Baha’i Leaders and Violence: Abdu’l-Baha the Face Slapper

When Baha’is preach their beliefs, the audience are induced into believing that Baha’ism is a peaceful religion refraining from all forms of violence. In the current article, using historical evidence from trusted Baha’i eyewitnesses, we will show that this is simply not the case and Abdu’l-Baha was a violent person who would routinely slap people. 

One of the key witnesses to these acts is Khalil Shahidi who was born in Akka and was a trusted companion of Abdu’l-Baha and other Baha’i leaders for about forty years. According to the famous Baha’i translator Ahang Rabbani:

“As a trusted resident believer of ‘Akká and a longtime custodian of the House of ‘Abbúd, he was at a unique vantage point to observe ‘Abdu’l-Bahá as He dealt, neutralized and triumphed over all opposition and adversaries.” (Ahang Rabbani, A Lifetime with `Abdu'l-Bahá: Reminiscences of Khalíl Shahídí, p.3)

Khalili narrates many violent acts from Abdu’l-Baha. In one instance a question is met not with an answer, but a slap:

One day in the birúní[outer section] of the blessed House of Haifa, He [‘Abdu’l-Bahá] stated, “I have forgotten my handkerchief.” One of the friends who was known as Ustád Muhammad-‘Alí Banná, remarked to this effect, “How is it possible for the manifestation of Truth to forget anything?” Immediately, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá slapped him and stated, “Over forgetting a handkerchief that man puts a hundred souls to test.” (Ahang Rabbani, A Lifetime with `Abdu'l-Bahá: Reminiscences of Khalíl Shahídí, pp. 100-101)

In another instance he states that a certain person who opposes him needs a slap. The man mysteriously dies the next day:

One of the inhabitants of ‘Akká was exhibiting great opposition. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá stated, “He needs a slap.” Next day that person died. It was said to His blessed presence, “He received his slap,” but He did not respond. (Ahang Rabbani, A Lifetime with `Abdu'l-Bahá: Reminiscences of Khalíl Shahídí, p. 41)

In yet another incident a man asks Abdu’l-Baha for a bribe. He receives a beating instead:

Thereupon, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá sought water to perform His ablution. With the utmost deliberation, He completed His ablution and then commenced to perform the long obligatory prayer of the Muslims. During His prayer, the man kept interrupting, “This matter must

be concluded quickly, as there is little time!” Meaning that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá should end His obligatory prayer and attend to this urgent matter. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá finished His prayer, with the utmost dignity and authority He came close to him and slapped him several times, saying, “I sent it for you.” With great stress and anxiety, never having imagined such an outcome, he held his face and head, and shouting, screaming and roaring, he returned to the government office and informed his comrades of what had transpired. (Ahang Rabbani, A Lifetime with `Abdu'l-Bahá: Reminiscences of Khalíl Shahídí, p. 116)

This story has been narrated from Abdu’l-Baha by multiple witnesses. For instance, Doctor Habib Mu’ayyad a member of the National Spiritual Assemblies of Iran and a frequent visitor of Abdu’l-Baha narrates it like this:

‘Hurry, Effendi, it is best not to delay this matter!’ I asked, ‘Which matter?’ He replied, ‘The issue of the money!’ ‘The money was sent a while ago. Why are you here?’ I told him. ‘How was it sent? By whom was it sent?’ he inquired. I said, ‘By now it has reached the Mutasarrif. Go quickly!’ He rose and began to put on his shoes; and, when he turned back towards Me, I slapped him hard and was about to slap him again, but he fled and went to the Mutasarrif who had inquired, ‘Why did it take you so long? Where is the money?’ He replied, ‘By God, I went to them, but all I received was a hard beating. Look, my face is still quite red! These people are very tough!’ (Ahang Rabbani, Eight Years Near Abdu'l-Bahā: The Diary of Dr. Habib Mu'ayyad, p. 431)

Khalili narrates another story about a group of people who were harassing the Baha’is of Egypt:

During the blessed days of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, a person in Egypt was the leader of a band of men, and would provoke these men against the Bahá’ís of Egypt, and for this reason had brought about difficulties. One day that same person arrived in Haifa from Egypt. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá summoned him. After the man entered into ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s presence, He said to him, “You are causing injury to my community.” Then he was the recipient of warnings, admonishments and several slaps. After he left [the room], immediately he was summoned once more. He thought to himself that perchance the page had turned [and this time ‘Abdu’l-Bahá would be friendly to him], but it was not so since upon his entrance, one more time, the same thing occurred and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá picked up where He had left off. When this man returned to Egypt, he gave unequivocal, emphatic and decisive command to that band and emphasized, “You should not show any malice towards this community [i.e. Bahá’ís], as no one can defeat their Chief [‘Abdu’l-Bahá]; He is most powerful and able.” (Ahang Rabbani, A Lifetime with `Abdu'l-Bahá: Reminiscences of Khalíl Shahídí, p. 127)

So how does Abdu’l-Baha justify his actions? Khalili continues:

One time, He [‘Abdu’l-Bahá] stated, “With some people, a thousand counsels and admonishments would not have the same effect as a slap.” (Ahang Rabbani, A Lifetime with `Abdu'l-Bahá: Reminiscences of Khalíl Shahídí, p. 128)

Many people who commit violent acts utter similar arguments, so what advantage does Baha’ism have over other opinions and why all the commotion about Baha’is being peaceful and refraining from physical abuse? Matters don’t finish here. In fact Abdu’l-Baha had hit people in different shapes and forms innumerable times. This is what Khalili tells us directly after the previous quote:

