Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson.

In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick.

In this particular episode I wanted to do something a little different, as right now, millions across the globe are celebrating the 200th Anniversary of the Birth of Baha'u'llah, the founder of the Baha’i Faith, and I wanted to honor this very special occasion.

Above our front doorway is a handwritten “Greatest Name”, drawn by the son of Hand of the Cause Mr. Samandari as a gift to my grandparents. As I walk into my house I think about the fact that as a baby (albeit a giant, pale one), I met Mr. Samandari who traveled to Seattle in 1967, and he was the last living person who had spent time with Baha’u’llah.

I wanted to write about this remarkable connection: I was once cradled as an infant by the guy who met THE GUY! That’s how young our Faith is. How connected we all are.

As Baha'is we strive to be in discussion and dialogue on shared topics of interest with like-minded folks, so I really wanted to write a warm, funny essay that every person could connect to. It was imperative that it be published on a site where there was a good deal of interfaith dialogue and I was drawn to Patheos.com for this reason, and you can find this essay here.

I've decided to record the essay for this episode, and I just wanted to add that I think it’s crucial that Baha’is seek to share our history, views, humor and stories with as many different communities as possible, in as many different ways as we can. Engage in deep dialogues with open-hearted souls with the goal being the dialogue itself, not “conversion”.

I hope you enjoy “Me and the Prophet.”

To find out more about some of the things I covered in this episode, check out the following links:

* Here is the official Baha'i site on Baha'u'llah, the prophet-founder of the Baha'i Faith: www.bahai.org/bahaullah

* Here is the official site for the bicentenary of the Birth of Baha'u'llah celebrations happening around the world: https://bicentenary.bahai.org/

* Here is the official site for the Baha'i Faith: http://www.bahai.org/

* Here's a Baha'i Blog article about what a 'Hand of the Cause' is: http://bahaiblog.net/site/2014/06/hands-cause/

* Here's a Baha'i Blog article about what 'the Greatest Name' is and its use: http://bahaiblog.net/site/2011/06/using-the-greatest-name/

Be sure to ‘subscribe’ to the Baha’i Blogcast for more weekly episodes on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify and YouTube.

Thanks for listening!

-Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson.

In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick.

In this episode I'm in Toronto, Canada at the lovely home of award-winning architect Siamak Hariri. Siamak is the architect of the Baha'i House of Worship for South America, located in Santiago, Chile, and he talks to me about his family and how he was first drawn to architecture, some of his thoughts and inspirations behind the design of the temple and its relationship with the community, and how architecture can touch the heart. We discuss the interplay between material and nonmaterial, where things like proportion and composition are enveloped in mysticism, ideas relating to prayer, and how things like composition and refinement are important and how they're connected to our higher aspirations. He also shares some of his understandings of the Baha'i Faith, some of his favorite Baha'i Writings, and the importance of shaping our thinking in a way that looks to the future and affects generations to come. I hope you enjoy this conversation.

To find out more about Siamak Hariri and some of the things we covered in the podcast, check out the following links:

* Here is the official site for the Baha'i House of Worship for South America: http://templo.bahai.cl/en/

* You can find out more about Baha'i Houses of Worship here: http://www.bahai.org/action/devotional-life/mashriqul-adhkar

* Here's the link to Siamak's architecture firm Hariri Pontarini Architects: https://www.hariripontarini.com/

* You can watch Siamak's TED Talk here: https://www.ted.com/talks/siamak_hariri_how_do_you_build_a_sacred_space

* Siamak shares an excerpt from the following quote from the Seven Valley's of Baha'u'llah as one of his inspirations behind the temple design:

"Whensoever the light of Manifestation of the King of Oneness settleth upon the throne of the heart and soul, His shining becometh visible in every limb and member. At that time the mystery of the famed tradition gleameth out of the darkness: “A servant is drawn unto Me in prayer until I answer him; and when I have answered him, I become the ear wherewith he heareth….” For thus the Master of the house hath appeared within His home, and all the pillars of the dwelling are ashine with His light. And the action and effect of the light are from the Light-Giver; so it is that all move through Him and arise by His will. And this is that spring whereof the near ones drink, as it is said: “A fount whereof the near unto God shall drink…."

