by Barney on 30 April 2008

I’m struggling to digest this morning’s experiences at the International Baha’i Convention in Haifa.
We started with the reading of the Ridvan message to the Baha’is of the world from the Universal House of Justice. This is one of the
most powerful and direct messages I’ve heard. Of all the things that struck me, one was this:
Only [...]
by Barney on 29 April 2008

So, this amazing Convention is in motion.
Having had a couple of days to pray in the Holy Shrines and visit some of the Holy Places, we are in the Haifa Convention Centre for the first day of the Convention iself. Around a thousand delegates from all over the world are casting their ballots in person. [...]
by Barney on 25 April 2008

This where I shall be for the next week, for the 10th International Baha’i Convention.
I’m not taking my laptop and I’m quite unlikely to have time to find a cybercafe and to post here while I’m away. I look forward to getting back to writing in early May. See you then!
Technorati Tags: Baha’i, Bahai, [...]
by Barney on 25 April 2008

Baha’i World News Service reported on the Baha’i reception to celebrate the Festival of Ridván in the House of Commons:
One of the messages presented by Ruth Banda, Jenna Nicholas and Collis Tahzib, all members of the Baha’i Faith, and their friend Lavina Hassasing, was that there is a difference between the principle of human rights [...]
by Barney on 24 April 2008

Here are a couple of pictures from our recent Ridván reception on the terrace of the House of Commons. They both show Lembit Opik MP, Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Friends of the Bahá’ís, with the four Bahá’í youth who spoke so eloquently about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Technorati Tags: Baha’i, Bahai, [...]
by Barney on 23 April 2008

Lembit Opik MP, Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Friends of the Bahá’ís read out the following messages of greeting to the UK Bahá’í community at our Ridván reception on the House of Commons Terrace last night.
Message from the Prime Minister
I would like to express my respect and admiration to those attending this reception, and [...]
by Barney on 23 April 2008

Lembit Opik MP brought his charming Cheeky Girl, Gaby, to our Ridván reception on the House of Commons terrace last night. Lembit may be a “character”, but he is also a key member (and Chair) of the All Party Parliamentary Friends of the Bahá’ís and our host for the evening. Actually, Lembit was the first [...]
by Barney on 22 April 2008

The Seat of the Universal House of Justice, Haifa, Israel
Religion, politics and power
Welcome to a new series of occasional posts on the theme of religion, politics and power. Religion is becoming ever more prominent for good and ill in the public square. Questions about the relationship of religion, politics and power are increasingly important and [...]
by Barney on 21 April 2008

Happy Ridván to everyone!
Ridván is the king of Bahá’í festivals, celebrating Bahá’u’lláh’s declaration of His mission in the Najibiyyih Garden across the Tigris from Baghdad.
Like local Bahá’í communities across the world, our community in the Hertfordshire town of Welwyn elected its Local Spiritual Assembly, its local governing council. We even managed to elect our Local [...]