True Bahá'í

A Spiritual Branchhood: DNA is not the carrier of divine guidance

The fundamental disagreement between the sans-Guardian Baha'is and those who remain loyal to the living Guardians of the Cause, has to do with the interpretation of Aghsan. That is, the Sons of Baha'u'llah, and the question of whether the Guardians must be Aghsan.

Shoghi Effendi, as the first Guardian, had the sole right to interpret the Writings of the Faith. His translations of the Holy Text are authoritative, including the interpretions he had to make in translating the Arabic and Persian words into English words.

Shoghi Effendi translated the Will and Testament of Abdu'l-Baha, and in the English version of that document, Shoghi Effendi used the the word "branch" or a variation thereof ten times.  Lets take a look at how they are used (emphasis added):

1) "Salutation and praise, blessing and glory rest upon that primal branch of the Divine and Sacred Lote-Tree, grown out, blest, tender, verdant and flourishing from the Twin Holy Trees; the most wondrous, unique and priceless pearl that doth gleam from out the Twin surging seas..." (p. 3)

The primal branch grown out of the Twin Holy Trees obviously refers to Shoghi Effendi, who branched from both the Bab and Baha'u'llah. Of course, he was not one of the Sons of Baha'u'llah, but was the grandson of Abdu'l-Baha, through His daughter.

In this translation and interpretation of Aghsan, Shoghi Effendi uses the lower case "b" to refer to himself.

2) "...for behold! he is the blest and sacred bough that hath branched out from the Twin Holy Trees. Well is it with him that seeketh the shelter of his shade that shadoweth all mankind." (p. 3)

Again, Shoghi Effendi's translation and interpretation in reference to himself uses a lower case "b" in "branch."

3) "...it is incumbent upon the Afnan, that are steadfast in the Covenant of God and have branched from the Tree of Holiness; the Hands, (pillars) of the Cause of God (the glory of the Lord rest upon them), and all the friends and loved ones, one and all to bestir themselves and arise with heart and soul and in one accord, to diffuse the sweet savors of God, to teach His Cause and to promote His Faith..." (p. 9)

Here, Abdu'l-Baha is referring to the Afnan, the maternal relatives of the Bab and Shoghi Effendi's translation and interpreation uses the word "branched" with a lower case "b".

4. 5. 6, and  7) "After the passing away of this wronged one, it is incumbent upon the Aghsan (Branches), the Afnan (Twigs) of the Sacred Lote-Tree, the Hands (pillars) of the Cause of God and the loved ones of the Abha Beauty to turn unto Shoghi Effendi -- the youthful branch branched from the two hallowed and sacred Lote-Trees and the fruit grown from the union of the two offshoots of the Tree of Holiness, -- as he is the sign of God, the chosen branch, the Guardian of the Cause of God, he unto whom all the Aghsan, the Afnan, the Hands of the Cause of God and His loved ones must turn..." (p. 11)

In this passage, Abdu'l-Baha is abandoning the succession of the Aghsan and replacing it with the Guardianship, with Shoghi Effendi as the first Guardian. In referring to the Sons of Baha'u'llah, who now must obey Shoghi Effendi, he interprets and translates the word with an upper case "B" but the other three uses of the word "branch" are lower case "b" because in those uses he is referring to Shoghi Effendi and the Guardians. Abdu'l-Baha makes it clear that the Sons of Baha'u'llah and the Hands are to turn to the Guardians.

8) "The sacred and youthful branch, the Guardian of the Cause of God, as well as the Universal House of Justice to be universally elected and established, are both under the care and protection of the Abha Beauty," (p. 11)

The sans-Guardian Baha'is may misinterpret this sentence because they have been brainwashed into believing that their headless UHJ is being referred to, when elsewhere Abdu'l-Baha makes it clear that the UHJ he is referring to has the Guardian as its "sacred head." In referring to the Guardian of the Cause, the word branch is lower case "b" according to the translation and interpretation of Shoghi Effendi.

9) "Thus, should the first-born of the Guardian of the Cause of God not manifest in himself the truth of the words: -- "The child is the secret essence of its sire," that is, should he not inherit of the spiritual within him (the Guardian of the Cause of God) and his glorious lineage not be matched with a goodly character, then must he, (the Guardian of the Cause of God) choose another branch to succeed him."

Although Abdu'l-Baha clearly states a preference for the first born son of the Guardian to be his successor, He clearly makes the Guardianship an appointed position and not hereditary.  If the Center of the Cause was strictly hereditary, then Abdu'l-Baha's successor would have to be Abdu'l-Bahá's half-brother, Muhammad `Alí, who was named by Baha'u'llah Himself as one of His successors (but who turned against Abdu'l-Baha). In this passage, the word "branch" is not referring to the Sons of Baha'u'llah, but instead it was referring to a spiritual branchhood, and therefore according to Shoghi Effendi's authoritative interpretation and translation, a lower case "b" is used for the word "branch."  Abdu'l-Baha is specifically allowing the Guardians to appoint someone other than their own children by allowing them to choose another "branch." 

10) "It is incumbent upon you to take the greatest care of Shoghi Effendi,the twig that hath branched from and the fruit given forth by the two hallowed and Divine Lote-Trees, that no dust of despondency and sorrow may stain his radiant nature, that day by day he may wax greater in happiness, in joy and spirituality, and may grow to become even as a fruitful tree." (p. 25)

In this last reference, referring to how Shoghi Effendi "branched" from the Bab and Baha'u'llah, the word is interpreted and translated by Shoghi Effendi with a lower case "b" as Shoghi Effendi is obviously not one of the Sons of Baha'u'llah.  Those who say that the Guardian must be one of the Sons of Baha'u'llah, the Aghsan, are really denouncing Abdu'l-Baha since it was He who did away with the Agshan as the successors to Baha'u'llah.  Those who insist that Aghsan refers to any descendant of Baha'u'llah are perverting the meaning of the word as used by Baha'u'llah, Abdu'l-Baha and Shoghi Effendi and are rejecting the clear interpretation of Shoghi Effendi, as well as the obvious intent of the Will and Testament of Abdu'l-Baha.

Those who refuse to recognize the idea of a spiritual inheritance, that the Guardians are spiritual offshoots of the Tree of Holiness are caught up into a materialistic world view that is not consistent with Baha'i orthodoxy. It is absurd to believe that the DNA transferred from one member of the Holy Family to another is the carrier of divine guidance, yet this is exactly what the sans-Guardian Baha'is are saying when they say that there was no Agshan for Shoghi Effendi to appoint his successor.