* You can watch more videos about the Baha'i Temple for South America here on Temple's Vimeo page: https://vimeo.com/templobahai

* And you may enjoy these 19 Inspiring Instagram Photos of the Chile Temple: http://bahaiblog.net/site/2016/10/19-inspiring-instagram-photos-chile-temple/

Be sure to ‘subscribe’ to the Baha’i Blogcast for more weekly episodes on:

*iTunes: itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/bahai…son/id1127132519

*Soundcloud: @user-545312385

You can also stream the Blogcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7rjgYku9Coae2rEiLijsl8

If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content check out BAHAIBLOG.NET.

Thanks for listening!

-Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson.

In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick.

In this episode I sit down with Dr. Ruha Benjamin, a mother, a scholar, an author and associate professor in African American Studies at Princeton University, who writes and speaks about science and technology, race and inequality. Ruha and I talk about racist robots and the use of technology, the relationship between unity and justice, the Marshall Islands and the example of her parents, Star Trek, marriage as a soul growing machine, and how bringing about social change also needs to consider the spiritual reality of things. We also look at the importance of independent investigation of truth and the need to challenge our own assumptions, plus the wonderful example of Abdu’l-Baha and how He challenged the status quo. I hope you enjoy the conversation!

To find out more about Ruha Benjamin and some of the things we covered in this podcast, check out the following links:

* You can find out more about Dr. Ruha Benjamin and her work here on her website: www.RuhaBenjamin.com

* I mention her talk “The Beautiful Struggle: Understanding Racism and Transforming Words into Deeds” which can be watched here: https://vimeo.com/230838962

* You can find copies of Ruha’s book 'People’s Science: Bodies and Rights on the Stem Cell Frontier' here on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Peoples-Science-Bodies-Rights-Frontier/dp/0804782970/ref=as_li_ss_tl?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1506308765&sr=1-1&keywords=People%27s+Science:+Bodies+and+Rights+on+the+Stem+Cell+Frontier&linkCode=sl1&tag=baibl0c-20&linkId=91de7de6656addd9fe84a7e6076e173b

* Ruha shares the following quote from Abdu’l-Baha: “Baha’u’llah once compared the coloured people to the black pupil of the eye surrounded by the white. In this black pupil you see the reflection of that which is before it, and through it the light of the Spirit shines forth.”

* Ruha mentions the Louis Gregory Institute: www.lgbi.org

* I mention a mutual friend named Jamey Heath (www.jameyheath.com/), and you may enjoy one his songs on Baha’i Blog’s Studio Session series called “I Have Breathed Within Thee“: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5b1vrzmOJbI

* Ruha and I talk about the book ‘No Jim Crow Church’ by Louis Venters which can be found here on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Jim-Crow-Church-Carolinas-Community/dp/0813054079/ref=as_li_ss_tl?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1506309553&sr=1-1&keywords=No+Jim+Crow+Church%27+by+Louis+Venters&linkCode=sl1&tag=baibl0c-20&linkId=97ed880506bef59909e82648b4d5fc88

* I mention my non-profit in Haiti called called The LIDÈ Foundation, which you can learn more about here: www.lidehaiti.org

* I talk about Dr. Saiedi, who was also a guest on the Baha’i Blogcast, and you can listen to his interview here: http://bahaiblog.net/site/2017/08/bahai-blogcast-rainn-wilson-episode-20-nader-saiedi/

* Ruha talks about the example of Abdu’l-Baha(www.bahai.org/abdul-baha/) , the eldest son of Baha’u’llah, so I thought you may find the following series of talks called by Tom Price about Abdu’l-Baha enjoyable: https://soundcloud.com/bahai-blog/sets/recreating-ourselves-in-the

Be sure to ‘subscribe’ to the Baha’i Blogcast for more weekly episodes on:

*iTunes: itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/bahai…son/id1127132519

*Soundcloud: @user-545312385

You can also stream the Blogcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/54kCzOPGNL4hATHDOojEAf

If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content check out BAHAIBLOG.NET.

