Some Interesting Baha’i Scandals

1. The Violation of Abdu’l-Baha – Baha’u’llah in the The Kitáb-i-Ahd, or Book of the Covenant (his Will and Testament) appointed Abdu’l-Baha as his successor, but also stated that Abdu’l-Baha’s younger brother Mirza Muhammad Ali should be below him in rank and also be his immediate successor. Abdu’l-Baha disobeyed this commandment by depriving Muhammad Ali of any rank and replacing him as successor with his grandson, Shoghi Effendi, in his own Will and Testament.

2. The Madness of Shoghi Effendi – Abdu’l-Baha, in the same Will and Testament that appointed Shoghi Effendi as Guardian of the Cause of God, stated that the Guardian must appoint either his firstborn or another branch (male descendant of Baha’u’llah) as his successor in his own lifetime. Shoghi Effendi not only had no children, but he expelled from the Baha’i community every single one of Abdu’l-Baha’s own descendants, making it impossible for him to keep his grandfather’s commandments. He also died in 1957 without leaving a Will and Testament of his own as required by Baha’i law, throwing the Faith into a crisis.

3. Failed prophecy cover up – An early edition of Baha’u’llah and the New Era by J. E. Esselmont stated a prophecy by Abdu’l-Baha that by 1957 “Universal Peace will be firmly established, a Universal language promoted. Misunderstandings will pass away. The Bahá’í Cause will be promulgated in all parts and the oneness of mankind established.” But what really happened that year was Shoghi Effendi’s death. The prophecy was deleted from later editions of the book.

4. Attack on Kalimat Press – In 2005 and 2006,The National Spiritual Assemblies of the Baha’is of the United States and the United Kingdom issued orders to Baha’i communities under their command to stop selling books published by Kalimat Press, a small Baha’i owned book publishing company, for publishing a few books that they happened to disapprove of. As a result, the company was crippled in its operations.

5. Dr. Hossein Danesh, sex offender – A member of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of Canada, Danesh was stripped of his psychiatric license in the 1990s after being accused by several of his patients of sexual abuse. Instead of being expelled from the Baha’i community, he was sent to the Baha’i Landegg “university” in Switzerland, a private school which failed in 2005. Returning to Canada, he was hired by the NSA of Canada as a marriage and family therapist for fellow Baha’is.

6. Italian Baha’i financial scandal – Franco Ceccherini, a longtime member of the Italian National Spiritual Assembly, was found in 2007 to have stolen over 360,000 euros over 14 years while serving as the Assembly’s treasurer. This was discovered only when the Italian government audited the Baha’i community and then charged it 275,000 euros in back taxes, crippling financially the entire Italian Baha’i community.

7. Stephen Birkland, Baha’i secret police detective – In the 1990s, as a member of the Continental Board of Counselors for North America, Birkland led an investigation of Baha’is running an internet forum known as “Talisman” where members could openly question and debate issues regarding the management of the Baha’i communities. Birkland’s abusive tactics drove several Baha’is, including Juan Cole and John & Linda Walbridge, to resign rather than be condemned as covenant-breakers for taking part in Talisman, which was then shut down. Birkand was later rewarded for his zeal by being appointed to the International Teaching Center in 2008 and eventually he was elected to the Universal House of Justice in 2010.

Note : There are many more that Dale missed out. Please check this blog for more info:
http://bahai-scandals.blogspot.com

Grandson of Baha’u’llah doubts the authenticity of Will & Testament of Abdul Baha!

By Shua’u’llah Behai (The grandson of Baha’u’llah)

When this will was published, I hoped that eventually it will be considered invalid, for the following reasons:

First, it is in violation of the commands of Baha’u’llah, and the laws laid down by him.

Second, it is contradictory to ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s own teachings, and Baha’i principles which he so nobly advocated.

Third, it is the destroyer of the foundation of liberty of thought, faith, belief, speech, and the press.