Abdu'l-Baha seems to display foreknowledge that Shoghi Effendi would not have children in passage number 10, wherein He says that if the Baha'is must "take the greatest care of Shoghi Effendi" so that "no dust of despondency and sorrow may stain his radiant nature", then Shoghi Effendi would "grow to become even as a fruitful tree."  Is He not saying that the opposition that Shoghi Effendi faced during his entire life caused him not to sire children, and therefore the greatest test of the Baha'i world would ensue?

Thus, the Baha'is are tested on whether they would accept a spiritual branchhood.

As Joel B. Marangella, stated in "The Tree of the Covenant:"

"Bahá'u'lláh is the Ancient Root from which has sprung the Primal Branch or Greatest Branch; that is His appointed Successor and the Center of His Covenant, 'Abdu'l-Bahá "a Branch" that hath been so uplifted as to encompass the whole of creation" and the "Most Mighty Branch of God. " The Guardians of the Faith who have been endowed with the same interpretive authority as had been vested in 'Abdu'l-Bahá, in accordance with the explicit provisions of the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, may be regarded (and, in fact, are so designated by 'Abdu'l-Bahá) as the youthful branches or twigs which are the offshoots of the Primal Branch while the mass of faithful believers are the leaves and fruits of this glorious Tree."   http://bahai-guardian.com/tree.html

Abdu'l-Baha confirms this in Last Tablet to America (found at Baha'i World Faith, p. 438):

"Consider! The Divine Gardener cuts off the dry or weak branch from the good tree and grafts to it, a branch from another tree. He both separates and unites."

This is exactly what Abdu'l-Baha did when He created the Guardianship in His Will, and this is exactly what Shoghi Effendi did when he appointed Mason Remey to the presidency of the embryonic UHJ (the International Baha'i Council).

It is time for the Baha'is who follow the headless UHJ to abandon their materialistic ideas about the succession of the Center of the Cause and recognize that the Baha'i Faith is not to be bogged down with materialistic notions of hereditary succession. The Guardianship is a spiritual office.  To be firm in the Covenant means and always has meant fidelity and obedience to the Guardian of the Cause:

"The mighty stronghold shall remain impregnable and safe through obedience to him who is the Guardian of the Cause of God. 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, will he seize upon divers measures and various pretexts that he may separate the gathering of the people of Baha." Abdu'l-Baha, Will and Testament, p. 11.

Beware that He is talking about you!

For more information on the Orthodox Baha'is:

The living Guardian's web site:
http://www.bahai-guardian.com/

The International Baha'i Council's web site:
http://www.bahaisorthodox.com/ibc/

The Hands of the Cause of God web site:
http://handsofthebahaifaith.typepad.com/

Jeffrey

As ye have faith so shall your powers and blessings be (1)

One of the questions the Orthodox Baha'is have been discussing lately is the power and efficacy of prayer and supplication. In light of the pending court action by the sans-Guardian Bahais against the Orthodox Bahá'ís, it raises the spectacle of Orthodox Bahá'ís praying for victory while the sans-Guardian Bahais presumably are also supplicating Baha'u'llah for victory.  It certainly cannot be that the prayers of either side would persuade God to take one side or another in the court action.  Certainly God knows where He stands without us telling Him what to do or believe.

Since God already knows what we and others need, what is the purpose of supplicating to Him to fufill those needs?

This question was posed to `Abdu'l-Bahá and both the question and His answer was published in Dr. J.E. Esslemont's Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era, at pp. 92-93:

"Another correspondent asked: 'Why pray? What is the wisdom thereof, for God has established everything and executes all affairs after the best order -- therefore, what is the wisdom in beseeching and supplicating and in stating one's wants and seeking help?'

"'Abdu'l-Bahá replied:  --

"Know thou, verily it is becoming in a weak one to supplicate to the Strong One, and it behooveth a seeker of bounty to beseech the Glorious Bountiful One. When one supplicates to his Lord, turns to Him and seeks bounty from His Ocean, this supplication brings light to his heart, illumination to his sight, life to his soul and exaltation to his being. During thy supplications to God and thy reciting, "Thy Name is my healing," consider how thine heart is cheered, thy soul delighted by the spirit of the love of God, and thy mind attracted to the Kingdom of God! By these attractions one's ability and capacity increase. When the vessel is enlarged the water increases, and when the thirst grows the bounty of the cloud becomes agreeable to the taste of man. This is the mystery of supplication and the wisdom of stating one's wants. (from a tablet to an American believer, translated by Ali Kuli Khan, October 1908)."

Supplication is not a process whereby we convince God to give us help.  It is God's nature to give us what we need without our asking.  Supplication does not operate on God, it operates on the person who is supplicating.  It is the process by which we prepare ourselves to accept His gifts. To have humble faith.

By supplicating, we come to understand the error of relying upon ourselves for any of our needs, and instead we humbly turn in total reliance upon God:

"O thou who art turning thy face towards God! Close thine eyes to all things else, and open them to the realm of the All-Glorious. Ask whatsoever thou wishest of Him alone; seek whatsoever thou seekest from Him alone. With a look He granteth a hundred thousand hopes, with a glance He healeth a hundred thousand incurable ills, with a nod He layeth balm on every wound, with a glimpse He freeth the hearts from the shackles of grief. He doeth as He doeth, and what recourse have we? He carrieth out His Will, He ordaineth what He pleaseth. Then better for thee to bow down thy head in submission, and put thy trust in the All-Merciful Lord." Selections from the Writings of `Abdu'l-Bahá, p. 51.

God does not answer the prayer of one person, and not others.  The reason why some prayers are answered and some are not, is that the persons praying in faith become capable of receiving the gifts that God freely bestows upon them.  Those who refuse God's help, confused with doubt and fear, block themselves from receiving the good they are entitled to receive.  We have a choice whether to accept God's blessings, in total reliance upon Him, or to turn away from Him and to take on life's challenge on one's own. By praying and supplicating, we choose reliance upon God. This faith gives us the capacity to accept God's bestowals. 