 At all events, in different forms and taking

different shapes, many such occurrences would take place – so many that they remain unnumbered and uncountable. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, while extremely meek, was the zenith of power and grandeur. (Ahang Rabbani, A Lifetime with `Abdu'l-Bahá: Reminiscences of Khalíl Shahídí, p. 128)

Can Baha’i leaders be considered peaceful non-violent people? How can the leader of a group of people who cannot abide by his own words and the orders of his father be considered a teacher of morals and peace? Apparently, when Baha’u’llah had prohibited conflicts and striking others, he was giving orders to everyone but his own beloved son:

Ye have been forbidden in the Book of God to engage in contention and conflict, to strike another, or to commit similar acts whereby hearts and souls may be saddened. (Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, pp. 72-73) 

How can someone who has a reputation of having slapped different people innumerable times, condemn violent acts:

“In this, the cycle of Almighty God, violence and force, constraint and oppression, are one and all condemned.” (Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 149)

The Quran and the Bible condemn this attitude:

Do you order the people to do good but forget about yourselves whilst you read the Book! Do you not use your reason! (Quran 2:44)

You, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? (Romans 2:21-22)

And why isn’t the true violent face of Abdu’l-Baha ever shown to those being preached about Baha’ism?

Source : http://www.avazedohol.com/eng/index.php/articles?id=88

Abdu’l-Baha and Instant Karma: People Who Live in Glass Houses Shouldn't Throw Stones

Subh-i-Azal

In this article, we will examine a severe case of Instant Karma suffered by Abdu’l-Baha. The incident occurs when Abdu’l-Baha is bashing his father’s half-brother, Mirza Yahya Subh-i Azal, for making a minor mistake when citing verse 21:52 of the Quran. This is the verse:

Original Arabic:ما هذِهِ التَّماثيلُ الَّتي‏ أَنْتُمْ لَها عاكِفُونَ

Translation: “what are these statues/images that you are worshipping”

Transliteration: "mā hādhihī l-tamāthīl al-latī antum lahā `ākifūn"

Now the story: Abdu’l-Baha utters the following statement when criticizing Mirza Yahya:

«از جمله از شخص مجهول (منظور میرزا یحی صبح ازل است) نوشته‌ای به خطّ دست او داشتند، آیه مبارکه قرآن «ما هذه التّماثیل الّتی انتم علیها عاکفون» را عافکون نوشته بود و الآن در نزد میرزا یحیی قزوینی موجود است. ملاحظه فرمائید که مقتدای این قوم عاکف را از عافک فرق نمی‌دهد و چگونه آیه صریحه کتاب اللّه را به خطّ خویش تحریف می‌نماید.» (عبدالبهاء، منتخباتی از مکاتیب حضرت عبدالبهاء، شماره 430)

“He had written the blessed verse of the Quran ‘what are these statues/images that you are worshipping’ (mā hādhihī l-tamāthīl al-latī antum `alayhā `ākifūn) [and had written the last word] as `āfikūn and the [text] is in the possesion of Mīrzā Yaḥyā Qazwīnī. Pay attention that the leader of this group cannot make a distinction between `ākif and `āfik and he distorts the evident verse of the Book of God in his own handwriting!”

(Abdu’l-Baha, Muntakhabātī az makātīb Ḥaḍrat `Abdu’l-Bahā [Selections from the Letters of Abdu’l-Baha], vol. 6, no. 430) The original Farsi text can be found here: http://reference.bahai.org/download/swa6-fa-pdf.zip

Now, the moment of instant Karma. Pay attention to how Abdu’l-Baha writes the verse (shown in red) and compare with the original:

mā hādhihī l-tamāthīl al-latī antum lahā `ākifūn (original)

mā hādhihī l-tamāthīl al-latī antum `alayhā `ākifūn (Abdu’l-Baha version)

Abdu’l-Baha distorts the same verse that he was bashing Mirza Yahya for distorting! He uses the word `alayhā  (over) instead of the word lahā (for). Would Baha’is feel good if we use Abdu’l-Bahas own words to describe him for distorting this verse of the Quran:

“Pay attention that the leader of this group cannot make a distinction between `ākif lahā and `āfik `alayhā and he distorts the evident verse of the Book of God in his own handwriting!”

To make matters worse, both Baha’u’llah and Abdu’l-Baha have made numerous mistakes and distortions when citing verses of the Quran. Baha’u’llah’s original version of the book of Iqan contained many such distortions that were fixed in later versions of the book (Yes in Baha’ism Gods words are edited and updated everytime someone finds an error in them) and many of Abdu’l-Baha’s tablets contain such distortions. There are even instances where completely new statements are created and then put forward by Abdu’l-Baha as being verses from the Quran. A large number of these distortions have been documented in the book: Twelve Principles: A Comprehensive Investigation on the Baha’i Teachings, Chapter 4, Section: 6-The Bāb, Bahā’u’llāh, and `Abdu’l-Bahā’s Religious Knowledge, subsections: b- Bahā’u’llāh’s Religious Knowledge and c- `Abdu’l-Bahā’s Religious Knowledge (download from here).

No the story doesn’t end here. Abdu’l-Baha continues the aforementioned quote like this:

«رغماً عن انفه از قلمش این خطّ صادر تا واضح شود که رئیس اهل تحریف است و زعیم اهل جحیم. بعضی از تابعین آن مجهول با وجود آنکه به رأی العین این را مشاهده  نمودند باز بیدار نشدند تا ثابت کردند که همج رعاع اتباع کلّ ناعق یمیلون بکلّ ریح هستند»

“This writing has been unwillingly inscribed by his pen so that it becomes evident that he is the chief of the distorters and the leader of those who are in Hell. Some of the followers of that unknown person [1]—even though they saw this [distortion] with there own eyes—didn’t wake up and proved that they were lowly flies that followed any caller and bended with any breeze.”

