u/OfficialDCShepard
May 15. On this date in 1940, Shoghi Effendi wrote the National Spiritual Assembly of the United states that "Regarding the age of fifteen fixed by Bahá'u'lláh: This relates only to purely spiritual functions and obligations and is not related to the degree of administrative capacity which ...."
May 15. On this date in 1940, Shoghi Effendi wrote the National Spiritual Assembly of the United states that "Regarding the age of fifteen fixed by Bahá'u'lláh: This relates only to purely spiritual functions and obligations and is not related to the degree of administrative capacity which is a totally different thing, and is, for the present, fixed at twenty-one."
>515. Age 15 Relates to Spiritual Functions and Obligations
>"Regarding the age of fifteen fixed by Bahá'u'lláh: This relates only to purely spiritual functions and obligations and is not related to the degree of administrative capacity which is a totally different thing, and is, for the present, fixed at twenty-one."
>(From a letter written on behalf of the Guardian to the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States, May 15, 1940: Bahá'í News, No. 138, p. 1, September 1940)
u/A35821363 — 18 hours ago
Is there a passage where Bahá'u'lláh says that whosoever recognizes Him will see with the eye of God?
I'm almost sure I've read that somewhere.
u/No-Shopping-5909 — 14 hours ago
The Hidden Faith Episode 8: Baha'is' Justin Baldoni-Faced LIES Remake Pt. 1- Original Podcast, Edited Appropriately
It’s wild how time has flown between when the New York Times article broke and the settlement, which I feel is a victory for Blake even though I’m still analyzing the exact nuances of 47.1 and etc. The story of the lawsuits between Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively not only brought thorny issues of workplace sexual harassment and freedom of the press to the fore, but the foibles of Justin Baldoni’s religion, the Baha’i Faith, which he imposed on the working environment and created toxic positivity in a way that creeped Jenny Slate out. This might be the most mainstream attention they’ve received since the Civil Rights Movement, which is when that religion last bothered to try helping American society.
In the next half of this episode, coming sometime later this month, I plan to work with Dale Husband the Honorable Skeptic (u/Cult_Buster2005) and head mod of r/exbahai as well as another channel that has done excellent deep dives on Baldoni called Go Do Your Own Research for a more fleshed-out discussion of both legal and religious topics. However, on March 6^(th), 2025, my original version of this video proved that Justin’s behavior was shaped DIRECTLY by his religious upbringing. Contrary to the accusations of some, I do not hate all Baha’is and still keep in touch with a couple, including my anonymous sources you’ll hear from about their experiences leaving the Baha’i Faith and issues that made them uncomfortable. Unfortunately, I had to draw that line in the sand when my cohost turned out to be a huge asshole who threatened a Baha’i with skull-fucking; he also has a history of threatening to turn Baha’is in to Iranian authorities, which I consider unacceptable.
When I called him out on it, he made the past five months of my life a living hell. Thanks to his limited resources as a troll from Queensland who has never worked a fucking day in his life on anything more than rambling, syncretic garbage promoting his personal claims to be God, it’s not as vicious of a smear campaign as Justin’s. His harassment of me mainly consists of obsessively commenting on my genitalia and calling my sexuality fake for being engaged to a cisgender heterosexual woman as if that proves that I’m lying about being nonbinary or queer, including literally calling me a N@ZI pretending to be queer; to not seem like I was martyring myself I refrained from calling it sexual harassment but that’s exactly what it is. Though it’s of a MUCH different kind thank goodness, the three times I’ve been physically assaulted for wearing feminine clothing in public since coming out in 2022 seem like St. Patrick’s Day pinches by comparison.
He also has a habit of alleging I’m a secret Jew, a paid Baha’i agent, Mossad agent, FBI informant, whatever it takes to never have to admit error a day in his lazy, entitled, whiny life because just like Justin his colossal narcissism would not allow it.
