doberman pizza. a baha'i (bahai, bahá'í) blog.

From the Baha’i World News Service (BWNS), again on the topic of the situation of the Baha’is in Iran:

White House spokesman expresses President’s concern over worsening situation of the Baha’is in Iran

WASHINGTON, 29 March 2006 (BWNS) — At the 28 March 2006 White House press briefing, Spokesman Scott McClellan said President George Bush is concerned over last week’s announcement by a UN official that government persecution of the Baha’is in Iran is intensifying.

In response to a reporter’s question, Mr. McClellan called on the Iranian regime to respect the religious freedom of all of its citizens and indicated the President would continue to monitor the situation of the Baha’is very closely. He also said the United States would continue to speak out and urge other countries in the region and the United Nations to defend the rights of the Baha’is and other religious minorities in Iran.

Read the entire article.

if you’re looking for a way to get ready for the Ottawa Baha’i Community’s new cycle of growth and maximize the effectiveness of your teaching efforts during the intensive teaching phase, get plugged in to this week’s Ruhi refresher courses, Tuesday to Friday at 7:30 PM!

• Tuesday: Buzz by the Browns’, by Bayshore (1 Kitimat)
• Wednesday: Hook up with the Hashemis, in Kanata (20 Allenby)
• Thursday: Be there at the Benoit-James’s, in Vanier (304 Ducharme)
• Friday: Mingle with Marty and family, in Orleans (2047 Rolling Brook)

Come on out to any of the evenings above, regardless of how many or which Ruhi books you’ve taken (even none!). We’ll be revisiting Book 2 where we learned how to nurture individuals along the spiritual path through home visits, and in Book 6 where we became familiar with the different approaches and methods of teaching, such as Anna’s presentation of the Faith to her friend Emilia.

And if this post doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to you—drop me a line!

happy naw-rúz, all. every year at around this time, I generally take the time to muse a bit about the path that my life has taken. I like to think that a new chapter of my life began on Naw-rúz day, 2002, when I left Ottawa to begin two years of service in the Centre-du-Québec area. I’ve been thinking a lot about that service lately. Last Friday, I was invited to attend a gathering for tutors of the courses of the Ruhi Institute. The Institute Board of Ontario (or Canada, maybe?) had asked all study circle tutors and participants to go through the practice component of the first unit of Ruhi Book One—studying prayers with people around them. We gathered to share about how this practice was going, what progress we (and the participants) had made, and so on. We touched on many related topics—home visits, reaching out to people around us and doing real, one-on-one teaching. It was pretty good—inspiring and practical. I like how the Bahá’í community is becoming more and more focused and practical. The more we focus on carrying out the Five-year Plan and its goals, the better.

Anyway, I thought about my first few months in Québec, when I had just arrived from Ottawa with my rusty French and my prayer book. It was so easy to reach out to people! I was pioneering, so I knew I didn’t quite fit in and that was all right—in fact, I played off of that in order to teach. Quickeners of Mankind was constant bedside reading. It was exciting to see the divine confirmations being showered from all sides, sustained by love for Bahá’u'lláh and the Bahá’í Faith. There were lots of adventures and amazing experiences. Then, as time went on, tests came. Financial tests, emotional tests, mental tests, physical tests, spiritual tests… you name it. I had prayed for tests, and got them by the bucketful. I started to feel depressed, weighed down by the difficulties I was going through. The slower I moved, the fewer were the confirmations, and the less I seemed to be able to “quicken” those around me, until I got so depressed that it all just stopped, and the only thing left to do was to cry out for help.

It’s a few years later, and things are better. Much better, actually. There are still downs, like the one I had earlier this winter. But they’re not crippling; they don’t shut me down to the point where I can’t bounce back and start to live life again. It’s clear that some sort of recovery has taken place, allowing me to see the effects of transformation in my life… So I guess what I’ve been thinking lately is: how much longer before I really get my groove back? I mean, that uplifting, exhilirating pioneer type of vibe that comes from putting all of your trust in God, from taking one step and letting Him carry you the next ten. And you know, that’s not a question anyone else can answer for me, nor can anyone decide. It’s up to me to keep doing the work that will take me that many steps closer to Bahá’u'lláh, and enable me to serve the Cause to the utmost of my capacity.

So I guess I’ve answered my own question. When will I be able to reach out to the people around me in friendliness and fellowship, and share with them the most precious gift I have to give*? Whenever I want. As some people have pointed out to me, I already do, but don’t always realize it.

O My servants! My holy, My divinely ordained Revelation may be likened unto an ocean in whose depths are concealed innumerable pearls of great price, of surpassing luster. It is the duty of every seeker to bestir himself and strive to attain the shores of this ocean, so that he may, in proportion to the eagerness of his search and the efforts he hath exerted, partake of such benefits as have been pre-ordained in God’s irrevocable and hidden Tablets. [...] This most great, this fathomless and surging Ocean is near, astonishingly near, unto you. Behold it is closer to you than your life-vein! Swift as the twinkling of an eye ye can, if ye but wish it, reach and partake of this imperishable favor, this God-given grace, this incorruptible gift, this most potent and unspeakably glorious bounty. (Bahá’u'lláh, Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u'lláh, p.326)

With that, I’m off to bed. May this new year bring each one of you peace, certitude, hope, and confirmation. Even if I don’t always respond to each and every email these days, rest assured that the little notes and e-cards that pour in with greetings and naw-rúz wishes are very much appreciated.

