Rainn Wilson’s Soulpancake on Oprah

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If you haven’t been following the launch of Rainn Wilson‘s new website, soulpancake.com then you haven’t missed much because up until today it wasn’t more than a sign-up page. But now, it is finally here and you can signup, join, and take part in the conversation.

Rainn Wilson’s aim is to create a place to really delve into spirituality, religion and all those questions about God, the meaning of life, the universe, everything…

Here is Part 1 of his sit down interview with Oprah to introduce the site and the inspiration for this project (the Baha’i Faith):


Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Related posts:

  1. Rainn Wilson Stars in The Last Mimzy
  2. Rainn Wilson Mentions the Baha’i Faith
  3. Rainn Wilson on Real Time with Bill Maher
  4. Rainn Wilson Audition Tapes
  5. The Office’s Baha’i Connection

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  • http://www.letters-of-the-living.blogspot.com Amanda

    Hi, Sonja.

    Sorry for the delay, and sorry for having to be very brief in my reply.

    You wrote:
    "I am not being dishonest by only accepting the authentic texts of The Bab, Baha'ullah, 'Adbul-Baha's as Bahai scripture but because this is Bahai Teaching."

    That's not what I was saying. I'm afraid this has gotten kind of convoluted. I agree that the only "scripture," or "sacred writings" would those you mentioned. But in addition to what you describe as "scripture," the Baha'i Faith, as laid out by those very figures you mention, also has "authoritative texts" that are not "scripture." These "authoritative texts" are not the same as pilgrims notes, as pilgrims notes came from random believers, they are written texts that come from people who were given the authority (thus "authoritative") to write them. There is not an equivalent type of authoritative text in Christianity, exactly. The issue is that, because Baha'u'llah seems to have given authority to 'Abdu'l-Baha, who seems to have given authority to Shoghi Effendi, who seems to have written some stuff that contradicts what you uphold as "Baha'i," it falls apart there. But it is "authoritative." It is a part of the religion.

    Now, what a person's relationship is to that authority is their own business, and I don't particularly care. I don't think respect for authority should be given cart blanch. I think it should be earned. I'm okay with with Baha'is being disobedient (openly and honestly) and openly and honestly cherry-picking. But I think it's dishonest if a person tries to cherry pick AND be an apologist at the same time. That's what I'm saying. Why not just be honest, and say Shoghi Effendi was wrong about this? Or 'Abdu'l-Baha was wrong about this? Or Baha'u'llah was wrong about this? There are Christians and Jews who disagree with Leviticus. Why can't there be Baha'is who disagree with a section of Gleanings or with Shoghi Effendi? Why the necessity to lose one's integrity about it? Because that's what I see alot of Baha'is doing. They DO disagree, but they either pretend they don't, OR they pretend the "authoritative texts" DON'T SAY what THEY SAY.

  • http://www.letters-of-the-living.blogspot.com Amanda

    Hi, Sonja.

    Sorry for the delay, and sorry for having to be very brief in my reply.

    You wrote:
    "I am not being dishonest by only accepting the authentic texts of The Bab, Baha'ullah, 'Adbul-Baha's as Bahai scripture but because this is Bahai Teaching."

    That's not what I was saying. I'm afraid this has gotten kind of convoluted. I agree that the only "scripture," or "sacred writings" would those you mentioned. But in addition to what you describe as "scripture," the Baha'i Faith, as laid out by those very figures you mention, also has "authoritative texts" that are not "scripture." These "authoritative texts" are not the same as pilgrims notes, as pilgrims notes came from random believers, they are written texts that come from people who were given the authority (thus "authoritative") to write them. There is not an equivalent type of authoritative text in Christianity, exactly. The issue is that, because Baha'u'llah seems to have given authority to 'Abdu'l-Baha, who seems to have given authority to Shoghi Effendi, who seems to have written some stuff that contradicts what you uphold as "Baha'i," it falls apart there. But it is "authoritative." It is a part of the religion.

    Now, what a person's relationship is to that authority is their own business, and I don't particularly care. I don't think respect for authority should be given cart blanch. I think it should be earned. I'm okay with with Baha'is being disobedient (openly and honestly) and openly and honestly cherry-picking. But I think it's dishonest if a person tries to cherry pick AND be an apologist at the same time. That's what I'm saying. Why not just be honest, and say Shoghi Effendi was wrong about this? Or 'Abdu'l-Baha was wrong about this? Or Baha'u'llah was wrong about this? There are Christians and Jews who disagree with Leviticus. Why can't there be Baha'is who disagree with a section of Gleanings or with Shoghi Effendi? Why the necessity to lose one's integrity about it? Because that's what I see alot of Baha'is doing. They DO disagree, but they either pretend they don't, OR they pretend the "authoritative texts" DON'T SAY what THEY SAY.

