mirza ahmad sohrab the secretary of abdul baha

8/12/2019 Mirza Ahmad Sohrab the Secretary of Abdul Baha

1/39

Mirza Ahmad

Sohrabhttp://www.fglaysher.com/bahaicensorship/SohrabEx.htm

Most of the books of Ruth White and Mirza Ahmad Sohrab are available on this website.

Scholarship worthy of the name cannot be done without confronting the history to whichRuth White and Mirza Ahmad Sohrab testify. Ecerpts and bibliography below.Mirza Ahmad Sohrab!sBroken Silence: The Story of Today's Struggle for Religious

Freedom."ew #ork$ %niversal &ublishing' ()*+. Entire book$

http$,,www.fglaysher.com,bahaicensorship,archives,Sohrab-rokenSilence.pdf

Ecerpts regarding the ()*( "ew #ork Supreme ourt ase before /udge 0alente$

http$,,www.fglaysher.com,bahaicensorship,archives,-rokenSilence'ourtase.pdf

Ahmad Sohrab' who was Abdul1-aha!s secretary for eight years' mistakenly chose to

support an organizational structure under a 2guardian'2 though he was well aware that' as

he subtly acknowledged' 2Abdul -aha had never in speech or writing given the slightest

indication that there would be a successor to himself. 3n the contrary' a number ofaddresses delivered by him on various occasions had made the opposite impression.2 The

Will and Testament of Abdul-Baha 45(6.

Many of Sohrab!s comments and books should be read in the light of his attempting tomake amends with' or influence' Shoghi Effendi' who 2ecommunicated2 him' as Shoghi

Effendi had done with his on entire family. Ruth White and 7r. . Ainsworth Mitchellwent much deeper into what had gone wrong after Abdul1-aha!s death' but Sohrab

throws light upon various -ahai problems of the time' such as freedom of religious

conscience' of which many such problems continue today for other -ahai denominationsbased upon the fraudulent will and testament of ()+(.

8iven subse9uent -ahai history' it is clear Sohrab also failed to understand the wisdom

and very profound change in religious form and conduct that Abdul1-aha taught when herepeatedly stated the -ahai Movement could not be organized. Abdul1-aha!s :eaching

runs entirely contrary to what people usually think of as 2religion'2 and is still today a

profoundly challenging parado for many seekers and -ahais.

Scholarship worthy of the name cannot be done without confronting the -ahai history to

which Ruth White' /ulie hanler' and Mirza Ahmad Sohrab testify.

&lease note that in its use of the tactic of what Sohrab called 2slanderous vilification'2 theheadnote links on ;1net -aha!i onBroken Silenceand The Will and Testament of Abdul-

Baha violate the "E;' MS%' and ;1"et!s own democratic principles regarding scholarly

and academic debate and discussion. :he associated links' for these two works' and
http://www.fglaysher.com/bahaicensorship/SohrabEx.htmhttp://www.fglaysher.com/bahaicensorship/archives/SohrabBrokenSilence.pdfhttp://www.fglaysher.com/bahaicensorship/archives/BrokenSilence,CourtCase.pdfhttp://www.fglaysher.com/bahaicensorship/archives/SohrabWTAB.pdfhttp://www.fglaysher.com/bahaicensorship/Ruth%20White.htmhttp://www.reformbahai.org/Julie_Chanler.htmlhttp://www.fglaysher.com/bahaicensorship/archives/SohrabBrokenSilence.pdfhttp://www.fglaysher.com/bahaicensorship/archives/BrokenSilence,CourtCase.pdfhttp://www.fglaysher.com/bahaicensorship/archives/SohrabWTAB.pdfhttp://www.fglaysher.com/bahaicensorship/Ruth%20White.htmhttp://www.reformbahai.org/Julie_Chanler.htmlhttp://www.fglaysher.com/bahaicensorship/SohrabEx.htm


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attempts to discredit Sohrab with bogus legal opinions' further demonstrate fanatical

-aha!i abuse and undermining of the democratic principles that support ;1"et' yet

another indication of the etent to which -aha!is are willing to go to maintain theirstranglehold and bias people against opinions they oppose. ' only restored after a number of

complaints from at least two different people.6 http$,,www.h1

net.org,?bahai,diglib,books,&1:,S,sohrab,-roken.htm

Selective -ibliography' Sohrab$

Mirza Ahmad Sohrab. < ;eard ;im Say. Words of Abdul -aha as Recorded by his

Secretary."ew #ork$ :he "ew ;istory @oundation' ()>.

http$,,www.fglaysher.com,bahaicensorship,archives,Sohrab.7igitally republished' East Bansing' Mi.$ ;1-ahai' +==*.

http$,,www.h1net.org,?bahai,diglib,books,&1:,S,sohrab,S7&.htm

Mirza Ahmad Sohrab. My -ahai &ilgrimage. Autobiography from hildhood to MiddleAge.

"ew #ork$ "ew ;istory @oundation' ()C).

http$,,www.fglaysher.com,bahaicensorship,archives,SohrabM-&.pdfMirza Ahmad Sohrab 4(D) 1 ()CD6 -iography by Will /ohnson' &rofessional

8enealogist

http$,,www.countyhistorian.com,cecilweb,inde.php,AhmadSohrab

EXCERPTS: Mirza Ahmad Sohrab. Broken Silence. The Story ofToday's Struggle for Religious Freedom. New York: Universal

Pblishin!" #$%&.
http://www.h-net.org/~bahai/diglib/books/P-T/S/sohrab/Broken.htmhttp://www.h-net.org/~bahai/diglib/books/P-T/S/sohrab/Broken.htmhttp://www.fglaysher.com/bahaicensorship/archives/SohrabIHHS.pdfhttp://www.fglaysher.com/bahaicensorship/archives/SohrabBrokenSilence.pdfhttp://www.fglaysher.com/bahaicensorship/ABG.htmhttp://www.fglaysher.com/bahaicensorship/ABG.htmhttp://www.fglaysher.com/bahaicensorship/ABG.htmhttp://www.h-net.org/~bahai/diglib/books/P-T/S/sohrab/ABG.htmhttp://www.h-net.org/~bahai/diglib/books/P-T/S/sohrab/ABG.htmhttp://www.fglaysher.com/bahaicensorship/archives/SohrabWTAB.pdfhttp://www.h-net.org/~bahai/diglib/books/P-T/S/sohrab/SDP.htmhttp://www.fglaysher.com/bahaicensorship/archives/SohrabMBP.pdfhttp://www.countyhistorian.com/cecilweb/index.php/Ahmad_Sohrabhttp://www.h-net.org/~bahai/diglib/books/P-T/S/sohrab/Broken.htmhttp://www.h-net.org/~bahai/diglib/books/P-T/S/sohrab/Broken.htmhttp://www.fglaysher.com/bahaicensorship/archives/SohrabIHHS.pdfhttp://www.fglaysher.com/bahaicensorship/archives/SohrabBrokenSilence.pdfhttp://www.fglaysher.com/bahaicensorship/ABG.htmhttp://www.fglaysher.com/bahaicensorship/ABG.htmhttp://www.fglaysher.com/bahaicensorship/ABG.htmhttp://www.h-net.org/~bahai/diglib/books/P-T/S/sohrab/ABG.htmhttp://www.fglaysher.com/bahaicensorship/archives/SohrabWTAB.pdfhttp://www.h-net.org/~bahai/diglib/books/P-T/S/sohrab/SDP.htmhttp://www.fglaysher.com/bahaicensorship/archives/SohrabMBP.pdfhttp://www.countyhistorian.com/cecilweb/index.php/Ahmad_Sohrab


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Pages 83, 85, 131, and 206 are missing from the scanned H-Netversion of Broken Silence:

