Thank you for this nicely made documentary. I only wish the picture of Abdu'l Baha would not be shown every time the word Baha'u'llh is mentioned, and the young lady at the LA center would have been more modestly dressedd.
Baha'is do not portray the Manifestation of God, so it could be quite confusing to viewers that a photograph is shown when Baha'u'llah's name is mentioned. As mentioned by someone else, this is actually Baha'u'llah's son, Abdu'l-Baha. Well made, otherwise.
This looks like a local news cable documentary, and it makes the Baha'i Faith look like a religion about rapping and C-list performer "Benny Casette" and friends. That's really a shame.
It also portrays a "prayer" being one that somoene just made up. That is not how we pray in our Faith.
I hate to be so picky, but the only people shown discussing the Bahai Faith in the beginning are persian men with thick accents. Bad PR.
Some of the most important characteristics enjoined on Baha'is are encouragement, patience, and wisdom. The criticisms voiced here by some of the Baha'i viewers of this documentary are overly critical and even wrong.
For instance, the criticism about a "made-up" prayer reflects adhrence to the customary approach that Baha'is should read, sing or chant the revealed Baha'i prayers by Baha'u'llah, the Bab and 'Abdu'l-Baha in group prayer. While this is a preferred mode of prayer, it is not a prescribed mode of prayer. The only prescribed prayers are the obligatory prayers. There is no harm in a Baha'i or a non-Baha'i attending a Baha'i meeting to use his/her own words if they wish. I have been a Baha'i 40 years and I have sometimes used my own prayers in a group and very often in private prayer.
This is also not the forum to argue taste in dress. It makes Baha'is appear small-minded and petty. She may have been dressed in ways that offended someone, but it is for wiser heads in a different venue to consult about this, not in this forum.
The editors of this film picked a particular event to lead off their story. Some of us do not like the rap style of music, but that is no reason to trash the effort made here to provide a connection to a well-attended activity at the Los Angeles Baha'i Center. The film does not make the Baha'is appear to be a religion about "rap." You need to watch the entire film.
Regarding the Persian men with accents, a better way to offer advice would have been to say that the documentary could have benefited from additional American Baha'is who can articulate their reasons for being members. The documentary incorrectly makes the Baha'i Faith appear to be primarily an Iranian religion.
Regarding the post about the so-called "Orthodox Baha'is" - the Baha'is are a people with a covenant. Some individuals have violated that covenant and are removed from membership. As such, they should not be entitled to represent themselves as a Baha'i corporate body. This has been done on the internet in ways that clearly copy Baha'i sites or even the corporate names of Baha'i bodies to mislead people. For information on the covenant, see http://covenantstudy.org
Some of the most important characteristics enjoined on Baha'is are encouragement, patience, and wisdom. The criticisms voiced here by some of the Baha'i viewers of this documentary are overly critical and even wrong.
For instance, the criticism about a "made-up" prayer reflects adhrence to the customary approach that Baha'is should read, sing or chant the revealed Baha'i prayers by Baha'u'llah, the Bab and 'Abdu'l-Baha in group prayer. While this is a preferred mode of prayer, it is not a prescribed mode of prayer. The only prescribed prayers are the obligatory prayers. There is no harm in a Baha'i or a non-Baha'i attending a Baha'i meeting to use his/her own words if they wish. I have been a Baha'i 40 years and I have sometimes used my own prayers in a group and very often in private prayer.
This is also not the forum to argue taste in dress. It makes Baha'is appear small-minded and petty. She may have been dressed in ways that offended someone, but it is for wiser heads in a different venue to consult about this, not in this forum.
The editors of this film picked a particular event to lead off their story. Some of us do not like the rap style of music, but that is no reason to trash the effort made here to provide a connection to a well-attended activity at the Los Angeles Baha'i Center. The film does not make the Baha'is appear to be a religion about "rap." You need to watch the entire film.
Regarding the Persian men with accents, a better way to offer advice would have been to say that the documentary could have benefited from additional American Baha'is who can articulate their reasons for being members. The documentary incorrectly makes the Baha'i Faith appear to be primarily an Iranian religion.
Regarding the post about the so-called "Orthodox Baha'is" - the Baha'is are a people with a covenant. Some individuals have violated that covenant and are removed from membership. As such, they should not be entitled to represent themselves as a Baha'i corporate body. This has been done on the internet in ways that clearly copy Baha'i sites or even the corporate names of Baha'i bodies to mislead people. For information on the covenant, see http://covenantstudy.org
Some of the most important characteristics enjoined on Baha'is are encouragement, patience, and wisdom. The criticisms voiced here by some of the Baha'i viewers of this documentary are overly critical and even wrong.
