Canada's only Muslim senator speaks for the Baha'is of Iran

Very interesting speech by a senator in Canada, 14 December 2009

Senator Mobina Jaffer - Canada.

".....For many years, I have represented Iranian refugees, especially women, who have been tortured and imprisoned in Iran. The suffering of these women is unimaginable. Sadly, honourable senators, this suffering still continues...............Today, I will address the situation of one religions group, the Baha'i of Iran, whose rights have systematically been violated by the Iranian government since the inception of the Islamic revolution. As a young child in Uganda, my father often took me to a construction site where a Baha'i temple was being built. As the temple was being built, my father would describe the different aspects of the faith of the Baha'i. His description of the embracing by the Baha'i of all religions left me with a great love and respect for all faiths. I am also a great admirer of the Baha'i. As Ugandans, we are proud of the Baha'i temple in Uganda and we believe it is one of the best temples.

Honourable senators, let me take a few moments to provide some background of the Baha'i faith. It originated in Iran, then Persia, in the 1840s. Central to the spiritual teachings of the Baha'i faith is the concept that there is only one God and that the major world religions have been established by divine educators who brought teachings commensurate with humanity's stage of development.

The source and spiritual essence of all these religions is the same in the Baha'i view. Only the social teachings have changed in order to support the emergence of an ever-advancing civilization. Baha'is strive both individually and as communities, and with the guidance of their institutions, to understand and implement the spiritual and moral teachings in their own lives and communities, and to contribute to the common good.

The five million or so people comprising the Baha'i international community represent 2,112 ethnic and tribal groups who live in over 121,000 localities, 190 independent countries and 45 dependent territories and overseas departments.

Why then, honourable senators, do we have a slow genocide of the Baha'i community in Iran through such means as arbitrary arrests; incitement of hatred in government-controlled media and from the pulpit; harassment of schoolchildren; denial of access to post-secondary education or to employment in the public sector; severe restrictions on employment in the private sector; the destruction of graveyards; denial of government pensions; and the discrimination in courts?" Mobina Jaffer

THE BEST BELOVED OF ALL THINGS IN MY SIGHT IS JUSTICE

Near the end of 2009 ...... the world is still looking for JUSTICE:

The Hidden Words of Bahá’u’lláh -

O SON OF SPIRIT! The best beloved of all things in My sight is Justice; turn not away therefrom if thou desirest 4 Me, and neglect it not that I may confide in thee. By its aid thou shalt see with thine own eyes and not through the eyes of others, and shalt know of thine own knowledge and not through the knowledge of thy neighbor. Ponder this in thy heart; how it behooveth thee to be. Verily justice is My gift to thee and the sign of My loving-kindness. Set it then before thine eyes.

World Religions

Invitation to the 2009 Parliament of the World's Religions

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtYGtp1Hp_c&feature=player_embedded

If the house from Glass.....

An Article By Alaa Al-Aswany in response to the battle over minarets in Switzerland ...

Before We Damn Switzerland

"......................Fifthly, banning minarets in Switzerland is clearly a flagrant violation of freedom of belief, and Egyptians, Arabs and Muslims have a right to object to the ban and try to overturn the ban by all legal means. But the Egyptian government has no moral right to object to the ban on minarets in Switzerland because it has failed to ensure freedom of belief for Egyptians themselves. The Egyptian authorities regularly arrest Shi’ites and Quranists, put them on trial on charges of contempt for religion and throw them into prison. In fact, the official department headed by the Mufti, which is now calling for freedom of belief in Switzerland, has issued an official fatwa declaring Baha’is to be infidels, a declaration which puts them in danger of being murdered at any moment. These Baha’is are Egyptian citizens who have fought a bitter battle for recognition of their religion in official documents."

Another article discussing the same topic: http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/2009/12/christians_in_the_muslim_world.asp

"Rather than hypocritically lashing out at Switzerland over the minaret ban, governments in Muslim countries around the world should tackle the real problem and defend the basic human rights and religious liberties of their non-Muslim minorities..."

The LIGHT of UNITY

"So powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth." (Bahá'u'llah)

Here is an AMAZing United Way's Holiday Greeting

http://www.unitedwaytv.org/default__200_09_Holiday_Greeting.aspx

Photo Banned - Newspaper Closed

An interesting article from another blog; World in a mind

"....The Bahá’í Faith does NOT exist (despite it being the largest minority religion in Iran), therefore there can be no photo of a Bahá’í building in a newspaper in Iran!"

The Lotus Temple in Dec 10th 2009

Sky lanterns are seen floating in the night sky, near the Lotus Temple, right, released by activists expressing their hope in the ongoing climate conference being held in Copenhagen, during a demonstration in New Delhi, India, Thursday, Dec. 10, 2009.

Son of Being Music Video

Youth Rap Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zohrzHO9YM4