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

[arthra]

I give this film "nine" stars!

A Baha'i producer Kevin Bamford has come out with what I consider to be a fine movie with real down to earth values...

See:

http://www.capeofgoodhopemovie.com/

A quote from Baha'u'llah initiates the film:

"To blessed animals the utmost kindness must be shown, the more the better. Tenderness and loving-kindness are basic principles of God's heavenly Kingdom. Ye should most carefully bear this matter in mind."

And the central character "Kate" (played by Debbie Brown) operates an animal rescue operation in Cape Town South Africa! Kate's Mum played by Clare Marshall well I dunno I'll leave that for you to decide but she gives a great performance.

Eric Ebouaney plays "Jean Claude" who works and lives at the Shelter is a kind of dog whisperer and great hearted soul who as an astronomer volunteers on the side at an Observatory telling visiting students in a hushed way that the real reason the universe holds together is "love"...Wow! straight out of Abdul-Baha's words!

Also you could say this definitely a dog-lover's film!

I won't detail the film so as to spoil it for you but this I think is a must see for Baha'is.. There are some adult themes though and violence although you will not see any steamy or graphic sexual scenes either... I think young adults maybe over fifteen could see this film.

- Art

 

[arthra]

Radio Nur

Lately I've enjoyed listening to an internet radio station that plays a variety of music from contemporary to more classic style in a variety of languages from Persian to Chinese from English to Spanish and other less heard languages as well!... with Baha'i promos of course but it does represent an aspect of the growing and developing Baha'i culture.

Here's the site:

http://www.radionur.com/

You can listen to it "live" for free.

- Art

 

[9Harmony]

Hi Art,

I recently saw this movie too. And I agree, it was extremely enjoyable.

except i think the quote used at the beginning was this one...

"He should show kindness to animals, how much more unto his fellow-man, to him who is endowed with the power of utterance." -Baha'u'llah

i also enjoy listening to radionur as well.

have a great day!

 

[arthra]

Hi Art,

I recently saw this movie too. And I agree, it was extremely enjoyable.

except i think the quote used at the beginning was this one...

"He should show kindness to animals, how much more unto his fellow-man, to him who is endowed with the power of utterance." -Baha'u'llah

i also enjoy listening to radionur as well.

have a great day!

I think you're right about the quote!

Thanks.

- Art

 

[arthra]

"Anthem for the World" CD by Matthew Levine

For some free listening to samples of Levine's CD:

http://www.anthemfortheworld.com/index.html

Also a video.

- Art

 

[arthra]

Earl Cameron featured in article:

When veteran actor Earl Cameron stood at the lectern in the United Nations General Assembly hall, portraying an African despot for the film The Interpreter, he had one of those strange moments where the larger reality of things snaps into focus.
On the one hand, he was playing the corrupt and unsavoury president of a fictional African country – a role he had no hesitation in accepting.
"I feel that an actor must portray life, and despotic characters need to be portrayed and shown up," he said.
On the other hand, as a Baha'i, the scene reminded him very much of the Baha'i belief in the need for world unity.

Source:

http://www.theroyalgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060908/MIDOCEAN/109080159

 

[arthra]

"YouTube" has a several songs that reflect Baha 'i themes, among them was a song called "In the Graveyards of Iran" by Grant Hindin Miller that I felt was very moving:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggxPy9twpQ4&mode=related&search=

- Art

 

[smkolins]

I've been helping to write a review of the Baha'i Faith in fiction (short stories and novels and such....)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahá'í_Faith_in_fiction

 

[arthra]

I am very impressed Steve!

Excellent work ... I'll have to go back a few times and read it more carefully but I think this is the best review of Baha'i fiction writers I've seen.

- Art

 

[smkolins]

I am very impressed Steve!

Excellent work ... I'll have to go back a few times and read it more carefully but I think this is the best review of Baha'i fiction writers I've seen.

- Art

Thanks Art! It's taken a while to come together with prior encarnations.... One of the things that really needs to be done is to read all of Maya's short stories and figure out which ones really do factor in the Faith strongly. I'm certain of two... plus her novels....

I'm also thinking about working something up for World Order magazine or similar.... Of course in the wikipedia context I hope others find something to contribute - there's a talk section too. Interestingly I've looked for parallel info from other religions and the only other article perse so far I've found is for LDS authors of fiction....

I have a distant memory of Christianity first appearing in some kind of satire play making fun of Christians in the early 100's AD but can't find the reference any more....

 

[arthra]

Though the Night of Parting endless seem as thy night-black hair,
Bahá, Bahá,

Yet we meet at last, and the gloom is past in thy lightning's
glare, Bahá, Bahá!

To my heart from thee was a signal shown that I to all
men should make known

That they, as the ball to the goal doth fly, should to thee
repair, Bahá, Bahá!

