiritual Assembly: https://bit.ly/2S6Bv5F - Glenford Mitchel: https://bit.ly/3kZo1VZ - Agnes Parson: https://bit.ly/3jfq9se - Louis Gregory: https://bit.ly/33aTONF - Alain Locke: https://bit.ly/3407wlm - Nat Rudstein: https://bit.ly/2Ghr4to - The 1919 Red Summer: https://bit.ly/3jcTOSD - The Orangeburg Massacre: https://bit.ly/2FYYb5G * Smitty shares the following quote by Baha'u'llah: "So powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth." * I share the following quote from the Universal House of Justice: "Ultimately, the power to transform the world is effected by love, love originating from the relationship with the divine, love ablaze among members of a community, love extended without restriction to every human being. This divine love, ignited by the Word of God, is disseminated by enkindled souls through intimate conversations that create new susceptibilities in human hearts, open minds to moral persuasion, and loosen the hold of biased norms and social systems so that they can gradually take on a new form in keeping with the requirements of humanity’s age of maturity. You are channels for this divine love; let it flow through you to all who cross your path. Infuse it into every neighborhood and social space in which you move to build capacity to canalize the society-building power of Baha’u’llah’s Revelation. There can be no rest until the destined outcome is achieved." * Read the above letter here ( https://bit.ly/3jEvsAZ ) and listen to an audio version here: https://bit.ly/2S7ZBNG Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL * Soundcloud: https://bit.ly/30dX0G4 * Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content, check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

 Episode 55: Anisa & Doug White | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 01:20:18

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode, I'm joined by Anisa and Doug White, a wonderful and dynamic indigenous Canadian couple who both work in the field of law. We discuss indigenous culture in North America and some of the challenges and experiences of their people. They tell me how they found the Baha'i Faith, how they found each other, and Doug tells me what it was like being a chief for his people. We talk about raising children, and explore what's needed to foster love and understanding amongst all peoples. I hope you enjoy the conversation! To find out more about some of the things we covered in this episode, check out the following links: * Baha'i Pilgrimage: https://bit.ly/2Gp7TxX * Youth year of service: https://bit.ly/3hU7phb * Baha’i Firesides: https://bit.ly/31SILYP * Study Circles: https://bit.ly/34Unu2K * Dr. Hossain Danesh: http://www.hbdanesh.org/ * Dr. Danesh's talks: https://bit.ly/3gUOwcG * Prayer for newborn babies: “I have come by God’s command, have been made manifest for His remembrance and been created for the service of Him Who is the Almighty, the Well-Beloved.” -Baha’u’llah (Quoted by Martha Root, ‘Star of the West [The Baha’i Magazine], Vol. 23, no. 3, June 1932) * 'Love, Power, and Justice' by William S. Hatcher: https://amzn.to/33TqrzV * Quote by Baha'u'llah: "O SON OF SPIRIT! The best beloved of all things in My sight is Justice; turn not away therefrom if thou desirest 4 Me, and neglect it not that I may confide in thee. By its aid thou shalt see with thine own eyes and not through the eyes of others, and shalt know of thine own knowledge and not through the knowledge of thy neighbor. Ponder this in thy heart; how it behooveth thee to be. Verily justice is My gift to thee and the sign of My loving-kindness. Set it then before thine eyes." * 'Obasan' by Joy Kogawa: https://amzn.to/3gxeKTf * 'Medicine Walk' by Richard Wagamese: https://amzn.to/33wCFOY * 'Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner': https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atanarjuat:_The_Fast_Runner * 'Coyote Science': https://bit.ly/3jIHEky * Children's Classes: https://bit.ly/3gNTfwE * Tahirih Justice Center (https://www.tahirih.org/) founded by Layli Miller-Muro, also a guest on the Baha'i Blogcast: https://bit.ly/2QNzgDV * Excerpt from a letter from the Universal House of Justice to the Baha'is of the United States: "Ultimately, the power to transform the world is effected by love, love originating from the relationship with the divine, love ablaze among members of a community, love extended without restriction to every human being. This divine love, ignited by the Word of God, is disseminated by enkindled souls through intimate conversations that create new susceptibilities in human hearts, open minds to moral persuasion, and loosen the hold of biased norms and social systems so that they can gradually take on a new form in keeping with the requirements of humanity’s age of maturity. You are channels for this divine love; let it flow through you to all who cross your path. Infuse it into every neighborhood and social space in which you move to build capacity to canalize the society-building power of Baha’u’llah’s Revelation." * Read full letter here: https://bit.ly/3jEvsAZ, and listen to audio version here: https://bit.ly/2EQol9S Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL * Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/bahaiblogcast * Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content, check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