Jeffrey

(1) As ye have faith so shall your powers and blessings be, Abdu'l-Baha, quoted in Star of the West, Volume 12, No. 16, page 250

Response to Dr Maneck re activation of 2nd International Bahai Council

by Jeffrey Goldberg

Dr. Susan Maneck, an internet mouthpiece for the sans-Guardian Baha'is now occupying Haifa/Wilmette, on talk.religion.bahai, had this to say to challenge Joel B. Marangella's claim to the Guardianship:

"I'm more interested in the fact that these [court] documents prove that Second International Baha'i Council was in fact never activated for Joel himself admits it was never convened and never met. Yet his claim to Guardianship rests upon the false pretense that it was activated. Somehow that point is being studiously ignored.  I'm sure that the Soghomonians will pick up on it eventually. They probably already know this, but having a sworn deposition from Joel himself admitting this to be the case  would probably prove valuable."

It is inexplicable why a sans-Guardian Bahai is defending Jacque Sohomonian's claim to the Guardianship.  Nevertheless, I will respond to the allegations here.

On the third Guardian's web site is an article entitled MY ACCESSION TO THE GUARDIANSHIP, A SUMMARY OF THE TRUE FACTS, in which he states:

"Not only misinformation, but a deplorable lack of information has been posted on Bahá'í newsgroups, from time to time, questioning the validity of my accession to the Guardianship of the Bahá'í Faith. It has been obvious that those who have posted this information have either never read my Proclamation, under date of 12 November 1969, or have purposely chosen to ignore the facts presented therein for reasons of their own."  http://www.bahai-guardian.com/accession.html

Clearly Dr. Maneck's charge is one of the misinformed postings on the newsgroup, but I am glad because it gives me the opportunity to again explain to the internet audience interested in these things about the truth of Joel B. Marangella's claim to the Guardianship of the Baha'i Faith.

The article [ at http://www.bahai-guardian.com/accession.html] goes on to explain how Mason Remey appointed Marangella in writing to be the third Guardian of the Faith, and confirmed that appointment by appointing him to be the President of the Second International Baha'i Council, which was the same manner that Shoghi Effendi had used to appoint Remey.

Marangella then explains his reaction when Remey told him to ACTIVATE the Council:

"In 1965 Mason Remey specifically instructed me, to my great surprise, to immediately activate the International Bahá'í Council under my Presidency. I felt certain that the believers who had accepted Mason Remey's Guardianship on the basis of his Presidency of the first International Bahá'í Council, appointed by Shoghi Effendi, would certainly realize that Mason Remey's instructions to activate the second International Bahá'í Council would have caused great consternation and incredulity on my part. For, it was obvious that if the instructions of Mason Remey to activate the Council were carried out implicitly according to his instructions, it would inevitably and automatically result in his abdication of the Guardianship and my accession to the Guardianship, coincident with that activation."

He then goes on to explain how he had attempted to "circumvent" the actual activation of the Council by saying that it would be convened in the future and that Marangella would only assign individual tasks.  Marangella did this because he did not want to face the prospect that Remey had abdicated.

Marangella writes:

"However, there was a vital distinction, which I failed to perceive at the time, in my assigning such tasks to individual Council members, and the tasks that Shoghi Effendi had assigned, from time to time, to individual members of the Council that he had appointed, and one that I had been unable to avoid in my assignment of such tasks to members of an activated Council. This distinction lay in the fact that, in the case of the International Bahá'í Council appointed by Shoghi Effendi, it was he who had assigned tasks to individual members during the remaining years of his ministry, and not Mason Remey, who, although being the President of this supreme Council, had never been instructed by Shoghi Effendi during his ministry to convene it as an actively functioning body or had been authorized to assign any tasks to its members. Furthermore, when Shoghi Effendi had assigned individual tasks to Council members he would have undoubtedly transmitted his instructions through the intermediary of his "chosen liaison" with the Council, Rúhíyyih Khánum (as specified in his message of 8 March 1952)."

The Orthdodox Baha'is have never stated that the Second IBC ever convened as a body, or that convening physically as a body was necessary for activation.  Indeed the Third IBC is now active, with the third Guardian as its head, even though the body has never physically gathered for a meeting. 

An activated body is one that conducts business, with the Guardian as its head. In the case of both the 2nd IBC and the 3rd IBC, it was Marangella who directed the activities of the IBC.  They both were activated, conducting business, with the Guardian as its head.

The third Guardian's web site: http://www.bahai-guardian.com/
The third IBC's web site: http://www.bahaisorthodox.com/ibc/

WHO IS A COVENANT BREAKER?

A covenant breaker is a Baha'i who fully understands and grasps the significance of the Covenant and recognizes the Center of the Cause, the Living Guardian, but who rejects and betrays the living Guardian for compelling personal reasons.

The Bahá'í Writings teach that covenant breaking is a spiritual disease and the Writings are replete with warnings about the great harm that will come to the Cause unless Bahá'ís everywhere are vigilant about avoiding them.

But exactly what is a covenant breaker, how does a Bahá'í become one, and what can we do to make sure that we do not fall under their influence?

For a full explanation of the Covenant of Bahá'u'lláh, read the article What does He want you to do as a community?  For a complete discussion of how the Center of the Cause was rejected by most Bahá'ís, read the article on The Great Violation.

It is important to distinguish between persons whom have broken the Covenant and others whom have been merely misled away from the Covenant.

COVENANT BREAKER

A covenant breaker is a Baha'i who fully understands and grasps the significance of the Covenant and recognizes the Center of the Cause, the Living Guardian. However, he knowingly and purposefully betrays the Center of the Cause due to personal and selfish concerns or pursuits. This condition is born of an arrogance that leads the wayward Baha'i into believing that he or she has a better approach than what has been put forth by the Will of God. The covenant breaker believes that he or she knows better or has a compelling personal reason to reject and betray the Center of the Cause.

Covenant breaking is a spiritual disease, highly contagious and compared by 'Abdu'l-Baha to the physical affliction of leprosy and that is why it has now assumed epidemic proportions in the Baha'i world since the passing of Shoghi Effendi. If we consider that the institutions of the Baha'i Administrative Order had been healthy living organisms during the ministry of the first Guardian, it was only, following his death in 1957, that this deadly infection of violation first attacked the immune system of one of these living organisms of the Faith, i.e. the Hands of the Cause, who in turn infected the other organisms such as Baha'i assemblies and through them the contagion was spread worldwide to most of the believers in the Faith. This infection had spread in this way very quickly throughout the Faith.  Only, Shoghi Effendi's appointed successor, the Head of the Faith, "Center of the Cause" and "the sacred and youthful branch, the guardian of the Cause of God" alone remained immune to this infection as he was  "under the care and protection of the Abha Beauty".