Thanks for listening!

-Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson.

In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick.

In this episode I have an awesome conversation with my wonderful Christian neighbors Sara and John Barton. Sara is an author and likes writing poetry and hiking in the Santa Monica Mountains, usually at the same time, and she serves as the University Chaplain at Pepperdine University in California, where she oversees worship services and pastoral care in the community. John is Director of the Center for Faith and Learning at Pepperdine University where he also serves on the faculties of the Religion and Philosophy Division and the graduate program in Social Entrepreneurship and Change. John also speaks and conducts research in the areas of African philosophy, ethics and philanthropy, Christian studies, interfaith dialogue, and Christian/Muslim interactions. The three of us talk about the station of Christ, the importance of service to others, and why interfaith dialogue and learning about religions is important in society today. They share the importance of being an active part of wider communities while maintaining their Christian convictions and commitments. They also tell me about the nonprofit they helped start and what their eight years in Uganda taught them. We discuss the importance of the community over the individual, prayer and meditation, why they love working with college students and have hope for the future. Sara even shares a wonderful poem she wrote just for the Baha'i Blogcast as well, so I hope you enjoy the conversation.

To find out more about Sara and John Barton and some of the things we covered in this podcast, check out the following links:

* You can read more about Sara Barton here: https://www.pepperdine.edu/spiritual-life/chaplain/about/ and John Barton here: https://seaver.pepperdine.edu/religion-philosophy/facultystaff/member.htm?faculty=john_barton

* Here's a link to the nonprofit they helped start and continue to work with called the Kibo Group: https://www.kibogroup.org/

* Sara is the author of ‘A Woman Called: Piecing Together the Ministry Puzzle’: http://amzn.to/2wABPOG

* John mentions the book ‘Islam without Extremes: A Muslim Case for Liberty’ by Mustafa Akyol: http://amzn.to/2gxjytL

* You can find out more about the Station of Christ from this Baha'i Blog article: http://bahaiblog.net/site/2013/12/the-station-of-jesus-christ-in-the-bahai-faith/

* There’s mention of my book of memoirs called ‘The Bassoon King’: http://amzn.to/2gxOYjP

* I make reference to one of my previous interviews with Native American Baha'i Kevin Locke on the Baha’i Blogcast which can be found here: http://bahaiblog.net/site/2017/08/bahai-blogcast-rainn-wilson-episode-19-kevin-locke/

* Here's the poem Sara recited in the interview:

“Facing window, entering world,

armed not with weapons but with questions,

it tosses peace grenades

to explode hearts for God.

Listening outside, tuning in

to stories that fill souls with hope,

it releases them to float

with clouds of sound.

Honoring past days without fearing last days,

engaging spiritual journeys now days,

it wonders- as time clicks,

what makes people tick?

Joining creation, generating words that serve,

broadcasting, podcasting narrative digital art,

it does its part to light someone's dark.

And so may we.”

Be sure to ‘subscribe’ to the Baha’i Blogcast for more weekly episodes on:

*iTunes: itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/bahai…son/id1127132519

*Soundcloud: @user-545312385

You can also stream the Blogcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3MIpyUbDIw6zlAiwhHNMlV

If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content check out http://BAHAIBLOG.NET.

Thanks for listening!

-Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson.

In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick.

