Baha'i Blogcast with Rainn Wilson

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, I speak with Dr. Nader Saiedi about the Declaration of the Bab, whose revitalizing message prepared the way for the coming of Baha’u’llah, the Founder of the Baha’i Faith. Watch the video version of this episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jPN99xQLOs Dr. Saiedi is a Professor of Baha’i Studies in the department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures at the University of California, USA, and has focused much of his work on the Life and Works of the Bab. I hope you enjoy this special conversation about the Declaration of the Bab. To find out more about Dr. Nader Saiedi and some of the things we covered in this podcast, check out the following links: * You can find out more about Dr. Nader Saiedi here: https://bahaikipedia.org/Nader_Saiedi * You can also listen to our interview with Dr. Saiedi on our earlier Baha'i Blogcast episode here: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2017/08/bahai-blogcast-rainn-wilson-episode-20-nader-saiedi/ * Dr. Saiedi is the author of 'Logos and Civilization': https://amzn.to/2T8A6g4 and 'Gate of the Heart': https://amzn.to/3bBfD9V * You may also be interested in these talks by Dr. Nader Saiedi: - From World War to World Peace: http://bahaiblog.net/site/2017/06/world-war-world-peace-talk-dr-nader-saiedi/ - Text and Context in the Baha’i Heroic Age (this is a series of 11 talks): https://soundcloud.com/bahai-blog/sets/nader-saiedi-text-and-context - Baha'u'llah & Peace (this is a series of 4 talks): https://www.bahaiblog.net/2019/02/bahaullah-peace-a-series-of-four-talks-by-nader-saiedi/ - Fire & Light in the Bab's Tablet: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2016/11/dr-nader-saiedis-talk-fire-light-babs-tablet/ - Identity and the Spiritual Journey in the Badi Calendar: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2015/04/identity-and-the-spiritual-journey-in-the-badi-calendar-a-talk-by-dr-nader-saiedi-2/ * For more information and Baha'i-inspired content about the Declaration of the Bab, please visit this special resource page: https://www.bahaiblog.net/bahai-calendar/about-the-declaration-of-the-bab/ * You can read the full transcripts of this episode here: https://www.scribd.com/document/476399968/Transcripts-Baha-i-Blogcast-With-Rainn-Wilson-Ep-48-a-Declaration-of-the-Bab-Conversation-With-Nader-Saiedi 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

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 with Mohammad AL Samawi, an interfaith activist from Yemen and a best-selling author of 'The Fox Hunt', a page-turning book about his life and escape from Yemen. Mohammed tells me about his life in Yemen and the civil war there. He tells me how his disability helped change the course of his life and how he became an interfaith activist. We learn about the importance of seeking knowledge and the truth for one's self, and the positive power social media can play in the world. He tells us about his harrowing escape from Yemen to the U.S, and celebrates the fact that there are so many good people in the world. I hope you enjoy this exciting conversation with Mohammed as much as I did! To find out more about some of the things we covered in this episode, check out the following links: * Mohammed's book 'The Fox Hunt' can be found here on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2SChvZh * Mohammed's non-profit organization is called 'The Abrahamic House': https://www.abrahamichouse.org/ * Learn more about the situation of the Baha'is in Yemen here: https://www.bic.org/situation-in-yemen/reports-situation-yemen * Mohammed mentions supporting the good work that the 'International Rescue Committee' is doing: https://www.rescue.org/ * Mohammed mentions the important Baha'i principle of the 'independent investigation of truth', which you can learn more about here: https://bahaiteachings.org/bahai-principles-independent-investigation-of-truth/ * We mention Layli Miller-Muro and supporting the work of 'The Tahirih Justice Center': https://www.tahirih.org/ * You can also listen to our Baha'i Blogcast episode with Layli Miller-Muro here: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2016/07/bahai-blogcast-rainn-wilson-episode-4-layli-miller-muro/ 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

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 Baha'is and their friends around the world celebrate the 12-day Festival of Ridvan, I thought it would be nice to create a special episode about Ridvan and its significance, so I got online with my friend, Tom Price, to have a chat about this special time for Baha'is. I hope you find this little conversation about Ridvan interesting and informative. * Find out more about Ridvan by checking out this Baha'i Blog page full of articles and resources: https://www.bahaiblog.net/bahai-calendar/about-the-festival-of-ridvan/ * Check out the 'Ridvan Is Everywhere' playlist, which brings you family-friendly programming for all 12 days of the Festival of Ridvan: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsn_g0OpWDwIp99WjEHvuNIYIbOfz-WIr * Learn more about Tom Price by listening to this previous Baha'i Blogcast episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YF2kiyY_uZ0&list=PLePDtgwcyKAQmifUJTw0Kk-hBGL2ZGMJi&index=37&t=1s 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