 Episode 54: Sean Hinton (pt 2): Fathers, Loss, and Life's Lessons | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 01:25:41

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode, I catch up with Sean Hinton again (here's part 1 of our conversation in case you missed it: https://bit.ly/2YMdi8x), and sadly, this second conversation takes place after the passing of my father, Robert Wilson. Sean asks about my dad, and we talk about loss, Baha'i funerals, and about our fathers and our upbringing. We also discuss the importance of community building, teaching the Baha'i Faith, careers, and how 'what' we do is not as important as 'how' we do it. I hope you find part 2 of our conversation as interesting and insightful as I did. To find out more about some of the things we covered in this episode, check out the following: * Here's part 1 of my conversation with Sean Hinton: https://bit.ly/2YMdi8x * Find out more about my father, Robert Wilson, and his art from his website: https://www.robertwilsonart.com/ * Prayer for the Dead by Baha'u'llah: https://bit.ly/3b1QGWB * Sean works at the Open Society Foundation: https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/ * Adib Taherzadeh (https://bit.ly/31xNMFP). Listen to a series of his talks here: https://bit.ly/3hNbkvW * The Kitab-i-Iqan (The Book of Certitude): https://bit.ly/2G4XCGV * The Dawn-Breakers: https://bit.ly/2QBUynP * I share this prayer: "He is God! O peerless Lord! Praised be Thou for having kindled that light in the glass of the Concourse on high, for having guided that bird of faithfulness to the nest of the Abhá Kingdom. Thou hast joined that precious river to the mighty sea, Thou hast returned that spreading ray of light to the Sun of Truth. Thou hast welcomed that captive of remoteness into the garden of reunion, and led him who longed to look upon Thee to Thy presence in Thy bright place of lights. Thou art the Lord of tender love, Thou art the last goal of the yearning heart, Thou art the dearest wish of the martyr’s soul." —Abdu’l‑Baha * Obligatory Prayer: https://bit.ly/2G8qIW1 * The Tablet of Ahmad: https://bit.ly/2EBipkW * Baha'i pilgrimage: https://bit.ly/3jpEUbv * Ali Nakhjavani: https://bit.ly/3gxL9bq * The Universal House of Justice: https://bit.ly/2YIGT2N * Sean shares the following quote by Abdu'l-Baha: "Work done in the spirit of service is the highest form of worship..." * Study Circles (https://bit.ly/31AS4fM) and the Ruhi sequence of courses: https://bit.ly/31AUcUM * Sean talks about our twofold moral purpose: https://bit.ly/3biyIiR *Sean shares this quotation by Baha'u'llah: "That seeker must, at all times, put his trust in God, must renounce the peoples of the earth, must detach himself from the world of dust, and cleave unto Him Who is the Lord of Lords. He must never seek to exalt himself above anyone, must wash away from the tablet of his heart every trace of pride and vainglory, must cling unto patience and resignation, observe silence and refrain from idle talk. For the tongue is a smoldering fire, and excess of speech a deadly poison. Material fire consumeth the body, whereas the fire of the tongue devoureth both heart and soul. The force of the former lasteth but for a time, whilst the effects of the latter endureth a century." * Baha'i Chair for World Peace: http://www.bahaichair.umd.edu/ * Dr. Hoda Mahmoudi: https://bit.ly/2G8ZOxe * The Promise of World Peace: https://bit.ly/34FrkN9 Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL * Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/bahaiblogcast * Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content, check out: http://bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

