Baha'i culture...art, film, literature

Popeyesays said:
In my own small way, I had a book to be published this month, but the publisher went out of business in December. Fortunately I have found an e-publisher for the book Sword of the Dajjal, I'll let you know when it's available for download from Fictionwise, Mobipocket or the publisher. I'm working out a deal with another publisher for print rights right now.

It's set in the 27th century and deals with today's problems postponed.

With the book properly sold, I am starting work on the sequel Sword of Damocles.

Regards,
Scott
Click to expand...

Bravo Scott. Thanks for the heads up. Keep us up to date. I would love to read/purchase it.

Mick
 
Grammy nominees Baha'is Tierney Sutton, Red Grammar

bwns_7521-460.jpg
 
From Actor Rainn Wilson:

In real life, Wilson is a Baha'i, and while he takes his religion and its spiritualism very seriously, he has no problem associating his own spiritual beliefs with Hollywood.
"I've worked in a lot of things before I was an actor and I worked in New York in various fields and I had a moving company and catered and I worked in the theatre before I came out here and there's a lot of like superficial, materialistic jackasses out here, no question,” he said. “But there's also some of the nicest, most grounded, most thoughtful people that I've ever met working in Hollywood who really want to make a difference and tell good stories and entertain people in a positive, uplifting way. I think there's a lot of great work like that in Hollywood which I don't think gets the attention. I think if you just look at kind of the range of movies that come out, there's all kinds of uplifting family films that have a strong message to heal racism and heal sexism and bring people together and stuff like that."

For complete article see:

Science fiction news from SyFy Portal: Battlestar Galactica, Heroes, Doctor Who, and more
 
Thank you, Rainn Wilson :)

I agree. Having been involved in the entertainment world to a certain extent, I can't help but notice that folks (including myself at times, I admit) are often so quick to point out the debacles of the "rich and famous". And I think it would be very difficult for a person who is in the tabloids all the time, especially at a young age, to be unaffected by all the exposure and ridicule. I truly admire those entertainers who can calmly live their lives and practice their gifts and skills without going bonkers. But sometimes I feel so sad for those having so much trouble. Entertainers are people, too, and from out of that so-called "den of iniquity Hollywood" frequently emerges what is equal to great literature. And I have been cruel in my language and laughter toward some of them too many times. I don't want to be that way, really.

Politicians, on the other hand, are fair game. :D (Just kidding, sort of.)

InPeace,
InLove
 
Omid speaks out...

An interesting article about British-Iranian rising Star Omid Djalili who also happens to be Baha'i has this quote:

"I think there is no question in the minds of all Iranians and indeed the international community that Baha’is have had undue negative treatment in Iran to various degrees since the inception of this peaceful World Faith in the mid 1800s. I suppose in the same way that through me a portion of mainstream Britain/Europe/America sees that Iranians are not all the religious fanatics that the media would have us be, and have a sense of humor and fun (and thus, dare we say it, humanity!) I would like to think that for those who have been brought up with prejudice against Baha’is I am a positive reminder that Baha’is are not all bald and overweight... hang on, that came out wrong"

- Omid Djalili

The entire article about Omid is at:

In The Arena With Omid Djalili
 
Hello,
A newbie here. :) I found this site while looking for info on the CD done by Eric Dozier & JB Eckl. Thanks, Arthra, for the link to Badasht CD. The reason I was looking for it, is that I just downloaded a new CD "Temple of Light" from divinenotes.com. The "Temple" CD is to raise funds for the Chile temple.
I'm a frustrated librarian, so I will probably check in here from time to time. I did Baha'i bookstores for unit conventions, summer schools, etc for many years until my back gave out from trying to carry all those books around! LOL Now I share what info I get about Baha'i stuff with emails...you get the picture!?
Well, it's time to break fast & eat before I pass out.
Blessings,
Marcia
 
Thanks Marcia!

You are indeed a noble soul!