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 in Los Angeles with four wonderful sisters who live down the road from me named Vadi, Nava, Nika, and Nura Esmailizadeh. Can't pronounce their last name? Don't worry, I still can't get it right and I've known the sisters and their parents for over 15 years now! I wanted them on the podcast to learn how to pronounce their last name once and for all, and also because they've been such great examples of young Baha'is who are actively engaged in serving their community. They tell me about their studies and the community service they're involved in. We discuss the Institute Process, the importance of service and community-building work, and they share their own personal experiences in this process. I hope you enjoy the conversation with these four wonderful sisters as much as I did! To find out more about some of the things we covered in this episode, check out the following links: * Rainn mentions the Baha'i Blogcast episode with Dr. Robert Kim-Farley: https://bit.ly/2UXlvFn Find out more about Baha'i Study Circles and the Training Institute here: https://bit.ly/3a6yyc8 * Find out about the Ruhi sequence of courses here: https://bit.ly/2wAHuc0 * We talk about the 'Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program' [JYSEP]: https://www.bahaiblog.net/junior-youth/ * We mention 'Devotional Gatherings': https://bit.ly/2UX0SsS * We mention 'Children's Classes': https://bit.ly/34yBZHd * We mention the Bosch Baha'i School: http://www.bosch.org/ * We talk about the importance of service in the Baha'i Faith: https://bit.ly/3emWlrA * I mention 'The Dawnbreakers': https://bit.ly/3ed5Yc7 * We talk about the Institute for Studies in Global Prosperity [ISGP]: https://www.globalprosperity.org/ * We mention the Baha’i World Centre (www.bwc.org/). You may find this Baha’i Blog article interesting: Why is the Baha’i World Centre in Israel? bit.ly/2IsLihu * Nika reads the following quote from Baha'u'llah: "If it be Thy pleasure, make me to grow as a tender herb in the meadows of Thy grace, that the gentle winds of Thy will may stir me up and bend me into conformity with Thy pleasure, in such wise that my movement and my stillness may be wholly directed by Thee." -Baha'u'llah * You may also enjoy this musical rendition of the above quote on Baha'i Blog Studio Sessions called "If it be Thy Pleasure" by Alicia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wXskVRFYGg * Nura mentions letters from the Universal House of Justice: https://universalhouseofjustice.bahai.org/ * Nura talks about the Baha'i Faith and partisan politics: https://bit.ly/2XprnJ4 * Nava shares a quote from 'The Tablets of the Divine Plan' (https://bit.ly/2UWm827), and you can read this article called 'What Are the Tablets of the Divine Plan?' to find out more: https://bit.ly/2wwbsOk * We mention Baha'i pioneering, which you can learn more about here: https://bit.ly/34rqh12 * We mention 'The Advent of Divine Justice' written by Shoghi Effendi: https://bit.ly/3aZXgw1 * At the end of the podcast, the sisters sing the following quote from Abdul-Baha: "When one is released from the prison of self, that is indeed freedom! For self is the greatest prison." -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

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. With the recent pandemic of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) spreading globally, and as the situation continues to unfold, I thought it would be timely to get Dr. Robert Kim-Farley on the Baha'i Blogcast. Dr. Kim-Farley is an epidemiologist and a dear Baha'i friend who currently serves as a Professor in both the Departments of Epidemiology, and the Community Health Sciences at the Fielding School of Public Health at the University of California, and from 2004 to 2018, he served as the Director of the Division of Communicable Disease Control and Prevention at the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. In this episode, Dr. Kim-Farley (or Dr. Bob as I like to call him), tells us about the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and what we know about it so far. He shares some possible scenarios of what could happen in the coming months and gives examples of how certain countries are fighting it. he tells us how we can help slow down the spread of the virus, and he also shares his personal experience in how they were able to completely eliminate polio from Indonesia. Skip ahead to the 24-minute mark of the podcast if you don't want to hear any more about the Coronavirus (COVID-19), and find out how Dr. Bob got into epidemiology, how he discovered the Baha'i Faith, met his wife, and recently joined a rock band. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did, and also find it helpful! To find out more about some of the things we covered in this episode, check out the following links: * You can learn more about COVID-19 and keep up to date at The World Health Organization website: https://www.who.int/ * Find out more about Dr. Robert Kim-Farley's professional work here: https://ph.ucla.edu/faculty/kim-farley * Dr. Kim-Farley explains the idea of humanity being like the human body, and this concept was actually put into a small editorial in the American Journal of Public Health which you can read here: https://bit.ly/2Ql21I6 * Dr. Kim-Farley refers to the following quote by Baha'u'llah: "Religion without science is superstition. Science without religion is materialism." * Dr. Kim-Farley relates a story about Abdu'l-Baha relating to science and religion. Find out more about Abdu'l-Baha here: https://www.bahai.org/abdul-baha/ * Dr. Kim-Farley mentions the Universal House of Justice: https://universalhouseofjustice.bahai.org/ * Dr. Kim-Farley talks about being a Baha'i pioneer: https://bit.ly/2w0jrD5 * Rainn mentions the following quote from 'The Hidden Words' of Baha'u'llah (https://bit.ly/2Wg56Nu): "Say, O brethren! Let deeds, not words, be your adorning." * Dr. Kim-Farley mentions the word Allah-u-Abha: https://bit.ly/2U3xVKg * Dr. Kim-Farley mentions the following quote from Baha'ullah: "The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens." * Rainn mentions the following article from the Baha'i World News Service: 'Hope and Support in Italy During a Global Health Crisis': https://news.bahai.org/story/1401/ * Dr. Kim-Farley mentions the Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program (JYSEP) which you can learn more about here: https://www.bahaiblog.net/junior-youth/ * And finally, you can watch this video with Dr. Kim-Farley performing as his alter ego named "Gage", singing "Born to be Wild" with Ryan and the Runaways: https://bit.ly/39WfJJo Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: apple.co/2leHPHL * Soundcloud: @bahaiblogcast * Spotify: 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: bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

