Fanaticism - growing tendency in the Baha'i community

We must beware of thinking that fanaticism is something which is only practiced by others. On the contrary, it is a universal human frailty, namely the high virtue of steadfastness taken to an extreme, an evil from which even we, who call ourselves Baha'is, are not immune.

There is a growing tendency in the Baha'i community to allude to "covenantal implications" (Takfir), when issues are raised, which have not yet been openly discussed, or if an opinion is voiced that deviates from the common understanding in the community.

(Loyalty to the Covenant and Critical Thought by Udo Schaefer)

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Sen McGlinn’s "weak" arguments about the separation of Church and State and the Baha'i position on this issue.

As R. Danesh wrote: “..., the terms Baha’i State and Baha’i theocracy appear in authoritative Baha’i Writings and the Universal House of Justice has spoken of a future that will see the union of spiritual and civil authority.” [“Church and State in the Baha’i Faith: An Epistemic Approach” 2008.] With regard to Sen’s arguments and position, Danesh uses terms such as “weak”, “questionable”, and “unclear” but also goes further to state that Sen’s and Cole’s respective conclusions can only be reached by omitting certain “authoritative primary sources” and by minimizing what Shoghi Effendi said directly and what was said on his behalf by his secretaries.

Even in the future Baha’i State(s) and Commonwealth, there may be civic institutions and executive functions (at least initially) that are not exclusively Baha’i and for which membership in the Baha’i Faith would not be required to be employed or perform many functions. There may be means of allowing persons and groups not Baha’i to have means of expressing their concerns and have a voice (elected representatives in a parliament) until the community is so nearly Baha’i that such provisions become superfluous.

Roshan Danesh takes a less literal view of the issue in his paper at: Church and State in the Bahá'í Faith: An Epistemic Approach. He also waffles on the central question to some extent despite quoting the passages that clearly contradict Sen and Cole. He leaves open the possibility for different or more mixed approach, but is clearly rejecting Cole’s and Sen’s theories of strict separation of church and state in the Baha’ Faith.

Danesh similarly finds that Sen omits certain passages and references essential to the subject of church and state in the Baha’i texts.

He does state however that:

“The Universal House of Justice has described Shoghi Effendi’s explanation of the ‘future Baha’i World Commonwealth’ as one ‘that will unite spiritual and civil authority’ and rejects the assertion that the ‘modern political concept of ‘separation of church and state’ is somehow one that Baha’u’llah intended as a basic principle of the World Order He has founded.’

Given the above explications, one is hard-pressed to see how some scholars could have definitively concluded that the essential Baha’i view is of a form of institutional separation-whether complete separation as in the case of Cole, or event the English model advocated by McGlinn. Only through failure to fully incorporate certain authoritative primary sources can such as conclusion be reached. McGlinn demonstrates such an omission in his 1999 article when he writes inaccurately that ‘Shoghi Effendi’s own writings contain little that illuminates the church-state question...’”

(Source : Baha'i Scholar Scott Hakala on Quora)

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Baha'u'llah revealed Himself to a humanity who had "attained the stage of maturity."

 After all, Baha'u'llah revealed Himself to a humanity who had "attained the stage of maturity."

(Gleanings 33:2; see also Kita - b-i-Aqdas 149)

(Loyalty to the Covenant and Critical Thought - A Commentary by Udo Schaefer)

See also...

https://bahaitexts.blogspot.com/2018/07/hundreds-of-thousands-of-verses-written.html

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The "Baha'i state" will function, "in all religious and civil matters, in strict accordance with the laws and ordinances in the Kitab-i-Aqdas".

The Kingdom of Bahá’u’lláh

“With regard to the question about the manner in which the laws of the Universal House of Justice will be enforced on the peoples of the world, this needs to be understood within the context of the gradual evolution of the Faith and the emergence of the world commonwealth. From the extract from "Messages to the Bahá'í World, 1950-1957", p. 155, it is clear that the "Bahá'í state" will function, "in all religious and civil matters, in strict accordance with the laws and ordinances in the Kitab-i-Aqdas, the Most Holy, the Mother-Book of the Bahá’í Revelation".”

https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/the-universal-house-of-justice/messages/19950427_001/19950427_001.xhtml?59532be8

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A considerable number of Baha'is accepted Mason Remey

Surely, there is a reason why the Covenant breaking followers of Mason Remey, despite their fallacious arguments, managed to win over a considerable number of people.

