Changing Times Blog

The Office Spoof – The Study Circle

Big ups to this study circle for a hilarious “The Office” spoof about a first study circle session.

Written by Laheeb Quddusi and Ashkon Ataee

“Confessions”

Responding to the public outcry from western nations against Iran for the plight of seven imprisoned Baha’i leaders, Iran’s Prosecutor-General stated that these individuals have “accepted the charges”. This comic strip speculates on how such a confession might have come about!

It should be noted previous “trials” of detained Baha’is consisted of a series of sessions in which the detainees were were given two options: convert or die.

Credit:  Muslim Network for Baha’i Rights

Sophis-tech-ated: Another Comic Strip

(MNBR) The usual accusations Iranian officials have made against Baha’is (supporting Zionism and insulting religious sanctities) are ridiculous in themselves. But some of the accusations leveled against Baha’is cross over into the realm of bizarreness:

• One of the accusations made against the NSA members in 1981 was “Sending or receiving reports containing code words such as ‘Amoo jan’ [Dear Uncle] etc. in various languages to the House of Justice in Haifa”
• In 1982, Tuba Za’irpur was charged with “not being married”.
• In 1996, two men from Mashhad were arrested while conducting a children’s art exhibition, and charged with…”working against the country’s security by organizing a children’s art exhibit”

Recently, it came to our attention that Iranian media has been making claims that the arrested Baha’i leaders had “sophisticated communications devices” in their possession. Given the authority’s track record, we can only imagine what the real-case scenario was:

Source: Muslim Network for Bahai Rights at http://www.bahairights.org/2009/03/07/sophis-tech-ated/

Comic: Prison Break in Iran

In recent months, Iran has escalated its campaign of arrests against Baha’is. Dozens of Baha’is currently languish in prisons, with no hope of being accorded a fair trial. Those reportedly arrested weren’t criminals, thieves or murderers but were in fact community leaders, social activists and educators who strove to serve their communities. The Iranian regime has adopted the mission of preventing the progress of Baha’is, both within and outside Iran, and there is no telling how far it is willing to go to fulfill its mission.

The CENSEO team at the Muslim Network for Bahai Rights has created yet another comic about the absurdity of this situation:

Devon Gundry says “Get Off the Couch”

(af) Here’s a great little video aimed at raising awareness of climate change. It stars musician Devon Gundry (singer in the ‘Armed’ music video). If you think it should win the Environmental Defense Action Fund’s ‘Climate Activist’s Choice Award’ then vote now!

Thanks for the heads up Afshin

CT welcomes Mr. Afshin

No one (really, no one) has ever welcomed Mr. Afshin (India) like Changing Times 08 did.

Bollywood Intro:

Thank you to our brilliant MC’s who have raised the standard for all times.

Kitab-i-Hearsay

(ar) I hear a lot of things from a lot of people who are absolutely sure they know what they’re talking about. “Shoghi Effendi said 2/3 of the world’s population would be wiped out before the lesser peace is established.” Mmm. “’Abdu’l-Bahá used to smack people.” Really. “You can have your pets with you in the next world.” Aha. “There could be women on the House of Justice someday.” Is that so? Where did you read that? “Umm… I think it’s in, like, God Passes By.” Are you sure? “No, I haven’t read it…maybe it was in pilgrim’s notes…” Pilgrim’s notes. “Or a talk or something. I remember someone saying that.” Someone.

The thing is, isn’t it, that, even if some reference is made to such things in some reliable text, which, let’s remember, not all are, statements like this should not be 1) quoted unless one is certain of their validity or 2) taken out of the context in which they were made. Let’s remember, shall we, that when we say that something is “in the Writings” it’s God who’s mouth we’re putting words into. Is it really sufficient to rely on vague memories, or worse, hearsay, when we’re talking about the divine order of the universe? I like to think that, beyond the obvious benefit to others in being able to repeat for them the words of God, the institute courses have us practice memorization precisely so that we don’t take the chance of reinterpreting the Sacred Text that has been so meticulously and precisely translated by those granted the authority to do so.

I don’t intend to suggest that any of us go around carelessly attributing nonsense to the Central Figures of the Faith. But it’s just too easy for us to misunderstand things. Take that misunderstanding and add to it mistaken memory, then multiply it by paraphrasing then reinterpretation by the listener and the result is, well, just plain dangerous. If we don’t remember the words we read, it’s not such a big deal to qualify an idea with a neutralizing statement like…no. The selective hearing of sensationalized minds most often negates whatever qualifiers we might offer. In the words of the Encyclopaedia Britannica advertising team, better to just “look it up, dear.”

Stick with the Jojos

This is an advert created at Changing Times 2008 for the snack bar.

Music by Andy Grammer; produced by Amy Lim and Ryan Lash.