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 at my home in Los Angeles with my uncle, Rhett Diessner, a Professor of Psychology who has a special interest in aesthetics and beauty. We talk about moral reasoning, materialism, and how he became a Baha'i. We discuss the psychology of beauty, how there's no love without beauty, and that love holds the whole universe together. Rhett tells me how humans are all intimately linked, and how beauty will literally help save the world. 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: * I mention my podcast with Reza Aslan called 'Metaphysical Milkshake’: https://bit.ly/3avGT9K * Rhett mentions the Baha'i principle of the ‘independent investigation of truth’: https://bit.ly/39vceJv * Rhett mentions Baha’i Firesides: https://bit.ly/3arsZW2 * Rhett and I talk about 'Some Answered Questions' by Abdu'l-Baha: https://bit.ly/39vc8S3 * Rhett mentions the 'The Promise of World Peace’ by the Universal House of Justice: https://bit.ly/3aAKT98 * Rhett mentions ‘The Book of Certitude (Kitab-i-Iqan)’ by Baha’u’llah: https://bit.ly/38qovxG * Rhett shares the following quote from 'The Most Holy Book (Kitab-i-Aqdas)’ by Baha'u'llah: "Observe My commandments, for the love of My beauty.”: https://bit.ly/2IuKGbb * Rhett and I talk about Shoghi Effendi spending time in Switzerland. Find out more about Shoghi Effendi from this article: https://bit.ly/39rk9HW * View the photograph Rhett took of the bench he mentions in the podcast here: https://bit.ly/38tkmJh * Rhett mentions Dr. Hossein Danesh, and you can listen to some of his talks here: - ‘Making Peace Our New Year's Resolution’: https://bit.ly/3cDTyJt - ‘Decisions, Decisions, Decisions: The Challenge of Making Right Decisions’: https://bit.ly/2Ipz2hT * Rhett mentions working with the renowned American psychologist, Lawrence Kohlberg: https://bit.ly/2TJ7XeY * Rhett mentions the works of Carol Gilligan and her book 'In a Different Voice: Psychological Theory and Women’s Development’: https://amzn.to/2PO9UFQ * Rhett and I mention Dr. Steven Phelps, who was a guest on the Baha'i Blogcast twice: - Baha’i Blogcast with Rainn Wilson – Episode 7: Steven Phelps: https://bit.ly/2PTN7Zf - [VIDEO] Baha'i Blogcast with Rainn Wilson - Episode 37: Physics and Mysticism with Steven Phelps: https://bit.ly/2VWea9Q * Rhett mentions the ‘Baha’i World Centre’ (http://www.bwc.org/), and you may find this Baha’i Blog article ‘Why is the Baha’i World Centre in Israel?’ interesting: https://bit.ly/2IsLihu * Rhett mentions 'The Tablet of Ahmad' by Baha'u'llah which you can read here: https://bit.ly/2vxvM1j and also read about in this article called ‘The Tablet of Ahmad: Who Was Ahmad?’: https://bit.ly/2ImpgwT * Rhett mentions the 'Long Obligatory Prayer' by Baha'u'llah, which you can read here: https://bit.ly/2v25HqQ and also read about in this article called 'A Prayer to Power Up Your Day: The Long Obligatory Prayer': https://bit.ly/38vTvw2 * Rhett quotes from the 'The Seven Valleys' by Baha'u'llah: "...see every face with the beauty of a friend...". You can read 'The Seven Valleys' here: https://bit.ly/32VC46Z and learn more about it from this article called ‘An Introduction to The Seven Valleys’: https://bit.ly/38yX0SI Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: apple.co/2leHPHL * Soundcloud: @bahaiblogcast * Spotify: 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: bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