 Episode 53: Sean Hinton (pt 1) The Story of becoming the Knight of Baha'u'llah for Mongolia | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 01:13:11

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode, I'm joined by Sean Hinton, the very first Baha'i to ever go to Mongolia, and therefore be given the title 'Knight of Baha'u'llah' (which you can learn more about in a link below). Sean currently lives in Oxford, England with his family. He trained as a musician, but he's had an extremely varied and interesting career, and life for that matter! I wanted Sean to share the story of how he ended up being the first Baha'i to go to Mongolia, so stop what you're doing and listen to his fascinating story! To find out more about some of the things we covered in this episode, check out the following: * What's a Knight of Baha'u'llah?: https://bit.ly/2YE1hBS * Shoghi Effendi: https://bit.ly/3hBHlHl * The 10 Year Crusade: https://bit.ly/3jmge3D * Sean mentions his friend Adam Roberts' grandparents, John Robarts (https://bit.ly/2Eq3biZ) and Audrey Robarts (https://bit.ly/3hzyshu). * Baha'i pilgrimage: https://bit.ly/2EDykz8 * The Universal House of Justice: https://bit.ly/2YIGT2N * Mr. Ian Semple: https://bit.ly/3jlZl9k * Baha’i World Centre (http://www.bwc.org/), and you may find this article interesting: https://bit.ly/3b3VkmR * Amatu’l-Baha Ruhiyyih Khanum: https://bit.ly/34DYRHj * 19 Day Feast: https://bit.ly/34IfqBY * Sean shares quote: "Whoso reciteth, in the privacy of his chamber, the verses revealed by God, the scattering angels of the Almighty shall scatter abroad the fragrance of the words uttered by his mouth, and shall cause the heart of every righteous man to throb. Though he may, at first, remain unaware of its effect, yet the virtue of the grace vouchsafed unto him must needs sooner or later exercise its influence upon his soul. Thus have the mysteries of the Revelation of God been decreed by virtue of the Will of Him Who is the Source of power and wisdom." -Baha'u'llah * The Hidden Words of Baha'u'llah: https://bit.ly/3lsDA9q * The Seven Valleys by Baha'u'llah (https://bit.ly/2YoZ36p), which you can also learn about here: https://bit.ly/3hC6XUH * Hands of the Cause: https://bit.ly/2EATuOD * Enoch Olinga: https://bit.ly/3hAANZN * Sean shares quote: "Work done in the spirit of service is the highest form of worship…" -Abdu'l-Baha Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL * Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/bahaiblogcast * Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content, check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

 Episode 52: Dara Feldman | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 00:56:22

