A Canadian Baha’i reflects on conflict and division from Haifa

TV producer Mary Darling shares a fresh perspective on geopolitics—less than 50 km from the Lebanese border.
Mary Darling, an executive producer on the sitcom "Little Mosque on the Prairie", at the Baha'i Gardens in Acre, Israel. (Photo by Bre Vader)

While Israel remains on the brink of war with Lebanon in the north, one of the country’s most iconic sites—the famous Baha’i Gardens and shrine—sit less than an hour away. That a religion based on unity among humankind, which views all religions and tribes as branches from the same tree, should have its headquarters so close to a warzone is tragically ironic.

The irony is not lost on Mary Darling, a Canadian TV producer of Baha’i faith and longtime friend of Not That Kind of Rabbi host Ralph Benmergui. During these tense times, Ralph wanted to speak to spiritual people outside the Jewish community to learn their perspective on religion, peace and conflict. Can the world transition from creeping nationalism to a global community? Can the United Nations play a role in global governance? Or is all this just a cute idea from an offbeat peacenik group of people? Mary Darling joins to discuss the issue directly from Haifa, where she was visiting the Baha’i headquarters.

Credits

  • Host: Ralph Benmergui
  • Producer: Michael Fraiman
  • Music: Yevhen Onoychenko

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