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 at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where I interview Brukty Tigabu, a dear Baha'i friend from Ethiopia, and winner of the Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award. As a school teacher, Brukty was concerned with the lack of early childhood education in Ethiopia, so 15 years ago, her and her husband started 'Tsehai Loves Learning', now the most viewed and award-winning children's TV show in Ethiopia. In this conversation, we talk about how the show first started, what is was like being raised an Ethiopian Orthodox Christian, and how she became a Baha'i. She tells us about Ethiopia, what she's currently working on, and she shares some of the challenges she's trying to overcome. 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: * Check out episodes of 'Tsehai Loves Learning' here: https://www.youtube.com/user/TsehaiLovesLearning * Find out more about Brukty's educational media company called 'Whiz Kids Workshop' here: http://www.whizkidsworkshop.com/ * Check out Brukty's new TV show called 'Tibeb Girls' here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ft4ALYtM5OQ * Find out more about the World Economic Forum here: https://www.weforum.org/ * Rainn is at the World Economic Forum with 'Arctic Basecamp': https://arcticbasecamp.org/ * Rainn talks about Shoghi Effendi spending time in Switzerland. Find out more about Shoghi Effendi here: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2013/11/shoghi-effendi-a-bridge-to-the-world/ * Rainn mentions the book 'The Magic Mountain' by Thomas Mann: https://amzn.to/39geQdS * Brukty mentions Baha'i Firesides: https://www.whyunite.com/questions/what-is-a-bahai-fireside/ * Brukty mentions she met her husband while he was doing a "year of service" and says they could use more people to come on a "year of service". You can find out more about this concept here: https://bahaiteachings.org/youth-give-a-year-of-service-to-humanity/ * You can find the famous photo Rainn refers to of French kids watching a puppet show here: https://time.com/3879428/children-at-a-puppet-show-paris-1963/ * Rainn mentions Mary Wollstonecraft (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Wollstonecraft), early feminist and mother of Mary Shelley, author of 'Frankenstein' (https://amzn.to/374Spqn). * We talk about the Baha'i 'core activities': https://bahaipedia.org/Core_activities * We talk about Devotional Gatherings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iop-CFOdgFg * We talk about Junior Youth Groups: https://www.bahaiblog.net/junior-youth/ * Brukty mentions Baha'i pioneers: https://bahaipedia.org/Pioneer * Brukty shares a prayer by the Bab in Amharic. Here is the English translation: "Is there any Remover of difficulties save God? Say: Praised be God! He is God! All are His servants, and all abide by His bidding!" Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: apple.co/2leHPHL * Soundcloud: @bahaiblogcast * Spotify: 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: bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

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 in Reykjavik, Iceland with Halldor Thorgeirsson, the Chair of Iceland’s Climate Council, and retired Senior Director of the United Nations Climate Change Secretariat (UNFCCC). We talk about the environment, and Halldor teaches me about how Carbon Matter really matters. He tells me about Iceland, his work, how he became a Baha'i, the importance of consultation and accompaniment, Baha'is who have influenced his life, and the importance of moral leadership and engaging in constructive forces in our society. 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: * Find out more about the UNFCCC here: https://unfccc.int/about-us/about-the-secretariat * Here's the official website for the Baha'is of Iceland: https://www.bahai.is/node/51?language=en * I mention that I'm in Iceland for SoulPancake: https://soulpancake.com/ * At the beginning of the podcast, Halldor shares the following prayer by Baha'u'llah in Icelandic: "Ég ber því vitni, ó Guð minn, að Þú hefur skapað mig til að þekkja Þig og tilbiðja Þig. Ég staðfesti á þessu andartaki vanmátt minn og mátt Þinn, fátækt mína og auðlegð Þína. Enginn er Guð nema Þú, hjálpin í nauðum, hinn sjálfumnógi." Here's the English translation of that prayer: "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." * Halldor makes reference to the following Writings of Baha'u'llah: "Love Me, that I may love thee. If thou lovest Me not, My love can in no wise reach thee. Know this, O servant." * Halldor mentions Baha'i pioneers: https://bahaipedia.org/Pioneer * Halldor mentions the following Hands of the Cause (https://www.bahaiblog.net/2014/06/hands-cause/): - Ugo Giachery (https://bit.ly/2uUhAyH) - William Sears (https://bit.ly/36WiFE5) - Abu'l-Qasim Faizi (https://bit.ly/384fRVE) - Amatu’l-Baha Ruhiyyih Khanum (https://bit.ly/2RjaET7) - Rahmatu’llah Muhajir (https://bit.ly/2tacvln) * Halldor talks about the Kyoto Protocol: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyoto_Protocol * Halldor mentions the Universal House of Justice: https://bit.ly/2tnb6aX * Halldor mentions the "Mashriqu’l Adhkar", which means a Baha'i "House of Worship", also commonly referred to as a Baha'i temple. Find out more about Baha'i temples here: https://bit.ly/2Nu4rCO * We talk about Devotional Gatherings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iop-CFOdgFg * Halldor talks about Richard St. Barbe Baker "The Man of the Trees", who was the first global conservationist and was a Baha'i. You can read this book about him by Paul Hanley: https://amzn.to/36Xi4SH * Halldor talks about this book by Arthur Dahl 'Unless and Until': https://amzn.to/35ZFJ3P Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: apple.co/2leHPHL * Soundcloud: @bahaiblogcast * Spotify: 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: bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

