The National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States ("NSA") took legal action against the Orthodox Bahá'í Faith ("OBF") in the United States District Court in Chicago, Illinois, seeking to prevent the OBF from using the word "Bahá'í" in its name and on its web sites (with the absurd claim of a trademark on the name). Although the OBF won that action after an evidentiary hearing, the NSA has appealed that decision which appeal is presently pending in the Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in Chicago. For details on that legal action, go here: http://www.truebahai.com/court_case.html.
But has anyone stopped to think by what right does the NSA have to call itself Bahá'í? If you were to look at the statement of the first Guardian, Shoghi Effendi, on what it means to be a Bahá'í, you would find that a person cannot be considered a Bahá'í unless he or she believes the following:
"Full recognition of the station of the Forerunner, the Author, and the True Exemplar of the Bahá'í Cause, as set forth in 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Testament; unreserved acceptance of, and submission to, whatsoever has been revealed by their Pen; loyal and steadfast adherence to every clause of our Beloved's sacred Will; and close association with the spirit as well as the form of the present day Bahá'í administration throughout the world..."
That is a direct quote by Shoghi Effendi, and it is published in books over which the NSA claims a copyright including the Declaration of Trust of the NSA that originally established it. Lets break that down. "Unreserved acceptance" means without qualification or restriction; "Submission to" or in other words obedient and willing; and "steadfast adherence" or fixed, resolute and unwavering support or fidelity to "every clause" of the Will and Testament of `Abdu'l-Bahá, including but not limited to that clause that provides for a continuing succession of Guardians who are to be the sacred head for life of the Universal House of Justice. Also Shoghi Effendi states that one must have "close association with spirit and form of the present day Bahá'í administration." That present day was in 1925 when Shoghi Effendi was teaching that the form of Bahá'í administration had a guardian as the head of the Faith and Center of the Cause.
How then can the NSA, and all of the followers of that headless UHJ now sitting upon Mount Carmel, call themselves Bahá'í? They do not follow "every clause" of the Master's Will nor do they display "unreserved acceptance" or "submission to" or "steadfast adherence" to "every clause" of the Master's Will. Therefore, by their own definition, set forth in their founding documents and out of the mouth of the first Guardian whom they revere, they themselves are not Bahá'í.
They should not be worried, however, that we will haul them into a court of the United States. No, we do not think it is appropriate. It will be much better, and justice will most assuredly be done, when we file a lawsuit in the Holy Court of Bahá'u'lláh, asking for declaratory relief finding that they are indeed, NOT Bahá'ís at all, but instead they are usurpers and faithless opponents of the one true Faith.
Jeffrey
Comments