It was not long, however before some of the institutions and believers who had received a spiritual antitoxin, in the form of the second Guardian's writings, recognized the virulence of this spiritual poison and became impervious to it, with the result that certain Baha'i organs, such as the National Spiritual Assembly of France, the Local Spiritual Assembly of Lucknow, India and some of the faithful believers in United States, Europe, Iran, India and Pakistan became immune to its effect. However the now affected and deformed cells of the immune system of the bogus UHJ presently headquartered in Haifa developed into an apparently incurable big spiritual tumor, which caused this thoroughly diseased body, in turn, to further infect all parts of the body of the Faith and paralyze all sense of understanding and logic on the part of most of the believers. That is how this tragic violation of the Covenant of Baha'u'llah happened. But the good news is that soon the Divine physician will inevitably extract the big tumor described above and its spiritual claws. Then the Faith will become healthy again.

Certainly everybody must take this warning very seriously:

"We have a fixed time for you, O peoples. If ye fail, at the appointed hour, to turn towards God, He, verily, will lay violent hold on you, and will cause grievous afflictions to assail you from every direction. How severe, indeed, is the chastisement with which your Lord will then chastise you!"

            (Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 214)

 

MISLED BELIEVER

A misled believer, on the other hand, does not have knowledge but comes under the influence of a covenant breaker and blindly accepts whatever he or she has to say. This is not covenant breaking. This condition arises from a shallowness of belief---a lack of faith. These misled and faithless believers must not be shunned. Instead they must be lovingly nurtured and deepened until their faith goes deeper in the Centre of Cause.

WHAT IS FAITHFULNESS TO COVENANT

Faithfulness to the Covenant should be understood as a spiritual process and journey. In order for a Bahá'í to properly take this journey, he or she must deepen in the Writings, become a sincere and independent investigator of Truth, and become a True Seeker. Bahá'u'lláh came to establish the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. If one is to be a true Bahá'í, one must recognize and obey the Guardian. To do this, one must grow spiritually until there is the capacity to see and accept the Center of the Cause. It is not enough to remain on the surface of the Ocean of Bahá'u'lláh's Revelation. He requires a deeper understanding and acceptance of the Faith. The independent investigation of Truth is our spiritual obligation.

TRUE SEEKER

A True Seeker does not have pre-conceived notions of what he or she will accept. The True Seeker knows what Truth is. All else is error and has no meaning or existence. Thus, the True Seeker will go wherever the Truth may lead. When a deaf, dumb, and blind Bahá'í awakens, True Faith is born and the wayward Bahá'í awakens to the truths of the Covenant. In other words, a deepened Bahá'í is a Bahá'í that has recognized the living Guardian of the Faith and obeys him.

There is a community of deepened Bahá'ís who remain completely unkown to the larger group of "blind, deaf, and dumb" Bahá'ís (those who have not yet been enlightened with the truth of the Covenant). Only those believers who remain faithful to the Center of the Cause--- the living Guardian of the Cause-- can be said to be True Baha'is. They understand that God really meant everything uttered from the mouths of Bahá'u'lláh and `Abdu´l-Bahá. They accept that the Bahá'í Revelation is a blueprint for God's Plan for our society. This blueprint must be followed exactly. It is not acceptable to deviate at all from the Plan established by God Himself.

To be True Bahá'ís, it is required that we be fully prepared to render instant, exact, and complete obedience to the Center of the Cause.

When we have become deepened in the Bahá'í Revelation, and we have sincere, unyielding and complete faith in the Truth, we no longer have anything to fear. We have no doubt about our position. There is nobody to convince or convert. We simply stand for the Truth with full knowledge that the Truth will prevail and will be victorious.

Covenant breakers and the misled shallow believers who follow them are not characterized by the peaceful and fearless traits of the True Bahá'ís. Because they have no Faith, they respond with fear and frustration, and the urgent desire to proselytize and convert others to their position. They have great fear that something will go wrong and that the Bahá'í Revelation will come to naught. Since they don't really accept the validity of the Bahá'í Revelation, they have doubts about it. They desire to make changes and to improve it. They want to substitute their own judgment for the Will of God. They attack and fear anybody who challenges their belief system because they are not so sure about it themselves. The more converts they can find, the better they feel that they are on the right course. If they can find leaders to guide them, they can let go of their fear and simply be a follower without question.

All Bahá'ís must come into the Light. It is time for Bahá'ís everywhere to begin their spiritual journey back to the shade of the Tree of the Covenant. Know that God is, and that all of His attributes, such as Love, Knowledge, and Glory, are the only things that really exist. All else is falsehood. Our job is to turn to Bahá'u'lláh, render instant, exact, and complete obedience to the Third Guardian, Joel B. Marangella and allow God's attributes to shine within our souls.

Be assured that the gates are always open for those who learn to understand the lineage of the Covenant as prescribed by Baha'u'llah and 'Abdu'l-Baha, and embrace the current Center of that Covenant, the living Third Guardian, Joel B. Marangella. Those who do so will be welcomed with open arms into the fold of the True Baha'i Faith, the Orthodox Baha'i Faith.

 Compiled By

Hand of the Cause Y.H. Taylor

 

More thoughts on the spiritual battle with the forces of darkness

In my last article, I spoke about the spiritual warfare that is going on between the forces of darkness and the Army of Light, and about how so many people misunderstand this concept, erroneously confusing spiritual battle with physical methods of force and control. 

"It follows that all who work for the Supreme Design are soldiers in the army of the Spirit. The light of the celestial world makes war against the world of shadow and illusion. The rays of the Sun of Truth dispel the darkness of superstition and misunderstanding." Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 85.

Spiritual battle is engaged in the hearts and minds of humanity and does not require physical methods. 

"[B]e a celestial army, and you shall indeed conquer the city of hearts." Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 171.

The forces of darkness are engrossed in passions, greed, brutality, and enslavement of others as a means for obtaining power and control.  The Army of Light works for the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven, working in a spirit of selfless service, compassion, and loving-kindness for the purpose of freeing humanity from its bondage and allowing for its spiritual growth and happiness.

