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.

Jehovah’s Witnesses and Baha’is: Not everyone loves politics

Political volunteers

"I love politics. Don't you?" the woman declared in a Spanish class at a local senior center.  Most folks there agreed.  But there are groups who find the topic of politics troublesome, and some of these groups have been persecuted for their opinions.

The hot topic for  news is politics, with even citizen journal sites finding fun in the political arguments that pervade most content on Internet news sites. The writer with a background in science or education often becomes the political "expert" when a news story develops that either directly counters or supports a point of view. While traditional media make some effort in staying above the fray, it is the opinion, not the news, that seeps through in many news articles and commentaries. Furthermore, those publications and writers who do not follow the lemmings in the constant political stream of content and comment, who do not emphasize politics, find their numbers dropping in times of political debate and controversy. But while media struggles with if, when, and how much political discussion the public wants, two religious groups remain distinctive in their withdrawal from those discussions because of their religious principles.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses believe the heaven on earth is coming and that the earth is a place of trial and tribulation that folks endure as good and evil are sorted out for those who will be part of that heaven or the hell that Judgment Day proscribes. Because their kingdom is not of this earth, they do not participate in politics, as they consider Jehovah as their ruler, unsurpassed by any earthly one. For that reason, although they respect the rights of others to honor symbols of flag and country, they do not accord these as having any significance in terms of their beliefs.  They particularly walk away from partisan politics and do not vote.

Kevin Jess is a member of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. He explains the belief as this: “ Jehovah's Witnesses remain neutral in regards to anything political. We look at it as a protection afforded us by Jehovah God. Sometimes people unknowingly try to draw us in to a conversation, asking our opinion on something political, we politely decline. We respect the laws of the land but we recognize only Jehovah as our ruler.”

Baha’is believe that adherents should work toward peace on earth through a set of basic beliefs. They abhor nationalism, communism, and racism as the false gods that lead to separation and conflict. Instead, Baha'is believe that the "World Order of Baha'u'llah", the founder of their Faith, is the Kingdom of the Father on earth, and fulfills Jesus' prayer, "Our Father in Heaven, holy be Thy Name, Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."

The Baha'i Faith seeks to establish the Father's Kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven.'

Baha'is accept Jesus as "the Very Savior of Man".” The Baha’i Faith emphasizes ethical ideals that include world peace, sexual equality, economic justice, and universal education.

As a consequence of their belief that God’s purpose is that heaven on earth, Baha’is don’t involve themselves in political parties or campaigns because they consider them divisive. On the other hand, they are encouraged to vote and to respect the laws of the countries in which they reside.

“It’s hard to stand apart from politics, as people continue to try to pull us into their discussions. But you can’t unite man into a world community that includes everyone when political divisions stand in the way,” says Janet Imaki, quoting from the basic precepts of her Baha’i Faith.

Politics has its appeal both in the United States, where 2012 is the time of campaigns that include both national and local offices in government.  Even the office of the President is part of partisan politics in 2012 with the Presidential election scheduled for November.  Many people find it enticing to write and discuss politics as it is current, enticing and often exciting and controversial; but not everyone is so attracted to it, as noted by the beliefs and practices of some faith groups. In the din that surrounds political discussion, who can  say which way is best in terms of loving one’s brother and creating pathways of peace.