©Copyright 2002, The Iranian

* Uplifting and entertaining

Thank you for some uplifting and entertaining comments [Heechee kam nadaaran]. As a post-revolution American-born Iranian Bahai who has never seen Iran (because I'd like to keep my life), I have always had enough non-Bahai Iranian friends to have a sense that the Iranian people are a lot more decent than their government would suggest.

It's nice to see that decency in writing, and with good rhetoric and a good sense of humor.

Shadi Kourosh

Bahai Association
University of Virginia

* Why? Because of Baha'u'llah

My ancestors in the recent past were European Christians and more recently Americans. That is not important to me. I lay that aside and say, "I love Iran!" I was raised Christian but now I love Muhammad. I was raised Christian but I now love Islam. I was raised in the United States of America but I love Iran. Why? Because of Baha'u'llah. Baha'u'llah is the reason I love Iran. [Heechee kam nadaaran]

Dave Bee

* Baha-ollah was as narrow-minded as Mesbah Yazdi

Dear Sir:

I didn't take your article too seriously, for you didn't take it seriously yourself, and it was not inspired by anything but propaganda [Heechee kam nadaaran]. However, I am alluding to a few historical facts, hoping that it will help you to decide who to blame.

Bab was a progressive and bright-minded man. Baha-ollah was as narrow-minded as Mesbah Yazdi. Bab had a mission: to free man--and woman--from injustice, inequality and ignorance. Baha-ollah was the propagator of ignorance, blind faith and fanaticism, and a product of British freemasonry. That is why Bahais took all Said Nafisi's "Nimeh reh-e Behesht" from each and every library in the world.

Ghorrat-ol-eyn was a Babi, not Bahai. When she removed her veil, several Bahai men (who claimed she was one of them) cut their throats. Now, Bahais are claiming to advocate the freedom of women. Yes, your math is incorrect. Up to 1953 coup, they didn't have the least voice in society. They were the most destitute, poorer than the poorest Muslims. And they were all Tudeiis, for Tudeh party sympathized with them and promised a brighter future if they succeeded in coming to power.

Then the coup happened, and the first thing Israel did, besides establishing SAVAK, was to force shah--despite his fear of mollas--to engage Bahais in social and political life of Iran. Rowhaani became the minister of agriculture (some say even Hoveyda had converted into Bahaism.) Then, the Bahai leaders moved their center of faith to Heifa in Israel, and became the Zionists' helping hand up to this date. However, common followers had no role in the treacherous acts of Bahai leaders, the same way, a common Muslim has no role in atrocities and crimes committed by theocrats.

As for their jazzy slogans, Bahais are one the most fanatic groups in the world. My own friend married to a Muslim. Bahais put such a pressure on her and her family (the father had passed away; they needed financial help), that she got a divorce with tears in her eyes. At one point, one of them was trying to make me to convert to Bahaism (her name was Rezvan).

I asked her to tell me what it was, so I could decide. She said, first I had to convert, and then they would tell me (Read Nimeh raah-e Behesht, if you can find one.) And don't be carried away by a homeless black American's conversion to Bahaism. Many have done it in Iran out of need. But they won't remain faithful. I can give you the names. And why I don't care for common Bahais (although I detest seeing them persecuted)? Because they are as fanatic and as sheepish as our own hizbollahis. They don't have the power and brain to question hocus-pocus--as you put it. But many Muslims do.

Respectfully,

Roodabeh


* Thanx a lot for acting normal

I have just doscovered your magazine and I enjoy it immensely. I couldnt believe a real free and fair Iranian tribune exists. Tired of worthless Iranian mass media I searched on the net for something better.

Thanx a lot for acting normal. Because nowadays any Iranian who gets a mike starts howling and raving and mudslinging and trying to prove that he or she is very very very MOBAREZ. Even if they were trashy singers and semi-porno movie stars before the revolution.

God! who do we think we are? we have fled that country and left those people alone and there are freedom fighters and young students in jails and here we are fighting each other and determining who is JASOOS and who is not. we have no right to dictate these things to the suppressed people in Iran.

The young students in Iran are struggling because they want to have a regime that does not tell them "shut up and go fuck yourself" but over here we just decide to call this and that a spy or a mozdoor and so on and tell them exactly to shut up and go and fuck themselves. We have a rich and handsome prince who is coming on a white horse to save us and brings us a basket of demoracy.

I hope you will go on this way and just be a tribune and i like the fact that you seldom have any comment on subjects or letters. I especially love your nostalgia section and GOOGOOSH old pics. god bless youx .

By the way, nothing is really sacred, you know!

Jalal Salalri


* Makes sense to me

Thank you for your recent editorial on the persecution of Bahais in Iran [Heechee kam nadaaran]. I am a "Westerner" who subsribes to the teachings of Baha'u'llah because they make sense to me.

The teachings are of love, unity and the elimination of all prejudice ñ be it racial, ethnic, religious, class ñ are what the world is crying out for today. I and my fellow religionists come from many different backgrounds and walks of life. We accept and embrace each other as brothers and sisters.

