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| July 11, 2002 This month's archived letters by subject PART I See Part II * Since 1844 I read your article about the Bahai faith, and I just wanted to comment on the part where you said that Bahais have been persecuted for three generations [Heechee kam nadaaran]. Well, I'm not exactly sure if your math is correct or not, but they have been persecuted since day 1 when ... declared himself as a prophet in 1844, so basically 158 years of persecution. I really enjoyed the article. Thanks, Shervin To top * Koran is Scripture to me I appreciate the article by Jahanshah Javid in Iranian.com [Heechee kam nadaaran]. Muslims recognize (and end its persecution) of the Bahais in Iran. I am an anglo-American who was drawn to the Bahai Faith 7 years ago by its teaching, unique in the world's religions, to never hit children. As I studied it I was impressed with its recognition of all people and religions, and its message and plan for world peace. When I was a Christian I believed that Muhammad was either misguided or some emmisary of Satan--which is probably what most Muslims think of the Bahais today. When I became a Bahai, however, I had to also accept Muhammad as a Manifestation of God. The Koran is now Scripture to me, where before it was not. One of the saddest things I have ever heard was the case of the ten Bahai women who were hanged in the 1980s - -including the beautiful 17-year-old girl, Mona. We are blessed to have many Iranian Bahais here in Metro Detroit--and we love to hear them chant Persian and Arabic prayers. They certainly do look Iranian from our end. Best wishes to all of you. I believe Muhammad was a messenger of peace, and did not teach, and is not responsible, for present hatreds and persecutions. Sincerely, Jeff Charles To top * What do you expect? Sheila Khanoom, [Not worth it] I lived in KC for four wonderful years until I met my wife and moved to California. I went to many of those concerts, I even invited many of these morons to come to KC to get the small community of Iranians together for a night of fun. I did come across comments such as what Moin made about KC being small and even referring to KC as "dahat". What do you expect from him? He was born in a classless family and sang versus of Koran in the local cemeteries. I have seen him many times in LA. He walks around with the back of his Italian shoes bent folded in and drags his shoes while walking. The man has more money than you can imagine but no class. Actually doesn't surprise me what he said and how late he was. Anything better would have surprised me. The entertainers in LA are really getting better. I have attended every concert Dariush performs and he's not a minute late. Googoosh also was very on time and very classy. I don't know what to say, it is rather sad. I know people who know Moin and I make sure he gets this message. Have some BBQ for me at Gates and Sons! Hamid To top * Similar incident I agree with you 100 percent [Not worth it]. I had similar incident with Moin. It was my wedding night at a Persian restaurant years back. The place we rented, charged us per person whom the owner provided Persian food, drinks and the band. In the middle of the night, I saw Moine with a bunch of other people came to the restaurant and the owner set up a big table for him and his group in a corner, middle of my wedding. I thought to myself oh well; it's nice we have a famous signer here. After half an hour so, I had my relative came to me that we asked Moines to sign for us but he is ignoring us. I had my husband to ask him, and he ignored him too. At that point, I felt he is ignorant man too and since that time, I did not attended his concert or buy his CDs. You see ... he lost a few fans that night, any how thank you for sharing your thought with us. Atash To top * 20 years after our escape from Iran I do not know what made you think about Bahai's [Heechee kam nadaaran]. It sounded like you were honest. It touched my heart any way. I do not care if all the things you wrote was correct or not, the fact is that your conclusion is correct. I am a Bahai from Iran. We had to flee for our life. If you think it was an easy decision to take your tow children out of boarder on motocycle in the middle of winter, not knowing where you will end up going,think again. all I know for sure that I have been a victem and so I know what I am talking about. All through out school in Isfahan, my college in Shiraz, I was never immune to being treated as second hand citizen -- and that was during the Shah's time. Yes we left our country with tears in our eyes and prayers in our heart that God will help us settle in a safe place. Not toolong after we setteled my husband was murdered at his small business that he had started to support his family. And now, 20 years after our escape from Iran, I still have tears in my eyes and prayers in my heart to make it through each moment and each day. Yes I do also wonder why people should be persecuted for what they believe specially if that belief makes them peace loving people. We were rubbed of all of our belongingins, jobs, and rights. When the PASDARS were