Baha'i Faith of Kansas City

KCUR 89.3 FM covers Baha'i Persecution in Iran

2011-12-24T07:54:00.000-08:00

December 24, 2011

A BIG thank you to Alex Smith with KCUR FM 89.3 (the Kansas City affiliate of National Public Radio) for putting together this very compelling and harrowing account of the vicious persecution of the Baha'i Faith in Iran.

Make sure you click on the audio links to the right of the page to get the full impact of these frightening, amazing stories told by real people.

http://www.kcur.org/post/kc-bahais-fight-iranian-persecution

KC Currents and Alex Smith cover the Baha'i Faith of Kansas City!

2011-12-18T15:52:00.001-08:00

December 18, 2011

BREAKING

---update---

The Baha'i Faith of Kansas City segment on KC Currents can be dowloaded in mp3 format once posted to www.kcur.org - GREAT piece!

How To Incite Hate Of The "Other"

2011-10-21T20:24:00.000-07:00

Report exposes Iran's media campaign to demonize Baha'is
21 October 2011
NEW YORK — In a wide-ranging media campaign that has gone largely unnoticed outside of Iran, hatred and discrimination are being systematically stirred up against the country's 300,000-member Baha'i minority.

In a report released today, the Baha'i International Community documents and analyzes more than 400 press and media items over a 16-month period, that typify an insidious state-sponsored effort to demonize and vilify Baha'is, using false accusations, inflammatory terminology, and repugnant imagery.

Read the full report here (PDF)

"This anti-Baha'i propaganda is shocking in its volume and vehemence, its scope and sophistication," said Bani Dugal, Principal Representative of the Baha'i International Community to the United Nations.

"It's all cynically calculated to stir up antagonism against a peaceful religious community whose members are striving to contribute to the well-being of their society," she said.

Titled Inciting Hatred: Iran's media campaign to demonize Baha'is, the report's main conclusions are:

• anti-Baha'i propaganda originates with – and is sanctioned by – the country's highest levels of leadership, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who gave a highly discriminatory speech in the holy city of Qom a year ago;

• the campaign spurns international human rights law and norms, including a precedent-setting resolution passed earlier this year at the United Nations Human Rights Council that specifically condemns and combats the negative stereotyping and incitement to hatred of religious minorities;

• Baha'is are branded as "outsiders" in their own land and as enemies of Islam in a manner that is clearly calculated to provoke the religious sensibilities of Iranian Shiite Muslims;

• the campaign aims to deflect attention away from calls for democracy in Iran by using Baha'is as an all-purpose "scapegoat" – and, in so doing, to smear those who oppose the government as well as human rights campaigners as Baha'is, "as if that were the most heinous crime."

• the authorities disseminate ludicrous conspiracy theories including that foreign broadcasters, in particular the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and Voice of America (VOA), are controlled by or under the influence of Baha'is because they report stories about human rights violations in Iran;

"The diverse content of these attacks demonstrates tremendous effort and commitment of resources by the Islamic Republic," says the report.

"Many attacks are built on gross distortions of Baha'i history; some attempt a strategy of guilt by association through lumping Baha'is together with completely unrelated groups – such as 'Satanists' or the Shah's secret police; still others deploy a tactic of connecting Baha'is with 'opponents' of the regime, which allows the Government to discredit both the Baha'is and its opponents in a single transaction. The campaign makes extensive use of the World Wide Web, and often uses graphic images that portray Baha'is as fiendish ghouls or agents of Israel."

Bani Dugal said the demonization of Iran's Baha'i community is a matter that deserves the attention of governments, international legal institutions, and fair-minded people everywhere.

"The campaign not only clearly violates international human rights law," she said, "it also utterly contradicts Iran's long-standing claim at the UN and elsewhere that it is working to support measures to outlaw or condemn hate speech directed against religions or religious followers."

"The parallels between the campaign of anti-Baha'i propaganda in Iran today and other state-sponsored, anti-religious campaigns of the past are undeniable. History shows us that such campaigns are among the foremost predictors of actual violence against religious minorities – or, in the worst case, precursors of genocide.