"The love of religios li!ert is a stronger sentiment than anattachment to civil or #olitical freedom$ That freedom %hich the

conscience demands and %hich men feel !ond ! their ho#es ofsalvation to contend for, can hardl fail to !e attained$ &onscience in

the case of religion, and the %orshi# of 'eit, #re#ares the mind to

act and sffer !eond almost all other cases$$$$ Histor instrcts sthat this love of religios li!ert, a com#ond sentiment in the !reast

of men, made # of the dearest sense of right and the highestconviction of dt, is a!le to loo( the sternest des#otism in the face"

)12*$ --'aniel +e!ster

Praise !e to od .o are living #on the great continent of the +est

en/oing #erfect li!ert, secrit and #eace of this /st

government $ $ $ for in this hman %orld there is no greater !lessingthan li!ert$ .o do not (no%$ %ho for fort ears have !een a

#risoner, do (no%$ do (no% the vale and !lessing of li!ert$ or ohave !een and are no% living in freedom and o have no fear of

an!od$ s there a greater !lessing than this reedom i!ert4ecrit These are the great !esto%als of od$ Therefore #raise e

od --!dl-aha, The Promlgation of 7niversal Peace, ol$ , #age9:$ ddress !efore the ;etro#olitan frican ;ethodist &hrch,

+ashington, '$&$ #ril 23, 1:12$

"Here, %ish to affirm m conviction that the +ill of !dl aha is

valid and that his a##ointment of 4hoghi >llah and !dl aha are li!eral to the nthdegree, and !road !eond the ot#osts of hman thoght$ t %as the

intention of the onders to esta!lish an norgani?ed movement, so

all-inclsive and free as to !e immne to the natral #roclivities ofmen to restrict and limit$ The fact that restriction and limitation have

alread set in and are fast gaining grond, at this date, onl t%entears after the removal from or midst of !dl aha, is a matter of

#rofond concern to all those %ho, la!els a#art, !elieve in #romoting

7niversal @eligion" )26-2A*$

"The ahai &ase, as fonded ! aha>>llah nearl a centr ago andas inter#reted ! his son !dl aha, %as and still is a 7N


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man from interference ! an hierarchical organi?ationC to s#iritali?esociet and to sociali?e religionC to nif the fndamental ideals of the

+orld aithsC to !esto% #on ever child of od the #recios gift ofli!ert and to harmoni?e the conflicting interests of nations, races and

#eo#les of the earth %ith the #o%er of s#irit$ Ho%ever, the #resent da

ahai dministration nder the title of the National 4#irital ssem!lof the ahais of the 7nited 4tates and &anada has, throgh its dogmas

and creeds, frstrated the aims of the onders of the ahai aith$"

"The athenticit of this docment is !eond the shado% of do!t"

)9A*$

n Bld ccsation"Practicall, from the de#artre of the ;aster from this life ntil toda,

it has !een charged against me ! the ahai Brgani?ation and ! the

mem!ers of the &ommnit that den the +ill of !dl aha andrefse to acce#t 4hoghi >llah are forgotten

and in their stead %e see nothing !t a mass of rles and reglationsthat d#licate, to sa the least, the ecclesiastical #ara#hernalia of

#revios organi?ed religions" )51*$

"f, in the corse of m %riting, have occasionall disagreed %ith the

#olicies of 4hoghi llahE Fnde#endent investigation of Trth$F &iti?ens of the

7nited 4tates feel themselves at li!ert to freel discss, to agree ordisagree %ith the #olicies of the President$ This does not im#l that

the Destion his right to occ# the +hite Hose, nor that the are#lanning to overthro% the government$ Bn the contrar, it is an

e=#ression of their love for this contr and of their desire to


5/39

contri!te to%ard its safet and !etterment" )52-53*$

" %ill sho% from the %ritings of aha>>llah and !dl aha that the&ase that the envisaged and for %hich the sffered is Dite

different and totall at variance %ith the one that is !eing taght

toda$ Bne is divine revelation, the other is hman athoritC one isniversal and all-inclsive, the other is restricted and se#arativeC one

is dignit and freedom of conscience, the other is s!servienc and!lind loaltC one is %ings otstretched, the other is feet enchained"

)53*$

" do not claim to !e a leader$ do not see( follo%ers$ have no %ish

that m name shold !e even remem!ered$ am sim#l a voice in the%ilderness$ astl, farthest of all from m thoghts is the idea of !eing

destrctive, for m aim is to re-discover the original s#irital teachings

of aha>>llah and !dl aha, %hich %ere and are for theesta!lishment of a divine civili?ation" )59*$

"The ocal ssem!l of this cit %ished to s#ervise or activities$ ,

on the other hand, o%ing to long e=#erience %ith the ssem!lies, %asconvinced that sch s#ervision im#lied a com#lete domination and

%old lead to the total destrction of the %or( itself$ +e loo(ed #on

The Ne% Histor 4ociet as an inde#endent effort to teach the#rinci#les of the &ase, and %e needed freedom in so doing$

fter%ards, %hen the initial interest had !een created, %e %ere readto gide or ne% fond friends to the &enter, to arrange classes nder

the direction of its o%n ahai teachers and to strive in ever %ato%ard the co-o#eration of the t%o gro#s" )A5*$

"t %as re#eatedl reDired of me that shold a##ear !efore theocal ssem!l of Ne% .or( and the National 4#irital ssem!l, !t

loo(ed on these !odies as @eligios Tri!nals $ $ $ and !elieved that

%old !e tra##ed into ma(ing admissions, regarding m o#inion of theorgani?ation, %hich %old !e sed against me$ &onseDentl, %hile

%as at all times %illing to discss an and all matters %ith individalmem!ers of the ssem!lies, consistentl refsed to a##ear !efore

their official gro#s )AA*$

"No%, ;rs$ &hanler (ne% that Fco-o#erationF meant s#ervision of or

#rograms and of everthing that %as said on or #latform$ t im#liedendless discssions and certain interr#tions of the %or($ +e felt that

%e cold not ris($$$ )82*$ G83 missing

@ecriting 4tation


6/39

" this time, large nm!ers of the mem!ers of the ahai organi?ationhad actall /ointed The Ne% Histor 4ociet$ This mem!ershi# %ith s

in no %ise affected their loalt to the &enter, for all of s loo(ed onthe ne% movement as a sort of recriting station, and %e often termed

it as sch" ):3*$

oting season

"The Ne% Histor 4ociet, from time to time, o#ening its flood-gagesand allo%ing a stream of immatre ahais to filter into the #recincts of

the ssem!l$ 4o far so goodC !t ho% a!ot the voting season

+old it not !e li(el that these fresh, ntrammeled minds %old #ic(ot some Fne%F officers to re#resent them, and that %ithin a fe%

ears a large #art of the administrative #ersonnel %old !e changedThis s##osition !rings # a serios #oint, a##ling to !oth National

and ocal ssem!lies, the former having !een fnctioning since time

ot of mind %ith #racticall no change of officers" ):5*$

" have to than( @hi


7/39

&anada have !een free and ntrammeledC one ma assert that thehave sed )or in m o#inion have a!sed* their constittional right of

free #ress, free s#eech and free assem!l )129-125*$

"n 1:3:, The Ne% Histor 4ociet e=hi!ited its %or(s and literatre in

Gthe 4cience and s air, anddring these months an idea came to the mind of ;rs$ rederic( llien,

one of the first ahais in this contr, %ho had !een called FerthalinF! !dl aha and %ho has sed this name ever since$ The idea %as

that it %old !e a vala!le service to the &ase if, after the closing of

the air, or e=hi!it cold !e trans#orted to the cit$ fter someconsltation, it %as decided to ta(e this ste# as a #rel tem#orar

activit, and on Novem!er Ath, 1:3:, Fahai oo(sho#F %as o#enedat 828 e=ington vene, a lease having !een signed for the dration

of si= months$ admit that %e %ere fll conscios that, in all

#ro!a!ilit, the National 4#irital ssem!l of the ahais of the 7nited4tates and &anada %old resent this frther heralding of the ahai

name and teachings$ Ho%ever, %e %ere #re#ared, as in the #ast, tomeet o##osition in silence )126*$