The Bahais of Iranian background that I have the privilege to know are among the most devoted, loving, spiritual people that I have ever met. They practice in their daily lives the teachings of love, tolerance and peace.

Thanks again for your editiorial!

"The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens." Bahá'u'lláh

Lorien French


* Important to remember

Dear Mr. Kadivar,

Thank you for posting the picture of Jamshid and Tahereh Siyavoshi. Most of us do not realize that all the Bahais killed in Iran were simple folk, neighbors, sometimes even our own relatives.

It is important to remember their names and faces, lest we allow this to happen again. Just as there is now an effort afoot to document the lives of the Holocaust victims and survivors, there will soon, one day, be an effort to document the lives of the Bahais killed in Iran.

Thank you for reminding us.

Regards

Ramin


* They put down Muslims

Salam Aleikom Agha Jahanshah Javid.

I am writing you this email in regards to you article "Heechee kam nadaaran". I am aware that many have written about this article and most people including yourself are probably sick of the emails but too bad now it is my turn to talk and you better listen!

For all you sad people who feel sorry for the Bahais why don't you start feeling sorry for the Muslims! Can you not see what is happening in Turkey? Girls are banned from being educated because of wearing the hijab, Muslim women all over the world are being treated like useless objects!

I really don't give a damn about Bahai people. To me they are just losers always advertising their religion, sending their kids to poor countries to brain wash people into believing the Bahai faith!

They say we are all about peace and love and accepting other religions. YAH RIGHT! How come the Bahais where I come from are not like that? They put down Muslims and think they are KING SHIT!

They disrespect the Quran and the Mosque to my face and you expect me to feel sorry for them! They are so stupid they think Bahaism is a nationality! When you ask them where are you from they say I am Bahai! Bahai is a religion you losers!

Oh and Bab or whatever that loser's name was, is not the last prophet! Why don't u pick up the Quran and read it! Clearly you will see that Muhammad (peach be upon him) was the last prophet and ISLAM is the last religion! I don't care how many Bahais say they accept Muhammad (pbuh) -- I haven't seen or heard that respect!

People living in the West have sold their souls to the Devil. They no longer take religion seriously. This is SAD. I have been living in the west for 16 years but I still have VERY strong faith in my religion (which in case you hadn't noticed is ISLAM) and it makes me sick to my stomach to hear people say bad things about ISLAM, because it is the most beautiful religion ever!

Islam is a way of life , not like Christians who only go to church on Sunday and forget their religion the other 6 days of the week. The Quran tells the True Believer how to live life to the fullest, taking care of our health, of others and paying respect to Allah. Muslims do not worship Muhammad , like Christians who worship Jesus and Bahais who worship Bab!

Don't forget people Jesus, Muhammad and Bab were people just like us, well maybe not exactly we have many faults they were almost perfect, but still human beings like us, they didn't have any super powers, and if they did it came from God, the only entity that we should be worshipping!

Bahais: Please take those pictures of Bab or Bahullah or whatever the name off of your walls! Stop acting like Pagans. Can't you see that those stupid terrorists are not TRUE Muslisms? If Muhammad (pbuh) was alive today he would hate those people, because Islam is not about killing and whoever has read the Quran and the Hadiths will see this.

The Bahai people where I come from, have meetings every 19 days, apparently the 'lucky number' for them! And you know what they talk about at these meetings, or should I say gossip about!? Who is going out with who, who is drunk, who is that , who is this! What kind of BS is that!?

I'm making myself sick.

Yallah

Nazanin Kazeme


* Yekrangi va etehade jameie bashari

Dear Mr.Javid,

salam man ye javoone bahai hastam ke albate bekhatere dino mazhabam alan daram kharej az iran yani dar Canada zendegi mikonam [Heechee kam nadaaran]. rastesh man aslan adame ahle dino mazhabi nistam va bar khalafe kheili az doustaie bahaim chizi ziaadi va etelaate kameli dar morede mazhabam nadaram.

tanha zamani ke mikhastam tasjil besham ya dar vaghe in din ro mipaziroftam azam khastan ke koorkoorane in karo nakonamo hatman dar in mored motale'e konam. vaghti fekresho kardam didam ke faghat ye chiz be fekram mirese ke oonam jomleie maroofe "hame bare yek daarim va barge yek shakhsaar" boud ino hatta shayad bavar nakonid ke nemidounam bahaullah gofte ya abdullbaha, beharhal yekrangi va etehade jameie bashari tanha chizi boud ke mano be khodesh jalb kard ke man to hiich jaie dige dar hich dianati ino nashnide boudam.

nemikham ba harfam saretono dard biaram, faghat ino begam ke kashki kheiliaie dige to iran mesle shoma fekr mikardan oonvaght mishe ke rangha, nejadha, dinha ke joz esmo rasm bishtar nist pishe cheshma yeki va barabar mishe..

omidvaram ke hamishe movafagh bashid va zendegie khoshi without conflicts dashte bashid felan peace ou.

by da way ppl don't give a s*** in iran becuz they r scared to death of their own lives but I gotta say that it was what they asked for and here they got it and after 20 and something years they can't take it anymore and they also can't do anything about it cuz they don't have the guts to. well. tnx again and God bless ya and if u wanna mail me plz send it to Setareh

b-bye

* White, 50 y/o woman

Dear Friend

I am an American born, (distant) European heritage, White, 50 y/o woman. Your web page and article on the Bahais is being sent around the Bahai community [Heechee kam nadaaran]. I really appreciated it.