How would Baha’is react if we use the exact same reasoning and words to refer to Baha’u’llah and Abdu’l-Baha who have distorted numerous verses of the Quran, and the Baha’is who don’t wake up and follow them?

Oh and these not-so-loving, kind, and polite statements were uttered by the same Abdu’l-Baha who would continuously preach:

“So far as ye are able, ignite a candle of love in every meeting, and with tenderness rejoice and cheer ye every heart. Care for the stranger as for one of your own; show to alien souls the same loving kindness ye bestow upon your faithful friends. Should any come to blows with you, seek to be friends with him; should any stab you to the heart, be ye a healing salve unto his sores; should any taunt and mock at you, meet him with love. Should any heap his blame upon you, praise ye him; should he offer you a deadly poison, give him the choicest honey in exchange; and should he threaten your life, grant him a remedy that will heal him evermore. Should he be pain itself, be ye his medicine; should he be thorns, be ye his roses and sweet herbs. Perchance such ways and words from you will make this darksome world turn bright at last; will make this dusty earth turn heavenly, this devilish prison place become a royal palace of the Lord—so that war and strife will pass and be no more, and love and trust will pitch their tents on the summits of the world. Such is the essence of God’s admonitions; such in sum are the teachings for the Dispensation of Bahá.” (Abdu’l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu’l-Baha, p.34)

“There is nothing more frightful than ignorance in action.”
             ― Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Collected Works

[1] ‘unknown person’ is a reference to Mirza Yahya. The Arabic word used is majhūl which literally means unknown and was probably used by Abdu’l-Baha to degrade him, or it could be that Abdu’l-Baha had intended to say jāhil which means ignorant.

Source : http://www.avazedohol.com/eng/index.php/articles?id=87

Descendents of US Presidents working for Bahaism

US Ambassador to Israel, Daniel Shapiro with Secretary-General of the Baha’i International Community
Mr. Albert Lincoln who is a direct descendent of the third President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson, and a more distant relative of the sixteenth, Abraham Lincoln.

Bahá'í International Community Deputy Secretary-General Sarah Vader and
Jerusalem Representative Kern Wisman who is a direct descendant of US presidents William Henry and Benjamin Harrison

Abdul Baha : The humiliation of Jews will continue forever....

A Jew in Hrubieszow is humiliated & his beard cut off.
Photo : www.holocaustresearchproject.org

When you [the Jewish people] glorify and honor the memory of Christ, rest assured that the Christians will take your hands in real fellowship. All difficulty, hesitancy and restraint will vanish. Consider the troubles and persecutions heaped upon you in Russia for your fanaticism of unbelief. And you must not think that this is ended.

This humiliation will continue forever. The time may come when in Europe itself they will arise against the Jews. But your declaration that Christ was the Word of God will end all such trouble. My advice is that in order to become honorable, protected and secure among the nations of the world, in order that the Christians may love and safeguard the Israelitish people, you should be willing to announce your belief in Christ, the Word of God. This is a complete statement; there is nothing more. Is it not thoughtless, ignorant prejudice which restrains you from doing so? Declare that, verily, the Word of God was realized in Him, and all will be right.

(The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by 'Abdu'l-Bahá during His Visit to the United States and Canada in 1912 rev. ed. (Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1982), p. 414)

Shoghi Effendi : Baha'is should discontinue observing holidays as Christmas and New Years

A worker puts the finishing touches on a display of a Christmas tree, a crescent, and a menorah at the main traffic circle in front of the Bahai Gardens in Haifa for the Festival of Festivals, December 2014. (photo credit: Melanie Lidman/Times of Israel)

Baha'is to celebrate Christmas in Haifa, Israel.

Although Shoghi Effendi Said :

“As regards the celebration of the Christian Holiday by the believers; it is surely preferable and even highly advisable that the friends should in their relation to each other discontinue observing such holidays as Christmas and New Years, and to have their festival gatherings of this nature instead during the Intercalary Days and Naw-Rúz….”  

http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/se/DG/dg-98.htm

Abdul Baha's funeral was carried out by Muslim rites!

Abdu'l-Baha's Islamic Funeral at Mount Carmel !

By Brent Poirier

In the Holy Land during the lifetime of both Baha'u'llah and Abdu'l-Baha, the Baha'i Faith was not yet recognized as an independent Faith with its own Prophet and Book and laws. (Actually Baha'is were concealing their faith in Palestine)

All ceremonies had to be conducted in accordance with Muslim, Christian or Jewish law, and by clergy of those faiths. I recently learned that the first Baha'i funeral in the Holy Land was the funeral of Mirza Muhsin, who had been married to one of Abdu'l-Baha's daughters. He died during the ministry of Shoghi Effendi. Up to that point, Baha'i funerals were conducted in accordance with (Sunni) Muslim rites, as that was the most recent of the divine revelations. For Mirza Muhsin's funeral, Shoghi Effendi informed the Mufti of Akka -- the leading Muslim clergyman -- that he would not have any role in Mirza Muhsin's funeral, which was conducted at Bahji. At one point during the ceremony the mufti stood up, and Shoghi Effendi pointed at him and told him to sit down. But up to that point, Baha'is had no choice. There was no such thing as a civil funeral, and until the time when the British governed the Holy Land, the Baha'i Faith was not recognized as an independent Faith there. Recognition by the authorities is a gradual process. Likewise the establishment of Baha'i cemeteries in the Holy Land was a gradual process. There are now 4 of them available for burials: One in Haifa at the foot of Mount Carmel, close by the Jewish Cave of Elijah; one near the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee; one in Jerusalem; and one in Eilat. These were gradually established.