At this my call from the quarters four men's hearts and
souls to thy quarters pour:

What, forsooth, could attract them more than that region
fair, Bahá, Bahá?

The World hath attained to Heaven's worth, and a Paradise
is the face of earth

Since at length thereon a breeze hath blown from thy nature
rare, Bahá, Bahá!

Bountiful art thou, as all men know: at a glance two
Worlds thou would'st e'en bestow

On the suppliant hands of thy direst foe, if he makes his
prayer, Bahá, Bahá!


- Nabil-i-Azam

 

[arthra]

Ah my love...

Ah, my love
They tell me
"Dry your tears
And cease to grieve..
Tis not meet
Before eternity
To lament so long,
So Deep"!

They do not see
That all my heart
Cries for you
As if you were
My heart
Torn living
From my breast!
What shall I place
In this gaping wound?


Day is night to me
And night a fierce
Strange day
Blazing with memory.
They think
I mourn you
As a wife
Mourns her
Much-loved mate.


How can I ever
Make them see
This is non-existent!
I mourn you
As the rain
Weeps for its lost
cloud,
As the ray
Burns for its lost
sun,
As the scent
Faints for its lost
flowers,
As the echo dies
For its lost voice!


I never knew
Such strength was
mine
Like some strange
metal
Forged for outer space
I subsist in the heat
Of utter longing!


But
incandescence
Comes at last,
Soon or late
My soul will burn
Away its prison
And be gone.


- Amatu'l-Baha
Ruhiyyih Khanum

January 7, 1958
"Poems of Passing".
Written after the death of her beloved husband, Shoghi Effendi.

 

[arthra]

Garden of Humanity

Since July 1995 through March 2002, the ‘Garden of Humanity' exhibit of art, along with the accompanying quotations, has been on display publicly in fourteen different venues, in communities in Central Illinois and Missouri. It is hard to estimate how many have viewed these pieces, for its been seen in public libraries, coffee houses, art galleries, two university student centers, a medical center, a store front window, and Bahá'í Centers. The number has to exceed thousands.

The exhibit was first known as "Visual Impressions of the Bahá'í Faith" and included about twenty pieces. In January 1998 the name was changed to "The Garden of Humanity" and featured several new pieces that concentrated on the Bahá'í theme of the Oneness of Mankind.

http://www.gardenofhumanity.com/

_______________________________

 

[InLove]

I love the art collection. I was intesely drawn to the first few, especially, and I found gallery VII of special interest. I noticed that one of the pieces was done in crayon. I am always amazed at what can be rendered from this particular medium.

Thanks, Art, for sharing umm..art. (Along with the lovely messages of hope and harmony.)

InPeace,
InLove

 

[arthra]

Always good to hear form you "Inlove"!

- Art

 

[arthra]

A "youtube" pilgrimage to the Baha'i World Center:

If you ever wondered what pilgrimage to the Baha'i World Center was like you can take an eight minute diversion to:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=kz0wGX1DZ_M

I met Hand of the Cause of God Ali Akhbar Furutan on my pilgrimage many years ago and as I was with him admiring the Shrine of the Bab, I commented that it was "beautiful". He replied: "It is more than beautiful".

Enjoy the peace and elegance...

- Art

 

[arthra]

Baha'i Temple in Chile...

Some may not have seen this video of the Temple of Light being built near Santiago, Chile...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=w5EYAzlGxKA

It's a simulated look at what the Temple will look like and has an interesting three dimensional quality to it ...also the sound blends nicely in.

There is definitely an etherial quality to the Temple and purposefully and tastefully takes cues from nature..

- Art

 

[arthra]

Baha'i Philately...

Yes there is even a small but growing collection of stamps commemorating Baha'is and their contributions as well as stamps that are signicant to us at

http://www.bahai-library.org/stamps/index.html

 

[arthra]

O.K....smarty pants! Here's an exercise for you...

Without looking up the country on the inter-net or an Atlas...tell me where you think Tartarstan is?

There are believe it or not some Baha'is there...

Here's a clue:

The Republic of Tatarstan is a democratic constitutional state associated with the Russian Federation by the Constitution of the Russian Federation.

See

http://www.kommersant.com/t-108/r_5/n_450/Republic_of_Tatarstan/

 

[arthra]

Just went to Baha'i school today with my two grandsons... One read a prayer flawlessly and it had some pretty advanced vocabulary in it...He's ten years old... The other recited a short verse from prayer in the Prayer Book and he's six years old. I was the proud grandfather I was!

"O Thou kind Lord! These lovely children are the handiwork of the fingers of Thy might and the wondrous signs of Thy greatness. O God! Protect these children, graciously assist them to be educated and enable them to render service to the world of humanity. O God! These children are pearls, cause them to be nurtured within the shell of Thy loving-kindness.

Thou art the Bountiful, the All-Loving."

~ 'Abdu'l-Bahá,