His harassment also contained report abuse on Reddit, vexatious litigation in the form of multiple meritless DMCA claims on my videos, Copyright Claims Board actions for FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS, and equivocating *my journalism on his public statements* with **stalking** via classic DARVO, because he’s a hypocrite who constantly denounces the evils of the West and performatively wields the suffering of marginalized groups such as Palestinians to promote his conspiracy theories, then threatens to waste legal resources to silence his critics when he loses logical arguments. Once he lost both the CCB and anti-stalking cases, he did what whiny-ass losers always do: call the system rigged because again, how could someone as divine as he is POSSIBLY lose unless AIPAC, the FBI, AND the performative Baha’i nonprofit the Tahirih Justice Center all rescued me!
The man is unwell.
That’s why Blake’s victory gives me heart to counterclaim in the CCB for Section 512 misrepresentation or potentially sue.
Your support has been invaluable, and Blake has been an inspiration. If she can defeat a man backed by a shadowy fellow cultist and donor for $100 million while their all-male Universal House of “Justice” looked the other way, then I can win and wipe this man’s platforms off the Internet for good when he tries the same shit but at a smaller scale. I don’t care if it takes a year, ten, or the rest of his miserable life; I WILL have justice, and since I’m twenty years younger than him even though I just turned 34 (he has somehow been at this for THIRTY YEARS), I will have the last word on this story if it’s the last thing I do.
II think that’s why I’m using Sunset Overdrive- because Blake and I both stood up to hordes of bots and spam posts by one man with no life by keeping on our toes, constantly changing up our strategies, and hitting back against attacks fast, hard, AND proportionally. I hope you join me to see how authoritarian systems and sociopaths are not very different between different people and situations, and to rest easy having learned some history from a TRULY independent investigation of the Baha’i Faith. Even though I unlisted the original video (which is still accessible through the bibliography and The Hidden Faith’s YouTube podcast), I am proud of every word I said, all 17 pages of my thoroughly-researched bibliography on Substack, and the whole night I spent editing everything together with thirty minutes of sleep.
u/OfficialDCShepard — 1 day ago
“…every planet its own creatures…”
Does anyone know if Baha’u’llah means creature as a being, or creature as anything? for example anything that exists is a “creature” since it was created by God.
| “ | The learned men, [divines] that have fixed at several thousand years the life of this earth, have failed, throughout the long period of their observation, to consider either the number or the age of the other planets. ...Know thou that every fixed star hath its own planets, and every planet its own creatures, whose number no man can compute. | ” |
|---|---|---|
| — Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, pp. 162-163) |
u/Cadowyn — 2 days ago
May 13, On this date in 1955, Shoghi Effendi wrote all NSAs that Bahá'ís "make many contacts, select a few whom they feel would become Bahá'ís, develop a close friendship with them, then complete confidence, and finally teach them the Faith, until they become strong supporters of the Cause of God.
Baha'i History - May 13, 1955, Shoghi Effendi wrote all NSAs that Bahá'ís "make many contacts, select a few whom they feel would become Bahá'ís, develop a close friendship with them, then complete confidence, and finally teach them the Faith, until they become strong supporters of the Cause of God."
May 13, On this date in 1955, Shoghi Effendi wrote all NSAs that Bahá'ís "make many contacts, select a few whom they feel would become Bahá'ís, develop a close friendship with them, then complete confidence, and finally teach them the Faith, until they become strong supporters of the Cause of God."
>2036. The Most Successful Way for the Individual to Carry on the Teaching Work
>"The Bahá'ís must realize that the success of this work depends upon the individual. The individual must arise as never before to proclaim the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh. The most effective way for them to carry on their work is for the individual to make many contacts, select a few whom they feel would become Bahá'ís, develop a close friendship with them, then complete confidence, and finally teach them the Faith, until they become strong supporters of the Cause of God."
>(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to all National Spiritual Assemblies, May 13, 1955)
u/A35821363 — 2 days ago
▲ 3 r/exbahai
Finally, someone over at r/bahai with a MODICUM of sense
reddit.comu/OfficialDCShepard — 3 days ago
"A Common Endeavor: Realizing The Promise of America"
This beautiful open letter from the US NSA, “To all who hold the promise of America in their hearts,” came as an insert in the April 2026 issue of The American Baha’i. “This message from the Baha’is of the United States is an invitation to thoughtful conversation. In this time of challenge, we need spaces where we can pause, reflect, and listen to others with openness and goodwill. We hope this message can inspire such conversations— in homes and neighborhoods, in Faith communities and civic settings— so that we can move forward together” (Introduction).