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode, I'm joined by award-winning educator, author and speaker, Dara Feldman, who served as the Director of Education for the Virtues Project for seven years. We talk about food shaming, the power of the 12-step program, and all the ways the virtues can be incorporated into all aspects of our lives. She tells me how she became a Baha'i, her passion for restorative justice, what's she's working on now, and her recent experience in India at the largest school in the world. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did! To find out more about some of the things we covered in this episode, check out the following: * Dara Feldman: http://www.darafeldman.com/ * Virtues Matter: https://www.virtuesmatter.com/ * Virtues App: https://www.virtuesmatter.com/app * Virtues App video: https://bit.ly/3dCeUq1 * Dara's book 'The Heart of Education': https://amzn.to/2YwxgEL * Baha'i Blogcast with Linda Kavelin Popov: https://bit.ly/384RvMA * Progressive revelation: https://bit.ly/2Vkay0B * City Montessori School: http://www.cmseducation.org/ * Virtues Matter video at City Montessori School: https://bit.ly/386EJ0b * Baha’i Firesides: https://bit.ly/3890psD * Devotional Gatherings: https://bit.ly/3g0Xyow * Independent investigation of truth: https://bit.ly/2VksmbO * Ruhi books: https://bit.ly/380Wm1m * Short Obligatory Prayer (https://bit.ly/3dBxOgy): "I bear witness, O my God, that Thou hast created me to know Thee and to worship Thee. I testify, at this moment, to my powerlessness and to Thy might, to my poverty and to Thy wealth. There is none other God but Thee, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting." -Baha’u’llah * Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program: https://bit.ly/2BCBcuC * Year of service: https://bit.ly/3eAQmz2 * Dara shares these quotes by Baha'u'llah: "Intone, O My servant, the verses of God that have been received by thee, as intoned by them who have drawn nigh unto Him, that the sweetness of thy melody may kindle thine own soul, and attract the hearts of all men. Whoso reciteth, in the privacy of his chamber, the verses revealed by God, the scattering angels of the Almighty shall scatter abroad the fragrance of the words uttered by his mouth, and shall cause the heart of every righteous man to throb. Though he may, at first, remain unaware of its effect, yet the virtue of the grace vouchsafed unto him must needs sooner or later exercise its influence upon his soul. Thus have the mysteries of the Revelation of God been decreed by virtue of the Will of Him Who is the Source of power and wisdom." "O MY SERVANT! The best of men are they that earn a livelihood by their calling and spend upon themselves and upon their kindred for the love of God, the Lord of all worlds." "O SON OF SPIRIT! Noble have I created thee, yet thou hast abased thyself. Rise then unto that for which thou wast created." * Baha'i Blogcast with Barbara & Radiance Talley: https://bit.ly/2Vka62p * Pupil of the eye metaphor: https://bit.ly/3dgVBT5 * Pupil of the Eye Conference: https://bit.ly/37Odbwv * Baha'i Blogcast with Joy De Gruy: https://bit.ly/386lowm * Van Gilmer: https://www.bahaichoir.org/director * Louis Gregory: https://bit.ly/2YfedhP * Advent of Divine Justice: https://bit.ly/2YNfFr0 Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: *YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL *Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/bahaiblogcast *Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb To find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

 Episode 51: Barbara & Radiance Talley | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 01:24:12

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode, I'm joined by our very first mother and daughter duo, Barbara and Radiance Talley, living in Maryland, USA. Both Barbara and Radiance are poets, educators, writers, and passionate about tackling the issue of racism in the US. They tell me about the 'Arise: Pupil of the Eye' conference and the impact it's had. We talk about activism and what we all can do to work towards racial harmony. And by sharing some of their poems with me, we get a raw and heartfelt glimpse into their lives and concerns as African Americans in the US. I hope you find this wonderful conversation as engaging and inspiring as I did. To find out more about some of the things we covered in this episode, check out the following: * Barbara Talley's website: http://www.barbaratalley.me and interviews: https://bit.ly/3hJqW3Z * More about Radiance Talley here: https://bit.ly/2BhyASC * "pupil of the eye" metaphore comes from Abdu'l-Baha: “Thou art like unto the pupil of the eye which is dark in color, yet it is the fount of light and the revealer of the contingent world”. Read more about it here: https://bit.ly/3dgVBT5 * Arise: Pupil of the Conference: https://bit.ly/37Odbwv * Shoghi Effendi quote in 'The Advent of Divine Justice' (https://bit.ly/2YNfFr0): “As to racial prejudice, the corrosion of which, for well-nigh a century, has bitten into the fiber, and attacked the whole social structure of American society, it should be regarded as constituting the most vital and challenging issue confronting the Baha’i community at the present stage of its evolution. The ceaseless exertions which this issue of paramount importance calls for, the sacrifices it must impose, the care and vigilance it demands, the moral courage and fortitude it requires, the tact and sympathy it necessitates, invest this problem … with an urgency and importance that cannot be overestimated.” * Sadie Oglesby: https://bit.ly/312oWhH * Book 'Lights of the Spirit': https://amzn.to/3hBu6ag * Derek Smith's essay 'Centering the “Pupil of the Eye”: Blackness, Modernity, and the Revelation of Baha’u’llah': https://bit.ly/2NcPTXO * Derik Smith on Baha'i Blogcast: https://bit.ly/2UXEuzj * worldembracing.net: https://worldembracing.net/ * Radiance quotes Quran: “And We desire to show favor to those who were brought low in the land, and to make them spiritual leaders among men, and to make of them Our heirs.” * Barbara mentions: - Ruhiyyih Khanum: https://bit.ly/3eik4Zp - Louis Gregory: https://bit.ly/2YfedhP - Van Gilmer: https://www.bahaichoir.org/director * Barbara shares Shoghi Effendi quote: "The need of the cause in America is the call of the heart and it can never be given save by those who have suffered and who have been trained in the way of sacrifice and humility." * Radiance shares this quote from the Bab in The Dawn Breakers (https://bit.ly/2AP0cP6): "Treasures lie hidden beneath the throne of God; the key to those treasures is the tongue of poets." Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: *YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL *Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/bahaiblogcast *Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb To find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