* See Ruhi Book 6, Unit 1, Section 6.

From the Baha’i World News Service (BWNS):

UN Religious Freedom Official expresses fears for Baha’is in Iran

UNITED NATIONS, 20 March 2006 (BWNS) — Representatives of the Baha’i International Community reacted with alarm today to a United Nations official’s statement about actions of the Iranian government against the Baha’is in Iran.

Such actions come in the wake of mounting media attacks on the Baha’is, the nature of which in the past have preceded government-led assaults on the Baha’is in Iran. “Kayhan,” the official Tehran daily newspaper has carried more than 30 articles about the Baha’is and their religion in recent weeks, all defamatory in ways that are meant to create provocation. Radio and television programs have joined in as well with broadcasts condemning the Baha’is and their beliefs. In addition, the rise in influence in Iranian governmental circles of the Anti-Baha’i Society, Hojjatieh, an organization committed to the destruction of the Baha’i Faith, can only heighten the fears for that beleaguered community.

Read the entire article.

Also blogged on Baha’i Blog [2], Baha’i Views, Andropolis, Life of Leif and many other blogs.

If you haven’t already, read a column by Ruth Gledhill of the Times (UK) on this issue.

Quoted at the Bahá’í Quotes Syndication Service:

Since Thou hast adorned them, O my Lord, with the ornament of the fast prescribed by Thee, do Thou adorn them also with the ornament of Thine acceptance, through Thy grace and bountiful favor. For the doings of men are all dependent upon Thy good-pleasure, and are conditioned by Thy behest. Shouldst Thou regard him who hath broken the fast as one who hath observed it, such a man would be reckoned among them who from eternity had been keeping the fast. And shouldst Thou decree that he who hath observed the fast hath broken it, that person would be numbered with such as have caused the Robe of Thy Revelation to be stained with dust, and been far removed from the crystal waters of this living Fountain.

Our friendly Feasts & Holy Days Committee gives us this heads-up about tomorrow evening’s Naw-ruz party:

Celebration of the Bahá’í New Year

Monday, March 20th, 2006
7:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.
The St. Elias Centre, 750 Ridgewood Avenue, off Riverside Drive
[ Find it with Google Maps ]

Artistic program, followed by dancing and socializing.
Light refreshments will be served.
Excellent opportunity to invite your friends to a lovely Bahá’í event!

and Basim, who doesn’t appreciate all the French gobbledygook :P, sends word of a partay at their place in the East End:

COME BRING FRIENDS
NAW RUZ PARTY

Date: March 25, 2006
Time: 7:30 pm
Place: Tassnim and Basim’s house

Bring junk food, pop, chips, timbits, Krispy Kreme, tahdigh, sholeh-zard, kookoo sabzi, kabob barg, kashke bademjoon– um, I mean anything.

and remember folks… don’t forget your haft sin this year! [Ed. note: haft sin is a Persian custom, not a Bahá'í one. thanks Dad. -dj]

A party-game sensation has been sweeping the nation… or, at least, the Ottawa Baha’i youth. It’s called “Loup-garou” or “Werewolf”; we generally call it “The Wolf Game”. It’s a discussion-based game of persuasion and intrigue. The rules are fairly simple. One person narrates the game, and hands out cards to each player. Players who receive Aces become the wolves, the player with the Queen becomes the old lady (aka the Seer), and the player with the Joker becomes Harry Potter (aka the Angel). Everyone else is a simple villager. The goal is for the wolves to take out all the villagers—or for the villagers to take out all the wolves. Every round, the village goes to sleep, and several things happen: the Old Lady peeks at someone’s card to determine whether or not they are a wolf; the Wolves choose someone to kill; and Harry Potter, who knows which person the wolves have chosen to kill, decides whether or not to save that person (which he can do only once). When the sun rises in the morning, the accusations start, and the village tries to figure out who is a wolf. That’s where the real fun starts, as each player tries to shift the suspicion away from themselves and onto others… Read about the game, its history and its variations.

Salut tout le monde. Vous cherchez un jeu amusant à jouer avec vos amis (courants et futurs)? Essayez donc le jeu des loups-garous, un jeu d’embrouilles, d’intrigue, et de persuasion qui devient vite le préféré des jeunes baha’is d’Ottawa… les règles sont simples: un narrateur raconte le jeu et distribue les cartes de jeu. Les joueurs ayant des as deviennent les loups-garous, celui ayant la dame devient la vieille femme, et celui ayant le fou ou “joker” devient Harry Potter. Tous les autres ne sont que de simples villageois. Chaque tour (ou chaque “soirée”), plusieurs choses arrivent: la vieille dame jette un coup d’oeil à la carte de quelqu’un, pour voir s’ils sont loups-garous ou non; les loups-garous se mettent ensemble pour tuer un des villageois; et Harry Potter, sachant quel joueur a été ciblé par les loups, a la chance de lui sauver la vie – mais seulement une fois par jeu! Dès l’aube, les accusations commencent, et les villageois se mettent à la chasse aux loups-garous… c’est là où débute l’intrigue, tout comme les joueurs, loups-garous et villageois, tentent de détourner les soupçons envers les autres… Jetez un coup d’oeil aux règles du jeu, ou familiarisez-vous avec la version commerciale: Les Loup-garous de Thiercelieux.