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 our 40th episode of the Baha'i Blogcast, we thought we'd do something a little different by sharing an audio version of an animation called 'An Introduction to the Baha'i Faith'. I worked on this animation with Baha'i Blog and our friends at BahaiTeachings.org and SwissVBS, and we published it about a month ago – just in time for the 200th anniversary of the Birth of the Bab celebrations happening around the world. It's been really well received with over a million views so far, and seeing as so many of us are consuming content in audio format nowadays, we thought it would be useful to create an audio version for the Baha'i Blogcast with a little personal commentary from yours truly, at the beginning and at the end. I hope you find this episode both interesting and useful! Watch the animation, and check out other related links below: *Here's the animation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLSaDVG4yBE * Here's a link to the article I wrote explaining the project and the thought process behind the script: https://bit.ly/2LYFvmm * And here's Naysan Naraqi's article about some of the behind-the-scenes as well: https://bit.ly/35pVqSf *Find out more about SwissVBS here: https://swissvbs.com/ * Find out more about the Bab and the bicentenary celebrations of His Birth happening around the world here: https://bicentenary.bahai.org/the-bab/ Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: apple.co/2leHPHL * Soundcloud: @bahaiblogcast * Spotify: 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: bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

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 at my home in LA with Derik Smith, a professor in the Department of Literature at Claremont McKenna College in California, and his work focuses on African American literary culture, with a particular interest in poetry. We talk about African American poet and Baha'i, Robert Hayden, plus we look at the concept of black people being likened to the "pupil of the eye" in the Baha'i Writings. We also discuss racism, the prison system, constructive resilience, and the role each one of us can play in ensuring individual and social transformation and justice. I hope you enjoy the conversation! Dr. Smith also teaches and writes about representations of blackness in American film and musical culture. His 2018 monograph, 'Robert Hayden In Verse: New Histories of African American Poetry and the Black Arts Era', recently won the College Language Association's annual book award. His current scholarship focuses on the poetics of rap, and the rise of the genre during the final decades of the twentieth century, as well as the connection between critical race studies and the Baha’i Faith. Smith regularly teaches courses in American prisons and nurtures activist interests in prison studies and pedagogy. He and his family live in Southern California, USA. To find out more about Derik Smith and some of the things we covered in this episode, check out the following links: * Read Derek's essay 'Centering the “Pupil of the Eye”: Blackness, Modernity, and the Revelation of Baha’u’llah' (https://bit.ly/35aHafr) found in The Journal of Baha'i Studies (https://bit.ly/35cS1pe), Volume 29, Number 1 Spring-Summer 2019. * We discuss the following quote: "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". –Abdu’l-Baha * We mention the following books: i. 'Robert Hayden in Verse: New Histories of African American Poetry and the Black Arts Era' by Derik Smith: https://amzn.to/378YZxt ii. 'The Book of Certitude (Kitab-i-Iqan)' by Baha'u'llah: https://bit.ly/2XpuDT1 iii. 'The Dawn-Breakers' by Nabil-i-Azam: https://bit.ly/2pqWB40 (Baha'i Blog article: https://bit.ly/33UM1S0) iv. 'God Passes By' by Shoghi Effendi: https://bit.ly/37eIqAf v. 'The Most Holy Book (Kitab-i-Aqdas)' by Baha'u'llah: https://bit.ly/33XC5Hk vi. 'The Advent of Divine Justice' by Shoghi Effendi: https://bit.ly/340xgwM vii. 'Tablets of Baha'u'llah' by Baha'u'llah: https://bit.ly/37pdsFI viii. 'The Writings and Talks of Abdu'l-Baha' by Abdu'l-Baha: https://bit.ly/2r0LAHe * Learn more about Robert Hayden here on Wikipedia: https://bit.ly/2psQ8FT * A collection of poems by Robert Hayden here on Amazon.com: https://amzn.to/37i0uJy * Rainn mentions the writer Anand Giridharadas, author of 'Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World': https://amzn.to/2CM6JHF * Derek talks about volunteering at the Baha'i World Centre: http://www.bwc.org/ and from this Baha'i Blog article: https://bit.ly/2NYILPT * We discuss "Constructive Resilience", an example of which you can read about from this article by Michael Karlberg: https://bit.ly/37hs1eo * Listen to Michael Karlberg here on the Baha'i Blogcast with Rainn Wilson: https://bit.ly/2KxZXcK Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: apple.co/2leHPHL * Soundcloud: @bahaiblogcast * Spotify: 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: bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