"aha>>llah and !dl aha lived in #rison, sffered and gave their

teachings FfreeF for the religios nification of man(ind in order that,

in 1:28, these s#irital heavenl teachings !e mono#oli?ed, and soldnder trade-mar( to an nss#ecting #!lic as so mch FgoodsF,

similar to Fle 4noco, $ +ashington coffee, T%ent ;le Teamora=oF or Fthe ne%, !lended %ith Havana, +hilte B%l &igarF )it>s

milder*" )132*$

"The ahai organi?ation is not a religion, nor a s#irital renaissance,

nor the s#irit of the age, !t is a fll-fledged cor#oration %hich, %hileit engages itself in mar(eting the #rinci#les of aha>>llah for the

esta!lishment of 7niversal Peace, throgh its varios !ranches in the

7nited 4tates, &anada and in other #arts of the %orld, has #rotectedthese goods ! ta(ing ot a trade-mar( on the ver name %hich more

than t%ent thosand Persian men and %omen claimed at the #rice oftheir lives" )133*$

" %ill #oint ot one #ecliar as#ect of Fahai Ne%sF$


8/39

meetings$ He never thoght of s#ecifing the #oint that there shold!e no secret #!licationE For men onl, or mem!ers of the Jlan onl,

or ahais BnlF )136*$

"The insidios adversaries are those %ho hold office in the National

4#irital ssem!l of the ahais of the 7nited 4tates and &anada$The are the ones %ho, throgh their legalistic ver!iage, have sto##ed

the circlation of the !lood of life throgh the arteries of man(indCthe are the ones %ho have !anished love from their midst and

enthroned the eiled Hatred %hich is more dreadfl than the nveiled

oneC the are the ones %ho have s#read the #all of s!tle fear andss#icion over the ahai &ommnit, e=iling confidence and self-

res#ectC the are the ones %ho, throgh #olitical mani#lations !eforeand dring annal ahai &onventions, are re-elected to the same

offices ear after ear--ths, (ee#ing a stranglehold on the activities of

the &ase and directing those activities according to their o%n good-#leasre" )13A*$

"The %riter of the article in Fahai Ne%s reaches the height of his

slanderos vili'i(a)ion%hen he li(ens ;r$ and ;rs$ &hanler and theirahai friends Fto those enemies that #receded themE 4!hi-


9/39

s %hat this means He smiles, trim#hantl #ointing to the signatre,and %e readE National 4#irital ssem!l of the aha>is of the 7nited

4tates and &anada ! Horace Holle, 4ecretar$$$$ There is a sta(e onthe FsorceF of the ahai &ase and its o%ner-#ro#rietor is the

National 4#irital ssem!l of the ahais of the 7nited 4tates and

&anada$ The F#ass%ordF given to man(ind ! aha>>llah, to !e sedfor the regeneration of nations, is in the #ossession of the ahai

administrators" )195-196*$

"No one on the face of the earth can fathom the FmsterF latent in

the name FahaiF e=ce#t these inter#reters of the la%, theseesteemed mem!ers of the all-#o%erfl ahai hierarch$ The F/e%el

%ith man facetsF is !o=ed and loc(ed, and the (e is in the velvet#oc(et of ;r$ Horace Holle$$$$ The Fset of #rinci#les necessar for the

#eace of the %orld, for economic sta!ilit, for the tre #rogress of

sciences and arts are registered and trade-mar(ed, and %oe ntothose %ho dare to s#ea( or %rite on these s!/ects" )19A*$

"The remed given ! the reat Phsician for the healing of the sic(

!od of the %orld has !een made # into a #atent medicine, and noone is allo%ed to avail himself of its restorative #o%ers e=ce#t !

#ermission of these #arochial #harmacologists$ +e, the mem!ers of

the ahai Brgani?ation, have a #riorit right on Fthe ideals offello%shi# and service irres#ective of race, creed, nationalit and

class,F and those %ho #t these #rinci#les into #ractice are orFinsidios enemiesF )19A*$

"n the light of the a!ove rles, it is not difficlt to #ictre the (ind ofsociet that %old !e ors if the ahai commnit !ecomes

%ides#read nder the aegis of the National 4#irital ssem!l of theahais of the 7nited 4tates and &anada$ n dictator %ho might arise

in this contr, of %hatsoever #olitical he, red, !ro%n, !lac( or

ello%, %old ta(e to his heart and cherish these deaf, dm! and !linds!/ects, tterl servile and s!servient, %ho %old never o##ose him

nor resist his most crel la%s or indeed his slightest %him$ Theciti?enr of these #rod 7nited 4tates %old !ecome a race of

atomata, a chain-gangC and or fair democrac %old have !eenconverted into a nightmare, more gresome and frightfl than cold!e imagined ! an H$ $ +ells in his most des#ondent mood" )156-

15A*$

"; #ersonal o#inion is that if some effectal means !e not #resentlado#ted to dis#erse this sacrosanct hierarch, to nllif its #o%er and

destro its athorit, it %ill ere long redce the ahai &ase to the


10/39

stats of a sect, seeing that it has no% %a=ed so e=ceedingl #ffed# %ith #ride as to attac( anone %ho, !efore the face of his ;a(er,

calls himself a ahai$ f a method !e not devised to chec( theinordinate am!itions of these administrators of the ahai &ase, the

%ill, for the esta!lishment of their o%n n-merican, n-democractic

ideolog, so limit the s#irital #otenc of the %ords of aha>>llah thatthe effect of these %ords on the hearts of men %ill !e redced to a

%his#er" )15A*$

"f this gro# is left to contine in its corse of ever da devising a

ne% loc(, of forging a ne% chain, of fashioning a ne% %hi# fora##lication of the fair !od of the &ase, then, s%ear ! the lmight

that aha>>llah himself %ill arise in his 4#reme Po%er and shatterthese fetters to a thosand #ieces, ths freeing his ;essage and

setting it again to flo%, li(e a tmltos cclone, throgh the %ide

avenes of life )15:*$

"+hat s the ahai &ase The ahai &ase is a free s#irital@evelation$ aha>>llah, as its onder, #raed that all men ma

#arta(e of the inestima!le !lessings of his ;essage$ This ;essage, inits essence, !elongs to hmanit, and no individal, no gro# of

individals, no chrch, no state, no organi?ation, no administration can

la an e=clsive claim to it$ t cannot !e trade-mar(ed, and it cannot!e #atented$$$$ FThe %ords of od are inde#endentF of the

s#onsorshi# of a cor#oration" )15:*$

"The &om#laint, served on #ril 25thC the mended &om#laint,#resented on Ine AthC the 4##lemental ill of Particlars, added onBcto!er 30th, and the final ;emorandm, s!mitted to the &ort on

'ecem!er 2A, 1:90 $ $ $ dis#la a shifting of attitde ver #er#le=ingto the stdent of these docments$ The la%sit started ot on the

!asis of the trade-mar( held on the %ord FahaiF, !t this definite

claim %as dro##ed in the FmendedF &om#laint and in all s!seDentPa#ers$ The same #rocess of elimination on other claims is follo%ed,

more or less reglarl, in the series of !riefs, sho%ing that the#laintiffs %ere la!oring nder confsion of thoght and #r#ose$

aseless assertions and fantastic allegations %ere advanced as factsC!t no #roofs %ere offered$$$$ et hndreds of Ne% .or(>s #!lic,(no%ing the sitation !t slightl, %old have !een %illing to go on

record, stating that some of these charges %ere o!viosl not tre$ tan rate, according to the &ort Fno factsF %ere ever #rodced and no

Fgood case of actionF %as ever advanced" )1A1-1A2*$

"s one stdies these docments, one comes to the reali?ation that


11/39

the #laintiffs are o!sessed %ith a single thoght and #r#ose, namelEthat aha>>llah came to earth to form an organi?ation and that his

teachings are to !e mono#oli?ed ! them$ This line of argment, li(ethe ominos ndertone of a ree( traged, rns throghot all their

demands$ The !elieve that or Fnla%flF #!lic teaching of the

ahai &ase is Ftres#assingF #on their rights and #rivileges and%or(s to their Fdamage and in/rFC and the consider that, if %e are