For instance, the criticism about a "made-up" prayer reflects adhrence to the customary approach that Baha'is should read, sing or chant the revealed Baha'i prayers by Baha'u'llah, the Bab and 'Abdu'l-Baha in group prayer. While this is a preferred mode of prayer, it is not a prescribed mode of prayer. The only prescribed prayers are the obligatory prayers. There is no harm in a Baha'i or a non-Baha'i attending a Baha'i meeting to use his/her own words if they wish. I have been a Baha'i 40 years and I have sometimes used my own prayers in a group and very often in private prayer.
This is also not the forum to argue taste in dress. It makes Baha'is appear small-minded and petty. She may have been dressed in ways that offended someone, but it is for wiser heads in a different venue to consult about this, not in this forum.
The editors of this film picked a particular event to lead off their story. Some of us do not like the rap style of music, but that is no reason to trash the effort made here to provide a connection to a well-attended activity at the Los Angeles Baha'i Center. The film does not make the Baha'is appear to be a religion about "rap." You need to watch the entire film.
Regarding the Persian men with accents, a better way to offer advice would have been to say that the documentary could have benefited from additional American Baha'is who can articulate their reasons for being members. The documentary incorrectly makes the Baha'i Faith appear to be primarily an Iranian religion.
Regarding the post about the so-called "Orthodox Baha'is" - the Baha'is are a people with a covenant. Some individuals have violated that covenant and are removed from membership. As such, they should not be entitled to represent themselves as a Baha'i corporate body. This has been done on the internet in ways that clearly copy Baha'i sites or even the corporate names of Baha'i bodies to mislead people. For information on the covenant, see http://covenantstudy.org
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Iran is the birthplace of the Bahai religion. Yet in Iran, Bahais are persecuted and their holy places have been closed and appropriated by the state. In the United States, however, Bahais and their institutions are flourishing. News21 reports on Bahai life in America.
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Comments
Karla Bruning, 2007-07-27 15:21:41 -- Flag for review
What a compelling story and nicely told.
Zachary Latif, 2007-07-29 12:00:03 -- Flag for review
what a cool documentary!
Anonymous, 2007-08-10 08:03:17 -- Flag for review
Thank you for this nicely made documentary. I only wish the picture of Abdu'l Baha would not be shown every time the word Baha'u'llh is mentioned, and the young lady at the LA center would have been more modestly dressedd.
Nancy Dinnigan, 2007-08-10 11:04:18 -- Flag for review
Baha'is do not portray the Manifestation of God, so it could be quite confusing to viewers that a photograph is shown when Baha'u'llah's name is mentioned. As mentioned by someone else, this is actually Baha'u'llah's son, Abdu'l-Baha. Well made, otherwise.
Joy Wieczorek, 2007-08-10 18:46:56 -- Flag for review
Very well done. Thank you for telling this story, and others. You are doing great work.
shahin95, 2007-08-12 13:00:28 -- Flag for review
thank you for this nice story ( ممنون به خاطر این داستان زیبا)im one iranians bahai من یک بهائی ایرانی هستم
Bahai Person, 2007-11-11 09:36:09 -- Flag for review
This looks like a local news cable documentary, and it makes the Baha'i Faith look like a religion about rapping and C-list performer "Benny Casette" and friends. That's really a shame.
It also portrays a "prayer" being one that somoene just made up. That is not how we pray in our Faith.
I hate to be so picky, but the only people shown discussing the Bahai Faith in the beginning are persian men with thick accents. Bad PR.
Martin Lavallee, 2008-07-10 12:16:57 -- Flag for review
Maybe you could make a documentary on the Orthodox Baha'is being persecuted by the larger Baha'i group for using the word «Baha'i».
http://www.orthodoxbahai.com and
http://www.truebahai.com have more info on that topic.
Bill, 2008-11-29 20:19:39 -- Flag for review
Some of the most important characteristics enjoined on Baha'is are encouragement, patience, and wisdom. The criticisms voiced here by some of the Baha'i viewers of this documentary are overly critical and even wrong.
For instance, the criticism about a "made-up" prayer reflects adhrence to the customary approach that Baha'is should read, sing or chant the revealed Baha'i prayers by Baha'u'llah, the Bab and 'Abdu'l-Baha in group prayer. While this is a preferred mode of prayer, it is not a prescribed mode of prayer. The only prescribed prayers are the obligatory prayers. There is no harm in a Baha'i or a non-Baha'i attending a Baha'i meeting to use his/her own words if they wish. I have been a Baha'i 40 years and I have sometimes used my own prayers in a group and very often in private prayer.
This is also not the forum to argue taste in dress. It makes Baha'is appear small-minded and petty. She may have been dressed in ways that offended someone, but it is for wiser heads in a different venue to consult about this, not in this forum.