"It is time for Iran to be told that such egregious violations of international law and norms cannot be tolerated," said Ms. Dugal.

Special Section – Inciting Hatred: Iran's media campaign to demonize Bahá'ís

A Special Section of the Baha'i International Community United Nations Office website presents the full report, Inciting Hatred: Iran's media campaign to demonize Bahá'ís in English and Persian, as well as an online only 197-page appendix that summarizes each of the 400-plus documents or articles that were collected during the period of this survey, from 17 December 2009 to 16 May 2011.

http://bic.org/resources/documents/inciting-hatred-book

Baha'i World News Service: Philosophers and Theologians Condemn Iran on Education Denial

2011-10-13T08:15:00.001-07:00

October 13, 2011

http://news.bahai.org/story/857

Philosophers and theologians worldwide condemn Iran's attack on Baha'i educators
10 October 2011

NEW YORK — More than 40 distinguished philosophers and theologians from 16 countries have joined the condemnation of Iran's policy to bar young Baha'is and others from higher education.

In an unprecedented global initiative, the 43 prominent academics – of Christian, Hindu, Jewish, and Muslim backgrounds – have signed an open letter, published today in The Daily Telegraph (UK), and reported in the Folha de Sao Paulo (Brazil).

The letter condemns in particular recent attacks by the Iranian authorities on an informal educational initiative of the Baha'i community – known as the Baha'i Institute for Higher Education (BIHE) – in which Baha'i professors, debarred by the Iranian government from practicing their professions, voluntarily offer their services to teach young community members who are banned from higher education.

Seven Baha'is associated with BIHE recently made their first court appearances after being imprisoned for four months. They were detained after a series of raids on 22 May, in which 39 homes associated with BIHE were targeted. The Institute's activities have since been declared "illegal."

"As philosophers, theologians, and scholars of religion, living throughout the world, we are raising our voices in protest against the recent attack by Iranian authorities on the Baha'i Institute for Higher Education," the open letter states.

"To acquire knowledge and learning is the sacred and legal right of all; indeed, the state is obliged to provide it. In Iran, the government has done the opposite..."

"Attacks such as these, against the rights of citizens to organize and be educated in freedom, can no longer be tolerated. We call upon the Iranian government not only to cease its persecution of Baha'is, but to provide, and promote, education for all."

Among the most celebrated academics backing the call is Dr. Charles Taylor, Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at McGill University, Canada. He signed the letter, he said, out of his deep sense of "conviction that there ought to be 'no compulsion' in religion."

It is also "connected to my disquiet about the Iranian revolution," said Professor Taylor, "and the way its finer ideals have been hijacked by people who are abusing their faith in order to make it serve as a tool of mobilization against the 'enemy.'"

Another prominent figure to add his name to the list is Hilary Putnam, Cogan University Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Harvard, U.S.A.

"Ever since the American and French revolutions at the end of the eighteenth century, the aspiration of peoples of different ethnicities, nationalities, and creeds for their fundamental human rights, including the right to worship as one's conscience dictates and the right to education, have gained momentum," said Professor Putnam.

"The persecution of the Baha'i university students in Iran is a shameful attempt to turn the clock back to the dark ages. Their cause deserves the support of enlightened and moral people everywhere," he said.

The Hindu and the Cowboy, Kansas City Festival of Faiths

2011-10-08T07:29:00.000-07:00

October 10, 2011
Kansas City Missouri

From: Barb McAtee, Kansas City Interfaith Council

Friends, I urge you to see this play if you haven’t had a chance to do so. It is playing Sunday afternoon and Monday evening at the Plaza Library. It features true stories of immigrants and refugees who settle in Kansas City and interact with their neighbors. One of the vignettes is based on the story of a young Persian adolescent we all know who had to flee Iran in the middle of the night, in great peril! It is a very moving story, in a deeply touching play. Arrive early for a good seat, and be sure to take friends and family!

