Re: Self-Definition

[Scott Saylors]

Scott Saylors <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

Tim Nolan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

Mark,

 

>>For Baha'is, Covenant Breakers are not sects, they stop being
Baha'is.<<

>As a sociologist (and also as an individual), I would consider them to
be Baha'is based on self-definition, and I also would regard their
organizations, where they exist, to be branches of the Baha'i Faith.<

 

A person can define himself as anything, there is no way to

control that. However, that doesn't mean the rest of the world

must accept that self-definition.  Any organization, if it

is to remain coherent, has the right to define the qualifications

of membership. Those who don't meet those qualifications

are not members, no matter what they call themselves.

 

Here is an example to illustrate:  Suppose I define myself

as a U.S. Senator, and suppose I can get 99 other people

to join me.  Does that make us the real U.S. Senate

just because we define ourselves that way?  Obviously not.

 

Self definition does not create any objective reality

that others are  obligated to accept.

 

Tim Nolan

 

 

I believe that some individuals express themselves to be Baha`i by volition. And this seems to me to be sufficiently honest from a social standpoint to be socially sufficient as proof.

 

I believe some individuals have failed to control their ego and as such, they have committed grievous error in a religious sense.

 

I believe the administrative order of the faith to be able to judge the measure of an individual's commitment to the cause or lack of commitment to the cause. Baha`u'llah's, Abdu'l Baha's and Shoghi Effendi's word is sufficient unto me in this matter. Clearly the UHJ has been established to assume that role in the faith.

 

Ego unbridled can lead the individual to error, and the individual can lead others to error. This is why the administrative order of the faith is no longer based in the Prophet's hands - the descent of thatauthority is extinguished. Those who attempted to wrest that authority away from the Hands of the Cause and the nascent UHJ were grotesquely, and largely irremediably detrimental to the cause. The only proper action the Hands of the Cause could make about Mason Remey was to declare him a covenant breaker, that right was expressly stated by Abdu'l Baha:

 

 

"It is incumbent upon the members of the House of Justice, upon all the Aghsan, the Afnan, the Hands of the Cause of God to show their obedience, submissiveness and subordination unto the guardian of the Cause of God, to turn unto him and be lowly before Him. He that opposeth him hath opposed the True One, will make a breach in the Cause of God, will subvert His word and will become a manifestation of the Center of Sedition. Beware, beware, lest the days after the ascension (of Bahá'u'lláh) be repeated when the Center of Sedition waxed haughty and rebellious and with Divine Unity for his excuse deprived himself and perturbed and poisoned others. No doubt every vainglorious one that purposeth dissension and discord will not openly declare his evil purposes, nay rather, even as impure gold, would he seize upon divers measures and various pretexts that he may separate the gathering of the people of Baha. My object is to ! show that the Hands of the Cause of God must be ever watchful and so soon as they find anyone beginning to oppose and protest against the guardian of the Cause of God cast him out from the congregation of the people of Baha and in no wise accept any excuse from him. How often hath grievous error been disguised in the garb of truth, that it might sow the seeds of doubt in the hearts of men!"

 (Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'i World Faith - Abdu'l-Baha Section, p. 443)

 

"O friends! The Hands of the Cause of God must be nominated and appointed by the guardian of the Cause of God. All must be under his shadow and obey his command. Should any, within or without the company of the Hands of the Cause of God disobey, and seek division, the wrath of God and His vengeance will be upon him, for he will have caused a breach in the true Faith of God."

 

 (Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'i World Faith - Abdu'l-Baha Section, p. 444)

 

The Hands of the Cause deliberated unceasingly between July 7th, 1960 and July 26th, 1960 trying to give Mason Remey sufficient chance to withdraw his claims. He did not. The Hands at first thought, it might be an action taken from grief and confusion, then it had all the appearance of a carefully designed campaign to usurp the Cause. On July 26th, they exercised the authority granted them by the Will and Testament of Abdu'l Baha to expell "from their own number" Charles Mason Remey and those who were most vocal in support of his claim.

 

Regards,

 

Scott

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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As human beings, we are endowed with freedom of choice, and we cannot shuffle off our responsibility upon the shoulders of God or nature. We must shoulder it ourselves. It is our responsibility.
Arnold J. Toynbee

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