taking even our QURAN and I asked why, he said "You are NAJESS and should not have the Holey book in your house." Yes with tears in my eyes and prayer in my heart I asked God to guide us all to the right path. When we left Iran that is all we had with us. our tears and our prayers. Thank you Jahanbakhsh for speeking out your mind. Yes let us not judge people. KASSI RA TOYEH GHABREH KASSI DIGAR NEMIKHABOONAND. I do not mind at all to give all the informations about me so you all can check it out. Nasrin To top * All religions from same God If you may allow me to introduce myself, my name is Flavio Azm Rassekh and I'm a native of Brazil. My parents are Persian, my mom is Muslim and my father was a Bahai from Jewish background. The main reason I'm writing this is to thank you for speaking out about the situation of the Bahais in Iran, as a colleague of yours said in his article Heechee kam nadaarann" most people in Iran don't recognize the basic rights of Bahais to exist and live like everybody else. As you know Bahais don't get involved in politics and don't respond with violence when tortured or persecuted. Hope more people get to read your articles. The way to end prejudice is the understanding of our common heritage. We are children of the same parents, all the religions of the past came from the same God, everything else is peoples interpretation. Warm regards, Flavio Sao Paulo BRAZIL To top * Relative killed for being Bahai As a person whose relatives were killed for being Bahai, thank you. [Heechee kam nadaaran] Robert Babak Rowshan To top * Independence from akhounds Dear Mr. Javid, I admire your brave stand [Heechee kam nadaaran] to follow your conscience and speak up for the Bahais of Iran. Such an action is almost unheard of from a non-Bahai Iranian. It takes a renewed way of thinking and a serious abandonment of the cultural and social ailments and prejudices to speak up as you have. A fair minded person would agree that the Bahais and Bahai beliefs do not pose any danger to the well being of the society (if not benefit the society.) This has been demonstrated by most countries allowing Bahais to practice their religion. Bahais are recognised as one of the active contributors in the U.N. and their involvement is valued. While the United Nation and most countries have issued resolutions unreservedly demanding fair conditions for Bahais in Iran, why do Iranians opt to stay quiet about Bahais and their lack of basic human rights in Iran? This may be a puzzling question for some, but it is certainly not a new phenomenon in Iran of today. Bahais and Bahai Faith has always been a tabu subject in Iran. It does not take a genius to work out that the people who are threatened most by the growth in the number of Bahais are the religious leaders. The akhounds of Iran have always faced the danger of losing power in Iran, if Bahais grew in numbers. A quick look as the Bahai history of late 1880's shows Iran experiencing a rapid growth in the number of Babis (the Babi Faith is the predecessor of the Bahai Faith). Sadly before even the Faith was a few years old we see massive massacres of Babis by the mob and the zealous crowds in public places under direct orders from the akhounds. Killing the "infidels and agents of foreigners" were to bring the mob rewards in after life. The extend of killings was so severe that by early 1890's it was hardly possible to find any Babis in Iran. The Babi issue became a closed case, (so the government and akhounds thought!) Babis were dreadfully harassed and discriminated against. Those who were not murdered, endured terrible sufferings. The akhounds carried on with their spread of doubts and rumours about Babis. No one dared to stand up for Babis as the consequences were too harsh. As Babi became Bahais the trend continued with Bahais. The harsh consequences kept people away form Bahais. Meanwhile the seeds lies and of doubts planted by akhounds in the minds of Iranians grew to become dense bushes obscuring the views of the average Iranians of the Bahai Faith. Bahaism has became a tabu subject that Iranians don't wish to discuss. This basic protective tactic of the akhounds has served them very well. They have effectively kept people away from discussing the Bahai question and clouded their minds at the same time. The average Iranian is either unaware of the Bahais situation in Iran (because it is not discussed), or his/her mind is so poisoned with preconceived prejudices and political, social and moral accusations against Bahais, that he/she will make a quick and judgmental call on Bahais. The akhounds of Iran with their "marja-eh taghlid" have the masses of Iran eating right from the palm of their hands. Iranians lack the initiative to investigate for themselves. They are prone to accept easy answers and naively believe others. So my dear Mr. Javid, having said all this, the quick answer to your question is that "hamash zir sare akhound-ha ast" (in contrast to "hamsh zir sare inglisi-hast"). I certainly hope Iraj Mirza was wrong when he wrote:  While I doubt that he was addressing Bahais, his poem applies equally to the Bahais, and the rest of Iranians. As Iran and Iranians