They will now be punished

“America,” he said, “is no longer even actively quarreling. They are passively stagnant.” This is why, he said, that he asked them to disperse — so that they may become alive again and not wither. They will now be punished, he told a pilgrim, both materially and spiritually if they do not disperse. Those who now fail to respond to the summons of the Crusade will suffer both materially and spiritually. Those who do not respond to the commander, he said, will feel this double suffering.

(First and Last Meeting with Shoghi Effendi - William Sears, April 1, 1954)

https://bahai-library.com/pilgrim_accounts_collection_files/html/1954,%20William%20Sears%20-%20First%20and%20Last%20Meeting%20with%20Shoghi%20Effendi%20-%20Part%20II.html

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There were some racist incidents at Baha'i gatherings

...the New York City Bahá’í community had dedicated itself to regularly disrupting the Black/White color line, inclusive of inter-racial teaching efforts in Harlem. Toward that end, there was a marked increase between New York area Bahá’ís and groups like the NAACP and Urban League (Buck 2012; Hogenson 2022). Yet, intra-Black issues and unintentional slights proved weighty matters. While “the Bahá’ís naturally associated with all kinds of people, including immigrants from the Caribbean and Africa,”wrote historian Kathryn Hogenson, “… these groups of Blacks were not welcomed by Blacks from the United States—an issue within Harlem that spilled over into the Bahá’í community. It also had to deal with reports of incidents at Bahá’í gatherings which were perceived by community members to be racist” (Hogenson 2022, pp. 175–176).

(Confronting Culture and Caste in the American Bahá’í Magazine World Order, 1935–1949 by Matthew Hughey)

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Columbia’s Baha’i Club Is Small but Dedicated!

On paper, there are 40 or so members; anywhere from 3 to 10 people usually attend meetings.

(Columbia News, December 02, 2025)

https://news.columbia.edu/news/columbias-bahai-club-small-dedicated

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Baha'u'llah was God??

Explicit Claims and Interpretations of Divinity:

• Dr. I. G. Khayru'llah, an early Baha'i propagandist in America, made the most direct assertions concerning Baha'u'llah's divinity in his classes and teachings.
  • Khayru'llah taught that Baha'u'llah was God Himself.
  • He insisted that God did not manifest through the personality of Baha'u'llah (as in the case of Jesus), but that He really was God.
  • Khayru'llah stated that Baha'u'llah declared himself God to the world in 1866.
  • In the context of the Incarnation, Khayru'llah claimed that the Incarnation of God (Baha) appeared in 1852-1853.
  • Khayru'llah also taught that Baha'u'llah manifested himself for five days as the Lord of Hosts.
  • He asserted that Baha'u'llah explicitly declared that He was the Visage and Very Self of the Eternal Essence.
  • Khayru'llah also claimed Baha'u'llah was the Enunciator (mubayyin), that is, God.
• The fundamental belief required for salvation, as taught by Khayru'llah, was that Baha'u'llah himself was God, the Almighty.
• In one of Baha'u'llah's letters, a passage asks: "O thou who circlest round my Throne and art present before my Face, dost thou weep for God's own self working for His purpose, or do I weep with mine eyes for it?".
• A Babi poem (ascribed to Nabil) contains an address to the Manifestation, suggesting divine claim and affirmation: "Then speak the word, 'Am I not your Lord?' and 'Thou art, Thou art' we will all reply".

Claims to Supreme Divine Authority and Status:

• Baha'u'llah is referenced using titles that denote supreme spiritual authority:
  • He is called the Beauty of Eternity and the Sovereign One.
  • In the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, the recognition of the Dawning-place of His Revelation and the Day-spring of His Dispensation is stated as "the first thing which God [Baha'u'llah] hath prescribed unto His servants".
  • He addressed letters to rulers, calling upon them to throw their kingdoms at his feet and worship him.
• Baha'u'llah's brother, Musa, was entitled Kalim ("Talker"), because, like Moses, he conversed with God, i.e., Baha'u'llah.
• Baha'u'llah offered proof of his divinity to the Ottoman Sultan by writing a book larger than the Koran in six hours.

(Extracted from Materials for the Study of the Bábí Religion, by Edward G. Browne)

https://ia601303.us.archive.org/30/items/materialsforstud00browuoft/materialsforstud00browuoft.pdf

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trademark in the word "Bahá’í"

The National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States of America, Inc. ("National Spiritual Assembly") asserted counterclaims for trademark infringement and unfair competition against the Hereditary Guardianship. They claimed they were entitled to the exclusive use of the Bahá’í faith's marks and symbols, including a trademark in the word "Bahá’í" and other specific Bahá’í symbols, names, and phrases.

