A Bahá'í Perspective

Jean grew up in the segregated south and became involved with the civil rights movement, starting in the early sixties with the NAACP and then later with the Congress Of Racial Equality (CORE). When she moved to California her social activism widened to include the antiwar and antipoverty movements. She eventually moved to western Massachusetts where she ran into the Bah#225;'#237; Faith.

Bruce is not a Bah#225;'#237;. He heard my program on Valley Free Radio and contacted me with an interesting proposal. What if we do an someone who is not a Bah#225;'#237; and has questions about the Bah#225;'#237; Faith. I thought this was an interesting idea, so I went along with it. It turned out to be a wonderful experience.

Harry is a Bah#225;'#237; from Jamaica that was passing through after being in Haifa, Israel as a delegate from his country to elect the world governing body of the Bah#225;'#237;s called the Universal House of Justice. Since I had some time after Harry's interview, I decided to play the audio from an information video on the history of the Bah#225;'#237; Faith since Harry had touched on it briefly in the interview.

Mike ran into the Bah#225;'#237; Faith when he and his best friend from high school were seekers of spiritual truth. This search lead Mike to Sufism and then ultimately to the Bah#225;'#237; Faith.

A Bah#225;'#237; who grew up in a little town called Camphill, AL during the segregated '60s. She was despised both by the white and the black members of her community because of the lightness of the color of her skin, so she turned to books. However, her mother would beat her when she found out she was reading. When she turned 18 she went off to college to be as far away as possible. She majored in English and became an accomplished journalist.

My son, Damian, was in the Washington, DC area and had an opportunity to interview Layli Miller-Muro at the Tahirih Justice Center. Layli is the founder and executive director of the Tahirih Justice Center, which is a free legal service for women and girls who are fleeing human rights abuses. She co-wrote a book titled Do They Hear You When You Cry? which describes the immigration case involving female genital mutilation that inspired the creation of the Tahirih Justice Center.

An 82-year old Bah#225;'#237; who had a career in television in the fifties with a TV show in California called Dottie Hansen's High Time, which was a teenage dance show. The unique thing about Dorothy's show at that time was that it was racially integrated, which at times got her into trouble. Like the time she danced with an African-American on the show. She was threatened to be taken off the air. Her show ultimately won an Emmy. After becoming a Bah#225;'#237;, Dorothy traveled to more than 50 countries.

Allison was raised as a Bah#225;'#237; and she spent her formative years living in India where she went to the New Era High School, where her parents were administrators. Allison speaks of her time there and the adjustment she had to make coming back to the states.

A former priest who realized while teaching at a catholic high school, that he know longer believed in the tenets of his faith. He later ran into the Bah#225;'#237; Faith.

A Bah#225;'#237; couple who met at the Bah#225;'#237; World Center in Haifa, Israel, she is an American and he is Kenyan. They currently reside in Wilbraham, MA. I started the Christina with her new baby on her lap.

A Bah#225;'#237; from Long Island who was adrift after returning from the Vietnam War, but found direction after running into the Bah#225;'#237; Faith. Before playing this interview, I play a piece from National Public Radio about a Bah#225;'#237; family hosting an interfaith children's class focusing on virtues.

Brande's father taught at Wiley College at the same time that Professor Tolson lead his great debate team as depicted in the 2007movie, The Great Debaters, starring Denzel Washington. Brande describes how he became a Bah#225;'#237; in Austin, TX in 1960. Brande dedicates this interview to the memory of "my dearest, beautiful wife, Evelyn (Breckenridge) Watson, whom I had seen in a most vivid vision in 1955 at a very low point in my life, but whose corporeal self I first saw in 1987. She passed away April 3, 2003 in my arms." Brande's list of accomplishments include: Listed in 'WHO'S WHO OF INTERNATIONAL PROFESSIONALS' vol 2 1998 edition, p. 1439, was national champion sprinter (100 yard dash and 220 yard dash) in 1952, college professor (International Business) at Central State Univ. and Antioch College in Ohio (also debate team coach), dean of the Louis G. Gregory Bah#225;'#237; Institute in S.Carolina 1973 to 1975.

An 80 year old Bah#225;'#237; who now resides at the Desert Rose Bah#225;'#237; Institute. He's just started the World Peace Movement Project that promotes the Bah#225;'#237; statement The Promise of World Peace.

A Bah#225;'#237; from Wendell, MA who is co-founder of the Prana Health and Yoga Center in Salem, MA.

My son, Damian, was at the Northeast Bah#225;'#237; Youth Conference this year where 1000 young people gathered in Stamford CT. At this conference, Rainn Wilson, who plays the supporting character role of Dwight Shrute in the hit TV sitcom, The Office, was there as the keynote speaker. Damian had the opportunity to have a one-on-one Rainn. In the interview, Rain mentions his work with the non-profit organization the Mona Foundation.

This is a rebroadcast of the radio program Bah#225;'#237; Bookshelf produced by the Bah#225;'#237; radio station WLGI in Hemmingway, SC. The interview is conducted by Susan Aude, former television news anchor at the NBC-affiliate WIS in Columbia, SC. In this segment, Susan is interviewing Bah#225;'#237; author Pamela Brode about her book The Power of Prayer: Make a Joyful Noise.

General manager for the Bah#225;'#237; radio station WLGI at the Louis Gregory Bah#225;'#237; Institute in Hemmingway, SC.

Richard had a tragic upbringing. At 18 he moved to his uncle's farm and found out he was a great salesman. It was when he was a salesman that he ran into the Bah#225;'#237; Faith.

In high school, Jeff was reborn as a Christian. When he went off to college he became the worship leader for the on campus Christian fellowship. Jeff tells his story on how he ran into the Bah#225;'#237; Faith while at college.

This is an interview by Susan Aude, former television news anchor at the NBC-affiliate WIS in Columbia, SC with Bah#225;'#237; author Heather Cardin who wrote the book Partners in Spirit: What Couples Say About Marriages That Work. This is a rebroadcast of the radio program Bah#225;'#237; Bookshelf produced by the Bah#225;'#237; radio station WLGI in Hemmingway South Carolina.