Abdul Baha asks Manchester Baha'is to conceal their beliefs and act like Freemasons!

October 1921

In the Name of God!
O Sincere Servant of the Blessed Beauty!

Your detailed letter has been received, and has been the cause of the utmost joy and gladness. Praise be to God! The loved ones are all astir and active, but prudence is necessary. You have rent the veil too widely asunder. Explain to the loved ones that the rending of the veil to such an extent will be the cause of great agitation, and the harm thereof will reach to the Holy Land. Great caution is necessary. Discourses in churches and great public gatherings are in no wise permitted as in this place enemies, within and without, are lying in wait and are bent on aggression. Prudence requires that activity should, for the present, be concealed and carried on with the utmost moderation. Convey to the loved ones, one and all, on my behalf, the greatest longing, love and kindness. Give a spiritual message from me to Mr. Healds and say unto him: “Peruse the Gospel, how His Holiness Christ – may my life be a sacrifice to Him – says, ‘Conceal it, that the Pharisees may not be informed thereof.’ Now the same condition prevails.”

This matter is of the greatest importance. On no account let them contribute articles to the newspapers, and so long as they are not sure of any soul, let them breath no word to him. Consider how the Freemasons have for two hundred years carried on their work, and unto this day they have not openly declared it to any soul. Not until they find a hearing ear will they speak. The loved ones too must proceed with the greatest prudence, lest serious difficulties be created. If any one should travel to the Holy Land, he must on no account declare to anyone by the way that his purpose is to visit us. The loved ones must, in the presence of strangers, speak forth simply the teachings of the Blessed Beauty and mention no word of the belief concerning Him. Should anyone inquire, “What is your belief regarding the Blessed Beauty?” let them answer: “We regard Him as the foremost teacher and educator of these later ages and Abdu’l-Baha as the Centre of His Covenant.”

http://senmcglinn.wordpress.com/2014/08/31/undercover-bahais-abdul-baha-tells-the-manchester-bahais-to-lay-low/

Dr. Dhabih'u'llah Qurban

Bahá'í ties to Freemasonry

Baha'is also had ties with Freemasonry. Freemasonry was brought to Iran by Iranians who had seen the movement in other parts of the world.

Dr. Dhabih Qurban, was a well-known Iranian Bahá'í and also a Freemason. Moojan Momen tried to refute that no Baha'is were linked to the Freemasonry but his refutation with poor references has no value as the prominent Iranian Historian Abdollah Shahbazi has given numerous references that not only Dhabih Qurban but many other Baha'is were also active Freemasons.

See : Secret Societies in Contemporary Iran - Part 3 (Persian)


More about Dhabih Qurban : http://specialforce.blogfa.com/post-31.aspx

Baha'is on Wikipedia state that "The teachings of the Baha'i Faith expressly forbid membership in secret societies. Shoghi Effendi, the head of the Bahá'í Faith in the first half of the 20th century, asked all Bahá'ís to remove their memberships from all secret societies, including the Freemasons, so that they can serve the teachings of the Bahá'í Faith without compromising their independence."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_accusations_against_the_Baha%27i_Faith#cite_note-momenjournal-22

If some earlier Baha'is were not the members of Secret Societies then whom did Shoghi Effendi gave orders to remove their memberships?

An open Letter to National Commission for Minorities, India.

This is a reply to the article published in the "INDIAN EXPRESS" on November 22, 2014.

The article is as under :

November 22, 2014

Baha'is demand minority status in India

Written by Abantika Ghosh | New Delhi | Posted: November 22, 2014 5:00 am   

Less than a year after the UPA government declared Jains as a minority community, the Bahai community has reignited its demand for the status. The community much like the Jains is affluent, but it asserts that the status is a matter of recognition rather than plea for help.

Bahai representatives had met Minority Affairs Minister Najma Heptulla in this regard and she, it was learnt, referred the matter to the National Commission for Minorities. The matter was also taken up by the NCM in more than one meeting, but the commission felt that it did not have enough data on the socio-economic condition of the community to make a concrete recommendation. It is now for the Ministry of Minority Affairs to take a call. There are around two million Bahais in India and the community is perhaps best known for the Lotus Temple. The religion traces its roots to Iran — the birthplace of Bahaullah, its prophet.

The issue of minority status for the Bahai community in India was first raised in 2004.

The Bahais had approached the UPA government in January this year immediately after the Jain community was designated as the sixth minority. They then took the matter up with the NDA government in August. The NCM considered the demand over several meetings in September and October.

“The commission deliberated on the issue, but felt that we did not have enough data to decide either way. We had asked for more information from the community and they did submit some… But, that was not enough for the commission,” said a source in NCM.

The spokesperson for the Bahai community, meanwhile, maintains that minority status is a matter of recognition and the community is not looking for scholarships and other support from the government. “The Bahai community does not accept money from others. That is why we do not charge an entry fee at Lotus Temple where we get 16,000 visitors a day… Even Jains did not require the government support but they were granted the status,” said Nilakshi Rajkhowa, an official at the office of public affairs in the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahais.

There are around 2 million Bahais in India.
______________________________________________

An open Letter to the National Commission for Minorities, India.