(Hereditary Guardianship v. Nat. Spiritual Assembly, Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, Citations: 628 F.3d 837, Docket Number: 08-2306)

https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/179728/hereditary-guardianship-v-nat-spiritual-assembly/pdf/

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Baha'i faith growing in the US?

Baha'is with known addresses in the United States
2020 - 77290
2021 - 76965
2023 - 74933
2024 - 75350
2025 - 74773

(Annual Ridvan Reports published by the NSA of the US)

https://old.reddit.com/r/exbahai/comments/1lukdea/latest_us_bahai_statistics_from_ridvan_report_2025/

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The Office of Membership and Records

The Bahá’í Center Assistance Corporation (BCA) works with offices of the National Assembly to update and maintain data related to all Bahá’í properties requested by the Office for the Development of Administrative Systems at the Bahá’í World Center. BCA also worked with the IT department at the Bahá’í National Center to ensure that all relevant data requested by that office could be included in the properties database. This year, database fields were updated and modified so that the data spreadsheet could be populated by a query of the database. This includes all properties owned or rented by the National Assembly, Regional Bahá’í Councils, Local Spiritual Assemblies, and registered Bahá’í groups. National and regional offices can add to and update this information through UnityWeb, and Local Assemblies and registered groups can add or update properties through eMembership2.

(Ridvan Annual Report 2024)

The Office of Membership and Records plays a crucial role in maintaining the official records of all Bahá’ís, Local Spiritual Assemblies, and registered groups within the US Bahá’í community. In fulfilling this mandate, the Office is responsible for a range of essential functions:

• processing enrollments, child registrations, and international transfers to and from the United States

• facilitating UnityWeb access for Auxiliary Board members and individuals designated by Regional Bahá’í Councils

• providing UnityWeb and national website access (bahai.us/community) for approved foreign Bahá’ís

• updating the membership database to reflect changes in locality boundaries

• entering results for Ridván elections, Spiritual Assembly officer elections, and by-elections

• maintaining accurate records of contact information, postal addresses, marriages, and deaths

• issuing marriage and birth certificates

• distributing digital welcome letters and instructions for accessing virtual Bahá’í identification cards via bahai.us/community to new enrollees and new arrivals to the US Bahá’í community

• sending hard copy welcome packages to newly registered Bahá’í youth turning 15, including a welcome letter, Bahá’í ID card, a booklet of prayers titled Strive, and guidance on creating a Bahá’í Online Services Account (BOSA)

• cataloging correspondence exchanged between individuals, institutions, and the National Spiritual Assembly and its agencies

(Ridvan Annual Report 2025)

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Apocalyptic concerns and the Baha'i faith

‘Abdu’l-Bahá had predicted World War I and called it “Armageddon,”…a number of Baha’is in the 1950s evidently had apocalyptic concerns (Piff 2000, 122–30;Piff and Warburg 2003), the extent of these beliefs is unknown, and there is no evidence that such concerns dominated the community as a whole (Collins 2002b, 10–11). By contrast, the small (mostly American) sectarian Remeyite Baha’i splinter groups that developed after Shoghi Effendi's death in 1957 often held strong apocalyptic millennialist beliefs. [These groups originated with the claims of a senior Baha’i leader, Charles Mason Remey (1874–1974) to be Shoghi Effendi's successor (hence the rubric “Remeyite”). …Remey began to stress the immediacy of a final “great global catastrophe” (Johnson 1974, 362–64). His followers soon split into several contending sects, the most studied of which were the Baha’is Under the Provisions of the Covenant headed by Leland Jensen (d. 1996) from Missoula, Montana… (Balch, Farnsworth, and Wilkins 1983; Balch et al. 1997)] A third episode of apocalyptic expectation developed in the final years of the twentieth century in association with the widespread belief that the Lesser Peace would be established by the year 2000, and the anticipation by some Baha’is that this would be preceded by catastrophic events. While it is not possible to assess the number of Baha’is who held such views, it is of note that the Universal House of Justice felt it necessary to discourage Baha’is from speculating on the subject (Collins2002b, 12–13,17–18).

(Babi and Baha’i Millennialism by Peter Smith, William P. Collins)

https://academic.oup.com/edited-volume/34365/chapter-abstract/327336096?redirectedFrom=fulltext

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America is a noble nation, the standard-bearer of peace throughout the world

America is a noble nation, the standard-bearer of peace throughout the world, shedding light to all regions. Foreign nations are not untrammeled and free from intrigues and complications like the United States; therefore, they are not able to bring about universal harmony. But America — praise be to God! — is at peace with all the world and is worthy of raising the flag of brotherhood and international agreement.

