Posted by Bret (63.197.53.200) on May 04, 2002 at 04:53:32:

In Reply to: But we CAN resist! posted by Vincent on May 04, 2002 at 00:00:23:

Dear Vincent,

I visited your website and I am happy to see that a person has taken such an interest in the independent investigation of truth, but in this case it might be benneficial to examine more closely the facts and seperate them from opinion.

The first fact is that Baha'is are not involved in any political activities. Any Baha'i who engages in such activities would be told by the Baha'i Administration to discontiniue involvement as it is a clearly established teaching of Baha'u'llah that Baha'is are not to engage in the activities of political parties.

One must also look at his definition of politics as well. Since you have been looking at this issue from a biased perspective it is easy to see how you have concluded that Baha'is are also involved politically with immigration issues and are generally leftist, but that is not the fact. Baha'is, as in evey issue, approach the question at hand by looking through the lense of the teachings and principles established by Baha'u'llah. For instance, Baha'is are not pro-life or pro-choice as you might have heard or concluded. Pro-lifers are generally said to be on the conservative side and pro-choicers are generally said to be on the liberal side. Baha'is are not fighting to end abortions even though Baha'u'llah teaches us that the human soul enters the organism at the moment of conception and Baha'is are not fighting for a woman's right to choose because some abortions may be necessary for medical purposes. These are only symptomatic solutions. The legality of abortion is only a response to the all or nothing attitude that politics places on ideas. Instead, Baha'is are focusing on the elimination of what causes unplanned and unwanted pregnancies. It is not a question of sin or morality for Baha'is. Baha'is know it's not a normal function of healthy living. Baha'is are focusing instead on how we can change our societies to free people from these burdens all together. You will see upon close examination of any issue as it pertains to Baha'i position that Baha'is always look at any issue wholistically or as part of humanity as a system itself.

On account of this you have concluded that Baha'is are spreading propoganda, but that is just another connotation. Baha'is are forbidden to prostalytize in any way. Baha'is do however engage in sharing the message of Baha'u'llah with all whom are interested, but more importantly Baha'is are actively engaged in living the teachings of Baha'u'llah, which attracts more people because of the applicability of these principles on all levels. Heads of state and religious leaders abound are in constant contact with Baha'is and look to the Baha'i example for guidance and inspiration because Baha'is have done what no other group in the history of the world has done: Baha'is have furthered a system for the spiritualization of the planet without any division whatsoever. All who have attemped and few are they at that to divide the people of Baha have faded away in obscurity.

The fact remains that the Baha'i Faith is uniquely secured by the Covenant of Baha'u'llah and it is the Force whereby humanity will be united on all levels. You have concluded that Baha'is believe in the elimination of national soveriegnty, but closer examination of the quote by the Guardian, which I posted previously will reveal that this is not the case. Baha'is not only advocate a healthy nationalism, but believe that it is an essential prerequsite for representation on a larger scale. How could a people possibly represent their needs as a part of a whole if they completely isolate themselves, or if they attempt to become so integrated that they lose sight of the very qualities that they can bring to the whole?

You have concluded that this is the equivalent to the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union was a social and economic experiment that failed miserably and left a trail of destruction wherever it went. This happened for two simple reasons. One was that it attempted to eliminate everything that makes us individuals. Communism attempts to eliminate class distinctions by eliminating individual capacity. The idea was very seductive to a country of peasants who had just been freed from fuedalism in the shadow of European intellectuals. The second reason was that it was completely materialistic and did not allow for one of humanity's most simple needs: transcendence. Human beings need to be able to rise above adversity. The belief in a specific purpose to one's existance is essential in living a healthy life. Communism eliminates that by making a person's individual capacity meaningless as it is reduced to the same level as any other capacity. In conjunction with this you have also stated that Baha'is believe in the redistribution of wealth, which is not accurate, or is at least incomplete. The fact is that Baha'is believe in the elimination of extremes of poverty and wealth. This does not mean the elimination of classes or that all people will be forced to sacrifice their talents. On the contrary, it would be illogical to force someone to sacrifice the very fruit of their labor that inspires them to continue in their work and classes will always exist in as much as people will always have different capacities and humanity will always have a place for these capacities to be utilized, but the inordinate distinction between these classes will be eliminated and the extremes of poverty and wealth will be shifted, so that each individual has the right and the opportunity to receive the education and training necessary to carry out their capacity in a way that bennefits himself and humanity as a whole. The Baha'i Faith safeguards the rights of individuals to live their lives, but it also provides a channel for this to be done in complete harmony with responsibility to society.

In conclusion we return to the point about immigration, you have stated that Baha'is are pro-imigration, which is not accurate. Baha'is just realize that immigration is inevitable in a world racked by wars and famines that have their root in the divisions that you are suggesting are a solution to the problem to begin with. What you should try to understand more about is what is at the root of the issues you address and not at what are the symptoms. The human body will produce a rash if it is trying to get rid of toxins, but it has been statistically proven that in %90 of all people whose treatment aimed at supressing the rash they inevitably developed serious illnesses. The same thing can be said about the body of humanity. If we aim at the symptoms and do not fight the disease things only get worse. Humanity is sick and in need of a physician who can prescribe the exact remedy to the disease. Baha'u'llah has not only identified the disease, but He has also given us the complete remedy. I suggest that you seprate yourself from your opinions long enough to investigate the writings of Baha'u'llah, almost all of which can be found here, with an unbiased heart. The independent investigation of truth is an essential part of life, but independent means free from all love and hate because too much attention to one thing can blind a person from the bigger picture.

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