  • farhan

    Thank you, Leanna, I agree.

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/farhan farhan

    Thank you, Leanna, I agree.

  • Craig Parke

    Thank you, Leanna. I don't agree. At present the Baha'i Faith is one of the most incompetently run organizations on Earth. It is a world wide community of spineless, mindless cowards who by their own passivity are completely unworthy of the worldwide vote they have.

    Up to now the Baha'i Faith has completely failed all mankind. The record is pathetic.

    But I feel with the rise of the Internet, the rank and file of the Baha'i Faith worldwide will indeed take up their great power 500-1000 years in the future.

    Of course, everyone else on Earth (atheists, drug dealers, murders, and prostitutes among them) will have COMPLETELY implemented EVERYTHING themselves by then just by free and open spiritual search within their own hearts under their own power and not by the programming of the Comintern.

    The Baha'is will STILL be smoking their Ruhi Book Crack Pipes on the sidelines in a zero sum game.

    But the free world will go on to do these things of itself.

    The Baha'i Faith currently is one of the most impaired organizations in the history of the world. But I think that will eventually change far in the future. The sign will be Term Limits finally being established for the UHJ and the NSA's and the absolute fierceness of the rank and file vote when people will then often be voted out of office after just ONE TERM in a system of fierce total accountability via the Internet. RateTheAO.com will eventually appear sometike over the new 1,000 years. Or maybe the next Manifestation will just be a damn good Adobe Flex 3 programmer who will set up that site and change everything as the clicks start coming in worldwide. Here is the shape of things to come in terms of current events:

    http://hallofidiots.blogspot.com/

    A mature fierce and ruthless system of impeachment, due process, and redress of grievances will have to be developed too. It won't be in the lifetime of anyone here because the current members of the Baha'i Faith in every land are passive sheep and cowards with zero consulting skills. But I believe that will eventually change in the far, far, far future.

    But thanks for you comment! Keep posting!

  • Craig Parke

    Thank you, Leanna. I don't agree. At present the Baha'i Faith is one of the most incompetently run organizations on Earth. It is a world wide community of spineless, mindless cowards who by their own passivity are completely unworthy of the worldwide vote they have.

    Up to now the Baha'i Faith has completely failed all mankind. The record is pathetic.

    But I feel with the rise of the Internet, the rank and file of the Baha'i Faith worldwide will indeed take up their great power 500-1000 years in the future.

    Of course, everyone else on Earth (atheists, drug dealers, murders, and prostitutes among them) will have COMPLETELY implemented EVERYTHING themselves by then just by free and open spiritual search within their own hearts under their own power and not by the programming of the Comintern.

    The Baha'is will STILL be smoking their Ruhi Book Crack Pipes on the sidelines in a zero sum game.

    But the free world will go on to do these things of itself.

    The Baha'i Faith currently is one of the most impaired organizations in the history of the world. But I think that will eventually change far in the future. The sign will be Term Limits finally being established for the UHJ and the NSA's and the absolute fierceness of the rank and file vote when people will then often be voted out of office after just ONE TERM in a system of fierce total accountability via the Internet. RateTheAO.com will eventually appear sometike over the new 1,000 years. Or maybe the next Manifestation will just be a damn good Adobe Flex 3 programmer who will set up that site and change everything as the clicks start coming in worldwide. Here is the shape of things to come in terms of current events:

    http://hallofidiots.blogspot.com/

    A mature fierce and ruthless system of impeachment, due process, and redress of grievances will have to be developed too. It won't be in the lifetime of anyone here because the current members of the Baha'i Faith in every land are passive sheep and cowards with zero consulting skills. But I believe that will eventually change in the far, far, far future.

    But thanks for you comment! Keep posting!

  • ar

    they are infallible BECAUSE they are democratically elected. stop trying so hard to misinterped everything. seriously people. who cares if there are women on the universal house of justice. as you quoted above, this has nothing to do with any modern western-style democracy we know. so, there is no representation. people, the time were women make politics for women, the industry makes politics for the industry, and so on are over.

