Posted by Ian Digby on July 15, 2000 at 07:27:25:

In Reply to: The issue is whether academic standards should trump Baha'i standards, or vice versa posted by Dawu on March 07, 2000 at 11:34:45:

"Scholarship critical of the dominant institutional Baha'i perspective......"

It seems to me as a non-scholar that there is always a dominant perspective on anything intellectual in our world. Usually this is political, media-driven or dictated by religious leaders. In other words, it is the one most loudly proclaimed by an individual/s with a strong personality, the majority following in the wake (this is not a patronising obervation, just a fact).

The search for truth MUST be monitored/refereed otherwise these dominant personalities get to shape everyone's opinions, with disastrous consequences (e.g. the persecution of religious believers). Baha'i institutions are founded on higher principles of honesty, integrity and sincerity than any other I have come across (prove me wrong) and therefore I happily submit to their guidance in these matters.

Acceptance of guidance from these insitutions, far from being an abdication of intellectual responsibility, creates a good environment for a far more rigorous and demanding search for truth in which everyone can contribute, not just the powerful few.

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