I've helped carry boxes of Baha'i books for the Baha'i Center in a nearby city for Baha'i School and I know whereof ye speaketh...

It got to where I would loudly start hawking the books just so I wouldn't have to carry so many of them back.

Books are heavy but I love them and the Baha'i books especially Summons of the Lord of Hosts are great and well made.

May your fast be a meaningful one and fill your soul..

-Art
 
Kathy Farabi Baha'i artist in the Caribbean:

"Kathy .... paints themes from the environment, landscapes, birds, flowers etc. They may be depicted simply as representational images or certain elements may be selected and stressed in creative and experimental ways.
Kathy is a member of the “Women in Art” organization and is also a founder member of the group, “CANVAS CARIBBEAN”, which is an Association of Graduates from the Visual Arts department of the University of the West Indies. She was elected as the first President of this group (2005 –2006) and is at present serving as Secretary."

To read more go to:

Art Society of Trinidad and Tobago-Kathy Farabi
 
Very Cool. Especially "Capacity". Thanks again, art. :)

InPeace,
InLove
 
Festival of Art and Music in Limassol, Cyprus:

CYPRUS ARTS AND MUSIC FESTIVAL PLANNED FOR JUNE

LIMASSOL, Cyprus, 16 April 2007 (BWNS) --

The Cyprus Arts and Music
Festival planned for June will feature Baha'i musicians, actors, visual
artists and speakers at a venue on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea.

The event -- which will include a film festival -- will be held from 23
to 29 June 2007 at a hotel in Limassol on the island nation of Cyprus.

"The festival is a multidimensional cultural event focusing on the
performing and graphic arts, music, films, literature and drama," said
Khosrow Afkhampour, program director for the event. "It aims to provide a
platform for the proclamation of Baha'i ideas through artistic
expression."

Performers will include violinist Bijan Khadem-Missagh, actress Beverly
Evans, pianists Nancy Lee Harper and Alfredo Matera, and singers Ahdieh
Bahiee and Ranzie Mensah, among others. Ariana Economous, artistic
director of a modern dance company on Cyprus, will perform a solo act.

Suheil Bushrui will present a session on the literary study of the
Baha'i writings. Other literary topics will include the poetry of Rumi and
the work of Kahlil Gibran, author of "The Prophet" who in 1912 met with
'Abdu'l-Baha, at that time the head of the Baha'i Faith.

The festival will also feature arts workshops, planned in collaboration
with the Baha'i Academy for Arts in the United Kingdom. Sarah Clive,
Rob Weinberg, Aidan Mathews, and Shirin Maanian will be among the
participants.

The film festival, planned in collaboration with the Harmony Film
Festival in Australia, will feature works produced or directed by Baha'i
filmmakers from around the globe.

For the complete festival program and information about registration
and accommodations, go to www.cyprusbahaiartsfestival.com on the Web.



To view the photos and additional features click here:
http://news.bahai.org/index.cfm?src=se

--
1-kht-070416-1-CYPRUSPREFEST-517-S
 
Greetings, all!

Our biggest series of Baha'i holy days begins Friday at sunset, the twelve-day Ridvan (pronounced "Rizwan") festival commemorating the Declartion of Baha'u'llah, our Founder.

So I wish all and sundry a very happy Ridvan! :)

(We'll all be having the annual elections for our Local Spiritual Assemblies Friday evening or Saturday daytime, and will be electing our National Spiritual Assemblies later in the festival.)

Best! :)

Bruce
 
C. Scott Saylors
Title: Sword of the Dajjal
Author: C. Scott Saylors
Publication Date: May, 2007
Publisher: BooksForABuck.com
Format: e-book
ISBN: 978-1-602-052-2
Price: $3.99(download)

Even with the passing of 600 years one cannot assume an old problem ignored won't rise up again. Political and religious intrigue threaten the peace between two stellar super-powers, as well as the fate of a newly discovered race of sapient creatures.
 