#ermitted to FcontineF in these Fnla%fl actsF, the National4#irital ssem!l of the ahais of the 7nited 4tates and &anada and

the 4#irital ssem!l of the ahais of the &it of Ne% .or( F%ill

sffer irre#ara!le in/rF" )1A2*$

"'ring the eleven ears of the e=istence of The Ne% Histor4ociet $ $ $ ;r$ and ;rs$ &hanler have #ored in their mone freel,

/oosl, as grist to the mill of their endeavor$ 4mall contri!tions to

the %or( came in no% and then, from or mem!ers, some !oo(s %eresold and the #roceeds added to the !dget, !t ninet-nine and three-

Darters #ercent of the total e=#ended on the maintenance of the %or(came from the one sorce--;r$ and ;rs$ &hanler$


12/39

times$ Ths, from no% on, an sincere see(er after trth, %ho hasreali?ed his highest as#irations in the ahai &ase, can term himself a

follo%er of aha>>llah and se his name %ithot let or hindrance$ Noone can molest him or tr to ndermine his service in the movement"

)182*$

"The ;ost m#ortant Point$ Istice alente rled that Fthe #laintiffs

have no right to a mono#ol of the name of a religion$ The defendants,%ho #r#ort to !e mem!ers of the same religion, have an eDal right

to se the name of the religion in connection %ith their o%n meetings,

lectres, classes and other activities$ This is the most im#ortant #ointin DestionC for, henceforth the National 4#irital ssem!l cannot

claim, as it has # to this time, that it is the sole re#resentative of allthe ahais in the land$ There are no%, and %ill !e in increasing

nm!ers, ahais %ho %old not thin( it a##ro#riate to !e re#resented

! the National 4#irital ssem!l, and %hom the National 4#iritalssem!l %old not thin( it a##ro#riate to re#resent$ The la%s of this

nation %ill !e the #ractical garantee of sch ahais, %ho %ill trntheir hearts to od in the service of aha>>llah and !dl aha,

%ithot !enefit of clerg )18A-188*$

Not a @eligion

"n stding the &om#laint, the mended &om#laint, the ill ofParticlars, the 4##lemental ill of Particlars and the final

;emorandm, one comes to the conclsion that the #laintiffs aresolel #reocc#ied %ith the consolidation of their #rivileges as a

Fcor#orationF$ The are dee#l concerned over the #ossi!le diversionfrom them of contri!tions and the ma(ing, ! others, of #rofits %hichmight have accred to their !dget$ The enlarge on the s!/ects of

nfair com#etition, #ecniar advantages and in/r to !siness, andlet loose shafts of accsation on charges of tres#assing$ t is clear the

the ahai dministration is not a religion, !t a great cor#oration,

having Fmore than one hndredF s!sidiar cor#orations o#erating invarios #arts of the 7nited 4tates and &anada$ efore the &ort, it

annonces that it is the trstee and cstodian of a variet of#ro#erties, inclding a tem#le nder constrction at +ilmette, llinois,

#on %hich more than a million dollars has !een e=#ended, to date$i(e%ise, there is a trst fnd nder its control as %ell as a #!lishingconcern$ ll these material advantages are #ossessed ! the ahai

dministration, and no com#etition shall !e allo%ed in the ahai nameand teachings %hich are the sorce of its %ealth No, the ahai

dministration is not a religion$ The ahai &ase, from %hich itderives, %as schC !t that %as long ago" )1:1*$


13/39

" no stretch of imagination can %e invest the mem!ers of theNational 4#irital ssem!l %ith the same innocence$$$$ Then, %h did

the allo% themselves to #er#etrate the nethical act of concealingfrom the &ommissioner of the 7nited 4tates Patent Bffice the fact that

the %ord ahai %as derived from the name FahaF, and that FahaF

%as a #erson, and more, that he %as the fonder of a 7niversal@eligion The ans%er is of corse #lain$ n sch a case, the %old

have !een refsed the trade-mar(" )211*$

"Hence, the trade-mar( on the sm!ol of the F;B4T @i" no% serves the role of the latter$

"Here %e see that, %hile the National 4#irital ssem!l asserts thatreligios controvers is not a Dalit of merica, it allo%s itself the

ver n-merican action of dragging its fello%-!elievers into the la%-corts over nothing more nor less than a Freligios controversF$+hile it states that in this contr a varied #o#lation has !een

assred freedom of conscience and the individal right to %orshi# odaccording to an #ractice, it e=erts itself to de#rive the mem!ers of

The Ne% Histor 4ociet and all li!eral ahais of this ver Findividal

right to %orshi#F od according to their convictions and !eliefs$ +hileit s#ea(s of the Fclimate of toleranceF, it disseminates among its

commnities the #oison of theological controvers and, %ithot mercor let-#, #ersectes the li!eral elements %ithin its o%n ran(s$ t

then, this #iece of %riting is for the #!lic, %hile the actal doctrines ofthe ahai dministration ma !e stdied ! the elect %ithin the #agesof the Fahai Ne%sF" )229*$

"t is tre that the National 4#irital ssem!l, once in a %hile !efore

its o%n mem!ershi#, #retends to vale the assets conferred ! these7nited 4tates$ n a letter dated e!rar 15, 1:91, and addressed to

Fahai riendsF, it Destions mornfllE >n or favored contr %e


14/39

are still in #ossession of or freedom, or #ossessions, or li!ert ofthoght--ho% long %ill the last> ndeed, not long if this instittion

has its %a The #resent da ahai organi?ation is the model #on%hich an alleged %orld order is to !e fashionedC and %hat a %orld

order it %ill !e, /dging from the #attern The individal is not allo%ed

to se his conscience, !t mst adhere to the rlings of his s#eriors%ithot regard to modern social isses or hmanitarian inclinationsC

a!ove all, %ithot regard to the ahai teachings$ 7nder theseconditions, the !etter elements in the gro# are forced to maintain a

#ainfl silence, leaving the condct of affairs to those of less sensitive

fi!re$ t is largel for this reason that the ahais (ee# themselves alooffrom crrent affairs$ The fnction on a !asis that is ntena!leC

conseDentl, the cannot loo( the %orld ee to ee$ have heardmore than one of their leaders s#ea(ing on #!lic #latforms in eneva,

4%it?erland, at times %hen that cit %as the h! of advanced thoght,

and these otstanding ahais cold not !ring themselves to the #ointof #rononcing the name of aha>>llah$ +h this 4im#l !ecase the

ahai dministration has #rodced a com#le= among its advocates$The ardian himself never ventres into the #!lic" )225*$

GThe nsa regarding its la%sit against 4ohra!E "The commnit of!elievers at an given time re#resents man different stages of

develo#ment, and the hostilit of the !etraer and the foe comes as anecessar and hel#fl test of the individal !eliever>s nderstanding

and firmness$ That is all, e=ce#t for the frther consideration that the

aith acDires #!lic inflence and esteem throgh the dramati?ationof its vital #rinci#les nder onslaght or denial" )22A*$

"; o#inion is that, at %hatsoever door the agitation ma /stl !e

laid, a la% cort is at no time a fit #lace for controvers among the

follo%ers of !dl-aha" )22:*$

"The otcome of this charge %as the same as that of all the otherchargesE it fell to the grond !ecase it %as totall ns!stantiated$

ll this is fnn, in a senseC and et actall, it is not fnn that those

%ho signed this docment shold so lend themselves to dece#tion andntrth" )292*$

"&reeds and articles of faith %ere formlated ! scceeding

generations of theologians, men %ho had lost the vision of the

Pro#hets and %ere %andering in the %aste desert of meta#hsicals#eclations$ This is %hat ha##ened to &hristianit$ t is ha##ening to

the ahai &ase toda--%ith onl a difference of terminologE Theahai theologians call themselves dministrators" )25:*$