-Abdul Baha

https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/abdul-baha/promulgation-universal-peace/27#055943431

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These few nakazeen cannot accomplish anything worth while.

“O thou divine servant! ...

“Convey the wonderful Abhá greeting to the believers. Chicago, in comparison with the cities of America, was in advance and numerically contained more Bahá’í's. But when the stench (vile odor) of the nakazeen [violators of the Covenant] was spread in that city there was stagnation. The Cause in other cities of America is progressing day unto day, but Chicago is stationary. Therefore, strive that the sweet fragrance of the Testament and Covenant may become diffused, the nostrils of the spiritual ones become perfumed, the banner of ‘Ya—Baha’u’l—Abhá!’ be unfurled, and the tent of the oneness of the world of humanity be pitched. Then ye shall observe that Chicago will become the Paradise of Abhá. These few nakazeen cannot accomplish anything worth while. The utmost is this that they will be the means of the drooping of the believers of God in that city. A person deprived of the spirit of the Covenant is [judged and] sentenced as dead. Therefore, breathe the spirit of the Covenant and Testament as much as ye can in the hearts so that the souls may progress day unto day and obtain a new exhilaration.”

-Star of the West, vol. XI, p. 319

https://bahai.works/World_Order/Volume_8/Issue_8/Text

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They must suffer to awaken.

After the coming calamity the United States will fulfill the prophecy that the United States will suffer, then it will lead all the nations spiritually. He said that he has given up warning the friends, as they paid no heed to either the warnings of Abdu'l-Bahá nor to Shoghi Effendi. They must suffer to awaken.

https://bahai-library.com/moffett_pilgrims_notes

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Reality magazine

'Reality' was a Baha'i magazine produced in New York between 1919 and 1929. During the ten years of its existence, it changed its style and contents dramatically, serving first as an organ for articles on Baha'ism and related topics, then (1923-1926) as a vehicle for attacks on the new Baha'i organization being built up by Shoghi Effendi Rabbani, and finally becoming a general magazine with little reference to Baha'i matters.

-Denis MacEoin

Source: Bulletin (British Society for Middle Eastern Studies), Vol. 13, No. 1 (1986), pp. 85- 91
Published by: Taylor & Francis, Ltd.
http://www.jstor.org/stable/194982

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The first Baha'i missionary in the USA

Ibrahim Kheiralla, was the first Baha'i missionary to travel to the West, arriving in Chicago in 1893 and winning his first converts in the following year. Something of an eccentric, Kheiralla -- a Syrian who was a member of the first graduating class of the American University in Beirut (then the Syrian Protestant College) in 1870 -- presented a curiously garbled version of Baha'ism to his growing circle of American devotees, and it was his often idiosyncratic views that dominated the early years of the religion in the United States. In due course, he clashed with more orthodox Baha'i teachers and finally with 'Abd al-Baha' 'Abbas, the head of the movement, thereby precipitating a major split in the early American community.

-Denis MacEoin

Source: Bulletin (British Society for Middle Eastern Studies), Vol. 13, No. 1 (1986), pp. 85- 91
Published by: Taylor & Francis, Ltd.
http://www.jstor.org/stable/194982

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In an effort to increase my monthly contribution to the National Fund, I took an extra part-time job!

Even ‘all’ is not enough

To the Editor:

I was distressed to learn ... that virtually no funds had been sent by December for early completion of the $1.5 million donation to the Universal House of Justice.

In an effort to increase my monthly contribution to the National Fund, I took an extra part-time job. Although it will pay well, it does not start until January.

While feeling frustrated by the late starting date, I learned that I had received a merit award of $2,000.

I first decided to send half of it toward early completion of the $1.5 million goal, but as I was writing the check I remembered two stories told by the Hand of the Cause of God William Sears.

The first was the story of Ella Bailey and how she had sent half her life savings to the Fund, then later sent the rest of it anyway.

The second was the story of Eduardo Durante Viera, the first African martyr. After recounting that story, Mr. Sears spoke of the martyrs in Iran who did not ask, “How much of my blood shall I give today? Ten per cent? Twenty per cent?’ They gave it all—all they had.

After remembering these stories and knowing that the same martyrdom is continuing today, 50 per cent—even 100 per cent—seems too small!

Name withheld by request New York

(The American Bahá’í, Volume 18, Issue 2)

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Renting silent movies to raise Baha'i fund!

Fund Fun...

The Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Wheaton, Illinois, recently wrote: “Our community has found a fun and successful fund-raising activity!

“We rent silent movies from our local library for 10 cents. Members of the community provide refreshments and we hold a ‘movie night.’