The letter dispels false dichotomies and really inspires Hope. It echoes the Peace Statement, the Prosperity letter and other potent source documents, though it is brief and pretty accessible. I feel it’s going to be very valuable! A Baha’i neighbor and I plan to launch the very conversation this document invites, with friends in the neighborhood. Starting next week.
I’m interested to hear Baha’i Redditors’ responses, thoughts and experiences with it.
u/OfficialDCShepard — 6 days ago
Non intervention in politics
I see a lot of posts on social media by Baha'is that seem really political especially from the US. Back 100 years ago the Baha'i Faith was labeled progressive because many of the core teachings were radical for the time. Mankind has changed a lot since then and the progressive movement has moved the goal posts a lot and yet the US Baha'is seem to be caught in time warp thinking they can appeal to current day progressives on a purely intellectual level. I don't believe that is the case, there are huge differences in world view between current US progressives and the Baha'i Faith. I think we have to focus on our core; the spiritualization of mankind by striving in our inner lives and working with others to achieve a framework that is conducive to spirituality.
The spiritual always precedes the physical and, if we get our spiritual act together, the physical will be resolved. If we concentrate solely on the physical, the spiritual illness within will simply reassert itself.
u/OfficialDCShepard — 5 days ago
May 9. On this date in 2014, the UHJ addressed a letter to an individual believer, stating in part "The contemporary discussion surrounding homosexuality, which began in the West and is increasingly promoted in other parts of the world, generally takes the form of a false dichotomy, which ..."
May 9. On this date in 2014, the Universal House of Justice addressed a letter to an individual believer, stating in part "The contemporary discussion surrounding homosexuality, which began in the West and is increasingly promoted in other parts of the world, generally takes the form of a false dichotomy, which compels one to choose between a position that is either affirming or rejecting. But to align with either side in the public debate is to accept the premises on which it is based."
u/A35821363 — 7 days ago
May 9. On this date in 1997, Denis MacEoin posted a letter concerning whether the Bahá'í Faith should be considered a World Religion or a New Religious Movement.
May 9. On this date in 1997, Denis MacEoin posted a letter concerning whether the Bahá'í Faith should be considered a "World Religion" or a "New Religious Movement".
Date: Fri, 9 May 1997
From: Denis MacEoin
Subject: Re: Bahá'í: NRM or World Religion?
Dear All,
Since [another academic] and I have coincidentally just agreed to start a thread on this very subject, let me come in here with a few remarks. As many of you will know, I have been arguing for years that it is more accurate to describe the Bahá'í faith as a New Religious Movement than a World Religion (especially "a world religion on a par with Christianity, Islam, etc."). I'll start the ball rolling with a citation from a recent discussion with [another academic].
[The other academic] said:
>As to Stephen Lambden's recommendation that you call the Bahá' i Faith a world religion, at what point will you reconsider? At the centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta, there were 37 chaplains pastoral associates) selected to minister to the spiritual needs of the Olympic athletes. These chaplains were chosen to represent six world religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and the Bahá'í Faith. Over time, your refusal to recognize the Bahá'í Faith as a world religion may, in retrospect, underscore this tendency towards tendentiousness in your work.
To which I replied:
> As far as the world religion bit goes, I really won't back down on this. The reason things like the Olympic Games chaplains happen is that the Bahá'ís have done a great PR job in convincing people that they are a world religion. But in what way does Bahá'í fit with Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, and Judaism? Numbers? There are at most 5 million Bahá'ís in the world (and probably a very great deal fewer). That puts them on a par with Jehovah's Witnesses or Mormons, and way out of the league of the rest. Time around? 153 years at most, if you include Babism. Again, not in that league. Influence on civilization? About as insignificant as it gets. Nation states adhering to that belief? Zero. To include Bahá'ísm as one of the world's 6 world religions is nonsense and very special pleading. There are no objective grounds for it. Bahá'ís would like to be members of a world religion, but that doesn't make it so.