15/39

@egarding the #ostle>s &reed"Precations ta(en ! the onders$ t %as too mch to e=#ect that

the ahai &ase %old !e immne to this #rocess of stratification, !t!oth aha>>llah and !dl aha did their ver !est to avoid sch a

calamit$ Throgh continos e=#lanations, the made vivid this

danger in order that the ahai ;ovement might !e fore-armed and#rotected from the errors of the #revios religions$ The %ere most

em#hatic on the #oints that this &ase is niversal and all-inclsiveCthat it does not lead itself to the creation of an hierarchical orderC that

its fndamental !asis is nit and not ecclesiastical distinctionsC that it

is essentiall a s#irital fello%shi# and not a sectarian cor#oration %ithe=clsive #rivilegesC that its charter is freedom from %orldl and

material constittions, and that its greatness de#ends #on non-crstalli?ation and o#en #ortals$$$$ The a!ove sho%s the em#hasis that

aha>>llah #laced on condct, and on activit in the #ath of od$

;oralit and not creeds, deeds and not %ordsC service and not articlesof faith" )261*$

"t too( almost t%o centries for &hristian theologians to formlate

FThe Bld @oman &reedF and ths insert in the #re aith a ard-stic(and a !ldgeon$ n this instance, ho%ever, it too( onl a fe% ears for

Fahai theologiansF, nder the more modern title of Fahai

dministratorsF, to set # FThe ahai &reedF %hich, redcing the&ase from s#irit to matter, has alread !ecome more athoritative

and !inding than FallF the teachings of aha>>llah and !dl aha")263*$

"Ths, %ithin the narro% limits of less than si= ears after thede#artre of !dl aha, a fe% merican ahais %rote the 'eclaration

of Trst and -a%s, s!mitted them to 4hoghi >llah and !dl aha, their&ase is toda as handica##ed and circmscri!ed as are an of theinstittionali?ed religions" )268-26:*$

ahai B!scrantism

"These articles of the ahai &reed are the har!ingers to an era ofo!scrantism in this glorios movement$ The are com#onded of

!igotr in all its gresome forms and #ave the %a to moral dar(ness$


16/39

This desire for concentrated athorit is in direct o##osition to inDirand enlightenment$ t is a mediaevali?ing tendenc$ n the ;iddle ges

%e had dr scholasticismC in the ahai &ase %e have aridadministrative legalism$ The ahai dministration is the #rogen of

religios intolerance, o!viosl in/rios to s#irital freedom and

ethical emanci#ation$ The rticles of &reed as Doted are im#lementsof tortre in the hands of a ahai dministrative B!scrantist$

ccording to his standard, the ahai &ase is to !e rn, not ! thefresh s#rings of ins#iration, !t ! the eli=ir distilled from the %ithered

flo%ers of administrative theolog" )2A0*$

"The im#lse to ahai B!scrantism, or to an other form of

o!scrantism, arises from a dee#l rooted, if not an inherent,tendenc in hman natre to distrst free inDir$ This tendenc

!ecomes aggravated %hen it o#erates in the s#here of religion$ n

neas ss#icion of (no%ledge and its resltsC a disli(e for a li!eraland inDisitive mind, and a feeling of fear in regard to inde#endent

investigation of the trth as for something not %holl good for anone--these sentiments have contri!ted to the evoltion of ahai

B!scrantism, %hich is the herald of #rofessional or classe=clsiveness in the &ase as e=em#lified ! the National 4#irital

ssem!l, and the local assem!lies" )2A1*$

"Bne o!serves the distortion of trth on the #art of the ahai

B!scrantists ! their n%holesome #reference for that %hich issecondar and derivative, as contrasted %ith that %hich is #rimar and

fndamentalC ! their leanings to%ard the accretions andem!ellishments of administration, as contrasted %ith the sorces ofins#irationC to%ard the #ecliarities of theories and creeds, as

contrasted %ith the ahai o!ligations %hich are niversall !inding$The disli(e of the so#histicated, intellectali?ed mericans, li(e some

of the ahai administrators, for those common, sim#le, niversal

realities of the ahai &ase, %hich are the ver sol of this movement,has ta(en #ractical effect in the s!stittion of mechanistic, legalistic,

administrative and organi?ed athorit for the seeing ee andillmined heart--and the reslt has !een a gradal diminishing of

reliance on the s#irital teachings of the &ase and a total a!sence ofenthsiasm on its !ehalf" )2A2*$

"The ahai message is a call to religios nit and not an invitation toa ne% religion, not a ne% #ath to immortalit$ od for!id t is the

ancient #ath cleared of the de!ris of imaginations and s#erstitions ofmen, of the de!ris of strife and misnderstanding, and is again made a

clear #ath to the sincere see(er, that he ma enter therein in


17/39


18/39

freedom of conscience" )305*$

"The #oint that %ant to esta!lish and %hich !elieve is alread#roven !eond the shado% of a do!t, is that the F'eclaration of

TrstF and F-la%sF originated in the !rain of an merican, or in the

!rains of mericans and that the a!, aha>>llah and !dl aha hadnothing to do %ith it" )308*$

"The officials no% !egan to soft-#edal the #hraseE FThe ahai &ase is

not an organi?ationF, and to remove it, little ! little, from cons#icos

#laces in their literatreC et, to their discomfitre, the %ordsremained engraven on the minds of the #eo#le" )318*$

"Ths, the cam#aign develo#ed, increasing in momentm and

#resentl FallF re#orts, #rograms, lectres, #!licit, radio !roadcasts,

annal &onventions, oth activities, mem!ershi#, elections !ecameFcoloredF %ith e=#ressions !ecoming to the dministrationC ntil

finall in 1:28, a !oo( containing the earl letters of 4hoghi


19/39

constitents that none of them can overste# them or #resme toadhere to the in/nction of aha>>llahE Fssociate %ith the #eo#le of

all religions %ith /o and fragranceF" )325*$

"n this manner has the dministration ado#ted a #olic of 4B&

4BTBN, im#ossi!le to reconcile %ith the contents of most of theaddresses delivered ! !dl aha in >llahE FBh #eo#le $ $ $ !e intent on the !etterment ofthe %orld and the training of nationsF" )32A*$

"This is the !ilding # of a theocratic order, so intransigent, sofrightfl, that nothing hitherto imagined can match it$ 4hoghi


20/39


21/39

7nited 4tates" )3A0*$

".et, the %hile as( these Destions, (no% ver %ell that ors##osed sins are far greater than these, and more seriosE +e do not

srrender or religios li!ert nor s!mit to the cor#orate and

ecclesiastical athorit of the National 4#irital ssem!l$ +e trn toaha>>llah %ithot as(ing #ermission$ +e carr the name of !dl

aha in or hearts and on or li#s$ +e s#read the ideals of #eace and!rotherhood as taght ! these, or !eloved ;asters$ +e hold

meetings and deliver lectres on s#irital s!/ects relative to the ahai

&ase$ +e %rite and #!lish leaflets, #am#hlets and !oo(s on theahai ;ovement$ .es, %e #er#etrate all these actions, in love

ha##iness and freedomC %e have ste##ed ot into the o#en s#aces ofservice, nmindfl of o!ligations im#osed on s to remain on #er#etal

#arole and on #er#etal #ro!ationC and these crimes have !een

committed in !road dalight, n!lshingl and %ith no tremors of fear$ndeed, %e are fll a%are of the fact that fe% ahais %old have

acted as %e have" )3A1*$

"No%, the National 4#irital ssem!l trns the (e, o#ening to%ardaghdad and #ors re#roaches #on the officials of that cit !ecase,

in their dealings %ith the ahais, the do not #t into #ractice Fthe

#rinci#le of li!ert of conscience and religionF as em!odied in theirBrganic a%$ Then, this same ssem!l trns the (e o#ening to%ard

Ne% .or( and #ors re#roaches, even more vehement, #on a gro#of ahais in The Ne% Histor 4ociet, !ecase the have allo%ed

themselves to #t into #ractice Fthe #rinci#le of the li!ert ofconscience and religionF as taght ! aha>>llah and d!l aha, andas em!odied in the ill of @ights" )3A6*$