Dear Sir/s,

This is with reference to the above news that was Published in the Indian Express.

Sir, Baha'is are very well know for their dubious nature. They have always acted as Hypocrites and always exploited the innocent nature of people throughout the world.

Their hypocrisy is no more hidden and here are some examples for you to see before your esteemed commission make any decision regarding this case.

The official Indian Baha’i site ( www.bahai.in ) is actually misleading its visitors. They claim to be a 2.2 million strong community in India alone, which is obviously bogus and false. There are some real problems with the calculation of Baha'i population. I had my own doubts and questions about the reported numbers and wondered to what extent the teachings of the Faith had any real impact upon people in rural areas who had reportedly become Baha'is in such large numbers. One when looks at the Baha’i census of India whom Baha’i claims have largest number of Baha’is, immediately one will understand that there are three types of Baha’i census.

All official.

1-Bahai Census projected by Baha’i Administration through their websites.
They project about 2.2 million Baha’is in India.
Ref: (1) http://bahai.in/

2-Bahai Census projected by Baha’i Administration in their newsletters and Annual Reports.
Here they are of the opinion that there are hundred thousand Baha’is.
[Ref: (2) Annual Report Ridvan 165 B.E. 2007-2008 ]

3-Bahai Census given by Government of India in their official census report.
However, the official census of Government of India has something else to offer.

Official census of The Government of India

A-Census of 1991
The official Census of Government of India taken in 1991 puts Baha’i population as 5,575 (2,966 men and 2,609 women)
[Ref: (3) Indian Census Returns, 1991, for the Baha'is of India.]

B-Census of 2001
The official Census of Government of India taken in 2001 puts Baha’i population as 11,324 (6,138 men and 5,186 women)
[Ref: (4) Census of India, 2001]

Baha’is are quick to point out that the official census is false and full of prejudice, as most of the census officers are Hindu and they do not carry out their work honestly. They are however slow in their observation that all Baha’i census are carried out by overzealous Baha’i officers and that no person should question their integrity! It is not a hidden fact that the census conducted by the Government of India is carried out very meticulously by sincere and dedicated officers going door to door covering every household. Even if we give a 5% advantage it will not exceed 12,000. Furthermore, in questioning leading Baha'i administrators and other knowledgeable Baha'is asking them about the Baha’i population in India they have said somewhere between 13000, to 14,000. There was ready acknowledgement of the occurrence of what "Juan Cole" called "fraudulent" teaching in his post.

Out of these 11,324 Baha’is,

1-Most of them are Persian

2-Some are those who have signed the card thinking that Baha’i Faith is a social organization.

3-Some of them have signed due to deception.

4-In Pune it was reported that Persian Baha’is have gone to the villages and they have asked illiterate villagers to sign the card offering the temptation that signees would receive some scholarship.

5-In Madhya Pradesh, Baha’i speakers have gathered masses giving some lectures and the speaker asking the question. Is there any one amongst you who does not believe in God? The audience responded ‘No’. The speaker then exhorted them to sign the card.

6-One of the Bahai official who visited India in 1984 claimed in his speech at the Baha’i Centre that he would have easily collected 200 addresses of people saying they are Baha’is although they gathered there under the name of a Medical Camp.

7-Many false addresses were given to acquire number of delegates especially in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

Why should the Baha’i authorities wish to project an image more than its reality?

1-It is in order to present an inaccurate picture to the world (as well as to individuals considering conversion) and to make the Faith seem much more successful and influential than it really is.

2-These addresses are recorded as "Bahais" to show to the Government of India as the number of Baha’is to gain minority status by deception and to avail all the facilities and privileges given by Government of India to its minorities.

Conclusion

It was fairly apparent that declaring oneself a Baha'i did not mean that an individual was being put in the position of having to “leave” his own religious tradition (which in this case was primarily Hindu). The declared Baha’i for the most part continued to practice traditional behavioral idioms. Moreover there was little indication that they had abandoned the Hindu “world view”. It originated from Iran the most of the high ranking officers are Iranians with head quarters in Israel! They have incorporation of Assemblies, cluster growth committees, so called devotional / reflection meetings, administrative rights and sanctions, Election and Selection, Auxiliary Board Members (Reporters), Counselors (Reporters of Higher Level), elections at local, state and national levels, etc. With this so called unique administrative system, they plan to bring a New World Order that will be guided by the Universal House of Justice, Haifa (Israel). Our Country will be guided by the Nine Men Supreme Body sitting in Haifa. So you can just imagine how "Divine" this religion is!

Repeating a lie cannot and will not become the truth. The Baha’i population in India is not more than 13,000 and in the world by any means they are not more than one hundred thousand.

For a religion to progress and propagate, sincere service is required to attract the masses. Hypocrisy and lip service cannot attract the masses anymore.

For all the reference and proofs please check the below links :
http://bahaicensusindia.blogspot.com/

Why I Know Baha’u’llah Isn’t a Manifestation of God... (by www.exbahai.com )

I’m still just getting started with this blog and will have a lot to add to this posting, but for now, I’ll list a few ideas that are coming to mind as I do my research.

This list shows where I’m going with this site. I want to expand on and write about all these items. My hope is that in writing about these issues, others who are recovering from years of being in the Baha’i religion will be aided in their abilities to look objectively at Baha’u’llah, his life, his teachings, and how we were affected by being Baha’is.

1. He doesn’t compare well with Jesus

a. He claimed to be a supreme manifestation of God but his life shows none of the qualities that made Jesus who He was: no miracles, no healings, no love, no gentle compassion, no life sacrifice.
b. Biblical prophecies cited are either vague or inaccurately interpreted.

