UN Rejects ‘No-Action Motion’ on Human Rights in Iran

I am pleased to learn that on the 21^st of November the UN General Assembly rejected a “no-action motion” on human rights in Iran. If this motion had been passed it would have annulled a resolution which criticised the Islamic Republic of Iran for its “violent repression” of women, high amount of executions, application of torture, and “increasing discrimination” against Baha’is, Sunni Muslims, Sufis, Christians, Jews, and other minority groups.

‘Home is a Garden of God’

I just read an inspiring passage from the writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá on the subject of family worship-

“Know that in every home where God is praised and prayed to, and His Kingdom proclaimed, that home is a garden of God and a paradise of His happiness”.

What a wonderful phrase “garden of God”!

‘If Actions Took the Place of Words’

It occurs to me that we live in a world where the oneness of the human race is commonplace as an ideal but is rarely put into practice. It has even become a cliché of global advertising from the ‘United Colours of Benetton’ onwards. I am strongly reminded of the words of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá who said as early as 1911 that-

“What profit is there in agreeing that universal friendship is good, and talking of the solidarity of the human race as a grand ideal? Unless these thoughts are translated into the world of action, they are useless. The wrong in the world continues to exist just because people talk only of their ideals, and do not strive to put them into practice. If actions took the place of words, the world’s misery would very soon be changed into comfort”. Paris Talks, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, UK Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1972 eleventh edition reprint