"No%, the #oint %hich again %ish to call to the attention of the reader

is the contradictor attitde of the National 4#irital ssem!l %hich,

on the one hand, #ts for%ard sch a st#endos amont of time,energ and mone to lift the !an on entr of ahai literatre in

FPersiaF, on the !asis of Fthe #o%er of religios freedom andinternational commnication cstomar in modern timesFC %hile, on

the other hand, it s#ends a ver a##recia!le amont of time, energand mone to #lace a !an on this same literatre in the F7nited4tatesF )380*$

"To m mind, the ma/or tenor of ahai life is the #rocess of thetransmtation of athorit into li!ertC of tradition into freedom of

thoght and actionC it is the ceaseless renovation of ha!its andcstoms and the incoming and otgoing of the s#irit of trth to and

from the heart of a ahai$ No individal or gro# shold have


22/39

dictatorial rights over other individals or gro#s, and everone shold!e allo%ed to fnction as a ahai according to the dictates of his

conscience$

n or striving after freedom of conscience and li!ert, %e have !een

accsed ! the National 4#irital ssem!l of a tendenc to !rea(a%a from the divine governmentC of a destrctive effort to atomi?e

the distinctive teachings of the &aseC of #lanning to !ring a!otdissoltion of disci#line and order$ t the National 4#irital ssem!l

has lost sight of the im#ortant fact that a hman ahai #ersonalit

mst #ossess the moral #rivilege of e=#ressing itself in thoght andaction, and that it is entitled, throgh divine right, to emanci#ation

%hich in itself is the essence of disci#line and the s!stratm of thedivine order$

moral ahai #ersonalit has t%o as#ects$ The first is the niversalas#ect, %hich call the religios or the s#irital, in virte of %hich

ever ahai oght to have com#lete and nchallenged right toidealistic and ethical self-e=#ression$ Here, freedom of conscience

holds cort %ith no rivalC here, %e en/o li!ert of thoght, ndividedand %hole$ Then, there is the individal as#ect, to %hich ascri!e legal

or state o!ligations$ Here, the individal ahai, as a mem!er of

societ, is called #on to o!serve the la%s of the 4tate and reali?e thefact that, althogh he is free to !rea( an of these la%s, he is at the

same time lia!le to !e haled into cort and #nished for hisinfractions$

Toda, in the civili?ed %orld, there is FnoF religios tri!nal that canFcom#elF a man to a##ear !efore it on accont of his so-called

heresies or n!eliefs in the doctrines of the chrch$ n the morals#here, there is no /dge to condemn a #erson$ The religios

athorities ma e=commnicate him, !t sch an act %ill not !e legal

in an state cort and %ill sim#l !e regarded as the decision of agro# of ecclesiastical disci#linarians$

n !rief, the relation s!sisting !et%een an individal ahai and his

gro# mst !e conditioned ! the incontroverti!le #ostlate that, as amoral #ersonalit, he shall have all rights to thin( and acts#ontaneosl and consistentl according to his o%n s#irital insight"

)381-382*$

"nde#endent nvestigation$ fndamental la% of religion and#hiloso#h is freedom of inDir and investigation, together %ith the

inaliena!le right of each individal to e=#ress the reslt of his search


23/39

%ithot an e=ternal control or official s#ervision$ F&ensorshi#F asa##lied to the frits of the s#irit is the negation of the s#irit itself"

)385*$

"Bn his visit to this contr, !dl aha %as as(edE +hat is the

greatest thing o have seen in merica and he ans%eredE FThegreatest thing have seen in merica is its freedom" )386*$

" 'ramatic &hange$ This attitde of religios li!eralism and freedom

of conscienceC this Fideali?ationF of the Fli!ert of thoght and right of

s#eechFC this Fright of nrestricted individal !eliefF came to an end%ith the de#artre of !dl aha from this life, in 1:21$ mmediatel,

a sdden and dramatic change of #rinci#le and #olic %as inagrated,for 4hoghi >llah and !dl aha" )38A-

38:*$

"+ith sch intensive control e=ercised over ever de#artment of theahai &ase, the !elievers !ecome mere atomata, having no %ill of

their o%n, no incentive and no initiative to start an originalnderta(ingC for, the are at all times conscios that, at an moment,the heav hand of the National 4#irital ssem!l ma fall #on them

and destro their la!ors" )3:1*$

"+hat a sstem ##arentl %e are a lot of %a%ard children$ s name,!ecome ahais +hat !enefits do %e receive from this s#irital

totalitarianism" )3:1-3:2*$

"This @evie%ing &ommittee or oard of &ensorshi# is #atterned on the

chrch athorities of the ;iddle ges %hose fnction it %as tos##ress the e=#ression of free thoght" )3:2*$

"f in an realm more than an other %e need freedom, it is in the

domain of religion$ Histor has sho%n s that censorshi# ma de#rive


24/39

a nation of its !est leadings and ins#irations$ gain, assert that noman or !od of men is %ise enogh or tolerant enogh to !e entrsted

%ith #o%er controlling the e=#ression of thoght, either in the &atholic&hrch or otside of it$ The right of free s#eech and free #ress is the

most #recios #ossession of man, and there is no athorit on the face

of the earth %hich has the right to %ithhold it" )3:9*$

"Having #laced all (inds of iron fences arond the Jingdom of ahaithoght, closing the F+a of reedomF that aha>>llah had Fo#enedF

and sealing Fthe ontain of Jno%ledgeF %hich %as intended to flood

the earth %ith its sal!rios %aters, the legislator of the @evie%ing&ommittee solemnl affirmsE--

The purpose of this statement is to assure proper protection of theinterests of the bahai faith, while providing sufficient freedom of action

to individual believers under all circumstances.

n reading the a!ove FstatementF one cannot hel# %ondering %hat are

the #articlar Finterests of the ahai aithF %hich need F#ro#er#rotectionF 'oes od and His Trth stand in need of the #rotecting

arm of the National 4#irital ssem!l Br, is it the #eo#le %ho are to!e #rotected from contamination throgh the ove of odC and are %e

to com!ine in a nion to !ar the common rn of hmanit from accessto the life-giving %ords of aha>>llah and !dl aha

.et, in regard to the clase %hich #rovides Fsfficient freedom toindividal !elieversF, #ro!a!l, it is a##ro#riate to offer a vote of

than(s to the National 4#irital ssem!l for this largesse on their#art, so roall meted ot$ F4fficient freedomF Bf corse t is a

s#erflit, even !eond or deserts$ +h shold %e !e gras#ing s

intellectal and s#irital !ondsmen to the National 4#irital ssem!l,%e mst acce#t or lo%l station, and in all o!seDiosness stoo# to

#ic( # the crm!s that fall from the ta!le of or dministrativemasters +ho are %e, and %hat are %e that %e shold dare to even

Fthin(F of more freedom The mem!ers of the National 4#irital

ssem!l are all-%ise, and the sa that it is sfficient$ 4o, sfficient itis and sfficient it mst !e +e shold as( no Destions$ s model

slaves, it is fitting that %e o!literate orselves !efore or s#eriors$+e shold #ra that %e !e characteri?ed %ith the Dalities of

mee(ness, deference, com#liance and s!servienc$ +e shold, in all

hmilit, #resent or allegiance to these she#herds %ho haveassem!led s nder the overhanging roc( of their salvation and %ho,

in solicitde for s, have set aside a##ro#riate and FsfficientF#astre-land, %here in %e ma gra?e and offer them or than(sgiving

at da%n and at snset" )3:A-3:8*$


25/39

" 'ivine egac$ Ist the same, there are some %ho cannot !lot ot

the memor of the ahai &ase as it %as taght once #on a time and%ho, in s#ite of #revailing conditions, et hold to the teachings of

aha>>llah and the niversal e=#ositions of them as dis#ensed !