In this episode I speak with Nader Saiedi, Taslimi Foundation Professor of Baha’i Studies in the department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures at University of California. Born in Tehran, Iran, and having lived in the US since 1978, professor Saiedi tells me about his personal journey from being a staunch Marxist to becoming a Baha'i, and how he was humbled by the sacred Baha'i Writings and moved by the steadfastness of the Baha'is being persecuted in Iran. Among other things, we talk about slavery, historical consciousness, and the thousands of untranslated and unpublished tablets by the Bab and Baha'u'llah he's been studying recently. Hope you enjoy the conversation!

To find out more about Nader Saiedi and some of the things we covered in this podcast, check out the following links:

* You can find out more about Dr. Nader Saiedi here: https://bahaikipedia.org/Nader_Saiedi

* Dr. Saiedi is the author of 'Logos and Civilization' and 'Gate of the Heart'.

* You may be interested in this talk by Dr. Nader Saiedi titled 'From World War to World Peace': http://bahaiblog.net/site/2017/06/world-war-world-peace-talk-dr-nader-saiedi/

* You may also enjoy a series of 11 talks by Dr. Saiedi called 'Text and Context in the Baha’i Heroic Age': https://soundcloud.com/bahai-blog/sets/nader-saiedi-text-and-context

* In the interview, Nader makes reference to 'The Book of Certitude' by Baha’u’llah and 'The Secret of Divine Civilization' by Abdu’l-Baha which you can find here: http://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/bahaullah/kitab-i-iqan/ and http://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/abdul-baha/secret-divine-civilization/

* In the interview I mention the following excerpt from the Writings of Baha'u'llah: "O SON OF DUST! Verily I say unto thee: Of all men the most negligent is he that disputeth idly and seeketh to advance himself over his brother. Say, O brethren! Let deeds, not words, be your adorning."

* Nader mentions an excerpt from the following quote taken from the book 'Epistle to the Son of the Wolf' by Baha’u’llah: “Verily, We shall render Thee victorious by Thyself and by Thy Pen. Grieve Thou not for that which hath befallen Thee, neither be Thou afraid, for Thou art in safety. Erelong will God raise up the treasures of the earth—men who will aid Thee through Thyself and through Thy Name, wherewith God hath revived the hearts of such as have recognized Him.” You can find the book here: http://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/bahaullah/epistle-son-wolf/

* I make reference to my Baha’i Blogcast interview with Native American Baha’i Kevin Locke which you can listen to here: http://bahaiblog.net/site/2017/08/bahai-blogcast-rainn-wilson-episode-19-kevin-locke/

Be sure to ‘subscribe’ to the Baha’i Blogcast for more weekly episodes on:

*iTunes: itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/bahai…son/id1127132519

*Soundcloud: @user-545312385

You can also stream the Blogcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7u380ZQPWuEViqO7mGtiGl

If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content check out http://BAHAIBLOG.NET.

Thanks for listening!

-Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson.

In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick.

In this episode I interview Kevin Locke, which in Lakota is "Tokaheya Inajin" meaning “First to Rise”. Both Lakota and Anishnabe, Kevin is a Native American Baha'i who is a world famous visionary Hoop Dancer, preeminent player of the Indigenous Northern Plains flute, traditional storyteller, cultural ambassador, recording artist and educator with nearly 40 years of performing to over hundreds of thousands of people in over 90 countries. Living in Standing Rock, USA, Kevin talks to me about Lakota culture, some of their traditional prophecies and the power of women in their society. He tells me how he became a Baha'i, explains the power of engaging in the arts and connecting to the creator, and how the revelation of Baha'u'llah touches all the peoples of the earth, no matter what cultural background they come from, and how important it is for us learn from each other and about our collective heritage and so many other fascinating things. At the end of the conversation, Kevin shares a beautiful song on the flute called 'The Eagle's Flight'.