Baha'i talk-show host in Brazil!

BLUMENAO, Brazil, 24 June 2007 (BWNS) --

The host of a long-running
television talk show for women, Shideh Granfar, has a simple formula for
success: "Keep it positive."
She recalls the time a cockroach crawled out of some food on camera,
threatening the reputation of a restaurant being featured on the program.
She quickly turned things around by making a joke of the scene and then
pointing the cameras at the not-so-tidy recesses of the studio, thus
showing that the cockroach wasn't the restaurateur's fault.
"I explained to the viewers that the food had been here for a long time
and that studios are not the cleanest places," she recounts, "and I
reassured them that the standards of cleanliness at the restaurant are
really different. Then I took the cameraman on a tour of the studio,
showing the viewers that even though the set looks beautiful, the studio is
another story.

"The episode was a hit, and everyone was talking about it," she
continues. "The restaurant people were happy, too."
Shideh - all the viewers call her by her first name - has hosted more
than 500 weekly installments of "Mulheres" (Portuguese for "Women") for
TV Galega, and this year she was cited by the local office of the
Brazilian National Commercial Training Service for outstanding service by a
woman in the field of communication and the arts.

"Shideh is one of those people that we always want to have around us:
for her laughter, for her sparkle, for her manner of assuming there is a
solution to everything - that the hard way is simply the 'least easy'
way," said Valther Ostermann, a prominent local newspaper columnist who
spoke at the ceremony where she received the recent award.
Indeed, Shideh - who is creator, producer, director and host of her
program - is known for her infectious laugh and her ability to put a
positive twist on whatever life puts in front of her.
Her outlook on life, she explains, comes from her practice of the
Baha'i Faith.

"As Baha'is we believe in looking for the best in people. So when I
have someone on the show I try to make them feel comfortable. I do not try
and put them in a corner and make them look bad. We try to bring out
the best of what people have to give. I think that the show serves as a
model of positiveness, especially to women."

Shideh says the subjects she addresses on the show bear a direct
relation to her religious belief.

"'Mulheres' relates to the Baha'i Faith through the various subjects we
choose to address in the development and betterment of the quality of
life for women," she says. "The Baha'i writings say a lot about this
issue. We also have an editorial opening where we use thoughts, prayers,
and material from the writings of the Faith which address the theme of
the day." (See video).

She sees the role of the show as providing an uplifting experience for
viewers, given that she thinks people tend to be unhappy about many
aspects of their lives.

"When you show them good and positive things, people just love it.,"
she says. "They're so grateful and they tell me, 'You're always
laughing!' But what they don't know is that giving them the opportunity to see
good in life is what makes me happy."

She believes it was this upbeat attitude - plus her views on the
equality of women and men - that led TV Galega owner Altair Carlos Pimpao to
hire her 10 years ago for the show in Blumenao, a city of 300,000
people in southern Brazil.

Mr. Pimpao had watched her lead a Baha'i meeting and found her to be an
articulate speaker and a natural host.
Best of all, Mr. Pimpao realized, she and other Baha'is believe
strongly in the advancement of women and equality of the sexes. He is not a
Baha'i, but he understood their belief and thought this was just the kind
of person he needed for the new show.

Often the guests on the hourlong program are local experts in fields
relating to education or health. Discussion centers on how the issues
relate to women, although Shideh says surveys show that half her viewers
are men.

"They (men) are interested and curious about women's subjects," she
notes. "Men try to understand the world of women, our dreams and goals in
life so they can have better relationships with us. It is great to see
how many men are interested. ... We get men calling us while we are on
air and asking questions for their wives and friends. By doing this
they contribute to the development of ideas and at the same time growth in
their own lives and their relationships."

"Mulheres" airs live on Tuesday evenings, and viewers may call in with
questions and comments. A tape of each program is rebroadcast on
Wednesdays and Sundays, and shows are available on the Internet at Jump TV.