!dl aha$ ;an>s reason contains a trth %hich has e=isted since theda%n of hman historE his s#irit is envelo#ed %ith a light %hich %as

en(indled ! od at the ver fondation of creation$ This is no otherthan a divine legac reserved for s ! the ;a(er of the 7niverse$ The

Pro#hets a##eared #on the earth to remind s of these #reternatral

trths, %hich so consistentl have !een defaced ! s#irital charlatansand #erverted ! s#erstitios organi?ations$ n or o%n times,

aha>>llah came to restore these lost trths throgh the free e=erciseof rational and celestial facltiesC and no%, %hile #o%erfl inflences,

actall F%ithinF the esta!lished aiths, have arisen to assist man(ind

in this #rocess of emanci#ation, the National 4#irital ssem!l of theahais of the 7nited 4tates and &anada, #itifll claiming to re#resent

the foremost li!eral element in religion, has formed another set ofdogmas %here%ith to throttle free thoght and s!vert the essential

li!ert of hman e=#ression in all its diversified manifestations$&ensorshi#, in the social domain, is an otmoded trannC in the

s#irital realm, it is n%holesome and im#ractica!le$ &ensorshi# is not

%anted an%here, es#eciall in the ahai &aseC and if %e allo% it toretain the ##er hand in the great movement that has !een entrsted

to s, %e %ill set orselves # !efore the %orld and in the face ofhistor as false trstees, and as men and %omen n%orth and nfit

to call orselves ahais" )3:8-3::*$

"The leaders of the ahai dministration in merica have for ears

!een carring on an ideological flirtation %ith the totalitarian religiossstems of the #ast, co#ing their methods and #rocedres, and

manifesting the %hile a #ride and satisfaction as if the had discovered

an entirel ne% sstem$ Nevertheless, the incom#ara!le %orth ofaha>>llah>s genis lies in the fact that he has constrcted for the

children of this generation a s#irital fortress %hich shall #rotect therights of man against the encroachment of all religios dictators,

%hether in the ahai dministration or otside of it" )901*$"A *an!eros *o()rine$ n considering the #ro!lem of fear, let s for

a %hile std the %ritings of 4hoghi >llahF and FThe dvent of 'ivine IsticeF, %hich%or(s consist of the letters %hich he has addressed to the National

4#irital ssem!l in the corse of the last 20 ears$ No%, have read


26/39

these three !oo(s and find that the %ords FenemiesF andFadversariesF are greatl featred$ aha>>llah has saidE F&onsort %ith

all men %ith /o and fragrance, et 4hoghi >llah$ s ever one going to let his FfeelingsF gide

him in the matter &an %e not ta(e for granted that frail hman !eings

as %e are, a great deal of #ersonal ca#rice and s#ite ma enter intoor calclations as to F%hoF is the enem of the ahai &ase This is

a ver dangeros doctrine, and et one finds it in different formsthroghot 4hoghi s commnications$ He #racticall never

mentions the names of the FenemiesF or FadversariesF to %hom he

constantl refers$ He sim#l creates ogres and !oge men, and fills thehearts of the ahais %ith a##rehension and fear$ n this %a, the

fontain-head of free and o#en comradeshi# is dried # and theflo%ers of loving-(indness %ither a%a" )90:-910*$

"ear &om#le=$ Throgh the #!lication and %ide distri!tion of these

instrctions, the National 4#irital ssem!l and its follo%ers have

come do%n %ith an acte attac( of ecclesiastical goose-flesh and mchenerg is s#ent in locating these FenemiesF and in nearthing their

F#lotsF$ ossi# !ecomes fact, and facts assme distorted #ro#ortions$&onseDentl, a chain of corres#ondence is esta!lished among the

varios 4#irital ssem!lies, the o!/ect of %hich is to hnt do%n theenemies and e=#ose them$ ;ean%hile, hatred is engendered and thes#irit of tolerance, merc and forgiveness is tram#led nderfoot" )918-

91:*$

"n regard to !eing an Fenem of the aithF, to this definitel ma(e

o!/ectionC nor do allo% this statement to #ass %ithot ma(ing flatdenial$ f the #holding of the freedom of the &ase, is enmit to the

&aseC if the teaching of the ahai #rinci#les, is FinstillingF #oison intothe minds of the hearers, then assert, and %ithot reserve, that

aha>>llah and !dl aha %ere enemies of the &ase, F#are=cellenceF, and that their %ords %ere the essence of #oison #on#oison" )925*$

"Ths, it is made most difficlt for


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travelling from one cit to another, from visiting local ssem!lies orhaving a chat %ith individal !elievers, if these travelers ha##en to !e

narmed %ith the #ro#er FcredentialsF$$$$ 4egregation Th name, isindeed, ahai Brgani?ation" )92:*$

"Ths, %e can see that 4hoghi >llah and !dl aha thoght to destro" )931*$

"No%, den the tem#oral and s#irital right of e=commnication ase=ercised in the #ast ! the ecclesiastical instittionsC and re/ect

claims to the same #rerogatives %hich are maintained toda ! those

%ho hold themselves as the she#herds of the floc(s$ ong enogh hasreligion !een defaced ! this inhman contra#tion, o#erated ! so-

called FholF men ong enogh have these far-from-hol-menmani#lated the conscience of man(ind throgh their demoniacal

devices and, terming themselves the ice-erents of the ;ost High,im#osed their anti-s#irital and anti-social dogmas on a defenseless

and innocent hmanit The #eo#le of the %orld mst a%a(en to the

reali?ation that od, %ho is the fontain-head of all !lessings, %as not,is not and %ill never !e an e=commnicator$ He is no od of %rath and

vengeance, !t a od of nderstanding and com#assion$ ll those %hosat on the thrones of athorit, e=#elling and anathemati?ing the

FdissentersF, did not themselves (no% %hat faith meant and had noshare in the trth that the #retended to #romlgate$ The greatestservice that cold !e rendered to religion is to lift from its !ro% the

dar( crse of e=commnication and to demand, na to insist, that thisla% !e strc( ot from the creeds of all faiths$ s long as it retains its

#lace, even theoreticall, in the rticles of the &onfessions of varios

sects and denominations, the esta!lishment of the #rinci#les of a7niversal @eligion and a 7nivesal od %ill remain an im#ossi!ilit$

Therefore %e, the #eo#le of the %orld, mst eradicate from the #agesof or s#irital consciosness the langage of hate and dennciation,

and o!literate from or religios !oo(s the rles of e=#lsion andanathema" )939-935*$

"The ahais are therefore called #on, ! the @evelator himself, tos#ea( in the langage of love and to #rotect themselves from the dst

of liesC and the greatest lie of all the ages is that a com#assionate odis the e=commnicator of His o%n children or that He a##roves

e=commnication in His Name" )936*$


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"ahai dministration ollo%s 4it$ The fe% Dotations from the

%ritings of aha>>llah and !dl aha #rove !eond the shado% of ado!t that their central aim %as the a!olition of all e=clsive acts and

of ever sectarian tendenc$ This one all-em!racing s#irit distingishes

their case from all the #ast religions$ .et, Falas, this limitation, thise=#lsion, this e=commnicationF, %hich aha>>llah and !dl aha

entreated their follo%ers to renonce and cast a%a, these evil s#iritsof a !-gone age, these gi!!ering go!lins of a lost generation have

!een ta(en # ! the National 4#irital ssem!l of the ahais of the

7nited 4tates and &anada and incor#orated in the fndamental la%s oftheir ecclesiastical organi?ation$ The #it of it is that 4hoghi >llahF !t the ver old %orld order of intolerance, fanaticism,e=clsion and s#irital isolation %hich aha>>llah came to destro$

Than(s to the la!or and ingenit of the National 4#irital ssem!l

and 4hoghi llah, and that &ovenant, neither 4hoghi


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or ocal ssem!lies can ever !rea($ ts fondation is in the dee#s ofconsciosness, and od alone (no%s its d%elling-#lace" )998*$