mature, stand up on their own feet, start thinking with their own minds. They will claim their intellectual and social independence from the akhounds. However, the biggest cultural challenge they face will be to identified the truth from the fancies and propaganda that is infused in the Iranian culture and psyche over many generations. Regards, Tooraj Enayati To top * Finally Finally someone stopped to say something about a religion with a population of over 6 million [Conception of gender roles]. Unlike other religious groups, we dont like to toot our own horns. Gooya Abrar To top * Finding intolerance as intolerable As an American born Bahá'í, I would like to thank you for your support [Conception of gender roles]. It is indeed wonderful to find a human being who finds intolerance as intolerable as I do. May God bless you. No matter what you call Him, He has remarkable Names. Alláh-u-Abhá Rex Block To top * My grandmother! Wow!!! How exciting to open up iranian.com today and find an article on my grandmother! (my mom's mom)... [Conception of gender roles] I just had to share it with you all! Faranak To top * Trust has gone with the wind I read your comments [Heechee kam nadaaran]. I think the article was great, never the less having open minded iranian soul is not something that we see everyday. I hope you are not one the molla's and hopefully you are not fishing, well!! Don't blame me, trust among Iranians has gone with the wind. regards :) Aqdas To top * Who? This is Miaad-e-Shokoofeha cultural & art institute . We are interested in contact Mr. Parviz Davie to make a deal with him, any kind of connection with him will help us . Please write us if you have his E-mail address, tel no or postal address. Thanks for help Miaad To top * Blessed be the king "Blessed be the king whose sovereignty hath withheld him not from his Sovereign, and who hath turned unto God with his heart." "He, verily, is accounted of those that have attained unto that which God, the Mighty, the All-Wise, hath willed." "Thy Lord is, in truth, potent over all things." "We make mention of thee for the sake of God." "Thy name may be exalted through thy remembrance of God, the Creator of earth and heaven." "God hath, truly, destined a reward for thee, because of" what you have written. [Heechee kam nadaaran] Fereshteh To top * Desire to control women's bodies In response to "Just as normal as you" and "Evolution" me as a young Iranian boy who has grew up both in Iran and In France i can t marry a girl without having sex with her before the wedding, it's a matter of how you see the world. All this fuzz with vitginity comes from our islamic tradition ( in all islamic countries they face this same problem ) and our desire to control women's bodies. But to add to the previous articles i wanted to focus on the mother's role in the continuation of this way of thinking in our tradition. Nobody can't deny that at in our homes women (mothers) control the houses, the education of the children, the decoration etc... Men (fathers) come after work , play a little bit with the kids then they go watch tv or have a rest. Mothers are responsable to educating their sons as such as : you are a boy you can go and play outside etc... and say to their girl : you has to stay at home helping me washing things...when a 5 years old has the right to go and play but her sister of the same age can t what do you thing the boy realise?! " I can go playing outside but my sister can 't so i m better than her, so i m more important than her "... That's why dividing the world in : Men the bad and women the victims is not completly true... All this fuzz about virginity come of course from the hypocrite attitudes of many of the Iranian men but also the pressure the women put on other women by judging them worst than men can do... But we know that Iran and specially Tehran with its 8 millions inhabitants can t be like an ancient Persian town where everything can be controlled. Like ant big city people will take advantage of the anonimity of the big city to do what they want. Amin Naraghi To top * Iranian-American cop in trouble One of the officers who were videotaped beating a black teenager in Inglewood, California earlier this week is Iranian (Bijan Darvish). Read the court papers the father filed in the lawsuit against the city and the officers. Ben Bagheri To top * He wrote me beautiful love letters I am an American woman who has been having a love affair with an Iranian man for five years. He has been an American citizen for more than half his life. He is full of fun and has a wonderful sense of humor. We love each other deeply and learned that we have so many things in common, despite our different backgrounds. Often we start to speak and find that we are saying the same things at the same time. He says this means that our hearts are connected together. A year ago, he told me that he needed go back to Iran, because his father was dying and he had to be there to handle his father's business. He called me from the train on his cell phone and we talked during his entire trip to New York, where he was catching a plane. Much of my end of the conversation was just sobbing. It