Baha'is offer hope for world unity in spite of Iran's persecution

[caption id="attachment_14777" align="alignleft" width="300"] Baha'i Temple in the United States[/caption]

Editor - While the Western world celebrates the New Year on January 1, and much of Asia shortly afterward, in the Middle East the time of Naw-Ruz opens the door to celebrations at the beginning of spring; and a persecuted people, the Baha'is, continue to have hope for their brethren in Iran and throughout the world, just as President Barack Obama said yesterday in his address from the White House.

Baha'is are a minority group of religious folks, but constitute the second largest of the religions of Iran.  While they are considered by Iranian Muslim clerics to be Islam heretics, they are considered by the nations of the world to be an independent religion.  But many of them in Iran are suffering intense persecution, denied education and personal freedoms to the extent that the United Nations has many times warned the Iranian government of it violation of human rights.

Yesterday evening in the greater Portland area, Julia Rubenstein hosted the annual Naw-Ruz celebration at her home, with local Baha'is indulging in a feast of food to end their 19-day fast.  Like other religious groups, such as Muslims and Catholics, the Baha'is believe that a fast helps to focus one's attention on the Creator and spiritual ideals as opposed to the material concerns.

One Baha'i observed at the celebration, "The fast gives me a time to think about my relationship to God, what is really important in life and what our true purpose is.  "   And what is that purpose, she was asked.  "To help establish peace on this earth, to teach the principles of the oneness of humanity; and that we are really all brothers sharing this world."

It is this type of statement that is the antithesis of the Iranian government's practices, practices that foster nationalism and increase tensions, according to international experts.  And it is this heavy-handed treatment of religious minorities who are trying to unite the East and West who are persecuted the most by the Iranian government.  That persecution has been continuing for more than 150 years, since the Baha'i Faith was born in 1844 with the heralding of the new messenger of its Faith, Baha'u'llah, by the Bab, a title given to the one Baha'is consider to be a prophet as well but also having the position of John the Baptist, as the one proclaiming the inception of a new era of faith.

Baha'is believe in the equality of men and women, the unity of mankind, economic justice, the agreement of science and religion and the recognition that nationalism, racism and communism are the triple evils that get in the way of the unity of mankind.

Yesterday Obama underlined how the Iranian government stands in the way of religious minorities in their free exercise of faith.  Last night, however, the Baha'is reminded themselves that each year at New Year is the symbol of rebirth, of new awakenings and of the opening of the door to infinite possibilities, as they celebrated Naw Ruz.

World religious experts, educators condemn Iran's attack on Baha'is

[caption id="attachment_9844" align="alignleft" width="252" caption="Baha'i principles"][/caption]

NEW YORK, Carol Forsloff – Iran’s persecution of Baha’is continues in a country where those of minority religious views not only have their spiritual life restricted but their education as well.

Recently more than 40 distinguished philosophers and theologians from 16 countries condemned Iran for restricting young Baha’is and others from seeking higher education.

Baha’is constitute the largest minority religion in Iran. The religion began in the mid-19^th century with the announcement first of the Bab and later Baha’u’llah that God had sent a “manifestation” to bring a new message of peace for the world.  The Bab is a title meaning “the Gate” and refers to a man claimed to be the forerunner to Baha’u’llah, the prophet for the present age according to his followers, in the same manner as John the Baptist was to Jesus Christ.

Islam teaches that Muhammad was God’s final messenger. Therefore, any religion that adds to or promotes another religion as superior is considered heresy.

43 distinguished academics from Christian, Hindu, Jewish, and Muslim backgrounds have signed an open letter, published in The Daily Telegraph (UK), and reported in the Folha de São Paulo (Brazil), as presented in a press release from the National Baha’I Center over the weekend.

The academics address the persecution and inequities of the Baha’is by emphasizing in a letter to the Iranian government, “Attacks such as these, against the rights of citizens to organize and be educated in freedom, can no longer be tolerated. We call upon the Iranian government not only to cease its persecution of Baha’is, but to provide, and promote, education for all.”

On Sunday, the Baha’is of Beaverton, one of the small-town areas that stretch the Portland, Oregon tentacles, met at a local center to reaffirm their belief in basic Baha’I principles which include the independent investigation of truth and the equality of women and men. Baha’is maintain men and women should be educated equally, using the analogy of a bird with two wings, male and female, both of which must be strong for the bird to fly. Independent investigation of truth encourages people to find religious and scientific truths, which must be in balance as well according to Baha’is.

Janet Imaki, a local Portland-area Baha’i, says this, “Baha’i principles are essential not just for us but for all mankind, when it comes to things like education. We are a growing community in the Portland area, but in other parts of the world, like Iran, our religion has been persecuted. Many Iranians of the Baha’i Faith are in this country and tell us how wonderful it is to worship freely in America and to seek education.”

Janet Imaki

Baha’is strongly encourage education and believe work done in the spirit of service to be an expression of worship.