Baha'i Blogcast with Rainn Wilson - Ep 65: Angelina Diliberto Allen (In Honor of Abdu'l-Baha)

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 special episode in honor of the 100th Anniversary of the passing of Abdu'l-Baha, I'm joined by Baha'i author, Angelina Diliberto Allen. Angelina shares how her family became Baha'is, some pioneering experiences, and how being in a chewing-gum commercial helped her and her twin sister go on pilgrimage. We talk about what the House of Justice calls "this infinitely poignant moment", and Angelina tells us some fascinating stories about the six Western Baha'is who were in the Holy Land at the time of Abdu'l-Baha's passing. I'm sure you'll enjoy this conversation as much I did!

Find out more about some of the things we mentioned and covered below:

* QUOTE: "He is, and should for all time be regarded, first and foremost, as the Center and Pivot of Baha'u'llah's peerless and all-enfolding Covenant, His most exalted handiwork, the stainless Mirror of His light, the perfect Exemplar of His teachings, the unerring Interpreter of His Word, the embodiment of every Baha'i ideal, the incarnation of every Baha'i virtue, the Most Mighty Branch sprung from the Ancient Root, the Limb of the Law of God, the Being "round Whom all names revolve," the Mainspring of the Oneness of Humanity, the Ensign of the Most Great Peace, the Moon of the Central Orb of this most holy Dispensation—styles and titles that are implicit and find their truest, their highest and fairest expression in the magic name Abdu'l‑Baha."
-Shoghi Effendi

* QUOTE: "The content of the Will of the Master are far too much for the present generation to comprehend, it needs at least a century of actual working before the treasures of wisdom hidden in it can be revealed..."
-Letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi

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Thanks for listening!

-Rainn Wilson

[Schlemiel-schlimazel]

So touching! So beautiful! Thank you so much to all involved!🙏

[em]

What a great talk. I truly loved listening to all these fascinating and uplifting stories. Angelina is a fantastic speaker and so knowledgeable about the Faith. Thanks so much for hosting, you are the best.

[sharafmoqbel]

Thank you dear Rainn for this episode, I'll try to translate it into Arabic to share with the friends here in Iraq for the commemorating of the Ascension of Abdul'Baha, thank you dear Angelina, you are marvelous.

[jferg]

Great blogcast interesting guest with fabulous stories to share. I look forward to reading Angelina's book(s).
Peace
Jim Ferguson
Yamhill, OR

[jesusperezcaballero]

The world wait Word AND Word BAHA U LLAH AND ABDUL BAHA
BEAUTIFUL, SHENKIU

[soroorallen]

Thank you so much for this great podcast! Thoroughly enjoyed it and learnt a lot as well.

[farhadshayani]

Great and Fanntsstic interview Raiin: Angeline is feminine of Angel!

[EdoRiver]

Rainn, since you have 't had many pioneers on your show
. there are 'some fundamental questions "that in my opinion are a better way to intr4oduce the topic of pioneering. . this has to do with the basic introduction of hger identtity. : This in afteer you find out how she became a Bahai. then discuss the concept of pioneering, . Of course Christians know of the concept of M:issionaries.
So what is the preparation of a misionary?
You git into the issue at the 14th minuete . I think this would have been your intro to the intro, before the 14th minute, . THIe issues are 1. MONEY, 2. preparation, both spiritual and material/intellectual and 3. opportunity, 4. plans for long term future..

So, you eventually covered the money part, maybe. as there was an initial a sponsor of a family of 5-7? people, that is a substantial amount of money, isn't it? ...and then she has an income from a commercial on National TV, but they were back in LA, right?

So we don't have a clear idea on reason and for this? COuld be the issue of the children's education? and this is an important factor for pioneering, IMHO So your guidance of her story could be improved, in my opinion. s..Next in the preparation story, this comes out at the 20 minute mark . The issues are already mentioned here. You get some intro to the culturaly prep., the siklls preparatiionn to being useful in another culture, this is mentioned quickly as an aside right? pleased correct me if I am wrong, , so I am thinking from the point of view as a Christian, the issue of FAITH, can or might not be important, as a preparation for pioneering, I mean Faith that just taking a plane ticket will make everything work out. Ms. Allen's father was an elite university student in a very high lievel of engineering... so how important was that intellectual /skill contribution to the time and place of the pioneering outpost ?

Next thought his way to support a fanily of 5-7 to support and reimburse his spoonsor. What level of living did they havea there in Argentia? Was that important? FinaLLY IS MY point #4 long term plans.
These isues of pioneering for me its not clear why South America, why not Asia? and further as she when on to Africc. why those countries? So, I am just making suggestions for the next time you introduce the concep ot pioneering.