-Loyalty to the Covenant and Critical Thought - A Commentary by Udo Schaefer

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Blending of Church and State in the future Baha'i world.

He [Bahá'u'lláh] has ordained and established the House of Justice, which is endowed with a political as well as a religious function, the consummate union and blending of church and state. This institution is under the protecting power of Bahá'u'lláh Himself. A universal, or international, House of Justice shall also be organized. Its rulings shall be in accordance with the commands and teachings of Bahá'u'lláh, and that which the Universal House of Justice ordains shall be obeyed by all mankind. This international House of Justice shall be appointed and organized from the Houses of Justice of the whole world, and all the world shall come under its administration. ("The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by `Abdu'l-Bahá during His Visit to the United States and Canada in 1912", 2nd. ed. (Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1982), p. 455)

Note again the word “all mankind” not just Baha’is.

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al-ulama fil baha (The learned in Baha)

See Kitab-i-Aqdas, verse 173. The learned in Bahá’: al-‘ulamá’ fi’l bahá’. The Arabic term ‘ulamá’ (from ‘ilm=knowledge) denotes those who know, who are qualified by their knowledge. In the Bahá’í community there are no formal criteria for becoming one of the “learned”, or a scholar of the Faith. The only qualification is deep knowledge of the Cause. Academic studies or exams are not required, but rather a deep knowledge of the faith and of religious history, which includes the ability to engage in and understand philosophical-theological discourse. This does not negate the fact that there are people with a deep understanding of the spiritual implications of the Faith, who teach it with passion and eloquence, who perform good deeds and are devoted, but who may have neither the background training nor the capacity of delving into an academic discourse. But one does not refer to such individuals as “scholars”.

-Loyalty to the Covenant and Critical Thought - A Commentary by Udo Schaefer

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Udo Schaefer & Peter Khan about Baha'i Scholarship and why "a number of very capable and sincere people severed their connection with the Faith"

I know only too well whereof I speak. Over a period of five decades, I have had repeated, painful experiences with the anti-intellectualism in our community.

This is obviously a world-wide phenomenon in Baha'i communities. Peter Khan writes "... I saw around me ... in both Australia and the United States, a number of very capable and sincere people who severed their connection with the Faith because of their exposure to this narrow line of thinking. Even here in the Holy Land, one does occasionally see this line of thinking appearing in disguise from time to time ... We must always be on our guard against this crypto fundamentalist thinking, which can lead us into error through a narrow approach to the writings and to the centrality of the Creative word" ("Some Aspects of Baha 'i Scholarship", in The Journal of Baha'i Studies 9.4, December 1999, p. 47).

... there are Baha'is who regard the engagement in Baha'i studies as something more or less unspiritual. Sometimes those who do this work are told to "get down off their high horse". This is unacceptable.

When one reads appeals in Baha'i news magazines for the believers to “teach from the heart, to be inflamed”— as if all one has to do is to make up one’s mind and push a button — it means in plain language that we do not want discourse and rational, systematic teaching, but rather an emotional sharing of the message that appeals to feelings alone. Strangely enough, it is called “teaching work.” “What do you feel,” an institute facilitator asked the participants of a study group, after texts of Baha’u’llah had been read. She seemed to be searching for “feelings,” reminiscent of some foaming jacuzzi of emotions, into which one can let oneself drop in a state of utter relaxation, instead of thinking, which can be strenuous and exhausting. In some circles, critical thinking is equated with lacking faith, with being spiritually weak. Critical discourse is misinterpreted as “idle disputation.”

... how the Faith can be defended against criticism and attacks, when rational thinking and argument are treated with contempt.

-Loyalty to the Covenant and Critical Thought - A Commentary by Udo Schaefer

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Not allowing women in the House of Justice is a superstition.

God has endowed man with intelligence and reason... If religious beliefs and opinions are found contrary to the standards of science, they are mere superstitions and imagination... If religious belief and doctrine is at variance with reason, it proceeds from the limited mind of man and not from God; therefore, it is unworthy of belief and not deserving of attention... How can man believe that which he knows to be opposed to reason?... Can the heart accept that which reason denies? 