 Episode 50: Masud Olufani | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 01:21:42

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. As anti-racism protests continue across the United States and in different parts of the world, in this episode I'm joined by Masud Olufani, an African-American multidisciplinary artist, activist, writer, and Baha'i, who hosts a podcast called 'America's Most Challenging Issue', aimed at tackling the subject of racism in the US. Masud and I discuss racism and some of the challenges of eradicating it. He tells me what it's like to be a black man in the US, and the complexities of identity, and some of the mythologies tied into the fabric of American society. We talk about the idea of discomfort and growth, and how we have to be willing to grapple with it and bear the burden for the greater good. Masud tells me how he became a Baha'i, his work as an artist, and how the Baha'i Teachings and activities have not only changed his life, but can contribute towards racial harmony. I hope you find this important conversation as fruitful and enlightening as I did. Find out more about some of the things we covered by checking out the following: * Masud's website: https://www.masud-olufani.com/ * America's Most Challenging Issue podcast: https://bit.ly/2AoXW0N * We share quote: "As to racial prejudice, the corrosion of which, for well-nigh a century, has bitten into the fiber, and attacked the whole social structure of American society, it should be regarded as constituting the most vital and challenging issue confronting the Baha’i community at the present stage of its evolution. The ceaseless exertions which this issue of paramount importance calls for, the sacrifices it must impose, the care and vigilance it demands, the moral courage and fortitude it requires, the tact and sympathy it necessitates, invest this problem with an urgency and importance that cannot be overestimated." -Shoghi Effendi * Masud interview about his podcast: https://bit.ly/37mfvuu * Masud article on racism & discomfort: https://bit.ly/2UOMDWT * Masud's talk Freeing Ourselves of the Stain of Racism: https://bit.ly/37kj18F * Masud's talk Healing Through Reclamation & Art: https://bit.ly/3dTHunQ * Masud shares: "They whose hearts are warmed by the energizing influence of God’s creative 198 love cherish His creatures for His sake, and recognize in every human face a sign of His reflected glory." -Shoghi Effendi * Rainn quotes Universal House of Justice: "When society is in such difficulty and distress, the responsibility of the Baha’is to make a constructive contribution to human affairs becomes more pronounced. This is a moment when distinct but interrelated lines of action converge upon a single point, when the call to service rings aloud. The individual, the community, and the institutions of the Faith—inseparable protagonists in the advancement of civilization—are in a position to demonstrate the distinctive features of the Baha’i way of life, characterized by increased maturity in the discharge of their responsibilities and in their relationships with each other. ... At a time when the urgency of attaining higher levels of unity, founded on the incontestable truth of humanity’s oneness, is becoming apparent to larger and larger numbers, society stands in need of clear voices that can articulate the spiritual principles that underlie such an aspiration." Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: *YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL *Soundcloud: https://bit.ly/3hjMjZN *Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb Find out more about the Baha'i Faith by visiting BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