"I supplicate God that ye may become the army of that kingdom, in order that by the power of the Most Great Name, the friends of God may conquer this world through love, friendship and the strength of the Kingdom of peace; the human race become compassionate, and bloodshed and carnage be completely effaced from the universe." Baha'i World Faith - Abdu'l-Baha Section, p. 409.

At present, this war is going badly.  The forces of darkness are taking ascendancy.

Blood lust and violence have taken hold of humanity at every level.  Violence grips people in their families, in the streets, and globally as nations and factions fight one another with increasing levels of terror and destruction.  Violence is viewed by most people as the only effective means of resolving disputes, regarding violence not only as legitimate but as the exclusive or preferred method of achieving one's ends.  Almost universally peaceful methods of conflict resolution are viewed with disdain, as ineffective relics of naive fools.

"O ye dear friends! The world is at war and the human race is in travail and mortal combat. The dark night of hate hath taken over, and the light of good faith is blotted out. The peoples and kindreds of the earth have sharpened their claws, and are hurling themselves one against the other. It is the very foundation of the human race that is being destroyed. It is thousands of households that are vagrant and dispossessed, and every year seeth thousands upon thousands of human beings weltering in their life-blood on dusty battlefields. The tents of life and joy are down. The generals practise their generalship, boasting of the blood they shed, competing one with the next in inciting to violence. 'With this sword,' saith one of them, 'I beheaded a people!' And another: 'I toppled a nation to the ground!' And yet another: 'I brought a government down!' On such things do men pride themselves, in such do they glory! Love -- righteousness -- these are everywhere censured, while despised are harmony, and devotion to the truth." Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 2.

Those who deny the existence of this great battle between the forces of darkness and the Army of Light must be blind to reality because the evidence of this epic fight is all around us.  This is the end time, and those who love God must not sit idle while the forces of darkness take over every aspect of society and capture the souls of our fellow men and women.  We must stand up courageously in the arena of service to the Cause of God and fight evil wherever it presents itself.  This battle is not physical.  This is not a violent struggle.  This is a battle of prayer, kindness, and compassion.

"Therefore today "victory" neither hath been nor will be opposition to anyone, nor strife with any person; but rather what is well-pleasing is that the cities of [men's] hearts, which are under the dominion of the hosts of selfishness and lust, should be subdued by the sword of the Word, of Wisdom, and of Exhortation. Everyone, then, who desireth "victory" must first subdue the city of his own heart with the sword of spiritual truth and of the Word, and must protect it from remembering aught beside God: afterwards let him turn his regards towards the cities of [others'] hearts."
Abdu'l-Baha, A Traveller's Narrative, p. 63

The spiritual battle with the forces of darkness

I have been writing critical pieces about the sans-Guardian Bahai organization that is presently headquartered in Haifa and Wilmette, and some of its critics have tried to make the point that the paranoia and oppression exhibited by that organization had its source in the actions of the first Guardian, Shoghi Effendi, and even the founders of the Faith.

I disagree with this.  Although I don't agree with everything Shoghi Effendi did, and I think he had his personality quirks just like everyone else, I don't see any concrete evidence of Shoghi Effendi taking the kind of oppressive actions that the headless UHJ presently commits on a regular basis.

Critics say that Shoghi Effendi exhibited paranoia when he explained Baha'u'llah's teachings that this is the day when the forces of darkness will do battle with the Army of Light.  Larry Rowe recently had this to say on talk.religion.bahai:

Hi Jeffrey,

Whenever I read the following from the UHJ I get the willies:

The need to protect the Faith from the attacks of its enemies may not
be generally appreciated by the friends, particularly in places where
attacks have been infrequent. However, it is certain that such
opposition will increase, become concerted, and eventually universal.
The writings clearly foreshadow not only an intensification of the
machinations of internal enemies, but a rise in the hostility and
opposition of its external enemies, whether religious or secular, as
the Cause pursues its onward march towards ultimate victory.
Therefore, in the light of the warnings of the Guardian, the Auxiliary
Boards for Protection should keep "constantly" a "watchful eye" on
those "who are known to be enemies, or to have been put out of the
Faith", discreetly investigate their activities, alert intelligently
the friends to the opposition inevitably to come, explain how each
crisis in God's Faith has always proved to be a blessing in disguise,
and prepare them for the "dire contest which is destined to range the
Army of Light against the forces of darkness".

        (The Universal House of Justice, The Institution of the Counsellors,
p. 16)

The Stasi-like mentality that is advocated by the UHJ in the above
has no place in a system deserving of the name spiritual. What such
paranoia which councils coreligionists to:""keep constantly" a
"watchful eye" on those "who are known to be enemies, or to have been
put out of the Faith", discreetly investigate their activities",
inevitably does is create an elite who begin to believe that their
personal religious interpretations are the all in all and that each
and every one of their coreligionists who holds to religious
interpretations which are diverse from their own orthodoxy should be
purged, disenfranchised.

A person needs to investigate what the source of this paranoia is
though.

It was Shoghi Effendi that the UHJ was quoting when they referred to
an Army of Light.

The Lord of Hosts, the King of Kings has pledged unfailing aid to
every crusader battling for His Cause. Invisible battalions are
mustered, rank upon rank, ready to pour forth reinforcements from on
high. Bahá'u'lláh's army of light is standing on the threshold of the
Holy Year.

        (Shoghi Effendi, Messages to the Baha'i World - 1950-1957, p. 44)

I also get the "willies" when I read the chilling words of their headless UHJ about how it sees enemies all around it, from within and without, and it must keep a watchful eye.  I don't get the same feeling about Shoghi Effendi's messages because he is talking about a spiritual battle while the headless UHJ is talking about physically opposing its enemies (and of course, it considers me as one of its enemies and it is indeed presently doing battle against me and my colleagues in a federal district court in Chicago).
http://trueseeker.typepad.com/true_seeker/court_case.html

I believe we are in the midst of spiritual warfare.  I am not talking about any of the physical wars going on in the world, although they are obvious symptoms of this greater fight that is going on in the spiritual world for the soul of humanity.  In brief, this spiritual war is for the hearts and minds of every human being on this planet.  The forces of darkness wish to enslave humanity in a materialist hell of hatred and passion.  The Army of Light, on the other hand, seeks to free humanity so that it may achieve its destiny and evolve into spiritual beings of light and truth.  This battle is being waged on all fronts throughout the world and it is absolutely essential that all of us engage the enemy and fight for love, truth, and justice in this world.  When I say fight, I am not talking about physical or material violence in any shape way or form.  I am talking about being prayer warriors, and fighting in the spiritual world for the redemption of our fellow men and women.  This is difficult for many people to grasp because their vision is limited to the physical world.  They have no real concept of a spiritual world, much less a spiritual battle.