ça fait un bon bout que je n’ai rien blogué en français. courage, ce n’est pas parce que j’oublie mes bons amis du Québec (ni mes amis francophones à travers le monde). il y a tellement de choses qui se passent de ces jours-ci que c’est difficile de mener à terme tous les projets qu’on a en tête.

Et vous connaissez peut-être ces jolies dames? Catherine et Gege se portent toujours bien au Gabon; Geneviève s’apprête même à prolonger son année de service en deux ans de service… peut-être suivra-t-elle dans les traces de notre ami bahá’í Sébastien Amodeo, pionnier en Guinée depuis qui sait comment longtemps? Et Catherine, bien que le Gabon lui fait chanter son âme, reviendra bientôt chez nous au Canada, faute de problèmes de visa. Que Dieu fasse pleuvoir la bonté de ses confirmations sur ces braves jeunes qui continuent toujours de nous inspirer par leur service!

hey. I’ve started up a little experimental blog called baha’i children’s class ideas. reason is: I co-teach a neighbourhood children’s class, having had little prior experience in the field except Ruhi Book 3. I need a place to write down lesson plan ideas so that I can plan them out in advance, try them out, and then go back and reflect on how the ideas worked when put into practice. check it out, leave comments and ideas, whatever. it’s a very informal project (that will probably get updated far less often than this blog), but it’s worth a try.

you might be interested in these buttons, meant to link to the official Baha’i website (www.bahai.org) and the Baha’i World News Service (news.bahai.org or bwns.org).

 
   

how to use: 1. right-click the image you want and download it to your computer. 2. upload the image to your own server (if you don’t have space on a server, try flickr or a similar free photo site). 3. add the button to your blog. here’s some sample code:

<a href="http://www.bahai.org" target="_blank"><img src="http://yourserver.com/bahaidotorg.gif" border="0" width="80" height="15"></a>

For similar buttons for your blog, check out gtmcknight’s Steal These Buttons site. The Baha’i button is in the ‘websites’ category.

so yo. seeing as doberman pizza was recently featured on Baha’i Blog, now might be a good time for a brief newcomer’s introduction to all the people who may never have dropped by before. my name is dan and I’ll be your blogger tonight. I hail from the capital city of Canada where I work on websites along with a number of fellow Baha’i webmasters, including the notorious Martin of MartinsQuest.com.

Content at doberman pizza ranges from personal quips and musings through poetry to commentary about current events within the Baha’i community and the world at large. Updates come a few times a week, so keep coming back for more. Along the top you’ll see a teeny-tiny navigation bar: blog is what you’re reading now, portfolio will show you some stuff I’ve worked on, scrapbook is where you’ll find my photosets and online albums, misc is full of links (including other Baha’i blogs out there), and the question mark is where you go if you have no clue what’s going on.

This website has been going since March 1994—happy 12th birthday!—and has gone through many changes throughout its history. the present incarnation of the blog has been going since February 2002, and started out life as a way for me to communicate with my family and friends while I was out on a year of service in Victoriaville, Quebec. Now, people from all five continents are regular (or semi-regular) readers. Feel free to glance through the archives and see what lies in wait there for you.

in a word, welcome. and thanks for dropping by!

hunger, like a spoiled child
kicks and screeches at my belly,
craving the bread of indulgence

although in dim reflections i recognize its folly,
the clouds ever re-envelop me,
and the hunger of the dying is debased.

© dan jones, 2001.

Happy Ayyam-i-Ha to all you lovely people out there!!!
Been to several Ayyam-i-Ha parties so far. Tonight’s party was in Sector 1 (East-end Ottawa) and included truckloads of yummy food like zereshk polo and kookoo sabzi. OMG I love kookoo sabzi. um anyway. lots of hanging around and chillin and being all friendly and together and having fun and eating. On Saturday night I had the pleasure of hanging around at Julie and Fanfan’s place after our weekly children’s class, after which they invited family and friends for an evening of togetherness and amity and eating lots of Haitian food. You know—plantain, grilled salmon, and a delicious dish made with beans and rice. We played Jenga until we went nuts. Fanfan was crowned Jenga King, with Paul coming in a close second.

Wednesday night is the Feast of Alá, and after that, the Fast starts. If you haven’t already, don’t forget to print out your very own list of sunrise and sunset times, and check out some fasting tips to help you get the most out of the Fast this year. Got some tips you’d like to share? Post a comment!