End of that correspondence.
Let's take it a little further. Peter [Smith] is right to say that people like Eileen Barker don't treat Bahá'í as a NRM, because it ain't that new. But That doesn't mean I'm wrong to describe it as such. For one thing, I think sociologists have got themselves in something of a twist here, often using 1945 as a cut-off point before which there was nothing called a New Religious Movement. Now, there are reasons for working on that basis: the post-WWII period saw a remarkable burgeoning of NRMs. But that leaves us with the problem of what to do about earlier religious movements which do not comfortably fit the church, sect, denomination, brotherhood, gemeinschaft, or world faith categories. There are anomalies too: why is ISKCON treated as a NRM, when it might be more accurately classified as a sect of Hinduism? And why, for that matter, is Mormonism usually treated as a sect of Christianity, when it might qualify as a NRM? And so on.
I think some sociologists have had their judgement skewed by the cult factor. Books by people like Beckford on Cult Controversies (an excellent book, by the way) have tended to create a situation in which the public at large talk of cults, but sociologists talk of NRMs. In other words, NRM is a posh way of describing a cult. And cults tend to generate controversy. Since Bahá'ísm isn't seen as cultish or controversial, it gets declassified. That's another grave error. Bahá'ísm is extraordinarily controversial in Muslim countries, where it is treated exactly like a cult (sinister, operating through cells, brainwashing young people, etc. etc.). Just because Western sociologists still have a focus on Europe and America doesn't mean that perceptions from further afield can not be illuminating.
Having said all that, the debate about Bahá'í being a NRM or not is one that deserves to be carried on in wider circles. It's not the one I'm concentrating on here. In other words, while I do insist that it is nonsense to call the BF a world religion in any real sense, I don't insist on calling it a NRM. My problem is finding a more useful term. Certainly, it isn't a sect, church, or denomination. Unless somebody can come up with a better classification, NRM will have to serve. In any case, if we compare Bahá'í with some of the movements that are now regularly classed as NRMs, the resemblances are often striking. The Unification Church and Bahá'í have some extraordinary similarities, down to the style of their pamphlets and books, and the themes they express (world brotherhood, oneness of religions, etc.).
And I'm not sure Peter is altogether right when he says Bahá'ísm does not have the same features as other new movements. As I've just said, the resemblances to the Moonies are not minor. Everything depends on what you choose to emphasize and what ignore. There is no single type of NRM. There's a good summary of different typologies in the early pages of Roy Wallis's The Elementary Forms of the New Religious Life. It's not so much a case of fitting Bahá'ísm into one category or another, as seeing common features between it in different phases and other movements. That is particularly true when one brings in some of the other eastern religions that moved to the West in the late 19th C, early 20th C. Of course there are big differences between Bahá'ísm and, say, the Children of God.
I don't mean to push this element too far. I've always stressed that I think Bahá'ísm is the NRM most likely to develop into something more significant in the next fifty years or so (though the time-scale is pure guesswork), and that is because it does have features that make it more genuinely universalist in scope.
Just to reiterate. I'm not being deliberately churlish when I argue against Bahá'ísm being a world religion. There are no formal requirements for entry into the world religion club, but a quick glance at all existing member suggests certain common elements: you should be old (at least 1500 years), you should be the faith of at least one nation state, and preferably a great deal more, you should have created at least one major civilization, you should have a well-developed tradition (scriptures, commentaries, possibly a well-elaborated legal system with books of law, theological schools, philosophical schools, seminaries, etc.), you may be widespread (but need not be), and you should have a well-developed sense of dual tradition (i.e. versions of the 'orthodox' faith existing alongside folk belief in certain regions). The Bahá'í faith doesn't qualify at all. Even the widespread bit does not, frankly, impress me. It has been artificially generated through planned missionary enterprise, something quite common to a lot of modern religions like the UC, Mormonism, and Jehovah's Witnesses. The Brahma Kumaris movement has over 3000 centres worldwide, close links to the United Nations, a world headquarters, a Global Vision peace project backed by the UN, etc. Yet it only has about 250,000 members. Soka Gakkai, on the other hand, has about 16,000,000 members, branches in 115 countries, an international campaign for peace, a consultative role with the UN, and has only been going since 1930 (but really since 1945). Nowadays, becoming global isn't really that difficult.
