Comments on: Full Movie: Baha’is In My Backyard

By: Jerry

Jerry — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 17:42:00 +0000

I am a Baha’i, but I am speaking here as an individual..not for the institution. I thought the movie explored all the most recent paranoia and conspiracy theories very well from the perspective of non-Baha’is. It was definitely not about the spiritual message of the Baha’i Faith and it did not get much into the counter-claims of people the Baha’is consider “Covenant Breakers” because that was not what it was about. –Unfortunately, if you wish to believe conspiracies exist, no logical presentation of information will convince you. You see that in the end. I can say with some certitude that the investigators here did their research well. The movie showed that the Baha’is interviewed were cautious in responding because they’ve had to deal with all sorts of crazies attacking the Faith before. The movie also showed that the Baha’is had nothing to hide and when asked properly, presented all the facts available. Do you think many other religious organizations would have granted so many high level interviews or sent someone of such high stature to explain to an aspirant why he couldn’t join? I found it humerous–being a Baha’i–that the dishonest attempt to pretend to be a Baha’i in order to sneak into the World Center was foiled right away by Baha’u'llah’s injunction. How’s that for a Messenger of God’s foresight?

By: Jijij

Jijij — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:38:00 +0000

thanks

By: Outsider

Outsider — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 10:00:00 +0000

Reaction: Bravo!

By: Franceswind

Franceswind — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 20:12:00 +0000

I was generally aware of this discussion back in 2007 but didn’t follow it too closely. Thus I never noticed the tablet translated by Wahid (Nima).

In it Baha’u'llah indicates another personage to follow Abdu’l-Baha and Shoghi Effendi:

And after the branches, for the pious servant present in front of this throne, [we have made] an elevated station

By: Desir0101

Desir0101 — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 11:38:00 +0000

”But implementing the law immediately without thought to the consequences to the thousands of families who had converted from Islam would have been simply devastating.” according to your reasoning,
Islam specify not more than four wives.
And Aqdas mention not more than two,
so what about those by that time having more than two wives(polygamy) and become Bahai, was it not ”simply devastating” to them.

From these words from the Aqdas (Beware ye take unto yourselves more
wives than two) could help these people.

By: Desir0101

Desir0101 — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 09:54:00 +0000

In reply to Baquia.
Even if the Aqdas have mentioned just monogamy, this would have make no difference as oppose to what you stated “”converted from Islam would have been simply devastating”" because many decades after that this “monogamy “law was enforced.

And it was made clear by that time that those who are already living a polygamous life should continued to do so.

Even to day if such polygamous family would join the faith, there no problem, they can continued to do so.

I personally believe, that the Aqdas have laid emphasis on the right to have two wives..

And tranquility with one wife come on the second plan.

But something ridiculous, when you accept the Bahai faith freely and the Bahai marriage ceremony is imposed on you with the risk that your voting right be suppressed.

I call this dictatorship.

I am right Iam wrong .
I don’t know.

By: Desir0101

Desir0101 — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 16:04:00 +0000

Hi Craig,
The Faith is like a body without a soul.

Surely there is something wrong somewhere.

And thanks a lot Baquia for your reply.

I got through these texts and different person and institution have different views on the concept of Infallibility

Father said yes,Son said no, grandson said yes and then latter denied.

A simple e.g.

Shoghi effendi Denied categorically the practice of polygamy by the muslims in His letter dated 29 jan. 1939. and knew quite well that His Grandfather practiced same.

And there are several examples like that.

So, I will not further my discussion .

Thanks to every body.

By: Baquia

Baquia — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 14:18:00 +0000

Basically, there are levels. The highest is any text which was written or authored. The next is through a secretary which was then approved. And then there are speeches, pilgrims notes, etc.

Infallibility itself is a sticky wicket and usually misunderstood. Most Baha’is, to be safe, take it to the nth degree but it is in reality much more nuanced. The infallibility that Baha’u'llah claimed is quite different than that of Abdul-Baha and Shoghi Effendi or the UHJ. As well, Shoghi Effendi made nor abrogated laws – the the Guardianship and the UHJ have two separate and distinct spheres of authority.

Personally I can’t square the flexibility that was inherently built into the Guardianship with the ossified and artificial one that we have now. But that unfortunately is the way it is and there really is no way out of it.

The role of the Guardian was to be a presence along with the UHJ. In fact, he was/is a permanent (not voted) member of the UHJ. We also have multiple references to the institutions with the plural, guardians – referring to future ones.

If you are going to take the writing of one person and treat the writing as if it were the institution itself, then we could very well take all the writing of the UHJ and say for example, we don’t need to elect the UHJ anymore! We can just refer to all of that voluminous writing we already have.

Obviously this is childish and nonsensical. The difference of course is that according to the Baha’i administrative order we can elect UHJ members whereas we can not appoint Guardians. That ship has sailed. But this is a huge topic. One that I’ve been thinking about writing for far too long.

Also, Sen would be able to help you further if you’re interested since he’s written about various parts of this discussion in his blog.

By: Craig Parke

Craig Parke — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 11:46:00 +0000

“If you are going to take the writing of one person and treat the writing as if it were the institution itself, then we could very well take all the writing of the UHJ and say for example, we don’t need to elect the UHJ anymore! We can just refer to all of that voluminous writing we already have.”

We don’t because that is exactly what has happened. The Faith, therefore, is completely dead in the water as a consequence. It is now a straight jacket and the world will now completely pass it by. There is no way out of this bind. The Divine Powers of the new unfolding World Age have going to others. As far as the Baha’i Faith is concerned, Elvis has left the building.