Loyalty to the Covenant and Critical Thought - A Commentary by Udo Schaefer

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"think of ways of imparting the message to prominent people"

Abdu'l Baha exhorted the believers to "think of ways of imparting the message to prominent people, for once such persons have given their allegiance to the Faith, they will cause the people to be led, troop after troop, to the wellspring of unfailing guidance."

(Compilation - Teaching Prominent People (London 1990), p. 1.)

(Loyalty to the Covenant and Critical Thought by Udo Schaefer)

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Loyalty to the testimony of our faith is the prerequisite for any intellectual reflection.

The foundation of our faith, our thoughts and intellectual endeavors, is the Covenant of God, established by Bahá’u’lláh, and embodied in his scripture, as well as the authoritative interpretations by ‘Abdu’l-Baha- and Shoghi Effendi. Firmness and loyalty to the Covenant and obedience to the holy writings and the institutions of the community form the basis for our entire religious life. Loyalty to the testimony of our faith is the prerequisite for any intellectual reflection.

Loyalty to the Covenant and Critical Thought - A Commentary by Udo Schaefer

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What holds back the development of the Cause of Baha'u'llah?

One danger is that an ultra-conservative attitude, mistrustful of any critical thought, makes unjust claims to interpretative authority and strives to maintain everything the way it is, by disallowing critical questions and by ‘keeping the lid on.’ Such a fundamentalist stance attempts to disallow critical questions from being asked, and holds back the development of the Cause of Baha'u'llah in a sectarian manner. Not only does it prevent its natural unfoldment, but is partly responsible when intellectuals feel repressed, begin to rebel, and end up throwing the baby out with the bath water, as can be witnessed in certain Internet discussion groups.

(Loyalty to the Covenant and Critical Thought - A Commentary by Udo Schaefer)

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Sen McGlinn about "Shoghi Effendi's surprise at the strange beliefs of Western Baha'is"

Shoghi Effendi was often surprised at the strange beliefs of Western Bahais, and when speaking in person he could be almost scathing about their foolishness. “The chatter of idle minds” in the example you gave may not be what he actually said however - the report might be spun to support one faction in the American Bahai community against another. But a report with several authors all present with Shoghi Effendi together is less prone to spin than the report of one pilgrim, which might be shaped to wound an “opponent” back home.

The best evidence is the writings of Shoghi Effendi himself. The pilgrim’s notes and the books and essays written by early western Bahais sometimes clarify what Bahai views Shoghi Effendi is arguing against. He is against the elevation of Abdu’l-Baha to the station of a Prophet, against exaggeration of his own station, against the reduction of the Bab to a lesser station, against the idea that the Bahai Administration would replace the national government, against the idea that the Mashriqu’l-Adhkar would be an interfaith common space. He writes:

“The international status which the Religion of God has thus far achieved, moreover, imperatively demands that its root principles be now definitely clarified … “ (The World Order of Baha'u'llah, p. 98)

and what follows over many pages is largely addressed to the muddle in the minds of so many of the early Western believers at that time.

https://www.quora.com/Was-Shoghi-Effendi-condescending-to-Bahais-about-some-theological-beliefs/answer/Hasan-Elías?comment_id=233141424&comment_type=2

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The Baha'i world government of the future

The following two passages were quoted in a 5 July 1982 letter to an individual on behalf of the House of Justice:

“As regards the International Executive referred to by the Guardian in his "Goal of a New World Order", it should be noted that this statement refers by no means to the Bahá'í Commonwealth of the future, but simply to that world government which will herald the advent and lead to the final establishment of the World Order of Baha'u'llah. The formation of this International Executive, which corresponds to the executive head or board in present-day national governments, is but a step leading to the Bahá'í world government of the future, and hence should not be identified with either the institution of the Guardianship or that of the International House of Justice.” (March 17, 1934)

“The Universal Court of Arbitration and the International Tribunal are the same. When the Bahá'í State will be established they will be merged in the Universal House of Justice.” (17 June 1933)

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Baha'u'llah and Shoghi Effendi about philosophy

One important discipline that helps our dialogue with academics is philosophy. One encounters repeatedly the misunderstanding that Baha'u'llah has called philosophy a science that "begins with words and ends with words". This is absolutely wrong, as Shoghi Effendi has encouraged us to study philosophy...

(Loyalty to the Covenant and Critical Thought by Udo Schaefer)

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