was terribly painful for me to be left here alone. He promised me that he would be back soon. I have never known anyone who could comfort me when I was crying with such tenderness and love as he can. When he arrived in Tehran, he bought a computer and arranged an Internet connection, because he wanted to stay in touch with me. We wrote e-mail almost every day and he wrote me beautiful love letters. It seemed that we became even closer emotionally, although we are thousands of miles apart. Then, one day, he wrote to me that it was his dying father's wish that he marry an Iranian girl and stay in Tehran to carry on the family business. At first, he refused to do this, but his parents put pressure on him and finally persuaded him to meet a girl whom they considered suitable for him. He told me that she is very beautiful and that he was trying to get to know her a little bit, before he made a decision. Suddenly, last month, I received an e-mail from him telling me that they had gotten married! I was so shocked that I cried for hours, until I feared I would die from the pain and grief I felt. At the end of his letter about his wedding, he told me that he loves me the same as always and that I will be his woman in America, while his wife stays in Tehran. I cannot bear the thought of waiting here to be his mistress while his trusting wife lives with him there. She was a virgin when he met her and is fifteen years younger than he is. I have cried over this every night and every morning since he told me this news. I love him with all my heart, but I won't continue our affair, no matter what he says. He tells me she will never know about me, but he doesn't seem to realize how painful it is for me to know about her. I am doing my best to find a way to live without him, but my love for him will not give me any peace. I miss him so terribly that I ache inside, but he has chosen to marry and I don't belong in the picture any more. I have lost him to Iran and there is nothing I can do about it. In the end, the cultural differences that we thought did not matter between us, became the thing that divided us forever. Ada Barrett To top * In His Service Dear Mr. Javid, [Heechee kam nadaaran] Indeed, you ask a very pertinent question in your musings while waiting for your computer to right itself. The Revelation of Baha'u'llah, representing as it does, the latest emanation from the "Unknowable Essence" and hence the fulfillment of all the prophecies of former dispensations, is worthy fodder for any serious communicant seeking ultimate reunion with his Maker. As for those blessed to have recognized the station of the "One whom God will make manifest", their destiny is of course assured by the Prophet, the Mouthpiece of God, beyond the limitations imposed by mortal machinations. Therein lies the "radiant acquiescence" you have noted in association with the followers of Baha'u'llah. In any case, the unification of this world into one characterized by the "Most Great Peace" is a mighty undertaking, requiring unswerving dedication, a "new race of men", as it were. I pray that your musings have prompted even one soul to re-examine his bearings. In His Service, A. Salvo To top * Police have entered gay networks in Iran I think all of us have heard about the recent restrictions in peoples' private lives in Iran, especially major cities like Tehran. Police officers, Nirooye entezami , as well ? Basijis? can be seen all over the city and they arrest young Iranians who want to have their primary rights. One of the recent aspects that they have focused on is homosexuality and Iranian gays. In past days they have tried to arrest gays in Tehran. You all might know that, as it is very dangerous to be openly gay and of course life threatening Iranian gays have their own network and gatherings and police forces have entered these networks and have attacked one of the gay parties last Friday and arrested our compatriots just because of their sexual orientation. They have told them that the judiciary system is going to persecute all of them in order to get rid of their filth. According to Islamic and national laws, gays would be sentenced to death and the religious government has started a new movement to arrest and kill homosexuals. I think we all need to know it and let others know about it also. Hasan To top * Uphill battle My father sent me your article, which I read with interest [Heechee kam nadaaran]. I hope you don't mind me sending you an email. Your casual writing style (at least in English language) was delightful and intriguing. It comes across as very secular journalism and atheist/humanistic in spirit. The trouble is, if your audience/readership is predominantly Iranian people then aren't you mainly trying to argue to convince Islamic folks of your enlightened human rights advocacy towards Bahai's? Correct me if I'm wrong. I'd like to know how people like yourself are getting on with bringing Iranian society to a more humane and tolerant state with regard to treatment of religious minorities. It would seem an uphill battle from someone like myself who looks in from the outside. The bizzarre thing is that you can even find a reason