"It has been a rewarding experience," Shideh says of hosting the show.
"It's funny. I can be having the worst day of my life, and as soon as I
get into the studio I am happy and laughing."

Shideh, who has been married for 26 years and has two children, travels
frequently. She says that through her travels she has learned
something that she tries to share on her show: "Humanity is humanity,
everywhere you go," she says. "Everyone is looking for happiness."






To view the photos and additional features click here:
Front Page
--
 
Baha'i talk-show host in Brazil!

BLUMENAO, Brazil, 24 June 2007 (BWNS) --

The host of a long-running
television talk show for women, Shideh Granfar, has a simple formula for
success: "Keep it positive."
She recalls the time a cockroach crawled out of some food on camera,
threatening the reputation of a restaurant being featured on the program.
She quickly turned things around by making a joke of the scene and then
pointing the cameras at the not-so-tidy recesses of the studio, thus
showing that the cockroach wasn't the restaurateur's fault.
"I explained to the viewers that the food had been here for a long time
and that studios are not the cleanest places," she recounts, "and I
reassured them that the standards of cleanliness at the restaurant are
really different. Then I took the cameraman on a tour of the studio,
showing the viewers that even though the set looks beautiful, the studio is
another story.

"The episode was a hit, and everyone was talking about it," she
continues. "The restaurant people were happy, too."
Shideh - all the viewers call her by her first name - has hosted more
than 500 weekly installments of "Mulheres" (Portuguese for "Women") for
TV Galega, and this year she was cited by the local office of the
Brazilian National Commercial Training Service for outstanding service by a
woman in the field of communication and the arts.

"Shideh is one of those people that we always want to have around us:
for her laughter, for her sparkle, for her manner of assuming there is a
solution to everything - that the hard way is simply the 'least easy'
way," said Valther Ostermann, a prominent local newspaper columnist who
spoke at the ceremony where she received the recent award.
Indeed, Shideh - who is creator, producer, director and host of her
program - is known for her infectious laugh and her ability to put a
positive twist on whatever life puts in front of her.
Her outlook on life, she explains, comes from her practice of the
Baha'i Faith.

"As Baha'is we believe in looking for the best in people. So when I
have someone on the show I try to make them feel comfortable. I do not try
and put them in a corner and make them look bad. We try to bring out
the best of what people have to give. I think that the show serves as a
model of positiveness, especially to women."

Shideh says the subjects she addresses on the show bear a direct
relation to her religious belief.

"'Mulheres' relates to the Baha'i Faith through the various subjects we
choose to address in the development and betterment of the quality of
life for women," she says. "The Baha'i writings say a lot about this
issue. We also have an editorial opening where we use thoughts, prayers,
and material from the writings of the Faith which address the theme of
the day." (See video).

She sees the role of the show as providing an uplifting experience for
viewers, given that she thinks people tend to be unhappy about many
aspects of their lives.

"When you show them good and positive things, people just love it.,"
she says. "They're so grateful and they tell me, 'You're always
laughing!' But what they don't know is that giving them the opportunity to see
good in life is what makes me happy."

She believes it was this upbeat attitude - plus her views on the
equality of women and men - that led TV Galega owner Altair Carlos Pimpao to
hire her 10 years ago for the show in Blumenao, a city of 300,000
people in southern Brazil.

Mr. Pimpao had watched her lead a Baha'i meeting and found her to be an
articulate speaker and a natural host.
Best of all, Mr. Pimpao realized, she and other Baha'is believe
strongly in the advancement of women and equality of the sexes. He is not a
Baha'i, but he understood their belief and thought this was just the kind
of person he needed for the new show.

Often the guests on the hourlong program are local experts in fields
relating to education or health. Discussion centers on how the issues
relate to women, although Shideh says surveys show that half her viewers
are men.