It is ironic, of course, that the large Bahai organization headed up by the headless UHJ has already succumbed to the forces of darkness.  Its paranoia about the sinister enemies comes far too late, because that organization lost its soul some 40 years ago and it already serves the forces of darkness.  It already has a material view of the world, seeks power and prestige on the earth, and greedily hungers for money and to grow itself into a large force in this world.  It is not concerned about matters of spirit.  It has no regard for truth, justice, love, compassion, brotherhood, or peace.  It gives lip service to them as it engages on a daily basis in behavior that betrays all of these ideals.  It truly is a dangerous organization because it masquerades as the true Cause of God, borrowing the prestige and ideals of Baha'u'llah's Revelation, in its nefarious efforts to destroy the truly faithful ones and to trick and enslave the masses of humanity in its fascist vision of controlling the world.

Abdu'l-Baha:

"O ye friends of God! Today is the day of union and this age is the age of harmony in the world of existence. 'Verily, God loveth those who are working in His path in groups, for they are a solid foundation.' Consider ye that he says 'in groups,' united and bound together, supporting one another. 'To work,' mentioned in this holy verse, does not mean, in this greatest age, to perform it with swords, spears, shafts and arrows, but rather with sincere intentions, good designs, useful advices, divine moralities, beautiful actions, spiritual qualities, educating the public, guiding the souls of mankind, diffusing spiritual fragrances, explaining divine illustrations, showing convincing proofs and doing charitable deeds. When the holy souls, through the angelic power, will arise to show forth these celestial characteristics, establishing a band of harmony, each of these souls shall be regarded as one thousand persons and the waves of this greatest ocean shall be considered as the army of the hosts of the Supreme Concourse."   
Baha'i World Faith - Abdu'l-Baha Section, p. 401

Three Approaches to Understanding the term "Aghsán"

The division of Baha'is into several different sects came about because of the differing interpretations of the Will and Testament of Abdu'l-Baha.  In that holy and sacred Document, Abdu'l-Baha created the Institution of the Guardianship as the Center of the Cause, and the Institution that would carry forward His function and authority as Interpreter of the Holy Writings.  He appointed Shoghi Effendi as the first Guardian of the Cause and enjoined upon him the duty to appoint his successor: either his first born descendant, or the Guardian may "choose another branch to succeed him."

Since Shoghi Effendi had no descendants, the question came up whether he chose another branch.  The Arabic word, Aghsán, or Branch, had been defined by Shoghi Effendi as the Sons of Baha'u'llah, although this was obviously not the meaning of the word in this context, since at the time Abdu'l-Baha wrote these words, there were no faithful Sons of Baha'u'llah.  The proper interpretation of the word Aghsán to the  question of the continuing Guardianship is key to understanding the split amongst the Baha'is.

There are three basic approaches to this:

1) Magic Sperm:  The first approach is the belief that only one of the Sons of Baha'u'llah, or at least a male blood-line descendant, is eligible for appointment as Guardian.  This is the majority Baha'i view represented by those Bahais who presently occupy Haifa and Wilmette (the heterodox Baha'is).  I consider this concept to be the "magic sperm" theory carrying the implicit belief that there is some magical essence in the bloodline of Baha'u'llah that is necessary for one to be divinely guided.  Although this is a highly superstitious and materialistic point of view, there is an historical basis for this in Islamic belief.  For example, the descendants of the Prophet Muhammad are considered to have some special status or respect.  The idea of blood royalty found in many of the systems of government historically also carry this idea that the genetic code of certain families carries with it some kind of magical power or essence.

If we carry the logic of this belief to its extreme, we would consider what would happen if the genetic material of Shoghi Effendi were cloned.  We would have an exact duplicate of Shoghi Effendi's genetic makeup, but of course physically we would end up with his cloned identical twin.  It would be a different person entirely and would not be the Guardian.  Of course, if we could do this, we could clone Baha'u'llah Himself, but of course we would end up with a cloned human being and not the Manifestation of God for this Day.  There is no magic in their genetic material. This example does not intend any disrespect, but merely to show absurd it is to insist that only a physical relative of Baha'u'llah could possibly serve as Guardian.

2) Spiritual Aghsán:  The second approach is the belief that the Guardian may choose any male believer as his successor, and that the person so chosen is, effectively, a "spiritual" Aghsán.  This would be the view represented by the Orthodox Baha'is, that is those who recognize Joel B. Marangella as the third Guardian.  It is also the view taken by those Baha'is who follow Jacques Soghomonian as their fourth Guardian.  This approach finds that the Will and Testament did not impose an obligation upon the Guardian to appoint an Aghsán, but allows him to appoint any male believer as his successor.  Branchhood is essentially a spiritual relationship and does not require a physical family relation.  This is not a materialistic and superstitious approach, but rather is a spiritual understanding of the essential relationships of the Institutions of the Faith and the believers.  For more on these spiritual relationships, see Joel B. Marangella's article entitled "Tree of the Covenant".

3) Secular Adoption:  The other approach is the belief that the Guardian may only choose an Aghsán to be his successor but that by a legal adoption, recognized by secular or civil authorities, of any male as his son will validate that choice as being legally an Aghsán.  This is the position taken by the Baha'is Under the Provisions of the Covenant.  In my opinion, this approach is very similar to the second one, but curiously adds the unnecessary requirement that the Guardian's choice of successor have a legal sanction by a secular adoption. 

It is ironic that the split of the Faith comes over the interpretation of a clause contained in the Will and Testament of Abdu'l-Baha, a writing intended by Him to avoid a split within the Cause of God by creating the Institution of the Guardianship and enjoining all of the believers to be obedient to the Guardian and his interpretations.  Unfortunately, the vast majority of Baha'is lost faith in the Covenant of Baha'u'llah and rejected the Guardianship following the death of Shoghi Effendi, and thus they adopted the materialistic and superstitious belief that Shoghi Effendi was unable to appoint a successor because the Aghsán were either dead or unfaithful.  Having failed to embrace the living Guardian of the Cause, the Baha'is followed the incorrect interpretation of the Will and Testament and have found themselves in grievous error.