By the way, if enough interest is shown, this play could be produced at the Baha’i Faith Center!

The Kansas City Festival of Faiths in collaboration with The Kansas City Public Library present:

Metropolitan Ensemble Theatre’s production of

MEET NEIGHBORS YOU NEVER KNEW BEFORE:

- A young Muslim and his surprise encounter with New York City fire fighters...

- An African American pastor and the enslaved grandmother he’ll never forget...

- A Polish Jew and her story of sacrifice and survival...

- The Hindu and the cowboy who come face to face over the fate of land.

TWO PERFORMANCES ONLY FREE ADMISSION

Sunday, October 9, 2 PM

Monday, October 10, 7 PM

Plaza Library, Truman Forum

4801 Main St., KCMO 64112

This year’s performances are dedicated to Shaheen Ahmed and her family, local leaders and interfaith advocates. Her story is one of several included in The Hindu and the Cowboy.

Ad For The Cause of God

2011-09-25T08:50:00.000-07:00

Baha'i Women Face Certain Death and Insanity from Torture

2011-05-16T06:56:00.000-07:00

Fariba Kamalabadi & Mahvash Sabet, after three years of continued humiliating captivity in the worst dungeon of the World in Iran, have now been transferred into the WORST ANIMAL SLAUGHTER-HOUSE and thrown into sub-animal conditions.

Fariba and Mahvash are now in danger of an undignified and horrific imminent death.

The last angelic voice of Fariba, in a one minute phone call from the infernal prison, asked people "to do whatever they can, NOW, perhaps and perchance our corpses can be retrievable"; and in another one minute phone call message the day before:

"Tell the Iranian government, to issue our execution sentence immediately, so that we are martyred, rather than remain in this unimaginable sub-animal indignity, facing a treatment status not befitting of any human station."

In this so-called facility a volatile mix of actual criminals (murderers, rapists, other violent offenders) are in a general unsegregated population with "political prisoners" none of whom would be guilty of any crime in the West, and of course Baha'is whose only crime is existing. The danger from beatings and violence at the hands of the real criminals is very real but even more demeaning and a grave violation of human rights the police guards at the prison use pain inducing, blaringly loud sirens and loud speakers to inflict a sonic torture on all those held in the facility. This causes painful sleep deprivation as the sirens are set off all night long, drives riots to break out among the inmates and eventually a forced clinical insanity claims the minds of these inmates which is the reason for Fariba and Mahvash to request death now while they can still attempt to make arrangements for their bodies to be recovered, rather than death after insanity where they are likely to have disappeared into the bowels of this sadistic pit and not be found or recovered by their families.

What can you do about this? Call your Senator and Congressman in support of Senate Resolution 80 and House Resolution 134.

To find your Representative go here:
http://www.house.gov/representatives/

To find your Senator go here:
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Iran's Merciless Persecution of Women Continues

2011-05-08T21:16:00.000-07:00

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI
from:
Khabar Navard, May 7 2011

As previously reported, a number of women prisoners have been transferred from Rajai Shahr prison (Gohar Dasht prison), to another prison at Gharchak Varamin, 40km south of Tehran, where conditions are particularly inhumane. Two Bahai women, Fariba Kamalabadi and Mahvash Sabet, were among those transferred. In recent days they were joined by another Bahai woman, Sahba Rezvani ( صهبا رضوانی ), who was serving a sentence of 3 years and 8 months in Tehran’s Evin prison. She was arrested on December 15, 2008, and held for some time in prison in her home town of Semnan without access to legal representation, including 20 days of incommunicado detention, before being transferred to Evin prison. She was accused of propaganda against the regime, and membership of an illegal group. The judgement cited opinions issues by Ayatollahs Khomeni and Khamanei regarding the religious status of Bahais. She suffers from health problems, which worsened in May last year, but the prison clinic refused to treat her.

http://sensday.wordpress.com/2011/05/07/sahba-rezvani-transferred-to-gharchak-prison/