to write such an article!! Surely, in a civilized and intelligent society (and I'm sure most Iranians ARE civilized and intelligent, at least all Iranians that I've met are) there'd be no need to even argue for human rights because they'd be a GIVEN, a natural state of affairs. SO it seems to me that the terrible treatment of people like Bahai's that goes on in Iranian society (and by the way, it goes back at least to the founding of the Babi Faith by Siyyid Ali Muhammad in 1844 (~1260AH), and the founding of the Bahai Faith by Baha'u'llah (Mirza Husayn Ali) in 1863-64), is attributable largely to the profound lack of understanding by most people (whether in Iran, Europe, America, Asia, africa or whereever) as to what the Bahai Faith really is in essence! My pet theory is that if the principles and esence of the Bahai Faith were sincerely studied by people, and a more than surficial understanding were obtained, then most people would, by in large, be far more reasonably disposed towards the Bahai's. It's the lack of education that breeds fear, and the fear breeds hatred, animosity, and as you can bear witness ultimately it brings persecution and fanatical opposition. In truth, Islam has nothing to fear from Bahai's because the Bahai Faith both demands acceptance of all well-founded religions from it's adherants, has no clergy, and also demands independent investigation of truth (religious or otherwise). Indeed, the Bahai Faith sees all religion as One, united in essence, differing only in the needs and teachings required for the relevant time in history. Now whether you are religious or not, there seesm nothing to fear from Bahai's because they canonically cannot convert people away from their beliefs, any Bahai becomes so only out of an individually and privately felt acceptance of Baha'u'llah's teachings, and a profound reverence for all religions as dispensations given to humanity as a whole by One universal unknowable Creator. Before you discount all religion as crockery! I'd recommend that you at least educate yoursefl better about the Bahai Faith. YOu can get ample information from books like Esslemont's "Baha'u'llah and the New Era", or Gloria Faizi's "The Bahai Faith". Also there are copious websites, if your internet connection is healthy! e.g. try reading through, //www.us.bahai.org/ //www.ibiblio.org/Bahai/TrueSeeker/ I recommend this latter site, because (despite the rather pompous sounding URL) it does contain the pure, unadulterated canonical writings. So although not brief, these will at least, if you read them carefully, give you a high quality education on all Bahai principles. Finally, good luck and best wishes to you and all who struggle in Iran for human rights and peace. I hope to visit your beautiful country some day with my daughter, before she gets too old and entrenched in her prejudices! (She's a very cute 2.5 year old called Kezia Olivia Smith! We're also New Zealand citizens, so don't be put off by my work address below! And I'm a physicist, not a nuclear engineer, again despite my place of work.) Sincerest regards, Dr Blair M. Smith Innovative Nuclear Space Power and Propulsion Institute, (INSPI) University of Florida To top * There is NO excuse Salam, My name is Tabby and I am an Iranian residing in DC. I wanted to thank you for writing such an honest article [Heechee kam nadaaran]. It's nice to come across realistic work in days when our eyes are covered with curtains of stereotypes. There is NO excuse for the inhumane conditions that we expose our fellow brothers and sisters to. Besides, who is to say that a specific ideology or religion is superior over others, have we personally spoken with God? Did God TELL us that one reigns supreme over the others, or do we simply beleive that those OTHER religions are inferior because we are not members of them.. I have come to realize that man falls victim to the desires of his ego, particulary the desire for power. People that focus their lives around the needs of their ego's, fail to consider those around them as humans. They almost seperate the emotional aspect of a "human" from the physical, this is why they have no difficulty persecuting or torturing those with "different" ideologies. Whether its the Bahai's of Iran, the Palestinians or the Sierra Leonians, NO person or GROUPS of PEOPLE deserve to be treated inhumanly. You are right when you write that it is unfair to place all the blame on the Mullahs. Any person who adheres to dogma, whether its Muslim, Christian or whatever, is indeed blinded by stereopyes, and is just AS accountable as the Mullah. To see changes, we must come off our personal pedostals and open our eyes to see that ALL humans are equal in rank. No human can judge another, unless of course they personally spoke with God...thats unlikely though... Tabby To top * Faith as dictat is not faith I was sorry to see that demonstrations were curtailed in Iran on the July 9th anniversary. It appears as if the Mullahs are determined to prevent popular dissent from reaching the streets. I am not a Muslim and I dont profess to know the depths of Islamic devotion that pervade in Iran. But I do know that repression... be