Baha’i Justice

The only thing that was said about the Reform Baha’i Faith was the doubts expressed as to whether there really was such an organization apart from Fred himself. Fred has been linked to a number of websites claiming to represent Baha’i sects which in fact no longer exist. Susan

Marcello wrote:
I was once very attracted to the “mainstream” Baha’i Faith, and even attended the local Baha’i center fairly regularly. But the more I learned about the authoritarian structure of the faith, the more disillusioned I became. This lawsuit only confirms to me that something has gone very wrong with the hierarchy of the Baha’i faith. The inspiring message of Baha’u’llah is now subservient to the political dogmatism of a misguided bureaucracy. What a shame.

Unfortunately, I believe you’re right about the “political dogmatism of a misguided bureaucracy.” The good news is that Abdu’l-Baha’s supposed will and testament of 1921 is a fraudulent document, independently judged as such with the scientific methods of forensic science in 1930. Dr. C. Ainsworth Mitchell’s original Report is deposited with the Library of Congress.
Ruth White and Ahamad Sohrab, early reform Bahais during the 1930s and ’40s, wrote several books that fully discuss what went wrong, subverting the universality of Baha’u’llah’s Teachings into a corrupt money and power seeking organization. Their works are also available on the Reform Bahai Faith website.
The sad thing is that most Baha’is have been brainwashed and deceived into believe Shoghi Effendi was appointed by Abdu’l-Baha as a “guardian” and thereby taught not to think and investigate for themselves. As Professor Juan Cole once said, “It’s a perfect racket.”
We must despair, though. God has preserved the knowledge, down through the decades, about what Abdu’l-Baha actually taught, as the Center of the Covenant. His vision is a free and open Bahai Cause, which is still alive, and growing.
Bahai regards, Reform Bahai Faith Frederick.

I was once very attracted to the “mainstream” Baha’i Faith, and even attended the local Baha’i center fairly regularly. But the more I learned about the authoritarian structure of the faith, the more disillusioned I became. This lawsuit only confirms to me that something has gone very wrong with the hierarchy of the Baha’i faith. The inspiring message of Baha’u’llah is now subservient to the political dogmatism of a misguided bureaucracy. What a shame. Marcello

Isn’t the heart of the matter this.
God made a promise to Abraham that His word would be renewed and He would not abandon mankind.

God made a promise to Baha’u’llah. That “this is the day that would not be followed by night”.

Abdul Baha designed the means by which that promise would be fulfilled. The Guardianship being the Promise of God’s ultimate protection of His Word for all mankind. This Promise is to last for 1000 years.

No where in the writings of Abdul Baha or Shogi Effendi were there provisions for an elected body to replace the Guardianship. No where!

The truth is out there. Thanks for reading and I wish you all well.

I want to thank the Chicago Tribune for publishing this story. Janet

Janice wrote:
According to Abdu’l-Baha “religion must be the cause of unity, harmony and agreement among mankind. If it be the cause of discord and hostility, if it leads to sparation and conflict, the absence of religion would be preferable in the world.”

Which is precisely why the fraudulent will and testament of 1921, purported to be Abdu’l-Baha’s, has produced so much suffering and misery as that of husbands and wives required to shun one another over religious “truth” and similar appalling abominations within the Wilmette Baha’i denomination, the vast majority of whom have been deceived into believing it’s a legitimate document.

Dr. C. Ainsworth Mitchell, chief document expert at the British Museum, judged it a fraud in 1930, yet it’s essentially the fraudulent document which is a the core of why the Wilmette Baha’is are suing and seeking to destroy other Bahai denominations. Frederick

Orthodox Baha’is are not starting a new religion. They are only upholding the tenets of the religion revealed by Baha’u’llah. According to Abdu’l-Baha, “As to the most great characteristic of the revelation of Baha’u-llah–a specific teaching not given by any of the Prophets of the past–it is the ordination and appointment of the Center of the Covenant. By this appointment and provision He has safeguarded and protected the religion of God against differences and schisms, making it impossible for any one to create a new sect or faction of belief. To insure unity and agreement He has entered into a Covenant with all the people of the world including the Interpreter and Explainer of His teachings so that no one may interpret or explain the religion of God according to his own view or opinion and thus create a sect founded upon his individual understanding of the divine words.”
The Haifa Baha’i group has deviated from the principles of the faith and created their own Administration minus the Interpreter (Guardian). The Orthodox Baha’is choose to follow the lineal descendents, which brings them to the present Guardian, Joel Bray Marangella. The Orthodox did not stray, it is the others that have created new sects and call themselves Baha’i. Janice

According to Abdu’l-Baha “religion must be the cause of unity, harmony and agreement among mankind. If it be the cause of discord and hostility, if it leads to sparation and conflict, the absence of religion would be preferable in the world.” Janice

In 1966 it was the Remey Baha’is (Under the Hereditary Guardianship) who sued the other Baha’is, not vice versa as you wrote. Frodo

I applaud the Chicago Tribune for allowing their readers to read and decide for themselves what they think about the lawsuit by the Baha’is of Wilmette against other US citizens, which is essentially seeking to deprive other Baha’is of their Constitutional right to religious freedom and conscience.

It should be noted that Judge Amy St Eve, considered an outstanding legal mind by her peers, ruled against the Baha’is of Wilmette in the lower court. In the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, Judge Diane S. Sykes stated to the lawyer for the Wilmette Baha’is that their attempt to deprive other Bahai denominations of essentially their religious freedom and liberty, quote, “Clearly raises some Constitutional concerns.” Similarly, Judge William J. Bauer shared a similar concern when he repeatedly asked the lawyer for the Wilmette Baha’is what would be the outcome for members of the Reform Bahai Faith.

It is fortunate for Bahais of all persuasions, and our country, that we have judges capable of penetrating the obfuscation and going right to the heart of the matter. Anyone interested in hearing Judge Sykes and Judge Bauer’s own recorded words in the Court room may listen to a 3-minute mp3 clip at the following link. http://www.fglaysher.com/bahaicensorship/USCo… (There’s a 30-minute clip also)

Despite the claims of many here, numbers of adherents are not important. The truth is important. Only the individual can decide that for him or herself. Members of the Orthodox Baha’i Faith and other Bahai denominations have followed their consciences and are entitled to their beliefs, before God, and before the legal bar of justice, and woe unto our country should that ever change.

While the Reform Bahai Faith was not a party to the lawsuit, it was slandered or mentioned in court in both lawsuits. Reform Bahais believe the purported will and testament of 1921 is a fraudulent document, despite both Wilmette and Orthodox Baha’is thinking otherwise, and find it sad that the Wilmette Baha’is especially have chosen to sue other denominations, which they also did as early as the 1940s against early Reform Bahais Julie Chanler and Ahmad Sohrab.

To our minds, the oppressive and dictatorial actions they have taken against their own followers for decades, such as requiring or pressuring wives to divorce their husbands (medieval and incredible as it may sound), demonstrates emphatically that they have strayed very from the Example of universality set by Abdu’l-Baha when he was in Chicago in 1912. This lawsuit is merely the latest for those interested enough to examine the truth independently for themselves, via the websites here linked to. Frederick G.

Janice wrote:
Kendra,
This article describes the Orthodox Baha’i as a “tiny band of believers”.
Also, Jesus, at first, had 12 disciples. While their numbers are few, the Orthodox Baha’is try to follow the truth and share it with others. If the numbers are so insignificant, why is the larger group so bent on suing them?

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Read George W D’s comment. Do you know how many sites, holy places, temples and just property in general the Baha’i Faith has? They are trying to protect that. Read. ADV