I have, let me add, never denied that the status of the Bahá'í Faith in the eyes of believers is that of a world faith. But the idea that Bahá'ísm stands on a par with Christianity etc. is a theological formulation based on the idea that Bahá' Allah is the latest of God's prophets, not an academic calculation based on membership numbers or real social significance. It is precisely because Bahá'ís carry out a sort of deception in this respect that I feel compelled to counter the world religion pose. For example, does anyone know what percentage of the participants or audiences at the Olympic Games were Bahá'ís? I should think it was very few indeed. In which case, why should the Bahá'ís need chaplains more than, say, Sikhs or Transcendental Meditators (4,000,000 worldwide) or devotees of Santeria or Vodoun or Candoble, or lots of other groups? Merely, I imagine, because it's a status thing, and can be put in volumes of the Bahá'í World (or in pamphlets etc.) in order to impress people and enable the self-fulfilling prophecy to go a stage further.
To clarify further. For those of you coming very late to me and my controversies, my use of the term Bahá'ísm is an attempt to introduce to the widest possible use what I see as a neutral term. There is no reason to see it as pejorative, since analogues such as Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Judaism, or, increasingly, Mormonism are value-free. Bahá'í Faith, particularly with a capital 'F' is the official name for the religion, and should only be used in contexts where this is appropriate. This doesn't prevent use of Bahá'í faith, Bahá'í religion, and so on, but it does help avoid the awkwardness of always one phrase.
That makes me wonder if anyone knows what prompted the UHJ in 1966 to change the official name from Bahá'í World Faith to Bahá'í Faith. I seem to remember that the official explanation was that it avoided any confusion as to whether there was more than one BF: but on reflection that seems a very weak reason. Was something else going on then?
Sorry this has become a bit muddled. But it's an interesting topic and worth getting views on.
u/A35821363 — 7 days ago
I had an awesome time at Nats Stadium grabbing a mini Grogu, learning the power of the Dark Side with a Darth Vader selfie, and just made a parody song I hope you enjoy!
u/OfficialDCShepard — 9 days ago
▲ 3 r/Uzbekistan
The outfits on the embassy workers who took a selfie with me my gosh, so PRETTYYYY!
Honestly, this was not on my original itinerary, but Uzbekistan was my favorite part of the whole trip, in no small part due to the fine cultural artifacts on display, and getting to see people with their families connecting with their heritage while nerding out about Central Asian history and learning quite a bit including the history behind the embassy itself, and Abu Rayhan Muhammad Biruni, who apparently *hypothesized the existence* of the Americas!
This includes a woman who brought her American-born daughter who explained what your unique baby crib design was to me, which was so heartwarming.
I have no idea what the name of that bed with a table in the middle is, though, so I figured I’d ask all of you. I would also love to hear your thoughts!
u/OfficialDCShepard — 10 days ago
▲ 9 r/Nationals
A VERY SHORT TIME AGO, IN A BASEBALL STADIUM NOT VERY FAR AWAY FROM A DC METRO STATION…
IT WAS A PERIOD OF LOW SPOONS FOR DC SHEPARD.
After an already whirlwind day visiting four embassies on Saturday, May 2nd, which you can watch here
I could’ve easily called it a day and headed Darth Vader-like for my meditation chamber. Yet even though I’d just been to see a Nationals game two weeks ago, that #babyyoda figurine was calling my name, and I NEEDED to get it for my mom for Mother’s Day.