  • Craig Parke

    ar,

    Where do you get the idea that the UHJ is democratically elected? That is precisely the point. Show me that they are elected in accordance with either the LETTER or the SPIRIT of the W&T of Abdu'l-Baha? I believe they are no longer duly constituted because they are elected from a closed candidate list set up by the sitting UHJ! This change in procedure was made in 1983. I accepted it as a kind of training wheels because the Faith was so small and immature worldwide. But it is now very clear those training wheels are never going to come off. It ap[pears the UHJ will always be elected from a tiny clique of insiders who have passed an ideological litmus test with those who now essentially control the electoral process. Please explain to me how this is otherwise? The Faith, therefore, is now completely in YEAR ZERO thinking just like any other man made ideology like communism or Nazism. It is trapped in a litmus test ideology and is now cut off from the bottom up spiritual energies of the developing World Age. It will help no one. All it's energies are consumed with enforcing orthodoxy in an organization. It is the same old, same old in human history. It is now organizational cronyism and the result has been and will continue to be just like the corporate cronyism that has destroyed the economy of the United States and now the economy of the entire world. Ruhi is a very thinly disguised ham fisted attempt at ideological purification in the Faith. Diverse ideas and interpretations make these people very nervous because they are out and out man made ideologues. It is the exact same brain chemistry. They want to create the automation Faith where no one is permitted to think or question. They want total mindless obedience. It will not work because it is against the Teachings of Baha'u'llah. It will not work because it is against the individual spiritual energies of the unfolding new World Age. With the rise of the Internet, such a strategy is absolutely ludicrous! It is totally self-defeating and dysfunctional but these people are too impaired by their incestuous ideology to see the extent of their mind bending folly.

    So the Tablet of the Holy Mariner is now in effect. This was all foretold by Baha'u'llah. Judgment has to come upon the mindset of clueless usurpers before a pure planetary civilization can come. This is the first order of business in the Divine Judgment upon spiritual archetypes that is under way when a new World Age comes. The Age of Chief Priests, Scribes, and Pharisees is over. Witness shoes that are now going to drop in Iran over time. Witness shoes that are going to drop in the Baha'i Faith over time. A huge cosmic courtesy flush is coming upon both fetid situations. It is not going to be pretty. People's heads are going to symbolically end up on poles in human history. The power of the Internet cannot be stopped. the cameras are rolling and everything is being recorded on waves of communicated electronic thought.

    The Promised Day has indeed come. Everyone keep posting. Every person on Earth can now intimately communicate with any OTHER person on Earth. And anyone who does not fully understand the mind bending implications for that in the potential magnitude for change in human affairs is an idiot. Our lifetime incumbent groupthink guys clearly do not comprehend this. They are whistling in the dark in their air tight bubble. It is a lightning bolt that is now going to hit them hourly and then minute by minute and then second by second. They will never be able to deal with this.

    Meanwhile, explain to me how the UHJ is “democratically elected”? I will study in detail what you say. Try to convince me. Let's hear it?

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  • Amanda

    ar-

    “who cares if there are women on the universal house of justice?”
    Your mother.
    The Maid of Heaven.
    Tahirih spinning in her grave.

    “the time were women make politics for women, the industry makes politics for the industry, and so on are over.”

    But the time where MEN “make politics” for WOMEN clearly ISN'T over, now is it?

  • Amanda

    ar-

    “who cares if there are women on the universal house of justice?”
    Your mother.
    The Maid of Heaven.
    Tahirih spinning in her grave.

    “the time were women make politics for women, the industry makes politics for the industry, and so on are over.”

    But the time where MEN “make politics” for WOMEN clearly ISN'T over, now is it?

  • YB

    The Baha'i Faith is perhaps the earliest to recognize the reality of there being in nature homosexuals. However, the Baha'i Faith also limits sexual acts to be limited to between husband and wife within a marriage. As a bonding and compensation of the union.

    IF we are homosexual or heterosexual and un married we are not having sex. So there is no need to be homophobic. It is simple as a Bahai'i. If I am not married to you, I shouldn't be having sex with you.

    Marriage is defined as between a man and a woman. If your looking for the Baha'i Faith to have a Same Gender Marriage, you should look to a Civil Orgainization not the Baha'i Faith or any other Religion for that matter. But, the Baha'i Faith will not change the Law's and Rules just to have more members or accept fees.

    On the question of clergy. Yes there is a group of people called the Local Spritual Assembly, National Spritual Assembly and the Universal House of Justice. These individuals are elected via an representational election process without nomination. The Electorate is selected from the communities and the Electorate then votes. Democratic in that at the local level all adults vote. Republic or Representative as the Local Levels of elections select electorat representatives to vote in their best interest.

    No nominations, no campaign, and no one knows who voted for the elected. The elected is called to vote their best within a prayful focus and selfless attitude. All votes or elections are done this way.