it secular or clerical...will not long stand. And I have read enough about Iran to know that it is a nation yearning to breath free. Millions of Americans are hoping to see the day when Iran shakes free of the shackles that have bound them for these tragic decades. Despite the past, and certainly there have been infringements upon Iranian sovereignty, Iran and America should be allies. Although I write this in the safe comfort of my far away home, I hope Iranians everywhere will rise up and shout a resounding "No More!" to the government that has decimated the Iranian economy, rescinded the rights of women, and sullied the reputation of Iran in much of the free world. Im not bashing Islam and am a true believer in the beauty and necessity to be found in religious belief. The heart and the soul thrive on faith, and it is thru faith that mankind often demonstrates its greatest attributes. But faith as dictat is not faith..it is enslavement. My heart and support goes out to all those who raise their fists and make their voices heard. Long live freedom in Iran! DM in the USA To top * Inconsistent with your message Dear Mr. Javid, [Heechee kam nadaaran] I just read your essay. I thought you made some excellent points about the extent of the persecution and repression of the Bahais in Iran. There have been numerous conspiracy theories about the Bahai faith flying around over the years but then again we are known for our conspiracy theories. I'm more content with respecting a person's spirituality and not paying attention to the label of Jew, Christian, Muslim, Bahai, Hindu, Buddhist, etc. What made me uncomfortable, however, is that you wrote this piece because you were waiting for your internet connection to reappear and not because you truly wanted to write it that day. Your asides in parentheses made me feel like you would have been happier doing anything else other than writing that piece which is inconsistent with your message. I'm going to think positively and hope that that was your underlying point. It's possible that we as Iranians would rather do anything other than own our responsibilities and shame. Sincerely, Parissa B. To top * Fair ethical points Reference to Jahanshah Javid's July 3 Bahai article - EXCELLENT. [Heechee kam nadaaran] I hope it is the start of a movement of ethical awakening by the non-Bahai majority in Iran. This article's most moving power to me is that the author is apparently not a believer in religion, yet comes to such just and fair ethical points mosly by his logic. I am a Bahai, and it is as it seems, a positive, very spiritual, uplifting religion that welcomes all without prejudice. Thanks, Steven King USA National Fingerstyle Guitar Champion www.kingofguitar.net To top * Show and tell Jahanshah, Are you getting any thing for this article? [Heechee kam nadaaran] As a Bahá'í I enjoyed your article. We never wanted to convert all the people to Bahá'í faith but we ask them to give us a chance to see how our "show and tell" would change their lives. Take care and regards, Fereydoun To top * Not only for Bahais, but for all I just wanted to say thank you for writing such a nice article about the Bahais - "Heechee kam nadaaran"... myself, I am a half-Iranian Bahai, living in Canada. It's nice to see that Iranians are becoming more concerned about the plight of our fellow believers in Iran. The question is, when will things shift from mere words to actions? "Let deeds, not words, be your adorning", is one of my favourite quotes from Bahá'u'lláh. I read the other article you wrote, "The education of Mahdiyeh", and that too was very nicely expressed. I'm surprised that a Bahai in Iran would speak with such openness about his beliefs (in general), but I commend his honesty. One thing that caught my eye (and it may have been mentioned to you many times before, so I apologise if it has) was you had mentioned that some 200 Bahais had been executed since 1979 ... maybe I am confusing things, and my history is not that good, but for some reason I have 20,000 in my head. I will check into this further and let you know what I come up with, but if you can clarify things for me, that would be great. :) It is my sincere hope that your limited role as Mahdiyeh's father has instilled within her a sense of justice... not only for Bahais, but for all things good and right in this world. Best Wishes, Kurosh :) To top * Not every non-Bahai Iranian hates us Hi, Don't worry, I'm not here to fill your inbox with conspiracy theories or be a nasty critic [Heechee kam nadaaran]. Actually, I want to thank you. I'm a Bahai (in fact not Iranian, but I have very close Iranian friends and relatives) and I want you to know that it's sort of reasssuring to know that someone notices the wrongs done, that not every non-Bahai Iranian hates us. Thanks for commenting. That's All, Jamie To top * It's time for more than merely waving the flag The following is a response I would like to give to the column that appears on the National Review written by Rob Sobhani: Mr Sobhani, who made a run for the US Senate not long ago, is off track on many counts. To begin with, Rob Sobhani believes that multiculturalism is a responsible