Fazel Naghdy

Philippe Codognet

Naoko Tosa

Ryohei Nakatsu

Welcome to the Second International IFIP Entertainment Computing Symposium on st Cultural Computing (ECS 2010), which was part of the 21 IFIP World Computer Congress, held in Brisbane, Australia during September 21–23, 2010. On behalf of the people who made this conference happen, we wish to welcome you to this inter- tional event. The IFIP World Computer Congress has offered an opportunity for researchers and practitioners to present their findings and research results in several prominent areas of computer science and engineering. In the last World Computer Congress, WCC 2008, held in Milan, Italy in September 2008, IFIP launched a new initiative focused on all the relevant issues concerning computing and entertainment. As a - sult, the two-day technical program of the First Entertainment Computing Symposium (ECS 2008) provided a forum to address, explore and exchange information on the state of the art of computer-based entertainment and allied technologies, their design and use, and their impact on society. Based on the success of ECS 2008, at this Second IFIP Entertainment Computing Symposium (ECS 2010), our challenge was to focus on a new area in entertainment computing: cultural computing.

Second IFIP TC 14 Entertainment Computing Symposium, ECS 2010, Held as Part of WCC 2010, Brisbane, Australia, September 20-23, 2010, Proceedings

Cultural Computing

A journey through the Book of CertitudeThe Kitáb-i-Íqán is one of the most important Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, the Founder of the Bahá'í Faith. Bahá'u'lláh revealed this book within the space of two days and two nights, in the last years of His stay in Baghdád (AH 1278—AD 1862). According to Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith, The Kitáb-i-Íqán sets “forth in outline the Grand Redemptive Scheme of God” and it “occupies a position unparalleled by any work in the entire range of the Bahá'í literature, except The Kitáb-i-Aqdas Bahá'u'lláh's Most Holy Book.”This current book is a record of the journey that the author has taken through The Kitáb-i-Íqán over a period of 12 years. It is not an interpretation or a critical analysis of the content of the book. Neither does it provide any personal opinion. It primarily guides reader through a systematic study of the Íqán while providing some background information on topics raised by Bahá'u'lláh in each paragraph. It is called a tutorial as it attempts to simulate, as much as possible, the tutor-tutored relationship in a self-paced personal study. All the references in the tutorial are sourced either from authoritative Bahá'í materials or obtained from other reliable sources.The 290 paragraphs of The Kitáb-i-Íqán are apportioned for study to 58 chapters. The size and complexity of each chapter reflects the content and intricacy of the issues addressed in the paragraphs included therein. Each chapter starts with an introduction that highlights the key ideas. Then in a coherent manner, background information on the terminologies, references and mystical concepts inherent in each paragraph is provided. The tutorial covers the 266 topics embedded in The Kitáb-i-Íqán.

A Journey Through the Book of Certitude

A Tutorial on the Kitab-i-iqan

Exploring the fundamental verities of the Bahá'í FaithShoghi Effendi states that the first duty, and the focus of sustained efforts, of every faithful follower of the Bahá'í Faith is to strive to acquire a more adequate understanding of the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh. Although a full comprehension of such a Revelation is beyond the limits of our understanding, a clearer understanding of its basic truths will empower us to derive fresh inspiration and to gain further spiritual nourishment, which in turn will support and maintain our services to the Cause (Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 100).Shoghi Effendi wrote “The Dispensation of Bahá'u'lláh” in 1934 in the form of a letter addressed to the Bahá'ís of the West to assist them to fulfil the obligation of deepening their understanding. The letter was published together with a selection of his other letters in 1938 in the book entitled The World Order of Bahá'u'lláh. “The Dispensation of Bahá'u'lláh” provides an accurate and clear description of the fundamental verities of the Bahá'í Faith concerning the station of its Central Figures as well as the twin crowning institutions of the Guardianship and the Universal House of Justice. Grasping and upholding these verities will enrich the spiritual life of the individual.This tutorial is designed to assist you in studying and assimilating the content of “The Dispensation of Bahá'u'lláh”. It is called a tutorial to emphasize the concept underlying its development. In a tutorial, a tutor facilitates learning for an individual or a small group. This book has been designed and developed to simulate, as much as possible, the tutor-tutored relationship in a self-paced personal study.The tutorial identifies the main themes covered in Shoghi Effendi's letter and splits related paragraphs into chapters. Hence, the 130 paragraphs of “The Dispensation of Bahá'u'lláh” are apportioned for study across 27 chapters. The size and complexity of each chapter reflects the content and intricacy of the issues addressed in the paragraphs included therein. The title chosen for each chapter reflects the main theme covered in the paragraphs.In addition, two extra chapters address those questions that arose following the sudden passing of Shoghi Effendi and the lack of any lineal descendant to succeed him as the next Guardian. The first chapter explores the possible reasons that Shoghi Effendi did not leave a will nor appoint a successor. The second chapter examines the defection of Charles Mason Remey after the passing of Shoghi Effendi, and his unsubstantiated claim to the Guardianship.

Fazel Naghdy

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