I finally ignited my lightsaber (NO PUN INTENDED, I SWEAR) and Force pulled myself to a seat at FIS Champion’s Club to beat the heat, film a ton of amazing artifacts and photographs for a team I still love despite their epic failure today against the #milwaukeebrewers and get some steps in between eating some of the best hot dogs I’ve EVER HAD at Ssong’s Hot Dogs.
Fortunately, I had an ally as steadfast as #chewbacca for #hansolo (no physical comparisons implied there!)- my friend’s wife, who was also excited to get that adorable little green guy. Little did I know, however, just how cool my first ever #starwarsday that reminded me why I love both Star Wars and the Nationals was going to be…
Key Points
Star Wars Giveaway & Drinks: The visit begins with securing a Baby Yoda collectible for Mother’s Day (0:10-0:53) and grabbing themed frozen cocktails (0:53-1:17).
- FIS Champions Club Experience: I spend time in the FIS Champions Club, enjoying the air conditioning, free soda, and access to unique baseball history exhibits (1:53-3:35).
- Culinary Adventures: A major highlight is trying Ssong’s Hot Dogs, specifically the Korean-style corn dogs topped with crushed Hot Cheetos, which I highly recommend (4:58-6:57). Additionally, I also got a free one after mistakenly being only given a mozzarella stick instead of a premium half-mozzarella sausage.
- Baseball History & Artifacts: Throughout the game, I explore the club room and hallways to showcase various historical baseball artifacts, including photographs, jerseys, player awards, and the 2019 World Series trophy (8:37-11:02, 18:52-20:26).
- Game Summary: Despite the Washington Nationals facing a tough loss against the Milwaukee Brewers (9:14), I maintain my enthusiasm for the team, the stadium atmosphere, and the history surrounding the franchise (20:26-21:36).
I feel a very similar way regarding Star Wars, so I’ll close with the actual Imperial March!
May the 4th be with you!
u/OfficialDCShepard — 10 days ago
▲ 17 r/assassinscreed
I'd always wanted to play Discovery Tour, but never got around to it after Origins became my first and so far only ever finished Assassin's Creed due to how HUGE these games are lol. Even without doing any of the tours, just picking random landmarks, fast-traveling, and parkouring around, I had a blast doing everything from climbing atop the Great Pyramids to walking alongside crocodiles. That's part of why I love the Assassin's Creed series so much- it really is quite the visually remarkable way to bring people into history, which I did for my 250th video! I'm still processing that that happened over the past two years of History Flights Productions.
Atop the Great Pyramids of Giza, first and foremost!
I love Egyptian civilization so much that I can absolutely do a video essay on the history of Roman Egypt based on key parts of the Discovery Tour, with an analysis of the fall of Egypt in the Arab Conquests also being a key part of my upcoming essay on the Eastern Romans next month. However, unfortunately that was not the reason why I went back to Origins and recorded gameplay of it.
RIP to the Lighthouse of Alexandria
Ever since their founding as the Hidden Ones fighting the Order of the Ancients, the Assassins have kept a Creed that has defined their Order's moral character through millennia- "Nothing is true, and everything is permitted." It always confused me, until I did some research shortly after my online abuser, Wahid Azal, violated the likeness of Ezio Auditore da Firenze to claim the Creed basically makes him immune to accountability, which to me is more like the behavior of the Isu than a supposed anti-colonialist like him.
So, in a video explaining what I'm about at bottom, it made sense to interrogate the philosophy of some of my favorite games while I was playing Origins and analyzing Jewish philosophy that Wahid's antisemitic hatred tries to trivialize by attacking Maimonides. (He was exiled to Egypt so that accidentally became very helpful to my video!) So, I broke down exactly how he twists the message of the Assassin Order for his and his cult's gain (likely without knowing it because he is an idiot who just thought the image made him seem tough, rather than playing and understanding the games or even the movie).
What I wouldn't give to time travel to this harbor!