To find out more about Kevin Locke and some of the things we covered in the podcast, check out the following links:

* You can find out more about Kevin Locke from his website: KevinLocke.com

* In the interview, Kevin recommends the book 'Black Elk Speaks' by John G. Neihardt, which you can get here: http://amzn.to/2hAEoMU

* Kevin mentions the 1992 'Tribute by the Universal House of Justice to Baha'u'llah on the Centenary of His Passing', which you find here: http://www.bahai.org/documents/the-universal-house-of-justice/tribute-universal-house-justice

You can find out more about this episode here:

Be sure to ‘subscribe’ to the Baha’i Blogcast for more weekly episodes on:

*iTunes: itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/bahai…son/id1127132519

*Soundcloud: @user-545312385

You can also stream the Blogcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/79COyQTbVGXHcT3Y5VL52n

If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content check out BAHAIBLOG.NET.

Thanks for listening!

-Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson.

In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick.

In this episode I speak with Hong Kong based Chinese soul-pop superstar Khalil Fong, otherwise known in Chinese as 方大同, which is "Fang Da Tong". Khalil has been very instrumental in bringing an eclectic mix of international styles of music to Chinese audiences, but especially Soul music and R'n'B. Besides creating hit songs, Khalil has been recognized as a positive role model for his upright character. In this interview we talk about his musical influences and what inspired him to pursue a career in music. He tells me what his songs are about and how his faith inspires his music and everything he does. We discuss spirituality in China, being a vegetarian, having his own record label, what really draws him to the Faith, the exciting new project for children that he's working on with his mother, and the advice he would give to other aspiring artists.

To find out more about Khalil Fong and some of the things we covered in the interview, check out the following links:

* Khalil Fong's official website: khalilfong.com/en

* Khalil Fong's Facebook page: www.facebook.com/soulboykhalilfong

* Khalil Fong's YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/user/KhalilFongofficial

* Fu Music is Khalil Fong's record label: www.fringebacker.com/en/t/fu-backer/

* Khalil refers to a song about suicide called 'Goodbye Melody Rose' which can be found on the album 'This Love': https://itunes.apple.com/my/album/%E6%84%9B%E6%84%9B%E6%84%9B/id220365864?i=220365871

* Excerpts from the following songs were used in the interview (with permission):

i. "Listen" found on the album JTW: https://itunes.apple.com/my/album/jtw-%E8%A5%BF%E9%81%8A%E8%A8%98-deluxe/id1195003851

(You can also watch the music video for 'Listen' here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwLa3A2kfWg)

ii. "Goodbye Melody Rose" found on the album 'This Love': https://itunes.apple.com/my/album/%E6%84%9B%E6%84%9B%E6%84%9B/id220365864?i=220365871

iii. "夢蝴蝶" found on the album JTW: https://itunes.apple.com/my/album/jtw-%E8%A5%BF%E9%81%8A%E8%A8%98-deluxe/id1195003851

* Khalil mentions the Baha'i Blogcast interview with Andy Grammer: http://bahaiblog.net/site/2016/07/bahai-blogcast-rainn-wilson-episode-6-andy-grammer-aijia/

* Khalil refers to the following Baha'i quote from the Hidden Words of Baha'u'llah:

"O SON OF BEING! Bring thyself to account each day ere thou art summoned to a reckoning; for death, unheralded, shall come upon thee and thou shalt be called to give account for thy deeds." -Baha'u'llah

Be sure to ‘subscribe’ to the Baha’i Blogcast for more weekly episodes on:

*iTunes: itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/bahai…son/id1127132519

*Soundcloud: @user-545312385

You can also stream the Blogcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4mSeu2veRnU1XPBAa0hf9i

Thanks for listening!

-Rainn Wilson

Thanks for listening!

-Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson.

In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick.