2. His family was a mess!

a. He was a polygamist with four wives (don’t forget Jamaliyya, the one he married in his old age)
b. He had at least six children die in early childhood (WWJD? Heal them?)
c. He abandoned his family in Baghdad and his son died because of no medical care (ie: neglect)
d. His sons couldn’t get along well enough to fulfill his covenant
e. His descendants were thrown out of the main sect of the religion (excessive family disunity)

3. His writings are questionable

a. There are many talented speakers and writers who could produce similar books (Joseph Smith, for example, with his “Book of Mormon” – or Mary Baker Eddy with her “Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures” and many other writings; the idea that only Baha’u’llah could do this is just ludicrous)
b. He focused on his own problems calling himself “wounded one” over 170 times
c. No gospel of salvation similar to what’s found in the Bible
d. Laws – the legalism of the Baha’i Faith is outstanding. Christ came to set us free from legalism so why should we go back to it? The Bible says: “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. . . . you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.” Galatians 5:1,4 … Excessive legalism is a sign of a false religion. Cults are controlling.
e. Hypocrisy – write one thing and do another; not a good sign
f. World government is a bad idea
g. Works more important than grace
h. Prayerbooks interfere with directly talking to God (ie: prayer)
i. Inequality of men and women despite saying otherwise
j. He said God was unknowable and denied any relationship to God (first section of Gleanings)
k. Some laws are irrational and some cause extreme emotional pain to those trying to follow them
l. Threatening people who leave the religion (see the last page of the Kitab-i-Iqan)

4. The cultish religion

a. Hypocrisy & members in denial about that
b. Marketing strategies
c. Exclusion methods are cultish
d. Difficulty with withdrawal
e. Overemphasis on administration
f. Deceptive numbers … membership statistics
g. Spy tactics
h. Requests for money
i. Attempts to make other religions fit the Baha’i paradigm
j. Information control (publishing)
k. Information control (re: covenant breaking)
l. Excessive paranoia about “protection of the Faith”
m. Treating members like they’re not able to make up their own minds
n. Little teaching about spiritual concepts (Baha’i life is mostly admin work)
o. Possibly fixed elections since admin people stay the same year after year
p. Tracking people by number
q. Keeping files on members
r. The Archives building is a replica of the Parthenon, a temple to a mythological goddess
s. No tolerance for dissenting opinions
t. Tearing families apart in the name of the Almighty Protection obsession
u. Shaming people who make mistakes
v. Proselytizing while claiming they don’t proselytize

5. Personal

This section is about how the religion affected me.

a. No love
b. Judgement and accusations
c. Caused feelings of inadequacy
d. Caused depression
e. Exclusion
f. Guilt trips
g. Failed promises
h. Isolation
i. Loneliness
j. Cognitive dissonance
k. I ask myself: “Would a religion that treats me this way be from God?”

That’s it for now, from my point of view. This page will be expanded with explanations added as I continue to research the Baha’i religion.

You’re welcome to leave a comment here with other issues in case I didn’t touch on what you believe about him.

This posting is a work in progress… incomplete!

The cultish nature of Baha'i Faith

Click to Enlarge

Is the Baha’i Declaration Card a Binding Contract?

“In signing this card, I declare my belief in Baha’u’llah, the Promised One of God. I also recognize the Bab, His Forerunner, and Abdu’l-Baha, the Center of His Covenant. I request enrollment in the Baha’i Community with the understanding that Baha’u’llah has established sacred principles, laws, and institutions which I must obey.”
– Text of the Baha’i declaration card agreement.

Is the US Baha’i declaration card a binding contract?

Definitely there’s a contract here, but is it binding? Is it enforceable? DeclarationWe received enrollment in the Baha’i community. In exchange we agreed to obey “sacred principles, laws, and institutions.” That’s a contract.

I signed a card with this contract when I was only seventeen years of age. Because I was a minor, according to the laws of the state I was in at that time, there was no binding contract. Minors cannot enter into binding contracts.

I’ve also heard of coercion used to get someone to sign a card. If there was any coercion (undue pressure) the card is not a binding contract.

There was also some ambiguity about the sacred principles and laws, and my agreement was based on misinformation.

For example, the “sacred principle” I was taught, of the “equality of men and women” turned out to be a lie.

Also, the Baha’i book of laws, the Kitab-i-Aqdas, was not given to American Baha’is until 1992. When I declared, it was even prior to the publication of the lists of laws in Synopsis and Codification of the Laws and Ordinances of the Kitab-i-Aqdas. So while I was aware there were some laws like fasting and obligatory prayers, I was unaware of the dowry, Huququ’llah, and many other laws.

I’d been told some inaccurate information, prior to signing the card. For example, my friend explained that all Baha’is were equal and there was no clergy… that no Baha’i was considered any better than another. That’s so untrue!

As soon as I was enrolled, the story changed. Our community was visited by a “Continental Counselor” and the first Baha’i meeting I ever attended was to listen to this person explain (for about an hour) how dangerous covenant breakers were, and how we should never read their books or listen to them.

Definitely this Continental Counselor was considered more important and respected than other Baha’is. As I continued in the Baha’i Faith over a course of thirty years I realized that a lot of the people chosen as members of our District Teaching Committees and other positions of respect and honor were chosen because of (1) prosperity, (2) education, or (3) nepotism (they were related to someone else who was considered important.) Most of us were not considered worthy of these honors.