The editors of this film picked a particular event to lead off their story. Some of us do not like the rap style of music, but that is no reason to trash the effort made here to provide a connection to a well-attended activity at the Los Angeles Baha'i Center. The film does not make the Baha'is appear to be a religion about "rap." You need to watch the entire film.
Regarding the Persian men with accents, a better way to offer advice would have been to say that the documentary could have benefited from additional American Baha'is who can articulate their reasons for being members. The documentary incorrectly makes the Baha'i Faith appear to be primarily an Iranian religion.
Regarding the post about the so-called "Orthodox Baha'is" - the Baha'is are a people with a covenant. Some individuals have violated that covenant and are removed from membership. As such, they should not be entitled to represent themselves as a Baha'i corporate body. This has been done on the internet in ways that clearly copy Baha'i sites or even the corporate names of Baha'i bodies to mislead people. For information on the covenant, see http://covenantstudy.org
Bill, 2008-11-29 20:20:39 -- Flag for review
Some of the most important characteristics enjoined on Baha'is are encouragement, patience, and wisdom. The criticisms voiced here by some of the Baha'i viewers of this documentary are overly critical and even wrong.
For instance, the criticism about a "made-up" prayer reflects adhrence to the customary approach that Baha'is should read, sing or chant the revealed Baha'i prayers by Baha'u'llah, the Bab and 'Abdu'l-Baha in group prayer. While this is a preferred mode of prayer, it is not a prescribed mode of prayer. The only prescribed prayers are the obligatory prayers. There is no harm in a Baha'i or a non-Baha'i attending a Baha'i meeting to use his/her own words if they wish. I have been a Baha'i 40 years and I have sometimes used my own prayers in a group and very often in private prayer.
This is also not the forum to argue taste in dress. It makes Baha'is appear small-minded and petty. She may have been dressed in ways that offended someone, but it is for wiser heads in a different venue to consult about this, not in this forum.
The editors of this film picked a particular event to lead off their story. Some of us do not like the rap style of music, but that is no reason to trash the effort made here to provide a connection to a well-attended activity at the Los Angeles Baha'i Center. The film does not make the Baha'is appear to be a religion about "rap." You need to watch the entire film.
Regarding the Persian men with accents, a better way to offer advice would have been to say that the documentary could have benefited from additional American Baha'is who can articulate their reasons for being members. The documentary incorrectly makes the Baha'i Faith appear to be primarily an Iranian religion.
Regarding the post about the so-called "Orthodox Baha'is" - the Baha'is are a people with a covenant. Some individuals have violated that covenant and are removed from membership. As such, they should not be entitled to represent themselves as a Baha'i corporate body. This has been done on the internet in ways that clearly copy Baha'i sites or even the corporate names of Baha'i bodies to mislead people. For information on the covenant, see http://covenantstudy.org
Bill, 2008-11-29 20:21:40 -- Flag for review
Some of the most important characteristics enjoined on Baha'is are encouragement, patience, and wisdom. The criticisms voiced here by some of the Baha'i viewers of this documentary are overly critical and even wrong.
For instance, the criticism about a "made-up" prayer reflects adhrence to the customary approach that Baha'is should read, sing or chant the revealed Baha'i prayers by Baha'u'llah, the Bab and 'Abdu'l-Baha in group prayer. While this is a preferred mode of prayer, it is not a prescribed mode of prayer. The only prescribed prayers are the obligatory prayers. There is no harm in a Baha'i or a non-Baha'i attending a Baha'i meeting to use his/her own words if they wish. I have been a Baha'i 40 years and I have sometimes used my own prayers in a group and very often in private prayer.
This is also not the forum to argue taste in dress. It makes Baha'is appear small-minded and petty. She may have been dressed in ways that offended someone, but it is for wiser heads in a different venue to consult about this, not in this forum.
The editors of this film picked a particular event to lead off their story. Some of us do not like the rap style of music, but that is no reason to trash the effort made here to provide a connection to a well-attended activity at the Los Angeles Baha'i Center. The film does not make the Baha'is appear to be a religion about "rap." You need to watch the entire film.
Regarding the Persian men with accents, a better way to offer advice would have been to say that the documentary could have benefited from additional American Baha'is who can articulate their reasons for being members. The documentary incorrectly makes the Baha'i Faith appear to be primarily an Iranian religion.
Regarding the post about the so-called "Orthodox Baha'is" - the Baha'is are a people with a covenant. Some individuals have violated that covenant and are removed from membership. As such, they should not be entitled to represent themselves as a Baha'i corporate body. This has been done on the internet in ways that clearly copy Baha'i sites or even the corporate names of Baha'i bodies to mislead people. For information on the covenant, see http://covenantstudy.org