    Clergy, Baha'is have none. Clergy acts as teacher and authority between the believer and the Word of God and may go so far as to dictate God's Will. No one in the Baha'i Faith has this authority or possition. The Administrative Body known as the Universal House of Justice is made of 9 men. When acting as a unit their decisions are resolutions signed by the Secretary of the Universal House of Justice. Individually they have as much authority as a Baha'i in Topeka Ks.

    Yes they are afforded respect for the work they are undertaking. But, this is the same respect we should have for each individual on the planet. To elevate them is a burden that should not be placed upon any individual.

    In all matters of Baha'i Life there is equality of the genders. The bird can not fly with one strong wing and one weak wing. The only area of service not open to Women is a seat on the Universal House of Justice and for this exclusion we shall see the reason for it in the future.

    I know that service on the Universal House of Jusitce is being the same as the Servants of the Servants of the Servants. It is not a position of ease, riches, or power. In this day and age the Greatest Body of Servants made of men who have the obligation to Serve Woman as well as Man. Think on this in this day. How many organizations who are working for woman's rights are made of all men?

    Education is important in the Baha'i Faith. However, if a man has 2 children and only 1 can be educated it should be the girl child. Women have the responcibility of raising the children. This does not preclude a family arrangement between individuals where the mother works and the father is a full time parent houseband if the couple finds this works. But, as a norm the mother is the one who carries and breast feeds the infant. A father still is not likely to do this. Natural Fact.

    So is the Baha'i Faith Sexist. NO quite a big NO…

    Is the Baha'i Faith something that is compromising to fit a wider population. Nope.

    It is what it is. You chose to join it, or not. It does not “Join” with you.

    When I read over 50 books on the Baha'i Faith and all the available writings of its Founder, Expounder and Guardian, I felt that this what I knew was truth, this was the Religion I could identify with.

    Don't become a Baha'i because of a friend, or how good the food is at a Baha'i Event. Being a Baha'i in todays world will be making yourself a religious miniority and even in the USA it take strong people to say I am a Baha'i. Real harm is done to Baha'is in other countries. In the USA there are constant challanges for the Baha'is to live the laws of their faith. Try not drinking a beer at a family party, or class reunion. You'll get the oh your the funny Baha'i.

    Rainn is an individual. He has no Baha'i Authority or Power, or Title. He is just saying to the world, hey here I am an Actor who is also a Bahai. Trying to ballance both in the life he has been given.

    Do I agree with him all the time. Do I like his humor.. quite frankly no. But as a Baha'i I don't have to. He has his own relationship with God, I am not his judge. I have no authority over him or his actions. I wish him well, and I hope that his efforts on his web site does open a space in the internet to explore uplifting ideas, information and the edification of mankind.

  • yrb

    Rainn Wilson’s aim is to create a place to really delve into spirituality, religion and all those questions about God, the meaning of life, the universe, everything…

    I have been to his site. I find that it misses the mark by a mile. If you want to know about the Baha'i Faith. Read the writings of the Founder of the Faith Baha'u'llah. Read the writings about Administration by Effendi. Go to the source.

    If you don't agree with the teachings and the Faith. By all means go be a Great member of anothe Religion based on the study and YOUR understanding of that religions Holy Text.

    If your looking for a Religion According to YOU. You may be in a long search. But good luck with that too.

    One thing that is for sure. Baha'is are not homophobic. The Baha'i Faith's teachings recognize the natural state of being a homosexual. However, marriage is limited to a partnership/relationship or bond between a man and woman. Sex is limited to between person who are married to each other.

    So if you are hetero or homosexual and you are not married you aren't supposed to be having sex. It is simple. There is no greater or lessor violation of the laws.

    Women are to be Served, and the Universal House of Justice is the highest level or the greatest burden of servace to the human race. It is perhaps the only all male body that has the duty to Serve Womankind in such a way. Think about that in todays terms and try and project what that can mean in the future. You ladies out there saying this is unfair… try to ask the question why is it this way. It is not that the 9 Men Want the Obligation of Service they have been placed in.

    I am a woman, and I have no problem haveing Men being put in the situation of being Servants of Woman and accountable for advancing not only the status of Baha'i Women within their community but Women of the entire planet. Not a problem for me at all.

    Study a Faith, on its merrits not on the attraction of a friend, or individual or an interview on Operha. Follow the Faith not the Followers. We will always not measure up. Baha'is are not perfect, we fall short every day. This is one of the many reason we don't have clergy. We are accountable to God. That is a tough audiance. However, God is forgiving if we earnistly are trying to do better each day.

    I hope.