Understanding the Bahai Revelation

Very few people in the world today demonstrate an understanding of the Bahai Revelation, the body of teachings revealed by Baha'u'llah that are the divine remedy for the ills that plague mankind today.  Orthodox Baha'is proclaim and teach their Faith, not because they seek to convert people to their religion, but for the higher goal of sharing the truth of the Message of Baha'u'llah for this Day. It is so unfortunate that even amongst most of the Bahais who have accepted Baha'u'llah, true and deep understanding of His teachings is a rare find.

How does one acquire knowledge and understanding of the Baha'i Revelation?  I submit that intense prayer and meditation and devoted study of the Holy Writings is necessary. That is, prayer that goes beyond mere recitation of the Writings at the public meetings, and a study that goes beyond mere intellectual reflection.  To absorb the truth of the Baha'i Revelation, one must undergo an intense search and devoted meditation until a spiritual understanding is achieved.  This is a lifelong process.

Abdu'l-Baha: "How shall we attain the reality of knowledge? By the breaths and promptings of the Holy Spirit which is light and knowledge itself. Through it the human mind is quickened and fortified into true conclusions and perfect knowledge."  Foundations of World Unity, p. 46.  Abdu'l-Baha repeatedly speaks of the breaths and promptings of the Holy Spirit as the secret to obtaining eternal life and true knowledge, the means of true brotherhood, the solution to war and the source of real kindness. 

One approach these breaths of the Holy Spirit by turning to the Manifestation of God in prayerful devotion and reflection:

"Likewise the Holy Spirit is the very cause of the life of man; without the Holy Spirit he would have no intellect, he would be unable to acquire his scientific knowledge by which his great influence over the rest of creation is gained. The illumination of the Holy Spirit gives to man the power of thought, and enables him to make discoveries by which he bends the laws of nature to his will. The Holy Spirit it is which, through the mediation of the Prophets of God, teaches spiritual virtues to man and enables him to attain Eternal Life." Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 58.

Unfortunately too many Baha'is are existing on the surface and have not delved deeply into the Ocean of Baha'u'llah's Revelation.  Their devotions are limited to parrot-like recitations of the revealed prayers, delivered mechanically and only within the meetings of other Baha'is.  However, for Baha'is devotion is supposed to be a personal matter directly between God and the individual, and not in the form of congregation.  Prayer should be a constant activity from the moment one awakes in the morning until one retires at night.  Prayer and devotion is not divorced from one's life activities and work, but every action should be done in devotion and praise of God.  With this kind of devotion, the breaths of the Holy Spirit descend and one plunges deeply into the ocean of Truth.

The Orthodox Bahá'í Peace Plan

In this time of war, the world thirsts for the divine remedy of the Message of Bahá'u'lláh.  Almost all of the principles and teachings of the Bahá'í revelation have the unification of the planet and elimination of war and prejudice at their core.  For example, among the principles and teachings of Bahá'u'lláh are the oneness of mankind, elimination of prejudice, the unity of religious truth, the accord of religion with science, equality of men and women, universal education, abolition of extremes of poverty and wealth, and a universal language.  All of these principles, when realized, will be conducive to the elimination of warfare and the creation of a unified spiritual society.

There are a few principles of Bahá'u'lláh that are key to the end of warfare and the establishment of a peaceful civilization.

War will not be eliminated from the earth until justice reigns over it.

"And among the teachings of His Holiness Bahá'u'lláh are justice and right. Until these are realized on the plane of existence, all things will be in disorder and remain imperfect. The world of mankind is a world of oppression and cruelty, and a realm of aggression and error." `Abdu'l-Bahá, Foundations of World Unity, p. 31.

It is obvious that injustice is the reason why peoples of the world war against one another. If it were not for the unjust and oppressive actions of one people against another, if it were not for the grievous attacks and oppressive hostilities back and forth, there would be no need for war.  Until humanity is able to dispense justice in response to the atrocities committed by the peoples of the world against one another, and thereby end forever the cycle of violence and hatred, there is no hope for a peaceful world.  Bahá'u'lláh revealed a specific system of teachings to bring about justice.  Specifically, the wondrous system created by Bahá'u'lláh and his Son, the Center of His Covenant, `Abdu'l-Bahá, for the government of human affairs contains within it an unparalleled divine system of justice, the Administrative Order of Bahá'u'lláh.  Unfortunately, the sans-Guardian Bahá'ís have devised a perverted system in place of the divinely revealed one, and they have emphasized this system in order to perpetuate the power of their leadership.  The man-made system they devised is nothing but a distorted image of the true system brought by Bahá'u'lláh.

This system involves several levels of houses of justice.  At the basic level is the local house of justice to be created in every city and village on the earth.  This body, following the laws of Bahá'u'lláh, will administer justice on the local level and will let justice and peace reign in every locality on the planet.  If a person is aggrieved by the decision of the local house of justice, he or she may appeal it to the national house of justice, to be created in every nation on earth, and ultimately may appeal the decision to the supreme Universal House of Justice, that will dispense justice and peace around the entire globe, enacting laws to create a just and spiritual global society, the Commonwealth of Bahá'u'lláh.  However, this is not a man-made system but is based upon the divine laws and teachings of Bahá'u'lláh Himself.  At the center of this system is the Center of the Cause, the appointed Guardian and sacred head for life of the Universal House of Justice.  The Guardian protects the Faith from schism and disorder as the ultimate authority in the Cause, the only authorized Interpreter of the Holy Texts.

The first Guardian of the Cause had this to say about the purpose of this system:  "Alike in the claims unequivocally asserted by its author and the general character of the growth of the Bahá'í community in every continent of the globe, it can be regarded in no other light than a world religion, destined to evolve in the course of time into a world-embracing commonwealth, whose advent must signalize the Golden Age of mankind, the age in which the unity of the human race will have been unassailably established, its maturity attained, and its glorious destiny unfolded through the birth and efflorescence of a world-encompassing civilization.... This Administrative Order, unlike the systems evolved after the death of the Founders of the various religions, is divine in origin, rests securely on the laws, the precepts, the ordinances and institutions which the Founder of the Faith has Himself specifically laid down and unequivocally established, and functions in strict accordance with the interpretations of the authorized Interpreters of its holy scriptures." Shoghi Effendi, Summary Statement - 1947, Special UN Committee on Palestine.