Just the fact that there are these “better than you” big-wigs in the Baha’i Faith, is offensive to me, and it wasn’t what I signed up for. I thought I was signing up for a religion without people promoted into positions of authority …no clergy… except for the elected assembly members and Universal House of Justice (UHJ).

Were you told misleading information that led to your signing of the Baha’i declaration card?

What happens if you no longer want to be a Baha’i? Withdrawal from Baha’i FaithI noted that when Dann May and his wife left the religion, the National Spiritual Assembly (NSA) of the Baha’is of the United States offered to fly someone to Oklahoma to try to convince them not to withdraw. Why? Because they were “important people” – he is a professor of philosophy and she’s a professor of law. The Baha’i Faith wanted to hang onto them, but it was not to be.

When I sent in my letter of withdrawal in 2001 it was ignored entirely by both the NSA and my Local Spiritual Assembly (LSA). Ten years later a LSA secretary phoned to tell me they wanted me to be “active” again, and that I was still on their list.

It is creepy and cultish that the Baha’i Faith makes it difficult to withdraw. Nobody should have to sign a statement that they “no longer believe in Baha’u’llah” or be forced to mail in their membership cards. Anyone who wants to leave should phone the National office and insist on being removed from the list. Request verification that it has been done, and while you’re on the phone, have them delete, shred, and throw away all records they’ve been keeping on you. There may be a file full of information on your activities during your time as a member of the organization. Tell them to toss it – they don’t have the right to spy on you or keep records about you. Anyone could write to them with false accusations, and they would put that letter in your file. I consider this to be very, very creepy.

If you have decided that you no longer want to be enrolled, and no longer agree to obey the “sacred principles, laws, and institutions” – that’s it. The contract ends. You should not be compelled for any reason to remain a member of the Baha’i organization. There is no way to enforce that agreement, and so it is not a binding contract.

Why have membership and records?

The signing of cards, the assignment of numbers, and the keeping of records are all there for one reason: control. The Baha’i Faith is a very controlling organization. This also lends to my perception of it being cult-like.

The numbered card is supposed to identify those allowed into the secretive feasts and conferences. The keeping of secrets is also cult-like.

There are many religious organizations that have no enrollment or formal membership. They do not keep files on their members. Members stay if they want to or stray if they so desire. There’s no control over members. The members are there only because they want to be, not because they’ve been lied to, coerced, or given misleading information in order to get hooked into a secretive, controlling group. Please think about that.

Source :
http://exbahai.com/bahai-declaration-card-binding-contract/

At least the Pope doesn't micromanage your life (Ex-Baha'i Christian Testimony)

Ex-Baha'i Catholic Robin Peters responded to another poster on the talk.religion.bahai discussion group, describing the way Baha'i religious institutions exert tremendous control over even minor details of life for Baha'is:

Subject: Re: Baha'i Schools of Thought
From: Robin Peters
Date: Feb 26 1999

URL: http://groups-beta.google.com/group/talk.religion.bahai/msg/e7389e71be0ffc9b

> I believe you're onto something that's very important
> to understand. We're witnessing this phenomenon all
> the time here on Usenet. There's a set collection of
> answers and defenses that are repeated over and over,
> coached I'm sure, at times, from the sidelines by the
> Bahai Jesuit Order. In this sense, it has seemed to me
> for a very long time that the Bahai Faith is not a "living
> religion," but one quite ossified. There's a text; it's taught
> at summer schools and by Iranian Bahais and one mustn't
> depart from it.... Living religions evolve and permit their
> followers to probe its depths, returning with precious
> jewels all may share and benefit from.

It goes further than this. When I brought up the topic of the pilgrimage - I had signed the declaration card only a few minutes prior to this question - I was told about the hotel that all the Baha'is stayed at in Haifa and the airline that they all took. It was strongly implied that I could not search for a cheaper airline ticket or stay anywhere else in Haifa.

Note that it was an implication rather than an outright statement. I also remember reading in the American Baha'i that a part of the preparation for the centenary of Baha'u'llah's death was the negotiation for air discounts. We were told not to jeopardize what the NSA called the "delicate negotiations" for air ticket and hotel room discounts by getting our own hotel rooms and air tickets even if we could get a better deal elsewhere.

By way of contrast, a Catholic going to Rome can negotiate a discount air fare with any airline he or she chooses. He or she can also go on the pilgrimage tour of his or her choice, take a direct nonstop flight to Rome if that is his or her preference and so forth. Baha'is do not even have this freedom. Every aspect of his or her life seemed to me to be controlled by insinuation - not just the important aspects of belief but the most minor details or corporate existence.

If it gets to the point where the Pope tells me what airline to take, and what hotel to stay at, and how to flush my toilet, I will resign my parish membership. This is the exact level of control I knew was being exerted in my life when I was a Baha'i.

Robin Peters
One casualty - my wits, as in frightened out of.
Leonard McCoy, MD, ship's surgeon, USS Enterprise




http://www.bahai-faith.com/ex-Bahai-13.html

An Authentic Summary of the Baha'i Faith

That scary-looking fellow is the founder of the Baha'i Faith, who they call "Baha'u'llah." He gave himself the name. It means "The Glory of God."

It's work to pronounce it correctly, and "bu-HOO-luh" will do. The Baha'i leadership successfully hid this photo from its members for around 150 years. Then along came the internet.