The Creed warns that you have only yourself to blame for your actions, so you need to choose carefully, because free will, so hard wrested from the control of gods who created us to be slaves, is a net negative if it hurts others along the way. In this case, this includes Wahid possibly friending and messaging with a 12-year-old boy to groom him into his post-Islamic religion the Fatimiya Sufi Order (with the content of the messages unable to be verified, so I do not accuse him of being a pedophile since I can't prove it, but surrounding context such as Wahid accepting a known NAMBLA member into his cult and stating the age of consent in his religion is 11 very concerning.)
The first half of the Maxim, "Nothing is true," suggests that individuals must look past social and religious dogmas to find their own path. By claiming to be the absolute source of divine truth and labeling all dissent as objectively evil, he is operating under a Templar-like mindset: using totalizing dogmas to enforce order and control his reputation. A true adherent to the Creed would acknowledge that their "truth" is subjective; Azal, as described in my other video "The Madness of King WAAAAAAAAHID”, claims to be a Manifestation of God and uses his religious authority to demand absolute submission through vexatious litigation such as copyright claims and anti-stalking orders that have fallen down when they encounter neutral arbiters who do not defer to his delusions.
The Temple at Hermopolis, where I denounced Wahid's condescension towards Jewish philosophy
Wahid Azal has only ever cared about his freedom and uses it as a justification to violate the boundaries and safety of others. This is the antithesis of the Assassin philosophy, which emphasizes the mastership of one's own soul, not the domination of others through harassment. Just like every other power grab of his, this assault on pop culture is meant to aggrandize him and him alone.
I didn't submit this as a linked video even though I tagged it as such because if you just want to say TL:DR, skip all that Internet drama and admire the pretty pictures I took of Egypt, you can, just like how you can ignore the modern storyline (wherever it's going, if anywhere lol) and just roleplay history. Perhaps, when Wahid's historical legacy is in RUINS and he finally faces some consequences in his life or at least requiescats in pace, as shall we all, perhaps then I can just tour ancient Egypt in complete peace.
The Colosseum of Cyrene- love the Roman and Egyptian architecture throughout!
u/OfficialDCShepard — 16 days ago
You’re getting two museums for the price of one with this video, since I totally forgot that the National Portrait Gallery and the Smithsonian American Art Museum share the same building. That price is FREE like all Smithsonian museums, but the Portrait Gallery is right next to the Gallery Place-Chinatown Metro station and is also open until 7 PM, with NO timed passes like other Smithsonian museums. How they arrived at these ideas I have no idea, but it’s all wonderful.
I’d been planning to come here for a while since I was rather concerned about President Trump wanting his own exhibit dedicated to portraits of himself, as part of his autocratic impulse to plaster his name on everything he can before he leaves. However, I was planning on doing that later in May after I went up to New York for my birthday and then came back to DC, because like his other threats to defund the Smithsonian, nothing has happened because the Smithsonian called his bluff and he, to use his favorite phrase, “has no cards.” So, instead of the fear of censorship driving me here, visiting SAAM & Portrait Gallery on Saturday, April 25th was a spur of the moment decision inspired by a friend of mine wanting to meet with me after she went to a vigil for Virginia Giuffre at the German-American Friendship Garden (near the World War II Memorial and Washington Monument). That, and the fact that this museum IS open later worked well with our later start.
I thought this would give us more than enough time to see a large amount of the exhibits. How wrong I was! In the three hours we had before the museums closed, we only managed to cover the first floor of both. That’s because, even with the large amount of renovation going on, both these museums are HUGE, quite possibly one of the largest in DC though I have no data to back that up. They’re both packed wall to wall with awesome artifacts and interesting analysis including from guest writers from The Atlantic, so really you need to make a whole day for this fantastic place, and then get dinner in our excellent Chinatown.
They even have a brilliant courtyard where people were getting their pictures taken for a wedding while dozens of people ate from the amazing café that even has a WINE DISPENSER LMAO! I also met a few cool people who had great questions and comments that reminded me why I talk about history- to be able to share the greatest stories ever told in ways that inspire people to think critically in a time when that is declining. I hope you all get a similar enjoyment out of learning the history of our nation on its 250th birthday through some of its most striking artworks.
u/OfficialDCShepard — 18 days ago