In this episode I'm in Toronto, Canada interviewing husband and wife Mary Darling and Clark Donnelly. Besides having more kids than I can ever keep track of, they have their own media company called WestWind Pictures, which aims to promote themes of beauty and unity. Among many other things, they are known for their popular TV comedy series called 'Little Mosque on the Prairie', and I ask them how the series started and what sort of impact the show has had. They share the challenges of working on a comedy that deals with things that are sacred, and how they bring Baha'i principles into the creative process. We discuss the importance of consultation, what it's like working as a husband and wife team, the role of a producer, and how they each became Baha'is. They also share what books they're reading, what they personally strive to be better at, and their favorite Baha'i Writings.

To find out more about Mary and Clark and some of the things we covered in the podcast, check out the following links:

* Find out more about 'Little Mosque on the Prairie' and Mary and Clark's production company here on their website: http://www.westwindpictures.com/

* Check out 'The Baha'is' documentary and their interview about it on Baha'i Blog: http://bahaiblog.net/site/2017/05/bahais-documentary-mary-darling-clark-donnelly/

* Here's the CNN article Mary mentions about 'Little Mosque on the Prarie' called 'Want to end prejudice? Watch a sitcom': http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/02/health/sitcoms-prejudice-study/

* Mary mentions the book 'Haroun and the Sea of Stories' by Salman Rushdie: http://amzn.to/2qFEZiP

* Clark mentions the book 'Abraham: One God, Three Wives, Five Religions' Paperback by Frances Worthington: http://amzn.to/2rGoTnt

* Clark talks about the long Obligatory prayer which you can learn more about from this Baha'i Blog article, 'A Prayer to Power Up Your Day: The Long Obligatory Prayer': http://bahaiblog.net/site/2015/02/prayer-power-day-long-obligatory-prayer/

* Mary mentions her favourite prayer which we've added below:

"O my God! O my God! Thou seest me in my lowliness and weakness, occupied with the greatest undertaking, determined to raise Thy word among the masses and to spread Thy teachings among Thy peoples. How can I succeed unless Thou assist me with the breath of the Holy Spirit, help me to triumph by the hosts of Thy glorious kingdom, and shower upon me Thy confirmations, which alone can change a gnat into an eagle, a drop of water into rivers and seas, and an atom into lights and suns? O my Lord! Assist me with Thy triumphant and effective might, so that my tongue may utter Thy praises and attributes among all people and my soul overflow with the wine of Thy love and knowledge.

Thou art the Omnipotent and the Doer of whatsoever Thou willest."

-Abdu'l-Baha

Be sure to ‘subscribe’ to the Baha’i Blogcast for more weekly episodes on:

*iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/bahai-blogcast-rainn-wilson/id1127132519

*Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-545312385

You can also stream the Blogcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7CKRNCqEyyl8lWYW6jvYWI

Thanks for listening!

-Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson.

In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick.

In this episode I interview Maziar Bahari, an Iranian Canadian journalist, filmmaker and human rights activist who was imprisoned and tortured by the Iranian government for five months in 2009. After he was released, he wrote his memoir called "Then They Came for Me", which became a New York Times bestseller and is the basis for Jon Stewart's 2014 film "Rosewater". In the conversation I ask him why, even though he is not a Baha'i, he has been actively campaigning for the rights of the Baha'is in Iran. We talk about his religious background; his thoughts on tyranny; why the situation for Baha'is in Iran is so important for the Iranian people as a whole, and how he went from being a journalist to being an activist. He shares what he learned from his experience in prison, and he also offers some personal advice to the Baha'i community, and a message to the people of Iran and the world.

To find out more about Maziar Bahari, what he's involved in, and some of the things we covered in the podcast, check out the following links:

* The Baha'is are the largest religious minority in Iran, and they have been killed and persecuted by the Iranian government ever since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. You can find out more about the situation of the Baha'is in Iran from this page on the Baha'i International Community's website: https://www.bic.org/focus-areas/situation-iranian-bahais/current-situation

* Find out more about the "Education Is Not A Crime" campaign and initiative, plus how you can get involved here: www.notacrime.me

* Watch the trailer to the new documentary "Changing the World, One Wall at a Time" about the wall art campaign here: https://vimeo.com/214890238