He was a member of an Islamic sect in the 1800s known as the "Babis" led by a charismatic, rapturous, Sufi-oriented mystic called "The Bab" who wrote plans for a 2,000-year Babi dynasty. Based on photographs of Baha'u'llah and some of his sons he appears to have had dwarfism. (See one of his sons, below left.) It is strange that nothing has ever been written in the Baha'i literature about his or his sons' unusually small stature even though physical characteristics of other Baha'i figures are sometimes mentioned in their literature. But he turned out to be a dwarf with a fiery and princely attitude. As we shall see, I think Baha'u'llah had a Napoleon complex to beat the band...

The Babis ended up in armed battle with the Persian authorities, at one point holed up in a fort at Tabriz for months. They tried to kill the Shah. The king finally had the Bab shot. The Babis then scattered.

The Bab had appointed the spiritual, gentle Mirza Yahya as his successor (search "Mirza Yahya" online) calling him "Dawn of Eternity." (Sometimes rendered as "Everlasting Dawn." See him lower down in the left column at age 80.) The Bab had great affection for this young follower and considered him to be one who deeply grasped his (the Bab's) revelation. Mirza Yahya seemed to be a gentle soul by all reports, highly religious in the Babi way, and inclined to seclusion. By now he had seen many of his fellow Babis put to death, often in horrible ways. When Mirza Yahya was given the weight of leadership for a highly controversial sect -- one hunted by all the forces of the Shah -- he was only nineteen years old.

The fellow at the top of this page, Mirza Husayn Ali, was a high-status follower of the Bab who's daddy had been the Vizier or overseer for the household of an Imam and governor, so he was like a royal insider. Importantly, he was the half-brother of the Bab-appointed Everlasting Dawn.

Mirza Husayn Ali was 13 years older than the newly anointed Dawn of Eternity, and had been his brother's tutor. In those times an older brother was a natural, lifelong authority over a younger brother. And there was typically competition and some animosity between half-brothers in polygamous Muslim society. Even in monogamous Gentile, post-patriarchal society we observe that older brothers typically do not respect their younger brothers and do not wish to be subservient to them. It likely annoyed Husayn Ali that his younger half-brother had acquired his lofty station in the movement he was a part of. But obviously having his half-brother as leader of the spectacular movement obviously raised his own status, and he used it to his advantage during tumultuous times. (I have seen, and more than once, the phenomenon of a male taking on guru status, with a wife or family member rendering him a guru's respect in front of others while not really buying it personally, only paying obeisance because the elevation of her husband elevates her. This is all humanly understandable.) But Yahya's appointment to lead the movement was, in the end, a terrible test for Husayn Ali.

READ FULL SUMMARY HERE:

http://www.bahaiface.com/

Cult survivor recovery for former Baha'is

University students of Ado-Ekiti (Nigeria) demonstrate against cultism.

I was raised in the Baha'i Faith. I left in my early 30's. Recently I've been diagnosed with certain psychological effects of having been a member of a cult -- mainly severe shame, anxiety, anger and anxiety. I'm looking for a psychotherapist who has experience with Baha'is, preferably located in the Denver/Boulder area of Colorado.

Baha'i resembles a cult in many ways. I've studied cults and their mind control techniques.

1. Information control - Baha'i is big on this. For example, making Baha'is afraid to listen to covenant breakers or read what they wrote. Baha'is are not trusted to make up their own minds and independent thinking is not allowed... plus there's the right of review for published materials.
2. Emotional control - Causing Baha'is to be afraid of breaking Baha'i law or any kind of disobedience.. and ostracizing them if they are imperfect, sanctioning them and excluding them.
3. Thought control - Use of Baha'i prayerbook prayers instead of encouraging people to communicate directly with God. I believe God loves us and wants to have a conversation with us - not just listen to us read from books.

I believe there are many elements of mind control in the Baha'i Faith. Even now, more than ten years after I left the religion, I still struggle to overcome the programming.

Baha'u'llah also threatened those who leave the religion - a common cult practice. At the end of the Kitab-i-Iqan you'll find this:

"We conclude Our argument with His words—exalted is He—'And whoso shall withdraw from the remembrance of the Merciful, We will chain a Satan unto him, and he shall be his fast companion.' 'And whoso turneth away from My remembrance, truly his shall be a life of misery.'

Of course Baha'is do not know they're in a cult. They think they are superheroes in charge of saving the world!

Baha'i faith has much in common with cults.

Those willing to help may please visit the below link and help the "Cult  Survivor".

http://redd.it/2d7fyq

Community Building, Spiritual and Moral Activities of Baha'is in Iran

The Persecuted Baha'is of Iran

Egyptian Ministry of Endowments warns against ‘Baha’i threat’

The Minister and his office.

The Ministry of Endowments organised a workshop on Wednesday and Thursday to “raise awareness” amongst imams on the “growing dangers of the spread of Baha’ism,” the ministry said.

Read more : http://www.dailynewsegypt.com/2014/12/11/ministry-endowments-warns-bahai-threat/

أعلنت وزارة الأوقاف عن بدء دورة مناقشة ومحاربة الفكر البهائي، الأربعاء والخميس المقبلين، بالقاعة الكبرى بمسجد النور بالعباسية.

ويحاضر في الدورة الدكتور إبراهيم الهدهد، نائب رئيس جامعة اﻷزهر، والدكتور محمد سالم أبوعاصي، عميد كلية الدراسات العليا جامعة اﻷزهر، والدكتور محمد عبدالعاطي عباس، عميد كلية الدراسات الإسلامية بنات المنصورة، والدكتور جمال فاروق، أستاذ مقارنة اﻷديان بجامعة اﻷزهر.

Baha'is of Egypt (Image Courtesy : http://bahaiculture.blogspot.com )