I agree with you all the way. Persecution is always wrong, whether practiced in the name of a country, a religion, or in the case of Iran, a religious country. One type of persecution is only worse than another — and what’s happening in Iran is very bad indeed — in terms of how serious it is. Those Persian Baha’is who don’t hide their faith, who let their light shine in the open, they’re very brave and I admire them. That doesn’t mean I approve of the Baha’i Faith’s treatment of gays, but compared to what’s happening in Iran, that pales into irrelevance.

Brendan

I agree with you all the way. Persecution is always wrong, whether practiced in the name of a country, a religion, or in the case of Iran, a religious country. One type of persecution is only worse than another — and what’s happening in Iran is very bad indeed — in terms of how serious it is. Those Persian Baha’is who don’t hide their faith, who let their light shine in the open, they’re very brave and I admire them. That doesn’t mean I approve of the Baha’i Faith’s treatment of gays, but compared to what’s happening in Iran, that pales into irrelevance.

Brendan

…Because the laws (at least this one) of their country are persecutory, and disregard human conscience. It does not allow students graduate High-School, or enter University if they are known Baha’is. Of course they would have a chance of living a decent life if they remained in the (Baha’i) closet, but no person should be asked or coerced into pretending to be someone or something they’re not.

…Unfortunately, the Baha’i Faith (like all Major Religions) only allows that type of logic to a certain degree. If I were to promote Gay Marriage Rights in a Baha’i context, I may have gotten a “talking to” by one of the institutions and if I kept misbehaving that way, I could have had religious sanctions put upon me. But it’s only wrong when governments persecute religions. It’s not wrong when religions persecute some of its own members. It’s called protecting the community. That seems to be the logic I hear from the Major Religions.

It all goes down to the famous saying, “I hate what you say, but I will die defending your right to say it.”

…Because the laws (at least this one) of their country are persecutory, and disregard human conscience. It does not allow students graduate High-School, or enter University if they are known Baha’is. Of course they would have a chance of living a decent life if they remained in the (Baha’i) closet, but no person should be asked or coerced into pretending to be someone or something they’re not.

…Unfortunately, the Baha’i Faith (like all Major Religions) only allows that type of logic to a certain degree. If I were to promote Gay Marriage Rights in a Baha’i context, I may have gotten a “talking to” by one of the institutions and if I kept misbehaving that way, I could have had religious sanctions put upon me. But it’s only wrong when governments persecute religions. It’s not wrong when religions persecute some of its own members. It’s called protecting the community. That seems to be the logic I hear from the Major Religions.

It all goes down to the famous saying, “I hate what you say, but I will die defending your right to say it.”

I’m not defending the Iranian Government for their actions. I think the Baha’is should be allowed to do what they want. It’s just the double-speak that enrages me. When the Baha’is appeal to peoples’ consciences when they, themselves are persecuted. But when It’s Administration threatens and sanctions some of its own members for misbehaving our saying the wrong things, and then tells its own followers that it was in the best interest of the community–I have to shake my head—because isn’t that what the Iranian Government is saying about the Baha’is themselves?

At any rate, my heart is to those who suffer persecution anywhere, and in this case the Baha’is of Iran. I hope they receive their human rights, and upon receiving them–not persecuting their own members whenever they speak the “wrong” ideas..