agent "eroding America's sovereignty and the national identity of its citizens". He contends: "Once in America, recent immigrants have little incentive to become Americans because the liberal culture tells them that we are a multicultural nation of immigrants rather than a nation of people from many different countries embracing the American culture". My first question to him and all other kaaseh-ye-daagh tar az aash patriotoids who wish to totally ignore their past roots is: What exactly is "the American culture"? The Eurocentric doctrines imposed by a ruling white majority? Example: As a graduate student, why must I constantly be studying European traditions, icons, and systems of convention in all my general studies? Why can I become an expert in Architecture knowing every work of Le Corbusier and Frank Lloyd Wright, while never bothering to learn about one of the world's seven wonders of Architecture, The Taj Mahal, which was based on Persian Safavid designs? During all my years of schooling in the US (in 3 Universities), rarely if at all did we ever climb out of the narcisstic shell of "America and nothing else" to learn that America is not just about European heritage, something that Mr Sobhani now erroneously calls American culture. Has Mr Sobhani ever paid any attention to statistics showing that the America of 2025 will have a non-white majority? Mr Sobhani calls people in favor of a bilingual America "shameful" in their policies, claiming that bilinguality prevents a country from holding together. Folks, time to tell your kids to forget that second grader level of Farsi that your teenage kids barely know. Funny how I remember kids speaking 3 or 4 languages in my high school days in Belgium, a bilingual country. Switzerland is an even better example where multi linguality has incredibly enrichened a country. Mr Sobhani even blames the strained status of American public schools on immigration. He probably doesnt know that my school of 40000 students was shut down a week ago with threats of budget cuts of up to $50 million because legislators in the State of Tennessee cannot avoid the corporate influence in politics. Not to mention the even worse condition of Tennessee's public K-12 system. And Tennessee is red neck country with hardly any immigrants. Mr Sobhani also believes that students who come to the US for studying, should eventually have to go back. I would like to remind him that the Los Alamos project, which virtually established America as a superpower, was almost entirely run by Naturalized immigrants, Einstein himself an immigrant. This is even more obvious if one visits any elite scientific laboratory in any academic center in this country. Just count how many Indians, Iranians, Chinese, Koreans, etc you see. This country thrives on immigrants and the skill and knowledge they bring with them. Not to mention that these American educated students more than often eventually do return home taking with them a working knowledge of democracy. Its a win-win situation anyway you look at it. "We should not apologize for asking immigrants to be patriotic" asserts Mr Sobhani. Instead of advocating strict anti-immigration policies (like claiming that bringing in other family members for every immigrant that comes to the US "places an enormous burden on our nation's resources") we should maintain a bit of humility. Instead of claiming, "America is the greatest nation on Earth," we might say, "I live in the United States and have deep emotional ties to its land and ideals, and I want to highlight the many positive things while working to change what is wrong." We can say that without suggesting other people are less capable of understanding democracy or defending freedom, accusing them of lack of patriotism. We can believe that and encourage spirited debate about policy. Let me tell you who the REAL American patriot is: A true patriot will not stand idly by as long as one child goes hungry. A true patriot will not rest easily while fellow citizens have no place to live. A true patriot will not turn a blind eye toward those who are ill and cannot afford health care. A true patriot will not support politicians who throw billions of dollars toward military armaments and other boondoggles while giving our educational system and our national infrastructure short shrift. A true patriot will not endure corporate criminals who loot their companies and leave employees with little to show for their labor. A true patriot will not support an economic system in which the richest 1 percent of the population owns more wealth than the bottom 95 percent. (Mr Sobhani is a Republican by the way). A true patriot will not tolerate the destruction of American natural resources and the extinction of thousands of species to feed an economy that acts like there's no tomorrow. A true patriot will not accept acts of violence against any human being or animal of any other species. A true patriot will not abide stolen civil liberties in the name of greater national security. It's time for more than merely waving the flag, singing patriotic songs and proclaiming one's love of country. To be a patriot in this day and age is