"s a reslt of the doctrine of e=commnication #ro#onded ! 4hoghi


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#o%er to e=commnicate or e=#el the !elievers, there! de#rivingthem of their s#irital heritage, no other choice is left to me !t to

sond the alarm$ have !een im#elled ! motives !eond m controlto #resent this #ro!lem !efore the ahai %orld, !efore the #!lic in

general, and !efore the conscience of an a%a(ening societ %hich,

little ! little, is !ecoming a%are of the mission of aha>>llah )959*$"

"Here%ith a##eal to 4hoghi


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#rice for !eing a self-res#ecting citi?en of the 7nited 4tates, and forhaving tried to ma(e his contr a !etter #lace to live in" )512-513*$

"n Forgani?ed religionF is hard, dor, rigid, iron-handed and iron-

heartedC it is stern, arrogant, coercive and merciless$ n

Fadministered religionF has !een, is and ever shall remain anFarrested religionFC for the #remise that a fe% individals or a net%or(

of individals are a!le to organi?e or administer the s#irital realitiesof od, is an assm#tion as false as it is im#ertinent, and as

otlandish as it is sacrilegios$ Here is the test of the tre religionE

'oes it nite the minds and hearts of the #eo#le in the tas( ofdevelo#ing a sta!le societ and a hmane civili?ation 'oes it ma(e s

more tolerant, more sm#athetic, more com#assionate, more /oos,more sincere, more loving f it accom#lishes these things, then it is

religion, indeed, and it comes straight from the &reator of the

7niverse" )51:*$


32/39

serfdom$ f one ta(es !dl aha>s in/nctions literall )and the#resent-da ahais are s#er-literalists*, agreeing that to o!e 4hoghi


33/39

e=traordinar and neDivocal terms mst have seemed necessar inorder that, after the ;aster>s de#artre, the !elievers shold not !e

left in a state of ncertaint %hich might lead to their !rea(ing intot%o cam#s$

am fll conscios of the fact that %hat have here %ritten is #reand nadlterated !las#hem in the ees of the National 4#irital

ssem!l of the ahais of the 7nited 4tates and &anada, %hich hasa!rogated all the niversal teachings of the &ase and #laced in their

stead !lind and nDestioned o!edience to 4hoghi s NarrativeF, %ritten as far !ac( as 18A9$fter referring to a nm!er of historical cases in %hich organi?ed

gro#s, official and non-official, have tried in the #ast to interfere %ithFthe conscience of manF, he %ritesE

>These are effectal and sfficient #roofs that the conscience of man is

sacred and to !e res#ectedC and that li!ert thereof #rodces %idening

of ideas, amendment of morals, im#rovement of condct, disclosre ofthe secrets of creation, and manifestation of the hidden verities of the

contingent %orld$ ;oreover, if interrogation of conscience, %hich is oneof the #rivate #ossessions of the heart and the sol, ta(e #lace in this

%orld, %hat frther recom#ense remains for man in the cort of divine/stice at the da of general resrrection &onvictions and ideas are%ithin the sco#e of the com#rehension of the Jing of (ings, not of

(ingsC and sol and conscience are !et%een the fingers of control ofthe ord of hearts, not of GHis servants$> -- Traveler>s Narrative, :1$

+ith this divine e=#osition !efore them, %hich states that the Fsoland conscience are !et%een the fingers of control of the ord of

hearts, not of His servantsF, ho% do the mem!ers of the National4#irital ssem!l in general and ;r$ Horace Holle in #articlar dare

to Fs!ordinateF conscience to Fthe decisionsF of FanF 4#iritalssem!l, elected or other%ise do the thin( that the #!lic is %illingto overloo( the teachings of the ;aster !dl aha>s %ords remain in

!lac( and %hite, and neither the dministration nor its follo%ers cantear these #ages from the volmes of immortal literatre$

mself hold to the individal conscience$ !elieve that it is the Fstill,

small voiceF %hich has !een #laced in or hearts to gide s aright$


34/39

consider that the crimes of the nations and religions are #er#etrated!ecase of the fact that the #eo#le #lace loalt to the Fgro#F a!ove

loalt to odC and (no% that aha>>llah came to a%a(en theindividal, and throgh him to save the %orld$ Therefore, do not

#ro#ose to condone in/stice, %herever it a##earsC nor to a##ease, nor

to stand aside and let affairs ta(e their corse$ am a ahai,res#onsi!le to m ;a(er and to !dl aha, and do not ield one /ot

nor one /ota of m love and reverence for m ;aster in stding othis +ill to the !est of m a!ilit and in dra%ing m sincere

conclsions" )56-58*$

The !e%ilderment %hich feel on this s!/ect %as at first e=#erienced

! man of the older ahais %hen the contents of the %ill !ecame

(no%n$ This tem#orar mental distr!ance and confsion %as not onaccont of the a##ointment of 4hoghi


35/39

Ffreed from errorF !e considered nfit and e=#elled ! the ardian,concerning %hom no sch claim has !een made

This cannot !e e=#lainedC therefore, !elieve that !dl aha %as

giving an ideal #ictre of the ;em!ers, sho%ing %hat the shold !eC

and, ! the same to(en, in e=alting the ardian, he %as de#icting thet#e of gardian that he so mch desired and ho#ed for$

;ean%hile, mch de#ends #on the FfirstF ardian of the &ase$

4hold he se his #osition to act as a servant of hmanit, even as the

;aster did, striving ever to maintain the democrac in the ahaimovement that is its fndamental #rinci#le$$$" ):8-::*$@or years' the h1net version of Sohrab!sBroken Silence suppresses four very important

pages from the original that are presented here below. :hese pages were obviously notleft out by oversight but reveal how the -aha!i administration operates and uses

individual 2scholars2 and publicly funded institutions to suppress' revise' and distortunderstanding of its own history to suit its designs.


36/39

Mrs. hanler emphasizes liberty and the universal and non1eclusive nature of

-aha!u!llah!s :eachings.

7escribes the declarations of twenty1eight people to the -ahai ause.


37/39

Mrs. hanler and Sohrab!s lawyers refute the claims of the "ational Spiritual Assembly

of the -aha!is of the %nited States. :he "ew #ork Supreme ourt later also upheld Mrs.

hanler and Sohrab!s right to use the name -ahai.


38/39

;on. Bewis Stuyvesant hanler' as Bieutenant18overnor of "ew #ork State' in ()=5. ;1"et' a ta supported


39/39

r. !. "!harles# Ainsworth Mitchell $ !ertified !opy from the %ibrary of !ongress

Report on the Writing Shown on the Photographs of the Alleged Will of Abdul-Baha.

1930.

http://www.fglaysher.com/bahaicensorship/!AMitchell&'eport.htm

'uth (hite) Excerpts) *ibliography

http://www.fglaysher.com/bahaicensorship/'uth+,-(hite.htm

'uth (hite !ollection) %ibrary of !ongress) 0-

http://www.fglaysher.com/bahaicensorship/'(hite%ib!.htm

Also see 1S istrict !ourt of 2orthern 3llinois rules against 4aifan *aha5is $ April

,0) ,--6

Amici curiae) 'eform *ahai 7aith

http://www.fglaysher.com/bahaicensorship/1Sistrict!ourt-8.htm
http://www.fglaysher.com/bahaicensorship/CAMitchell_Report.htmhttp://www.fglaysher.com/bahaicensorship/Ruth%20White.htmhttp://www.fglaysher.com/bahaicensorship/RWhiteLibC.htmhttp://www.fglaysher.com/bahaicensorship/USDistrictCourt07.htmhttp://www.fglaysher.com/bahaicensorship/USDistrictCourt07.htmhttp://www.fglaysher.com/bahaicensorship/CAMitchell_Report.htmhttp://www.fglaysher.com/bahaicensorship/Ruth%20White.htmhttp://www.fglaysher.com/bahaicensorship/RWhiteLibC.htmhttp://www.fglaysher.com/bahaicensorship/USDistrictCourt07.htm

mirza ahmad sohrab the secretary of abdul baha

Documents