"They (men) are interested and curious about women's subjects," she
notes. "Men try to understand the world of women, our dreams and goals in
life so they can have better relationships with us. It is great to see
how many men are interested. ... We get men calling us while we are on
air and asking questions for their wives and friends. By doing this
they contribute to the development of ideas and at the same time growth in
their own lives and their relationships."

"Mulheres" airs live on Tuesday evenings, and viewers may call in with
questions and comments. A tape of each program is rebroadcast on
Wednesdays and Sundays, and shows are available on the Internet at Jump TV.

"It has been a rewarding experience," Shideh says of hosting the show.
"It's funny. I can be having the worst day of my life, and as soon as I
get into the studio I am happy and laughing."

Shideh, who has been married for 26 years and has two children, travels
frequently. She says that through her travels she has learned
something that she tries to share on her show: "Humanity is humanity,
everywhere you go," she says. "Everyone is looking for happiness."






To view the photos and additional features click here:
Front Page
--
 
Al Gore cites Baha'i Faith in his book:

"One of the newest of the great universalist religions, Baha'i, founded in 1863 in Persia by Mirza Husayn Ali, warns us not only to properly regard the relationship between humankind and nature but also the one between civilization and the environment. Perhaps because its guiding visions were formed during the period of accelerating industrialism, Baha'i seems to dwell on the spiritual implications of the great transformation to which it bore fresh witness: "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 molds the environment and is itself 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." And, again, from the Baha'i sacred writings comes this: "Civilization, so often vaunted by the learned exponents of arts and sciences will, if allowed to overleap the bounds of moderation, bring great evil upon men."

From:

Earth in the Balance. Senator Al Gore. New York: Plume, 1993. Pages 261-62.​
 
Maxwell Baha'i School teaches "We" instead of "Me":

School teaches 'we' instead of 'me'
SHAWNIGAN LAKE, BRITISH COLUMBIA, Canada
2 July 2007 (BWNS)

(Editor's note: This article is the first in an occasional series highlighting the types of programs being developed at Baha'i-inspired educational institutions.)

***

It's only three words - a total of six letters. But the "Me to We" slogan helps students understand what service is all about, says the principal of the Maxwell International School, located in the woods of Vancouver Island.

"By adopting what Canadian youth activist Craig Kielberger calls the 'Me to We' philosophy, we help our students to be less 'me'-centered and more centered on the needs of others," said the principal, Dan Vaillancourt.

"Through service to others, students develop empathy and understanding while being exposed to many of the social issues that plague society," he said. "Working with the elderly, the handicapped, the homeless, the sick, the less fortunate - both here and abroad - will reinforce in our children the belief that we are all responsible for creating a better world."

Since its founding by the Baha'is of Canada nearly two decades ago, Maxwell International School - a college-preparatory institution, grades 7 to 12, with an enrollment of 150 students from some 25 countries - has placed heavy emphasis on service.

Many schools around the world offer academic credit for service projects, but Maxwell does not. Involvement in the greater community is simply a part of who they are - and a key part of what comprises a Maxwell education.


Maxwell students in grades 7 to 11 took part in the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup, sorting their "catch" for recycling.
"It is all part of the learning at Maxwell," Mr. Vaillancourt said.

Overall, programs at the school reflect a spiritual view of humanity; use of practical, integrative and theme-based projects; the encouragement of creative and artistic expression in all aspects of school life; and the use of service as a tool for learning.

"Maxwell's aim is to encourage students to become servants to humanity, to see the world as an arena for community action, and to determine their active roles as transformers of society," the principal said.

The students come up with projects on their own, through organized programs, with the assistance of faculty or staff, or at the request of outside parties.

Some of the more prominent service projects are:

* Emergency Response Team - Students are trained in first aid, search and rescue, response to fires and earthquakes, traffic control, and other procedures. They assist professional crews in the event of an emergency.