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 in LA with playwright and author, Tom Lysaght. Tom and I talk about being a hippie and what it really meant. He tells me about the three books he took with him on his mystical journey around the world and how he became a Baha'i. We talk about the history of the Baha'i Faith, music, career-ism, the importance of storytelling, the book he's been working on for over 30 years, and the crucial role love plays in religion. Thanks for listening and I hope you enjoy our conversation! * To find out more about Tom Lysaght and some of the things we covered in this episode, check out the following links: * Learn more about Tom Lysaght and what he's been up to here on his website: http://www.yourcreativestage.com/ * Tom's latest book is called 'Persian Passion: Of Gods and Gargoyles: https://amzn.to/2ZnraUp * Tom's interview about 'Persian Passion': https://bit.ly/2KOBEYP * Tom's interview about 'Twin Witnesses': https://bit.ly/2P7H05m * Find out more about the Bab: https://www.bahai.org/the-bab/ ; and the bicentenary of the Birth of the Bab: https://news.bahai.org/story/1316/ * Tom talks about the following books: - The Seven Valleys by Baha'u'llah: https://bit.ly/2ZjlAGA - Thief in the Night by William Sears: https://amzn.to/2ZhXZSo - The Book of Certitude (Kitab-i-Iqan) by Baha'u'llah: https://bit.ly/2Clie9q - Baha'u'llah, the King of Glory by HM Balyuzi: https://amzn.to/2Zgzrcn - Abdu'l-Baha by HM Balyuzi: https://amzn.to/2Hmt958 - The Dawn-Breakers by Nabil-i-Azam: https://bit.ly/2BqbFRr - Baha'i Administration by Shoghi Effendi: https://amzn.to/2KO7lS7 - Dawn over Mount Hira by Marzieh Gail: https://amzn.to/2Z9ulnd - Resurrection and Renewal by Abbas Amanat: https://amzn.to/2ZlxKP5 - The Bassoon King by Rainn Wilson: https://amzn.to/2ZjuorR - The Portable Walt Whitman by Walt Whitman: https://amzn.to/2zpQNcF - The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead: https://amzn.to/2KOKhT6 * We talk about Hands of the Cause: https://bit.ly/2Zm0XVY and Baha'i pilgrimage: https://bit.ly/2ZaUylp * Tom mentions Nader Saiedi who was also a guest on this podcast: https://bit.ly/2KZ1xnz * We mention Steven Phelps, who's been on the Baha'i Blogcast Episode 7: https://bit.ly/32OmMAF and Episode 37: Physics and Mysticism with Steven Phelps [VIDEO]: https://bit.ly/2Y3hOkK * Tom talks about Tahirih (https://bit.ly/2NpEV2i) and the Letters of the Living (https://bit.ly/2P7idP5). * Tom shares this quote from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha: "...make ye a mighty effort, and choose for yourselves a noble goal...". * Tom shares a quote from the Seven Valleys by Baha'u'llah: "If the wayfarer’s goal be the dwelling of the Praiseworthy One (Maḥmud), this is the station of primal reason which is known as the Prophet and the Most Great Pillar. Here reason signifieth the divine, universal mind, whose sovereignty enlighteneth all created things—nor doth it refer to every feeble brain; for it is as the wise Sana’i hath written: How can feeble reason encompass the Qur’an, Or the spider snare a phoenix in his web? Wouldst thou that the mind should not entrap thee? Teach it the science of the love of God!" * Rainn shares a quote from Baha'u'llah: "Be anxiously concerned with the needs of the age ye live in, and center your deliberations on its exigencies and requirements." Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: apple.co/2leHPHL * Soundcloud: @bahaiblogcast * Spotify: 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: bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson

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. This is a special episode called "Physics and Mysticism", which we filmed on July 7, 2019 in front of a live audience at Foundation Hall at the Baha'i House of Worship in Chicago. It's a conversation with physicist, data scientist, philosopher and translator, Dr. Steven Phelps, who's also been on the Baha'i Blogcast before. We covered a wide range of topics and there were also some great questions from the audience at the end, which I've also included. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did! Watch the video of this event here: https://bit.ly/2Y3hOkK Find out more about some of the things we covered in this episode using the following links: * Listen to this talk by Steven called Science, Religion & the Coming Spiritual Revolution: https://bit.ly/2JVyhyT * Check out my previous Baha'i Blogcast episode with Dr. Steven Phelps here: https://bit.ly/32OmMAF * Read about Baha'i Houses of Worship here: https://bit.ly/2Gy3gP8 * We mention the Baha'i World Centre: https://bit.ly/2OjFZa8 * We mention Yuval Noah Harari's book 'Sapiens'': https://amzn.to/2YmFHzb * We mention writer Reza Aslan: http://rezaaslan.com/ * 'The Seven Valleys and the Four Valleys'are mentioned: https://bit.ly/2YoZ36p * We mention 'Flatland' by Edwin A. Abbott: https://amzn.to/2JTR25D * Steven mentions Baha'u'llah has "recast the whole conception of religion as the principal force impelling the development of consciousness." This statement is from 'One Common Faith' written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice called : https://bit.ly/2LIJPr7aith/ * The following quote by Abdu'l-Baha is referred to: "Know thou of a certainty that Love is the secret of God’s holy Dispensation, the manifestation of the All-Merciful, the fountain of spiritual outpourings. Love is heaven’s kindly light, the Holy Spirit’s eternal breath that vivifieth the human soul. Love is the cause of God’s revelation unto man, the vital bond inherent, in accordance with the divine creation, in the realities of things. Love is the one means that ensureth true felicity both in this world and the next. Love is the light that guideth in darkness, the living link that uniteth God with man, that assureth the progress of every illumined soul. Love is the most great law that ruleth this mighty and heavenly cycle, the unique power that bindeth together the divers elements of this material world, the supreme magnetic force that directeth the movements of the spheres in the celestial realms. Love revealeth with unfailing and limitless power the mysteries latent in the universe. Love is the spirit of life unto the adorned body of mankind, the establisher of true civilization in this mortal world, and the shedder of imperishable glory upon every high-aiming race and nation." * Frank Wilczek's book 'A Beautiful Question' is mentioned: https://amzn.to/2YhZPSP * We talk about 'Progressive Revelation': https://bit.ly/2OldlWg 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

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 sit down with the multi-talented Kamal Sinclair, a dancer, percussionist, multi-media producer, and currently the Executive Director of 'Future Architects'. In this conversation we talk about being in 'Stomp', new technology and emerging media, the future of work, meeting Ruhiyyih Khanum, how art generates knowledge and the role beauty plays in the world, the difference between empathy and compassion, and the need to address trauma and abuse in the community. I hope you find this conversation as riveting as I did! To find out more about Kamal Sinclair and some of the things we covered in this podcast, check out the following links: * Learn more about 'Future Architects' here: https://futurearchitects.com/ * Here is Kamal's body of research relating to equality in emerging media: https://makinganewreality.org/ * Here's a link to STOMP, of which Kamal was a performer for six years: https://stomponline.com/ * Here's a Time magazine article about 'Question Bridge': https://time.com/75987/the-question-bridge-project-redefining-black-male-identity/ * Here's the trailer for Question Bridge: Black Males: https://vimeo.com/12010682 * We talk about Virtual Reality and Oculus Rift: https://www.oculus.com/ * We talk about the Sundance Institute: http://www.sundance.org/ * Here's a video interview with Kamal 'Storytellers of Tomorrow - Sundance Institute New Frontier Lab Programs with Kamal Sinclair': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trSieVUB9p0 * Here's a Forbes podcast interview with Kamal: https://www.forbes.com/sites/christinawallace/2018/02/12/podcast-kamal-sinclair-is-charting-new-frontiers-in-digital-storytelling/#7861d5b23b99 * Here's a video of a talk by Kamal Sinclair about emerging media: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64v8yjI-Dw4 * Rainn mentions Oscar DeGruy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_DeGruy * Kamal talks about her meetings with Ruhiyyeh Khanum (https://bit.ly/303laAJ) and Violette Nakhjavani (https://bit.ly/2J12rQu). * We talk about the work of Ruha Benjamin, who was also a guest on this podcast: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2017/09/bahai-blogcast-rainn-wilson-episode-22-ruha-benjamin/ * Kamal talks about the Allied Media Conference: https://www.alliedmedia.org/ * Kamal mentions Bobby Aazami: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2018/05/six-million-dollar-kid-interview-bobby-aazami/ * Kamal shares one of her favourite quotes found in 'The Seven Valleys' by Baha'u'llah: "I say ‘Be,’ and it is, and thou shalt say ‘Be,’ and it shall be." * Learn more about 'The Seven Valleys' here: https://www.bahaiblog.net/2016/09/introduction-seven-valleys/ 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

