61. GOD KNOWS, BROWN NOSE

No need to ask who stood before him.

58. WE’RE WORLD FED

Soothing Blue. That’s the name of the business-confidence suit McGuire fastened around himself to cement his public face. As he clicked the outer door closed a copter landed on his lawn. His PA, Tony, lunged gasping from it and scrambled towards him. Unusual.

57. FRIEND OF THE FAITH

Vulnerability

Fifty witches hats. Forty nine hard and crumpled black. One unworn white.

55. COUNTER

“Heartfelt thanks. Mr Erfanian and I wish to extend to you, at the request of the House, our heartfelt thanks.”

53. EVES

Scene 4 – Tears In The Toilet

Wednesday afternoon, March 20th 2030. Park Hyatt hotel, Melbourne CBD.

48. THE APOSTINAL ILLUSION

Just in time

Things aren’t always as they seem. If there are gaps we will gladly fill them in.

18. CBS III – DEVILS, DISSIDENTS AND DRAMA

It Works!

True to previous religious form, from the get-go there were major contests for the hearts and minds of the Bábi and Baha’i faithful. Today there is one solid branch of the Baha’i Faith with six to eight million adherents and a fine World Centre on Mount Carmel in Haifa, Israel. In contrast, there are just a few twigs dotted around the world under alternative Baha’i and Bábi banners. These are the desiccated remnants of lost contests. This is just as imagined in Baha’i scripture! The focus on unity in the lesser covenant must work! As with all sacrifices, it has not been without cost.

17. COVENANT BREAKERS II

God’s Great Covenant With Us

The Baha’i take is that God made a covenant with the followers of all the major prophets of the monotheistic religions; Judaism, Christianity, Islam and the Baha’i Faith (with a bit of Bábi’ism thrown in beforehand). God promised to provide continuing guidance to humanity; the followers promised to obey God’s teaching as defined by the current prophet and then to obey the next prophet when he appeared as prophesied. Those who shelter under the umbrella of non-monotheistic religions and philosophies are not exempt, it’s the same sun. God made similar covenants with their prophet founders whether they know it or whether they know their prophet.

13. THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE

On a trip to Israel you might decide to cross Haifa Bay by boat, not on foot because how could you? And then you may wish to walk towards the beautiful Ben Gurion Boulevard. From there, you’d see straight up the slopes of the famous Mount Carmel.

 

Dominating and dug into that mountain, if a wee bit lopsided, is the Baha’i World Centre with its fabulous terraced gardens and imposing Greek-styled buildings. This is the headquarters of the Baha’i Faith.

12. THE BIG STACK FOLDS

Mark McGuire sat in his office regurgitating his conversation with Behzad Rezvani. Somewhat agitated and uncomfortable.

 

Rezvani had paid five hundred thousand to make sure McGuire had heard his proposal. A proposal that began with an attempt at censorship and legal threat; continued by desperately trying to get a trump card over other bidders; and finished with an out and out personal bribe.