Why The Baha'i Faith is Located in Israel

2010-10-14T14:41:00.000-07:00

October 14, 2010

It would seem that there is some attempt by certain governments and entities to factually portray the Baha'i Faith as being some sort of arm or agent for the state of Israel owing to the location of the Baha'i World Center on Mt Carmel which is in the major port city of Haifa, Israel. What any such arguments are really doing is attempting to, as they say, "have their cake and eat it, too...". As a fact-check against this duplicitous and inaccurate argument, this short article will completely explain both why the Baha'i Faith is centered in Haifa, Israel and also why any statement likening the Baha'i Faith to some sort of MI-5 or CIA for the Mossad demonstrates either a fully dishonest portrayal of history or a complete ignorance of the history that led immediately up to the present day.

The founder of the Baha'i Faith was the Manifestation of God or Prophet named Baha'u'llah (1817-1892) who began work in what is modern day Iran but 150 years ago was still the Persian Empire. During the early to middle-aged years of Baha'u'llah's life all activity was centered in Persia but circa 1857 the Government of Persia formally requested (read: required) Baha'u'llah to relocate both family and followers to Baghdad, Iraq. After approximately 6 years Baha'u'llah was again formally requested to relocate family and followers to Adrianople (on the European side of the Bosporus Strait right across from present day Constantinople). After this very long journey (some 1,000 miles all of which was done on foot and through the winter to cross the formidable mountains in the Southeast of present day Turkey) the Ottoman Empire then made their own "invitation" to Baha'u'llah that all should relocate to the very ancient (indeed it is mentioned in the Old Testament) and very real prison fortress of Acre in what was at the time PALESTINE. These events with the Ottoman Empire happened primarily in the early to mid 1870's which is obviously quite some time prior to the founding of Israel which did not occur until 1948 or a solid 70 years after this forced relocation into Palestine/future Israel!

Now right across the bay to the Southeast from Acre was at the time the small port town of Haifa and also there is situated the very same Mt Carmel that the Prophet Isiah is linked to some 3,000 years earlier. At this time around the 1870's to 1880's the area was quite undeveloped, and Mt Carmel was nothing but scrub land. Baha'u'ullah instructed his son Abdu'l Baha' to locate an administrative center for the Baha'i Faith on Mt Carmel simply because, frankly, there was absolutely nothing there and it was a quiet, out of the way location where the Baha'is could run the affairs of their Religion in relative peace. Baha'u'llah and Abdu'l Baha were at this time both forbidden from leaving this region of Palestine, both still being under a form of house arrest by the Ottoman Empire so there was literally no place else for any activities, plans, or (as would happen after Baha'u'llah passed away in 1892) building to possibly be done at. Baha'u'llah was under this form of house arrest right up until passing away in 1892.

So, with this background now readily viewable that explains why the Baha'i Faith is located in present-day Israel and also why despite this, it is simply a complete untruth that the Baha'i Faith has any sort of formal, informal, covert or spygame type link to the Israeli Government, it is hoped that this urban legend of the Baha'i Faith being sometype of agent for Israel is now debunked. The Baha'i Faith has been in the process of establishing it's World Center on Mt Carmel for nearly twice as long as the state of modern Israel has existed, this work having begun in the 1880's directly owing to the "requests" of the Ottoman Empire that Baha'u'llah confine family and followers to Acre Prison which is right next door to Haifa and Mt Carmel, and the subsequent status of house arrest forcing Baha'u'llah and all Baha'i administrative activities to remain in the Acre/Haifa vicinity until well after Baha'u'llah passed away.

3 Year Anniversary of Baha'i Imprisionment in Iran

2010-05-14T08:51:00.001-07:00

Baha'i Faith of Kansas City:

SPECIAL PRAYERS MEETING

There will be a special prayer meeting as called by the Universal House of Justice for the 7 Baha’i Prisoners in Iran (Yaran) who start their 3rd year of imprisonment with no trial or legal representation as required by the Universal Declaration on Human Rights Iran is supposed to abide by being a signatory of these agreements. This anniversary marks a continued denial of basic human rights and further imperils the life of these prisoners as conditions in the Elvin Prison where they are being held are very harsh, unsanitary and abusive. These men and women are all middle-aged or older and so their long term survival while being held in this way is very much in doubt.