 Episode 49: Mahnaz Aflatooni Javid | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 01:16:56

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode, I'm joined by my dear friend Mahnaz Aflatooni Javid, CEO of the Mona Foundation, and one of its founding members. Mahnaz tells me the inspiration behind the Mona Foundation, and how a childhood car ride with her mom changed her life forever. She tells me about coming to the US as a teenager in the 1960s, and being one of only 15 youth volunteers at the Baha'i World Centre. We talk about education, attitudes around development work, the importance of grassroots service, and adopting a humble posture of learning in all that we do. I hope you enjoy our conversation! * Please note that this episode was recorded before the pandemic, so it may sound a little strange that there's no mention of it. If you haven't heard our episode with Dr. Robert Kim Farley about the pandemic when it first hit, I think you'll find interesting: https://bit.ly/2TUFCTK To find out more about some of the things we covered in this episode, check out the following links: * Mona Foundation website: https://www.monafoundation.org/ * We mention the importance of service in the Baha'i Faith: https://bit.ly/2XMxyFW * Mahnaz talks about the Arc on Mt. Carmel (https://bahaipedia.org/The_Arc) and serving at the Baha’i World Centre (http://www.bwc.org/). You may also find this Baha’i Blog article interesting: https://bit.ly/2ySs3Nj * Mahnaz mentions the 1978 Islamic/Iranian revolution and the persecution of the Baha'is in Iran. You can find out more from this article: https://bit.ly/2MjWKyg * Mahnaz mentions the Universal House of Justice (https://universalhouseofjustice.bahai.org/), and the 1983 letter from Universal House Justice establishing the Office of Social and Economic Development [OSED], which you can read here: https://bit.ly/2BnJUN9 * Find out more about the Baha’i contribution to social and economic development here: https://bit.ly/2XkhsnG * Mahnaz mentions Shoghi Effendi (https://www.bahai.org/shoghi-effendi/) and Hands of the Cause of God (https://www.bahaiblog.net/2014/06/hands-cause/). * Mahnaz mentions the following individuals: - Mr. Furutan: https://news.bahai.org/story/261/ - Mr. Fatheazam: https://news.bahai.org/story/964/ - Amatu’l-Baha Ruhiyyih Khanum: https://bit.ly/36NQ4BI - Mr.Faizi: https://bahaipedia.org/Abu%27l-Q%C3%A1sim_Faizi - Dr. Muhajir: https://bahaipedia.org/Ra%E1%B8%A5matu%E2%80%99ll%C3%A1h_Muh%C3%A1jir - Dr. Khadem: https://bahaipedia.org/Zikrullah_Khadem - Paul Haney: https://bahaipedia.org/Paul_Haney - Mr. Nakhjavani: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2019/11/a-tribute-to-mr-ali-nakhjavani/ - Dr. Arbab: https://bahaipedia.org/Farzam_Arbab * Mahnaz talks about the book called 'Olya's Story' by Olya Roohizadegan (https://amzn.to/3gydI9N), Mona Mahmudnizhad (which the Mona Foundation is named after), whom together with nine other women, were killed in Iran for being Baha'is. Find out more about Mona Mahmudnizhad here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mona_Mahmudnizhad * Watch the music video for the pop hit song by Doug Cameron called 'Mona With The Children': https://bit.ly/2ZRPlOy * You may also enjoy this version of 'Mona With The Children' by Tom Francis on Baha'i Blog's Studio Sessions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzAbMDmvMLQ Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: http://bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: http://apple.co/2leHPHL * Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/bahaiblogcast * Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content, check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: http://bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

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