  • peyamb

    “Study a Faith, on its merrits not on the attraction of a friend, or individual or an interview on Operha”
    Amen. And don't judge the Faith based on the beliefs of some of its fundamentalist members (such as yourself). Bahaullah's Words are way greater. This Faith is WAY greater than you. That's why I still consider myself a Bahai, I have read the words and I SO disagree with so much that you have stated. But I accept that literalists such as yourself have a place in the Bahai community (as I guess they do in every religion). But just understand that there are many other Bahais who don't share your narrow views on homosexuality, or women not being allowed to serve on the UHJ, etc. Bahaullah's Faith is for everyone, even if his community may not be at this time in history.

  • peyamb

    “IF we are homosexual or heterosexual and un married we are not having sex. So there is no need to be homophobic. It is simple as a Bahai'i. If I am not married to you, I shouldn't be having sex with you.”
    Not really that simple. Although I can see how fundamentalists in every religions need to package everything into nice neat boxes. You see everything in black and white. More and more, there will be acceptance in society of gay “married” couples, who will raise wonderful kids. These families will look at the Faith and say- you know I don't believe that Bahaullah ever meant that my relationship is wrong. He spoke about the raping of young slave boys- not me. And these couples will ask to be part of the Bahai community. Some local communities have already started acceptign such individuals and not making a big deal of it. Others (probably the one that you live in) are not as accepting. Hopefully one day I will find a local community that is accepting and be able to return as an active Bahai. Til then…I'll worship on my own. Cheers!

  • http://www.letters-of-the-living.blogspot.com Amanda

    YB,
    Congratulations on having read 50 Baha'i books, and thank you for your time. Unfortunately, your teaching-outreach time could be better spent on someone who isn't a third generation (ex) Baha'i. But thanks for reminding me of why I left.

    In complete disagreement,
    Amanda

  • norbit

    You make it sound as if hes some devious plotter out to misrepresent things. In truth many Bahais would Not have seen the things you picked up on because you are skewed by Bias against the house of Justices policies (like no women allowed etc), aside from a few small apparent inconsistencies most people of the world WOULD view Bahai as a accepting religion and his interview as honest and balanced. As for democratic that word would usually be applied to politics and can be misrepresented in a thousand ways to suit whatever purpose you would like to argue against the faiths administration. Frankly your anti Administration sentiment shines through as plain as the sun in your apparent ‘analysis’ of Rains interview.

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  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_TAIATK2TINWB4UUCUV2XWRQ7DY D.

    My daughter was born enlightened and more highly evolved than many. When she was 12, she was introduced to the Bhah’i faith and was instantly “connected” to spirituality that nourished her. She spent several years immersed in their retreats, activities and participated in Bahai performances at our local high schools. She was happy.

    After several years, I decided that I wanted to learn more about the Bahai faith because I respected my daughter’s choices and opinion so much. At that time, I had felt very connected through Unitarian Universalism for nearly a decade. Nevertheless, I asked my daughter to teach me about her faith, excited that I might see through her eyes and share her joy.

    To my surprise, she looked a bit ashamed. We talked for hours, and she told me that she loved *most* of her Bahai spirituality, and all her Bahai community; then confessed she had long known that she needed to walk away from it and find a spiritual connectin elsewhere. She went on to explain that their Order clearly did not believe in equality for women or gays, and that that narrow opinion, more than any other, revealed a non-loving hidden agenda that blatantly flew in the face of the natural order.

    She had been unable to separate from it because these were her best friends (remember how important that is to us in high school?); but admitted that now that she had said the words out loud, confessing her knowledge of such primitive backward thinking, she did not respect the Bahai organization due to these specific offensive tenets.  She said they did not appear capable of evolving in her lifetime regarding such basic and obvious conditions & inherent rights.

    It was a sad day for my daughter, her sister, and for both her mothers.  There were lots of tears; she mourned it like a death, but never questioned her life’s quest for light and universal love.

    I am a mother who can love Amanda for courageously voicing the obvious.

  • Amanda

    Thanks, D.

  • Fubar

    (late response)

    A cynical view would be that as long as bahaism is attempting to convert people and take over the world, it is happy that democratic societies exist within which religious minorities are allowed freedoms.

    In the unlikely event that bahaism became dominant it would then see no reason for religious freedom, and would curtail it (along with democracy).

    bahaism is largely a mythic, medieval religion, and as such, its culture is conformist, and is focused on “saving face”.

    most theories of democracy are premised on a rejection of mythic religion in favor of modernist values, such as the use of reason and public debate, however rude, in service of participatory government.

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