By John Taylor; 2008 Nov 23, 1 Qawl 165 BE
Silvie heard that some Baha'i youth investigate other faiths before they turn 15 and become full fledged Baha'is. This morning she dragged me out to the Anglican service at St. Paul’s, just a few doors down from our house. What a change from Baha'i! I knew there was more singing than we have in our meetings, but I had no idea; this meeting was almost all music. In future we plan to check out other churches in Dunnville, and maybe some other faith groups in Hamilton.
I have no time left for original writing so I will have to content myself with more housecleaning. Here are today's topics:
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Proposal for a Baha'i Speaker's Bureau
Pioneer Leaves Post with a Bang
Baha'i Blogger's Prayer
Upcoming International Years
Baha'i Scientist on Discovery Channel
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A Baha'i Speaker's Bureau
I mentioned yesterday my view that we should keep track how popular Baha'i YouTube videos are, and try to make better, more popular presentations on the Faith. At the same time, we should also be actively improving the number of quality live speakers. In June of 2007 I wrote an essay advocating this called "Towards a Baha'i Speaker's Bureau," which is available at:
http://badiblog.blogspot.com/2007/06/speakers.html
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Pioneer Leaves Post with a Bang
A Persian Baha'i pioneer was evidently persecuted at her post in a small Ontario town. She protested her treatment to the town council just before leaving for good. This according to an article dated 18 November in that town's newspaper called: "Betrayal is for cowards," at:
http://www.baytoday.ca/content/news/details.asp?c=28735
"With tears rolling down her face and a quiver in her voice, Tolou Rouhani spoke to council and the community about her experience in the city and that she is leaving North Bay due to its ignorance towards immigrants, races, religion, and diversity. `If its all white, its like a garden filled with all white roses. How ugly is that,' Rouhani said. Rouhani's presentation was cut-off at the ten minute mark and Mayor Vic Fedeli refused to let her complete her final paragraph explaining her reason for leaving the city. `I don't believe this, that was very rude Mr. Mayor, Rouhani said as she stormed out of council chambers."
We have no Persians in our Haldimand Community and have been unsuccessfully trying to get some to move out of the big city and come here. We are rapidly ageing and shrinking in numbers, and support from Persian homefront pioneers is pretty much our only realistic hope to keep our LSA much longer. Already a nearby community, Port Colborne, has lost and delisted its incorporated Assembly. Pioneering, what with clusters and Ruhis, has become a thing of the past and I am afraid that an incident like that is going to it all the harder to encourage Persians to leave Toronto.
"Rouhani has lived in North Bay for 20 years and said she has suffered a lot in her years here. She said that she was interviewed by the RCMP to make sure she was not a terrorist. Another form of racism she experienced was when she was relaxing on the beach and a police officer told her that if she wanted to sleep she had to go to her car. I lived here for 20 years. Its my Lake Nipissing, my North Bay. They can have it all and shove it, Rouhani exclaimed."
I had the idea that Persians were thicker skinned than that. I remember when I was a new Baha'i a major Mafia ring was broken up when they tried to lean on an Iranian immigrant the way they had been terrorizing the Italian community in Hamilton. The Iranian did not cave, he testified and the Cosa Nostra suffered a temporary setback.
Here is another article about the Faith in Ontario. This Guelph believer, Jaellayna Palmer, has more positive things to say about the Cause,
http://news.guelphmercury.com/Life/article/365099
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Baha'i Blogger's Prayer
The ever-interesting Baha'i blog "Baha'i Views" offers this prayer from Holy Writ that seems to be applicable to bloggers like us.
"Lord! Do Thou kindle in their hearts the flame of Thy divine attraction and grant that the bird of love and understanding may sing within their hearts. Grant that they may be even as potent signs, resplendent standards, and perfect as Thy Word. Exalt by them Thy Cause, unfurl Thy banners and publish far and wide Thy wonders. Make by them Thy Word triumphant, and strengthen the loins of Thy loved ones. Unloose their tongues to laud Thy Name, and inspire them to do Thy holy will and pleasure. Illumine their faces in Thy kingdom of holiness, and perfect their joy by aiding them to arise for the triumph of Thy Cause." -'Abdu'l-Baha
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Upcoming International Years
In our planning we often need to be aware of what the official UN theme for the year is well ahead of time. Here are the years, taken from the UNO's website, at:
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2008
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International Year of the Potato
International Year of Planet Earth
International Year of Sanitation
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2009
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International Year of Natural Fibres
International Year of Reconciliation
Year of astronomy (not a UN year, but interesting nonetheless)
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2010 International Year of Biodiversity
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2011 International Year of Forests
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The Year of Reconciliation next year seems especially timely in view of the collapse of stock markets and the credit squeeze. Remember, the KJV translation of the Lord's Prayer says "forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." I will soon be writing about that at length.
"On 20 November 2006, the General Assembly ... expressed its steadfast determination to pursue reconciliation processes in those societies affected or divided by conflicts, describing such processes as necessary for the establishment of firm and lasting peace. The Assembly invited concerned Governments and international and non-governmental organizations to support reconciliation processes among such societies. It also invited them to implement adequate cultural, educational and social programmes to promote the concept of reconciliation, including the holding of conferences and seminars, and the dissemination of information on the subject."
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Baha'i Scientist on Discovery Channel
Faithful Badi' Blog reader Jean sent the following good news last week:
"My research project on recovering water from trash in space is now the subject of an online news story and video. It will also air on Discovery Channel Canada tonight at 7 pm and again at 11 pm. Nothing here relevant to the Badi blog but I thought you might be interested. Space habitations take to an extreme the ideas of sustainability and cooperative living, about which you have so often written.
With best wishes,
Jean
Article featured in Friday's edition of the Cornell Chronicle.
http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/Nov08/SpaceWaste.html
http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/Nov08/spacewastemovie.html
Video
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John Taylor
email: badijet@gmail.com
blog: http://badiblog.blogspot.com/
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