The prayer meeting will be held on Friday, May 14th at 7:00 pm in the 2nd floor Meeting Hall at the KANSAS CITY BAHA’I CENTER.

From Matt Reinschmidt
Public Information Officer
Baha'i Faith of Kansas City Missouri

Happy 12th Day of Ridwan!

2010-05-02T10:35:00.001-07:00

Baha'i Faith of Kansas City: Happy 12th Day of Ridwan to all! Let us begin a new year of service and good works for Baha'is and for all people of the earth.

Baha'i Faith: Ridwan 2010!

2010-04-28T06:36:00.000-07:00

Spring is here Friends! The 12th Day of Ridwan picnic at Lose Park is Sunday, May 2nd starting at 11 am. The shelter is also rented so regardless of rain, the picnic pot luck will happen!

Baha'i Faith announces results of Art Auction in Kansas City

2010-04-12T09:54:00.000-07:00

April 10th, 2010

The first ever Baha'i Art Auction held at the Kansas City Missouri Baha'i Center, 6515 Independence Avenue in Kansas City Missouri, has raised right at $3,000 for the Local Baha'i Fund. Results are still being tabulated by Mr Ken Gross, who is the fiscal agent for the event.

The auction was organized by Ms Celeste Michelson, Ms Loree Foroughi-Gross, Ms Tony Pike and was assisted by Mr Sayeed Eshraghi and Mr Badi Eshraghi.

The Local Baha'i Fund supports such activities as Children's Classes, Adult Spiritual Deepenings, and the Sunday Morning Devotional Gathering.

(Source: Matthew Reinschmidt, Baha'i Public Information Officer, Spiritual Assembly of Kansas City Missouri.)

Baha'i Faith: Let the World Find Us!

2010-03-31T09:01:00.000-07:00

Baha'i Faith: on a growing basis, up to 20% of all seekers who declare their Faith in Baha'u'llah are coming over the internet via websites like www.bahai.us or through interconnected contacts over Facebook and Twitter so Friends, by us getting the word out and expressing our love of this Faith on the Net, this also can be of great help in teaching! According to Abdu'l Baha, the Judgement Day all Religions refer to for this time is inevitable EXCEPT the Message of God for today be spread by those People of Light which, dear Friends, means we Baha'is can save the world almost literally! By doing the teaching work we not only give the greatest Gift in all history to our fellow humans, we save ourselves. A truly perfect balance only God Himself could create.

Baha'i Faith of Kansas City: Trip to Chicago for Visit with National

2010-03-26T18:07:00.000-07:00

March 27, 2010

The Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Kansas City Missouri has gone to Chicago for a two day Special Meeting with the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States covering such topics as response to new seekers, the various teaching efforts, and the sacred, spiritual nature of giving to the Fund and the spiritual assistance and development giving to the Fund directly leads to.

The Assembly will return to Kansas City on or around March 28.

October 15 UN Report Criticizes Iran Human Rights in 2009

2009-10-16T12:50:00.000-07:00

Secretary general of UN releases report criticizing human rights abuses in Iran
15 October 2009

UNITED NATIONS — UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon yesterday expressed strong criticism of Iran's human rights record, voicing concern about the use of excessive force after Iran's presidential election, the harassment of women's rights activists, the ongoing execution of juveniles, and the continued persecution of minorities, including Baha'is.

In a 19-page report written specifically to address a request made last December from the UN General Assembly about human rights in Iran, Mr. Ban said there have been "negative developments" in the area of civil and political rights since 2008.

The year saw "an increase in human rights violations targeting women, university students, teachers, workers and other activist groups, particularly in the aftermath of the elections," Mr. Ban said.