Good job.

Dale


* Acceptance and openness

Dear Mr. Javid

I have recently, by chance, come across The Iranian, what a magnificent site. Well done to you and all your colleagues. Yours is by far the best Iranian site I have ever had the pleasure to visit.

I particularly enjoyed knowing your views about the Bahais [Heechee kam nadaaran]. You are one of a few open minded Iranian writers, who have, despite the history of the Iranian media, taken an open and honest look at the Bahais of Iran and their plight.

As a Bahai I feel there is beginning to be a trend towards acceptance and openness towards the Bahais by my fellow Iranians, and you are in the forefront of this movement.

Very best wishes for your future,

Payman Sabeti


* I care less about Bahais

Regarding your article about Bahais [Heechee kam nadaaran]. I should say I do feel that they are less Iranian than other non Bahai Iranians. Believe it or not this is not because they are labeled Bahai or the mollas don't like them or even maybe they are called kaffar. This is because they care less about Iran than other Iranians. That is what their religion has thought them and if in cases you find them loyal to Iran it's just their human nature (according to Bahai teachings, they are sinning! and they shouldn't be doing it).

Every man and woman loves his/her country and place of birth. Bahais shouldn't be any different but for them Iran comes last. Don't be fooled if they advertise otherwise. It's shameful, they only mention Iran because it's the birth place of Baha! They have their religion to worry about then what ever universal house of justice tells them and finely Iran. For them defending the country and standing against the enemy is a sin.

They wouldn't have gone to war with Iraq if military service wasn't compulsory. As a Iranian I am so happy and feel so lucky that Iran didn't change to a Bahai state despite our leaders so many stupid decisions. Just think about it what would happened to us if Iran was a GOD FORBIDDEN bahai state and lets say Iraq was attacking us.

Just go and listen to some of the breakers stories to find out how loving! this faith is. They are so loving and caring when one of the members questions them too much s/he would be kicked out of the club and NO BAHAI would contact her/ him. Just try to imagine would they do to a breaker in a Bahai state.

They advertise about being pacifist and lovely but believe me they where not so peaceful when they could harm others. The Babi movement is full of blood and terror. Even after Baha took over, this love promoting guy couldn't promote love in his own family. If you see them pacifist now it's just because they didn't get the chance to be otherwise.

Bahais are advertising for a religious governing body which will be located in Israel and rule the world the Bahai way. So many times I asked them if you are not political and can not take political sides how are you going to rule lets say the first Bahai state (a long shot that no wise man bets on it but just for the sake of argument) and they almost have nothing to say. One funny quote was that by then the next revelation (prophet) has come and we would be advised accordingly.

In one of the letters responding to your article I saw another funny quote from Donald S. Hasley: "Nothing, not Islam, not Christianity, not the UN, nothing will return Iran to its glory of the Sassanian days except the Bahai Faith and its success with all the peoples of the world."

Mr Hasley, Iran's glory and pride is fare higher than Bahai hocus pocus. If you really want to glorify something with Bahai faith try it on your own country first.

I feel the same way about a Bahai as a American did about a communist party member during 60's in united states. I don't hate them I dislike their ideology. I feel the same way about a Bahai as I do to a hardliner Moslem. They are both fanatics. Give them the chance and they would both make a religious fundamentalist country for you.

Yes Mr. Javid, I care less about Bahais because their teachings says care less about your country. I didn't write this letter to justify anything I still believe they should be free to say whatever they want to say and practice their religion the way they want. Its so unfortunate they have gone through so much hardship and maybe injustice. But I would stand against them if I see any of our national elements are threatened by them. I proudly would.

A.N.


* We really need to get our act together

I loved your piece, "Heechee kam nadaaran" about the Bahais. You are a straight shooter, so to speak. And you are very funny and truly talented writer. I visit your web page regularly. I find it to be among the very best of its kind, thanks to your labor of love.

As a Bahai, I can assure you that we neither look for a special treatment, nor are we going to just "go away," because the mullahs and their henchmen want us to. It is good to have people like you, telling it like it is.

We Iranians really need to get our act together. We need to recall and practice our ancient tradition of tolerance. We need to learn to live together and pull together for the benefit of all. This business of picking one group or another to blame for our own shortcomings does nothing but make matters worse in the long run and we all end up paying for this foolishness.

Keep up your excellent work and good luck.

KK1844@aol.com


August 22, 2002
See Part 2

©Copyright 2002, The Iranian