Anyone interested in learning more on the functioning of this system is advised to read the first Guardian's spiritual testament and masterpiece, the Dispensation of Bahá'u'lláh, a book that provides the details of the functioning of this wondrous divine system, including a world legislature, executive, and tribunal as the basis for a "world metropolis [that] will act as the nerve center of a world civilization." "A mechanism of world inter-communication," a "world language...invented or chosen from among the existing languages..." and a "world script, a world literature, a uniform and universal system of currency, of weights and measures" and the "economic resources of the world will be organized, its sources of raw materials will be tapped and fully utilized, its markets will be coordinated and developed, and the distribution of its products will be equitably regulated."  In this system, oppression and injustices will be forever eliminated, and the peoples of the world at long last will live together under the banner of a divine civilization.

Shoghi Effendi: "Who can doubt that such a consummation -- the coming of age of the human race -- must signalize, in its turn, the inauguration of a world civilization such as no mortal eye hath ever beheld or human mind conceived? Who is it that can imagine the lofty standard which such a civilization, as it unfolds itself, is destined to attain? Who can measure the heights to which human intelligence, liberated from its shackles, will soar? Who can visualize the realms which the human spirit, vitalized by the outpouring light of Bahá'u'lláh, shining in the plenitude of its glory, will discover?" The World Order of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 205.

Bahá'u'lláh: "The world's equilibrium hath been upset through the vibrating influence of this most great, this new World Order. Mankind's ordered life hath been revolutionized through the agency of this unique, this wondrous System -- the like of which mortal eyes have never witnessed." Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 136.

For more on the peace plan of the Orthodox Bahá'í Faith, follow this link:
http://trueseeker.typepad.com/true_seeker/world_peace_unity.html

Don't be an imitator: independent investigation of truth

One of the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh is the independent investigation of truth, meaning that we must not be imitators or blind followers.  Instead of relying upon the opinion of any other person, we are enjoined to investigate independently and arrive at our own conclusion.  A true Bahá'í does not accept any teaching merely because it is a tradition but rather he or she always must question dogma and doctrines until truth is ascertained.

The idea here is that truth must be based upon reality rather than opinion: "As reality is one and cannot admit of multiplicity, therefore different opinions must ultimately become fused into one" (Selections from the Writings of `Abdu'l-Bahá, p. 298). It was ignorance based upon blind imitation that has caused wars, hatred and animosity to prevail over humanity.  The road to peace involves all persons approaching truth for themselves.

This means that no leaders, whether they be administrative institutions of the Faith, respected members of the learned, or the head of the Faith himself, have the power to tell us how to believe or how to behave.  We are God's creation, with God-given minds and souls, and nobody has the authority over our conscience. In the Bahá'í religion, there is not to be a professional clergy.  There is no need for a clergy because all of humanity is to be educated and all of humanity is responsible for ascertaining the truth independently.

In every religion corruption sets in, when the leadership seeks to control the membership with dogmas and doctrines designed to keep free thinking in check and to cause limits of discussion in certain areas. This is how clergy maintain power and control.  The corrupt practices of the clergy in past religions must be resisted in the Bahá'í religion.  "It seems both strange and pitiful that the Church and clergy should always, in every age, be the most bitter opponents of the very Truth they are continually admonishing their followers to be prepared to receive! They have become so violently attached to the form that the substance itself eludes them!" (Shoghi Effendi, letter of 7 February 1945 to an individual believer).

Investigation of truth and reality is fundamentally a spiritual and mystical endeavor. Although Bahá'ís far too often have immersed themselves in the details of administering their communities, the central focus of the Bahá'í religion is prayer and meditation.  "For the core of religious faith is that mystical feeling which unites man with God. This state of spiritual communion can be brought about and maintained by means of meditation and prayer. And this is the reason why Bahá'u'lláh has so much stressed the importance of worship. It is not sufficient for a believer merely to accept and observe the teachings. He should, in addition, cultivate the sense of spirituality which he can acquire chiefly be means of prayer." (Letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, 8 December 1935).  In the Bahá'í religion, prayer and meditation are between the individual and God.  Worship is not a public practice or the fruit of any administration. 

Thus in matters of the apprehension and experience of truth, faith, and worship, the individual Bahá'í is not subject to the dictates of any other person or entity.  This is a matter strictly between God and the individual believer.  This is such a radical approach to religion that it appears most Bahá'ís have failed to live up to the individual responsibility imposed upon them.  Instead of taking this matter of faith and investigation of truth seriously, too many Bahá'ís are content to let their leaders dictate to them every aspect of their lives, belief, and behavior. 

But it is personal conscience and not the dictates of Bahá'í leadership that is most important:

The "conscience of man is sacred and to be respected; and that liberty thereof produces widening of ideas, amendment of morals, improvement of conduct, disclosure of the secrets of creation, and manifestation of the hidden verities of the contingent world" (`Abdu'l-Bahá, A Traveller's Narrative, p. 91) and "when freedom of conscience, liberty of thought and right of speech prevail -- that is to say, when every man according to his own idealization may give expression to his beliefs -- development and growth are inevitable (`Abdu'l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 197).

Until now there has been this dichotomy between religion and spirituality.  Religious people worshiped and thought as a group, while spiritual persons worshiped and thought freely and individual.  In this Faith, each individual is to be free to worship and think for himself, yet the administrative order keeps them united in one common Faith. `Abdu'l-Bahá said of Bahá'ís who achieve this, that "... ye have investigated the truth and have been freed from imitations and superstitions, that ye observe with your own eyes and not with those of others, hearken with your own ears and not with the ears of others, and discover mysteries with the help of your own consciences and not with those of others. For the imitator saith that such a man hath seen, such a man hath heard, and such a conscience hath discovered; in other words he dependeth upon the sight, the hearing and the conscience of others and hath no will of his own" (Selections from the Writings of `Abdu'l-Bahá, p. 29).

How important it is for all Bahá'ís to study and understand this principle of the independent investigation of truth.  It is the starting point for deepening the in the verities of the Faith.  To not be an imitator is a spiritual duty and obligation of the first order.