"Members of various ethnic and minority groups faced harassment, violence and, in some cases, persecution," he added, noting that "a pattern of concern arises with respect to the protection of minorities, including the Baha'i community, the Arab minority in Khuzestan, the Nematollahi Sufi Muslim community, the Kurdish community, the Sunni community, the Baluchi community, and the Azeri-Turk community."

The report made specific mention of seven imprisoned Baha'i leaders who were arrested in the spring of 2008 and have since been held in Evin prison, noting that the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has written to Iran "on numerous occasions to express concern and seek clarification" about the status of the seven.

Mr. Ban also noted that during the year reports "continued to be received about members of the Baha'i community being subjected to arbitrary detention, confiscation of property and denial of employment, government benefits, and access to higher education."

The report, which was dated 23 September 2009 but actually released yesterday, focused extensively on the government's response to post-election protests. It noted that Mr. Ban himself had on 22 June issued a statement "expressing dismay at the post-election violence, particularly the use of force against civilians, which had led to the loss of life and injuries."

That statement, the report noted, called on the authorities to respect fundamental civil and political rights, especially freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, and freedom of information. It also called for an immediate stop to the arrests, threats, and use of force. Yet, the report noted, a spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry said the following day that he rejected the secretary general's statement.

Like a similar report he issued last year, Mr. Ban also took note of reports of Iran's continuing execution of juveniles, reports of the use of torture, and the oppression of women's rights activists.

"I encourage the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to address the concerns highlighted in the report and to continue to revise national laws, particularly the new penal code and juvenile justice laws, to ensure compliance with international human rights standards and prevent discriminatory practices against women, ethnic and religious minorities, and other minority groups," he said in the report's conclusion.

Bani Dugal, the principal representative of the Baha'i International Community to the United Nations said Mr. Ban's report was extremely welcome – and timely.

"Although Mr. Ban has praised Iran for some developments, such as government's pursuit of the redistribution of wealth and poverty reduction, overall the report is quite damning," said Ms. Dugal. "He also makes a number of suggestions about how Iran could make a constructive response, such as by opening the country to visits by special UN human rights monitors, and we sincerely hope that Iran will heed his call.

"Mr. Ban paints a grim picture of the situation in Iran, clearly indicating that the human rights situation has worsened since his report last year. Our hope, therefore, is that the UN General Assembly will again adopt a resolution this year urging Iran to live up its international human rights obligations."

To read the full report:
"The situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran"

Ballet Classes at the Baha'i Center

2009-09-24T09:51:00.000-07:00

September 24th, 2009

Ballet North has formalized plans to offer ballet classes to early childhood students from 3 years of age through 8 years of age in the Activity Room of the Center. The classes will be offered on Thursdays each week and are set to begin in November of 2009.

The 3 year old class will meet from 5:00 pm until 5:30 pm;
The 4-5 year old class will meet from 5:30 pm until 6:15 pm;
The 6-7 year old class will meet from 6:30 until 7:30 pm

Tuition rates are planned to be $40 per month for the 3 year old class; $45 per month for the 4-5 year old class and $50 per month for the 6-7 year old class.

Dress code will be a white leotard, pink tights and pink shoes for the 3 year olds; pink leotard, pink tights and pink shoes for the 4-5 year olds; royal blue leotard, pink tights and pink shoes for the 6-7 year olds.

The classes will be marketed to local businesses and schools beginning immediately.

Intensive Program of Growth Launches October 24, 2009

2009-09-23T09:46:00.000-07:00

With great excitment and joy the Local Spiritual Assembly of Kansas City MO is pleased to announce that the next Intensive Program of Growth will launch on October 24th, 2009, and feature a neighborhood focus or neighborhood style one component of which will be direct teaching - indeed, blanketing of the area - surrounding the Baha'i Center. With such a natural concentration of resources and a perfect central point to branch from, truly appears to be a great enhancement to the established efforts of the Area Teaching Committee in support of the Five Year Plan and is also very much in line with the Building Momentum document's guidelines.