But my hopes were shattered and my expectations were in vain, when one of the Baha’i communities, namely “The National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of the United States and Canada,” attributed such a prominence to this will, by incorporating the same into the bylaws of their organization, and compelling the members to become loyal and steadfast adherents to every clause of this will. Thus, reproducing the “catechism” of the old Roman Church:

•    Baha’i Trinity [i.e. a trinity of divinely inspired chiefs of the faith: the Bab, Baha’u’llah, and ‘Abdu’l-Baha].
•    Baha’i Elders [i.e. the Hands of the Cause].
•    Guardians of the Cause, little popes, perpetual representatives of God on earth.
•    Excommunications.
•    Absolutions.
•    etc. etc. etc.

I firmly believe that Abdu’l-Baha was too wise to leave such a will, and I am in doubt of its authenticity.

Extracted from: A Lost History of the Baha’i Faith, Page 137 & 138

Bahai Persecution: A Ruse for Growth

“Baha’i blood should be spilled in excess. Streets of Iran should be stacked with Baha’i corpses. Survival of Baha’ism depends on persecution of Baha’is,” these are not the agenda of any hostile countries but actually a cleverly developed strategy of the Universal House of Justice (UHJ). This is the gist of the message conveyed to the Persian speaking Baha’is of Iran on May 8, 2015.

According to the Baha’i spin-masters and think-tank, unless Baha’i victimization and atrocities are hyped, Baha’is will not be able to rescue a dying secret society masquerading as a modern religion.

They also want to create fear psychosis among the Baha’is portraying Iranian government in the negative light. This will ensure that their coffers are overflowing with cash from across the world and especially from the Iranian Baha’is.

This only exposes the UHJ’s hypocritical designs and their vested interests which indicate that they are actually enemies in the guise of friends. And they can go to any lengths to attain their malicious purposes.

The head honchos at Haifa are quite depressed at the grim scenario that plague the community. They have now realized that they cannot sedate the enthusiasts or neo Baha’is with smooth and sugar coated small talk.

Dwindling finances, diminishing Baha’i populace in every country (as indicated through census), veteran Baha’is refusal to accept senior positions in Baha’i administration, exodus of Baha’i stalwarts from such posts after their realization that its sheer wastage of their time and labour. This has thrown the whole organization in shambles.

Nevertheless, the community in general is also in abysmal state. Unabated divorces, growing immorality, total disregard towards institution of marriage, increasing cases of gay marriages, extra marital affairs and such other wanton behavior has spelled doom. The juniors youth meetings places and Baha’i centres have been reduced to den of illegal activities.

The final nail in the coffin for the community is the ostracisation of Baha’i by the world governments. The intelligence agencies have stepped up surveillance on Baha’i units, in fact motions for denying support to them have already been tabled in the United Nations. Several countries have actually deported Baha’is for their involvement in espionage and treason. While in some cases some Baha’is were imprisoned for supplying confidential information to Israel.

These developments clearly indicate the world has now began to call their bluff and does not want to be deceived by their hollow claims of peace and harmony. Their sole motive is to defraud the government to further their own hidden leitmotif.

In an international meeting of the selective Baha’i who were working for the External affairs committee of Baha’is the member of the House Firaydoun Javaheri said: “Think if the Iranian persecution stops what we will do?”. He said through the persecution of Baha’is we should seek an opportunity to meet the world leaders and introduce Baha’i faith to them. Can anybody think about a Faith which claims to be a revealed religion and having External Affairs committee to decisive the world leaders? They have incorporation of assemblies and the registration of Trademarks. Mirza Ahmad Sohrab had sharply objected that these are not the constituents of a revealed Religion.

In a country when the Ridvan Message was being read the Baha’is some members have openly ridiculed it saying it was too boring and prosaic. No one wants to listen to these false reports.

Under the pretext of defense of civil Rights of the Iranian Baha’is they have made committees all over the world so as to exert more pressure on Iran consequently the Iranian authorities will be forced to take more stringent action against the Baha’is.

The Persian Baha’is should know that it is only the Baha’i Administration who wants their persecution and martyrdom. Arrest and humiliation of Baha’is is a good news for them and freedom and happiness of Baha’is only defeats their purpose.