Changing Times Blog

Be Free – Tara Ellis/Raha Lewis for Human Rights

Be Free is a non-profit organization which aims to promote the active involvement of youth for human rights through grassroots new media based campaigns. “Azad Bash” (Be Free) is the first child of the project and a fantastic contribution by Tara Ellis and Raha Lewis (and Benny Cassette as producer). Listen to the track here and go to the Be Free website to hear a new version of Doug Cameron’s classic “Mona and the Children”.

Ocean 2.0 – the Interfaith Explorer

Ocean Baha’i Research Library hasn’t been updated for quite a while. And although it will never cease to be a fantastic tool for research, here is a brilliant alternative: the Interfaith Explorer, which works online and offline, Windows and Mac.

Online

To start searching, head on over to http://bahairesearch.com/. It is easy, just type your search terms and hit Enter:

As you’ll soon notice, there’s a fun little feature where it suggests possible searches under “Try It:”, to get you familiar with the options for searching. I found the one in the above screenshot particularly funny.

It seems to have more texts and be more up-to-date than Ocean. Hopefully maintenance will continue far into the future.

Offline – reading the Writings at all times and under all conditions, even when your wireless got cut.

To grab the offline version, go to this page:
http://bahairesearch.com/WinApp/Pages/Download.aspx

There you can download the main program (top link), as well as many plug-ins such as German, French or Persian texts. Once you’ve downloaded the main program, extract the contents of the Zip file and double-click on it. The resulting installer will guide you through the process of installing Interfaith Explorer on to your computer.

Thanks to Lessan for the heads up

Congressman Mark Kirk on Bipartisan Resolution for Baha’is

BIPARTISAN RESOLUTION CONDEMNING IRAN’S PERSECUTION OF BAHA’IS

HON. MARK STEVEN KIRK of Illinois in the House of Representatives – Friday, February 13, 2009

”In Germany, they first came for the gypsies, and I didn’t  speak up because I wasn’t a gypsy. Then they came for the  Bolsheviks, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a  Bolshevik. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn’t speak up  because I wasn’t a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist.  Then they came for the Catholics. I didn’t speak up  then because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me, and  there was no one left to speak up.”
–Martin Niemoller, a Lutheran pastor arrested by the Gestapo in 1937.

Mr. KIRK. Madam Speaker, then they came for the Baha’is.

Read the rest of Hon. Mark Kirk’s remarks

CT 2008 Round-Up: Pictures and Presentations

To show our appreciation for the fantastic 2008 conference, we have a little something for you! The presentations from the main sessions and the wonderful work of our official photographers.

Complete collection of CT 2008 Pictures:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ct08/

Following is a list of materials from our latest Changing Times session. They are made available here on the blog for download as PDF Files.

Mr. Ian Semple

• Texts used during his talk on The World Order of Baha’u'llah
• Texts used during his talk on The International Council and the Universal House of Justice
• Texts used during his talk on Independence and Obedience
• Workshop on Huququllah – The Importance of a Universal Standard

Ms. Kit Bigelow

• PPT to External Affairs 101
• PPT to Persecution Today
• PPT to Reflections on a Baha’i Identity

Mr. David Henderson

• PPT to Media: A Tool for Effective Leaders
• PPT to Understanding the Power of the Web
• PPT to Communicating Messages that are Heard

Dr. Friedo Zölzer

• Workshop on Freedom of Speech in the Baha’i Community

Mr. Geoff Cameron

• Workshop on the Denial of Higher Education

Rainn Wilson on CNN: Baha’is in Iran

Editor’s note: Actor Rainn Wilson plays paper salesman Dwight Schrute in the television comedy “The Office.”

(CNN) — Why is Rainn Wilson, “Dwight” on “The Office,” writing a news commentary for CNN? Good question.

It’s a bit strange for me, to say the least; a comic character actor best known for playing weirdos with bad haircuts getting all serious to talk about the persecution of the fellow members of his religious faith.

Dear readers of CNN, I assure you that what I’m writing about is no joking matter or some hoax perpetrated by a paper-sellin’, bear-fearin’, Battlestar-Galactica obsessed beet farmer.

I am a member of the Baha’i faith. What is that, you ask? Well, long story short, it’s an independent world religion that began in the mid-1800s in Iran. Baha’is believe that there is only one God and therefore only one religion.

All of the worlds’ divine teachers (Jesus, Muhammad, Buddha, Moses, Abraham, Krishna, etc.) bring essentially the same message — one of unity, love and knowledge of God or the divine.

This constantly updated faith of God, Baha’is believe, has been refreshed for this day and age by our founder, Baha’u'llah. There. Nutshell version.

Read the rest of Rainn’s Commentary

The Wayfarer Soundtrack

At last, after popular demand, the soundtrack album to ‘The Wayfarer’, Jess Firth’s landmark documentary investigating the Bahai Faith, is available for download at CD Baby. In the next few weeks, it will become available on iTunes, Napster, Amazon and all good online retailers. An ideal accompaniment for devotionals, deepenings or simple reflection, the film’s score composed by film and television composer Edward White, is an eclectic mix of soft electronica, traditional middle eastern instrumentation, strings and guitars.

Edward said, “It was a really exciting project to work on. Jess has a wonderful eye and a profound ability to capture beautiful images of these iconic locations that was incredibly inspiring for me as a composer. What I really wanted to capture within the music for the film was this sense of purity. A sense that whatever the outcome, wherever one ends up, the search for those answers in and of itself, is one of the most dignified journeys a human being can set out upon…”

Purchase the soundtrack at: http://www.cdbaby.com/edwardwhite

Amnesty launches urgent action campaign

Trial of Iranian Baha’i Leaders: Staying Informed

Iran has announced the trial of seven Baha’i individuals, who acted as the Iranian Baha’i Community’s coordinating body since the execution of the last formal administrative body more than 30 years ago. The charges brought against the accused include “espionage on behalf of Israel”, “insult to the sacredness of Islam”, and “propaganda against the regime”. The seven Baha’is are currently being held in Evin Prison near Tehran.

Iran Press Watch provides these documents for your information:

• ISNA report with statement by deputy prosecutor-general of Tehran announcing the trial
• Statement from the Baha’i International Community categorically denying the charges
• Lives of Service: Profiles of the seven Baha’i leaders