Please come and share in the, as Baha'u'llah Himself says, blessings and bounty of teaching.

Ballet North to offer ballet classes for children

2009-09-10T13:12:00.000-07:00

Thursday, September 10, 2009
Ballet North: Pre-Ballet Classes Extended to Northeast Kansas City

September 10, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Ballet North announces the extension of Pre-Ballet Classes for children ages 3 to 9 to the Northeast Kansas City vicinity.

Thanks to space being available in the Activity Room of the Baha'i Faith Center, classes can now be offered for underserved children ages 3 to 9 at the facility located on Independence Avenue.

Classes will begin in November of 2009; the exact location is:

Baha'i Faith Center
(Activity Room)
6515 Independence Avenue,
Kansas City MO 64125

To inquire and enroll, please call 816-454-4859 or email at ballet.north@gmail.com

Se Habla Espanol

Feast Tonight Monday September 7, 2009

2009-09-07T10:35:00.000-07:00

Kansas City Missouri
Monday September 7, 2009

The nineteen day Feast is tonight, Monday, at the Kansas City Baha'i Center. Cafe Unity at 5:30 pm, Feast at 7:00 pm, hosted by the Eshraghi Family.

See you there!

Bahai Center Garage Sale Success!

2009-09-05T10:25:00.000-07:00

September 4, 2009

The garage sale organized by the members of the ad-hoc garage sale fundraiser committee, raised $400 towards the Baha'i Center roof repair project in just 4 hours on Friday morning September 4th!

Many thanks to these devoted Friends - well done!

Updates on the Intensive Program of Growth and area teaching and children's classes will come soon...

Video Communications sample from Ballet North

2009-06-07T08:22:00.000-07:00

With regard to promotion for the Cause, especially in the Public Information Officer role, the construction of the multimedia itself is not so much a challenge. This commercial was put together over the course of 1 week. It is finding the distribution method that is both effective and affordable - and provable - that is the real trick.

HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSE RECORD: ONE YEAR IN PRISON - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

2009-05-18T17:41:00.000-07:00

Monday May 18th, 2009 (Kansas City, MO)

A Dismal Human Rights Record is now Broken.

The Local Spiritual Assembly of Kansas City wishes to announce the 1 year anniversary of the un-specified and un-tried imprisonment of the group of seven "Friends in Iran" by the Iranian Government setting a new level of Human Rights abuse records. Short of physical abuse - which may have also happened, it would appear based on amnesty international statistics that this is a particularly bad example of denial of rights and religious persecution.

With this 365-day incarceration the Government of Iran has truly made a mockery of what are globally agreed human rights standards. With no trial, no contact with legal counsel, and variable charges which at times were changing weekly, the group of seven "Friends in Iran" have been subjected to abuse and persecution of their rights - and very likely bodies as well - on a level of state-sponsorship and state-collusion not seen in the West since World War 2.

The Local Spiritual Assembly of Kansas City Missouri asks for your prayers and your emails to your elected officials both Federal and State in regards to this travesty which serves no purpose other than pain infliction on the helpless families of these 7 human beings.

In His Service,

The Local Spiritual Assembly of Kansas City, Missouri

Greetings from the 2009-2010 Assembly of Kansas City MO!

2009-05-12T07:15:00.000-07:00

Looking forward to a great new year!

Feast of Jamal

2009-04-24T07:33:00.000-07:00

April 27, 2009

To the American Bahá'í community

for the Feast of Jamál

Dearly loved Friends,

In lieu of a message for the Feast of Jamál, the National Spiritual Assembly asks that you read and discuss the Ridván 2009 message from the Universal House of Justice, a copy of which is enclosed for your convenience.

We also wish to inform you that beginning with the Feast of ‘Azamat (May 16) Feast messages from the National Assembly will be available in electronic format only. The Feast message will also be available online at the national Administrative Website (at www.usbnc.org).

Office of the Secretary