* Purchase physical or audio versions of Maziar's book "Then They Came for Me" (now called 'Rosewater') here: http://amzn.to/2qcB2De

* Watch the trailer to the movie "Rosewater" based on the book here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGOYHIqmmiM

* Watch the trailer to Maziar's documentary about the underground Baha'i universities in Iran "To Light A Candle" here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7aE27GyMMo

Be sure to ‘subscribe’ to the Baha’i Blogcast for more weekly episodes on:

*iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/bahai-blogcast-rainn-wilson/id1127132519

*Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-545312385

You can also stream the Blogcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2ALg4rMvcNaQfGJUqD3pLK

Thanks for listening!

-Rainn Wilson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson.

In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick.

In this episode I interview professional life coach Susan Gammage from Canada. We talk about how she became a Baha'i, why she became a life coach, and how she uses the Baha'i Writings in her work and everything she does. We delve deep into the idea of "sin" and "shame" and she explains why she believes "it's the stories that separate us and the reactions that unite us". We talk about her very popular blog SusanGammage.com, and all of the books she's written and working on. We discuss the spiritualization of money; workaholism and other addictions; what she's currently reading, and how forgiveness is the key to solving so many things within us.

To find out more about Susan Gammage, read her articles, discover her books and all that she does, go to her website: SusanGammage.com

Here are a few links to some of the things we mentioned in our conversation, and some of the quotes from the Baha'i Writings we mentioned as well:

* Susan mentions the book 'The Promulgation of Universal Peace' which is a compilation of talks delivered by Abdu'l‑Baha in New York, Montclair, and Jersey City: http://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/abdul-baha/promulgation-universal-peace/#f=f8-547

* Susan talks about the book 'A More Excellent Way' by Henry W. Wright: http://amzn.to/2opfhfz

* I mention 'Brilliant Star' magazine: brilliantstarmagazine.org

* Susan mentions 'Ocean', a free library of the world's religious literature: bahai-education.org

* We discuss the recent March 1st, 2017 letter from the Universal House of Justice regarding economic life: http://universalhouseofjustice.bahai.org/activities-bahai-community/20170301_001

* We talk about the Ruhi sequence of books, which you can find out more about here: www.ruhi.org/materials/list.php

* I ask Susan about her book 'Fear Into Faith - Overcoming Anxiety': http://susangammage.com/are-you-ready-to-turn-fear-into-faith

* We talk about the Baha'i Funds, which you can read more about in this Baha'i Blog article called 'The Baha'i Fund: An Introduction': http://bahaiblog.net/site/2015/06/the-bahai-fund-an-introduction/

* Susan quotes this portion of a prayer by Baha'u'llah:

"Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! Every time I venture to make mention of Thee, I am held back by my mighty sins and grievous trespasses against Thee, and find myself wholly deprived of Thy grace, and utterly powerless to celebrate Thy praise. My great confidence in Thy bounty, however, reviveth my hope in Thee, and my certitude that Thou wilt bountifully deal with me emboldeneth me to extol Thee, and to ask of Thee the things Thou dost possess."

* Susan quotes this prayer by Abdu'l-Baha:

"O God! Refresh and gladden my spirit. Purify my heart. Illumine my powers. I lay all my affairs in Thy hand. Thou art my Guide and my Refuge. I will no longer be sorrowful and grieved; I will be a happy and joyful being. O God! I will no longer be full of anxiety, nor will I let trouble harass me. I will not dwell on the unpleasant things of life. O God! Thou art more friend to me than I am to myself. I dedicate myself to Thee, O Lord."

Be sure to ‘subscribe’ to the Baha’i Blogcast for more weekly episodes on iTunes, Google Play, or Soundcloud.

You can also stream the Blogcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4SR6lNJPMSBFTYY8rfpDP0

Thanks for listening!

-Rainn Wilson

Thanks for listening!

-Rainn Wilson