A donation is charged at the door, and there is a charge for refreshments (cookies 10 cents, lemonade 25 cents, popcorn, fruit, etc.).

“Of course, if non-Baha’is attend, there is no charge for them (unless their Baha'i friend wishes to pay for them), and there is no charge for anyone who cannot afford to pay.

“In this way we have been able to raise more than $100. It’s a social activity, and when non-Baha’is attend it usually becomes a fireside too.”

(The American Bahá’í, June, 1980)

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a sacred gift to the American Bahá’i Community... lock of Baha'u'llah's hair

The Guardian in 1937, sent a sacred gift to the American Bahá’i Community through Millie. This was the lock of Baha’u’llah’s hair that had been preserved by the Greatest Holy Leaf, to be placed beneath the dome of the American Bahá’i Temple. She presented the gift during the 1938 National Bahá'i Convention mounted in a silver frame, the first of many sacred gifts from the guardian to become part of the National Bahá’i Archives.

https://bahai-library.com/francis_collins_biography

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They need to know what the Baha'i Faith is all about

A goal of the Bloomington conference is for every Baha’i to bring a friend of the Faith. To do this, though, the non-Baha’is need to be prepared for a truly Baha'i conference.

They need to know what the Baha’i Faith is all about and who Bahá’u’lláh claims to be.

The American Baha'i, Volume 18, No. 12 December 1987

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Regarding the Baha'is of Iran one Muslim shared his observation.

Regarding the Baha'is of Iran one Muslim wrote the following:

As for Iran, the world is against Iran. I have serious doubts about the veracity of news reports about Iran, especially related to the treatment of Iranian Baha’is. A coworker of mine is an Iranian Baha’i. He is living in Canada for more than 35 years. He has visited his family many times over the years. His mother from Iran visited him a few times. If Iranian Baha’is are indeed persecuted, why would my coworker go to Iran? He is well-off financially. Why would he not rescue his family? He could have them smuggled into a neighbouring country and in to Canada. When his mother visited Canada, he could have had her apply for asylum at the airport.

Another interesting observation: The Baha’is in North America are mostly affluent professionals. My coworker owns at least two houses. Why don’t the Baha’is in the West pool their wealth together and make a deal with the Iranian government? If the Baha’is are to be believed, the Iranian government hates the “murtad”, “unclean” Baha’is. I'm sure that they want them to leave their wonderful country. The wealthy Baha’is in the west could pay the regime a ransom, hire a fleet of aircraft to evacuate the Iranian Baha’is and arrange for their Baha’i brothers and sisters to be resettled in Europe or North America. My coworker did not like my idea!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhwhqT14rGs&lc=UgxTxb8ojBRTt-ZrBIF4AaABAg 

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In the early years of the American Baha’i community, many Baha’is were occultists

In the early years of the American Baha’i community, many Baha’is were occultists, including those who believed they had acquired special knowledge or instructions through dreams or visions. As the community grew, the number of occultists declined. In 1917-1918, the orthodox Baha’is tried to expunge the esoteric Baha’is from the community. This was the Chicago Reading Room affair. ‘Abdu’l-Baha discouraged esoteric beliefs and warned the Baha'is against tampering with psychic forces.

(Studies in Honor of the Late Hasan M. Balyuzi by Moojan Momen)

https://books.google.com/books/about/Studies_in_Honor_of_the_Late_Hasan_M_Bal.html?id=yWXYAAAAMAAJ&redir_esc=y

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"Chicago Reading Room Affair"

In the Chicago community, a few Baha’is started their own group called the “Reading Room” against the wishes of the Chicago House of Spirituality. Several letters among the Hannen papers allude to this situation. One of the people involved with the Reading Room was declared a Covenant-breaker by ‘Abdu'l-Baha, and as a result of this person’s disobedience, a series of incidents created quite a stir in the community. I came across information in Nathan Rutstein’s book about Corinne True that offered some clarity: In Chicago, the Bahá’í army’s campaign wasn’t going  well. Ever since 1910 or 1911, undercurrents of disunity had been festering which erupted in 1917-1918. The Master had noted the situation during His visits to Chicago in 1912 and had privately warned both Corinne True and Dr. Bagdadi to be alert to signs of  disobedience to the Covenant of Baha'u'llah, of which He was the appointed Center. The episode became known as the “Chicago  Reading Room Affair,” named after the Reading Room which Luella Kirchner opened in 1913, with the approval of ‘Abdu’l-Baha.

(Aflame with Devotion - The Hannen and Knobloch Families and the Early Days of the Baha'i Faith by Judy Hannen Moe)

https://www.bahaibookstore.com/Aflame-with-Devotion-P9587.aspx

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