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 sitting in a cabin in the woods with Michael Karlberg, as we take part in a Baha'i-inspired retreat for youth in White Salmon, Washington called Windstock. Michael is a professor of Communication Studies at Western Washington University, and he's the author of 'Beyond a Culture of Contest', a book I often reference in my podcast. He tells me how he used to make acoustic guitars and how he became a Baha'i, and we talk about the power of media and how we need to rethink some of the fundamental assumptions we have about the world and how it's moving forward. We discuss nonviolent social change through constructive and peaceful resilience, and the challenges of taking collective action. Michael shares how the Baha'i Faith is a radical movement which addresses change on both the individual and social level, and he explains the ways in which the Baha'is are working towards this. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did! To find out more about Michael Karlberg and some of the things we covered in this podcast, check out the following links: * Learn more about Michael Karlberg and his works here: https://wp.wwu.edu/karlberg/ * Watch Michael Karlberg's TEDxInnsbruck talk here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0ZCAbYrQ7Q&feature=youtu.be * 'Beyond a Culture of Contest' by Michael Karlberg can be purchased here: https://amzn.to/2WHWvne * Michael's children's book is called 'Rooth Sees a Trooth': https://www.bahaibooks.org.uk/PBSCProduct.asp?ItmID=14201439 * Michael mentions that his first Baha’i book was 'The Book of Certitude (Kitab-i-Iqan)': https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/bahaullah/kitab-i-iqan/ * Read the 'The Promise of World Peace' by the Universal House of Justice here: https://www.bahai.org/documents/the-universal-house-of-justice/promise-world-peace * Use these links to find out more about the Baha'i World Centre (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bah%C3%A1%27%C3%AD_World_Centre) and the Universal House of Justice (https://universalhouseofjustice.bahai.org/). * Use these links to find out more about The Training Institute (https://www.bahai.org/action/response-call-bahaullah/training-institute) and the Ruhi sequence of courses (https://www.ruhi.org/materials/list.php). * Rainn and Michael talk about the Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program [JYSEP], which you can learn more about here: https://www.bahaiblog.net/junior-youth/ * Michael talks about the Institute for Studies in Global Prosperity [ISGP]: https://www.globalprosperity.org/ * Learn more about Rainn's non-profit organization called LIDÈ and how you can support its programs here: https://www.lidehaiti.org/ * Michael shares one of his favorite quotes from the Writings of Baha'u'llah: "He Who is your Lord, the All-Merciful, cherisheth in His heart the desire of beholding the entire human race as one soul and one body." 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

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 visit the Honorable Judge Dorothy Nelson in her home in California. Judge Dorothy W. Nelson is a Senior United States Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and is an active member of the Baha'i Faith who served on the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of United States for many years. She tells me about the fireside she's been running in her home since 1961, and about her late husband Jim and how they both became Baha'is. She shares tips on having a happy marriage and integrating everyday life with your faith. We talk about the importance of 'active' listening, mediation and arbitration, and rehabilitation as an alternative to the justice system. She shares where she sees the Baha'i community going and reminds us that we're a 'learning community', and she tells us the key to happiness. I hope you enjoy the conversation with this remarkable woman! To find out more about Judge Dorothy Nelson and some of the things we covered in this podcast, check out the following links: * Learn more about Judge Dorothy W. Nelson here on Wikipedia: https://bit.ly/2HF8fPG * Judge Nelson mentions the following books: - 'Dynamic Consultation' by Trip Barthel: https://amzn.to/2WcrdBh - 'The Advent of Divine Justice' by Shoghi Effendi: https://bit.ly/2Cp0Kce * Judge Nelson shares the following Writings of Baha'u'llah: "...The best beloved of all things in My sight is Justice; turn not away therefrom if thou desirest 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." "Be generous in prosperity, and thankful in adversity. Be worthy of the trust of thy neighbor, and look upon him with a bright and friendly face. Be a treasure to the poor, an admonisher to the rich, an answerer of the cry of the needy, a preserver of the sanctity of thy pledge. Be fair in thy judgment, and guarded in thy speech. Be unjust to no man, and show all meekness to all men. Be as a lamp unto them that walk in darkness, a joy to the sorrowful, a sea for the thirsty, a haven for the distressed, an upholder and defender of the victim of oppression. Let integrity and uprightness distinguish all thine acts. Be a home for the stranger, a balm to the suffering, a tower of strength for the fugitive. Be eyes to the blind, and a guiding light unto the feet of the erring. Be an ornament to the countenance of truth, a crown to the brow of fidelity, a pillar of the temple of righteousness, a breath of life to the body of mankind, an ensign of the hosts of justice, a luminary above the horizon of virtue, a dew to the soil of the human heart, an ark on the ocean of knowledge, a sun in the heaven of bounty, a gem on the diadem of wisdom, a shining light in the firmament of thy generation, a fruit upon the tree of humility." "...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/2Hs5gdM *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