* Dance and theater workshops - Music, dance, and drama are used to convey social messages on contemporary issues such as racism, poverty, gender prejudice, substance abuse, peer pressure, justice, and gossip. Presentations are given at area elementary schools and community gatherings, and Maxwell students sometimes travel during their vacation periods for performances.


For 15 years, Maxwell students have had a key role in the Portland Island Marine Park Stewardship Program, helping control an invasive plant and documenting progress. These students participated this past year.


* Portland Island Marine Park Stewardship Program - For 15 years, Maxwell students have been working through the Ministry of Parks and Recreation to help control an invasive plant on Portland Island. Data collected by the students provide the ministry with the only long-term record available about the management and removal of this plant. Maxwell has received government recognition for its participation.

* Rotary International Interact Club - Students work with Rotary, a well-known service organization, on both local and international projects.

One recent service project, called Sprouts, was started by students and involves educating the entire Maxwell community on environmental issues, said Sharon Welsh, director of development at the school.

She said the school encourages students to tackle international projects.

"In 2006 two Maxwell students traveled to Japan to provide leadership for a summer Dance Workshop program," she said.

And this year, four students are going to Tanzania for a summer arts program.

"These youth, three 14-year-olds and one 18-year-old, will join a Maxwell graduate who is on a year of service in Tanzania," Ms. Welsh said. "The project was identified and planned by the youth, who worked evenings and weekends throughout year to raise funds and prepare. ..."

The school has devised mechanisms to make service projects more effective and also to help students understand the nature of service, especially as a way of life. A key component is students being divided into groups of 12 or so, of different ages and backgrounds, and assigned a teacher as an adviser.

"The role of the adviser is to encourage, mentor, empower, and accompany the students on their journey of learning through service," said Mr. Vaillancourt. "Each Adviser Group chooses a service project of some kind to work on throughout the year. These service projects may be local, regional, national, or international in scope."

Laura Veary, a former faculty member who managed the school's community service programs, said some students are reluctant at first to take part in service projects but most do learn the benefits of spending time to help others.

"Students feel good about themselves as they see their accomplishments and the effect of their contributions," said Mrs. Veary. Most students, she said, become motivated to continue to be of service as adults.

Katie Yurychuk, 17, graduates this month and was the student leader of the Maxwell Emergency Response Team.

"The sense of service that Maxwell gives us helped me see myself as part of a world community," she said. "There is so much that we do here that helps us have a more holistic mindset instead of a self-centered mindset. I give 100 percent of that to Maxwell."

Galen Humber, 16, is finishing 10th grade and has been the coordinator for his grade for the Portland Island Marine Park Stewardship program. He said being part of the international community at Maxwell is helping him and his classmates look beyond themselves.

He illustrated his point with this story: "(One) day during home room we had a free period. Half of us decided to go and play dodge ball. When we came back we found the guys who didn't come writing letters to Baha'i communities around the world to encourage them to send their children to our school. We all thought this was a great idea."
__________________
 
Baha'i William Smith helps breaks color barrier:

A missed shot at Jim Crow

As his teammates integrated Southern football, a coach made William Smith sit the bench

By KENT BABB - kbabb@thestate.com

GREENVILLE — Before he doused the burning cross in the courtyard and read a classmate’s promise to light fire to the black athletes’ dormitory, William “Smitty” Smith was just a football player.
Smith, a Greenville native who attended all-black Sterling High, was a high school quarterback and a speedy tailback at Wake Forest. A month after beginning classes in the fall 1964 term, Smith was one of three black players at Wake Forest poised to break college football’s color barrier.
More exciting for Smith, the Demon Deacons’ first freshman game was scheduled to be played at Clemson. He would be less than an hour away from Greenville. His family and friends would be in the stadium to watch. And Smith, who along with teammates Bob Grant and Kenneth Henry called themselves the “Junior Jim Crow Killers,” would prove blacks had the same right to play football as whites....

Read more about it at

The State | 07/15/2007 | A missed shot at Jim Crow
 
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