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 joined by Sean Hinton, the very first Baha’i to ever go to Mongolia, and therefore be given the title ‘Knight of Baha’u’llah’ (which you can learn about here). Sean currently lives in Oxford, England with his family. He trained as a musician, but he’s had an extremely varied and interesting career, and life for that matter! I wanted Sean to share the story of how he ended up being the first Baha’i to go to Mongolia, so stop what you’re doing and listen to his fascinating story!
To find out more about some of the things we covered in this episode, check out the following:
Sean shares this passage from Baha’u’llah: “Whoso reciteth, in the privacy of his chamber, the verses revealed by God, the scattering angels of the Almighty shall scatter abroad the fragrance of the words uttered by his mouth, and shall cause the heart of every righteous man to throb. Though he may, at first, remain unaware of its effect, yet the virtue of the grace vouchsafed unto him must needs sooner or later exercise its influence upon his soul. Thus have the mysteries of the Revelation of God been decreed by virtue of the Will of Him Who is the Source of power and wisdom.”
Sean shares the following excerpt from a letter by the Universal of Justice: “Training alone, of course, does not necessarily lead to an upsurge in teaching activity. In every avenue of service, the friends need sustained encouragement. Our expectation is that the Auxiliary Board members, together with their assistants, will give special thought to how individual initiative can be cultivated, particularly as it relates to teaching. When training and encouragement are effective, a culture of growth is nourished in which the believers see their duty to teach as a natural consequence of having accepted Bahá’u’lláh. They “raise high the sacred torch of faith,” as was Abdu’l-Baha’s wish, “labor ceaselessly, by day and by night,” and “consecrate every fleeting moment of their lives to the diffusion of the divine fragrance and the exaltation of God’s holy Word.” So enkindled do their hearts become with the fire of the love of God that whoever approaches them feels its warmth. They strive to be channels of the spirit, pure of heart, selfless and humble, possessing certitude and the courage that stems from reliance on God. In such a culture, teaching is the dominating passion of the lives of the believers. Fear of failure finds no place. Mutual support, commitment to learning, and appreciation of diversity of action are the prevailing norms.”
Naysan is passionate about using the arts and media to explore the teachings of the Baha’i Faith. Back in 2011, Naysan started up the Baha’i Blog project, channeling his experiences in both media and technology companies to help create a hub for Baha’i-inspired content online.
Thank you, I am realy looking forward to get to know How the Faith was taken to Mongolia but I can not read/hear any of this.
We in Sweden Are celebrating 100 aniversary from when the Faith was taken to Sweden. But this you know already from your cusins here. Now I realise I Meet your father when. he visited Simin and Sasan and took part in winterschool.
Lena Johansson, Sweden
(August 8, 2020 at 10:49 PM)
That’s so great to hear Lena! Thank you for sharing and I hope you’re able to hear this episode. You can also listen to it on Youtube in case this is easier for you. Here’s the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xorKMV0IQqs
I heard a much shorter version of the story of the radio when I served at the Bahá’í World Center 1997-98 and I’ve thought of often over the years. What a treasure to hear it directly from Mr.Hinton!! Thank you so much for this podcast!! So many things to take away and it speaks to me in the way of overcoming challenges of going to school abroad.
We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia.
We recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay our respects to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their cultures; and to elders both past and present.
Baha’i Blog is a non-profit independent initiative
The views expressed in our content reflect individual perspectives and do not represent authoritative views of the Baha’i Faith.
Thank you, I am realy looking forward to get to know How the Faith was taken to Mongolia but I can not read/hear any of this.
We in Sweden Are celebrating 100 aniversary from when the Faith was taken to Sweden. But this you know already from your cusins here. Now I realise I Meet your father when. he visited Simin and Sasan and took part in winterschool.
Lena Johansson, Sweden (August 8, 2020 at 10:49 PM)
That’s so great to hear Lena! Thank you for sharing and I hope you’re able to hear this episode. You can also listen to it on Youtube in case this is easier for you. Here’s the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xorKMV0IQqs
Naysan Naraqi (August 8, 2020 at 2:11 AM)
I heard a much shorter version of the story of the radio when I served at the Bahá’í World Center 1997-98 and I’ve thought of often over the years. What a treasure to hear it directly from Mr.Hinton!! Thank you so much for this podcast!! So many things to take away and it speaks to me in the way of overcoming challenges of going to school abroad.
Bridgette Schnider (July 7, 2024 at 10:00 AM)