to wake up and look around, with clarity and discernment. To be a patriot is to take personal action - to feed the hungry, to house the homeless, to live more simply, to elect true public servants, to enrichen this country with our original culture. To be a patriot is to allocate America's resources wisely and to live out our highest values as individuals and as a nation. At the end, I like to quote Adlai Stevenson: "Do not ... regard the critics as questionable patriots. What were Washington and Jefferson and Adams but profound critics of the colonial status quo?" God bless The World. Nima Kasraie University of Tennessee-Knoxville. To top * Without taking any sides A friend of mine forwarded your article and I have to say I have really enjoyed it [Heechee kam nadaaran]. Thank you. Very well written without taking any sides, especially since it is written by a Persian non-Bahai that grow up in Iran (so you could easily be influenced by what you were taught in school). Your article just asks people to see the truth. Thanks again. ARIS To top * A nation overlooking the obvious "Why do we treat Bahais so badly? Or at least why aren't we concerned when they are treated badly?" asks Jahanshah Javid [Heechee kam nadaaran]. That has puzzled me too. We know why the Khomeinists oppose them: first because the Bahais present a model of a religious community that gets along just fine thank you, without having any ulama: no priests, no fuqaha, no taqlid: just democratically elected councils. Their very existence as a community reads like a redundancy notice for the mullahs. And second because the Bahai teachings give a religious justification for the separation of church and state, a model that crosses the boundaries of the neat dualism between western-secular-separation-Bad and Iranian-religious-theocracy-Good. And we know that the Pahlavis didn't really hate them, they just threw them to the dogs when it was convenient. The Pahlavis didn't care, but it was nothing personal. But what about the intellectuals, the NGOs, the Iranians? Why the blind spot? From a safe distance, this is what I think. When you've been overlooking the patently obvious for a long time, you can't see the obvious without saying (at least to yourself), that you've been a fool. And when a nation has been overlooking the obvious, they are a nation of fools. Not the first in history, and probably not the last, but that doesn't make it easier to swallow. So when somebody puts the obvious in font of your nose, you just don't see it. It's easier that way. So if the answer is obvious, what's the question? When modernity rolled over the world, it brought a compound pain. Modernity has created a kind of society that is completely different to old ideas -- western, eastern, whatever -- completely different to old ideas of how a society works. A society in which religion and science and commerce and politics are different worlds, functioning according to different logics. A society in which the individual has no single identity, no "position", but a profile of positions and functions in different spheres, so you make yourself a mix-and-match version of a personal identity. A society functioning quite well without one permeating system of religious values -- which philosophers and theologians had for millennia proclaimed to be essential. A society in which one's own language and ethnicity is just a local particularity, within a horizon that embraces a thousand ways of talking and ways of doing things. Different parts of this pain have hit different societies at various times, with the 'West' in most cases suffering the first impact. But a big part of this -- and one that has caused a couple of centuries pain in Europe -- is how to fit religion into the new picture. How can one be faith-full and live in a society in which religion is a department of life, not the umbrella over all, and how do you live with the fact that religious pluralism is here to stay? The situation today is, that even if religion were to return to supply society with its values and cohesion (which it won't), there could be no answer to the question, which religion? Various ad hoc solutions have been found. Quite a variety have been tried in various countries, including Iran. But the most elegant of the religious solutions is the Iranian one. The Bahai one that is: not the Khomeinist one. It's simple really. You have to reconceive of "religion" not as a particular religion but as a world religious system. You have to position that firmly as one department of life, alongside the global economy, the world political system, science without borders, art international and so on. You have to justify this religiously, not as the "breakdown" of society, but as the way things are meant to be in the Kingdom (by whatever name you call it). You have to make ethnic pluralism, even religious pluralism, a positive religious value. You have to redesign religious communities so that they at the least do not directly oppose the democratic, individualistic, questioning ethos of modern society. You may have to take an axe to some old ideas about the roles of men and women, and the religious sanctions for them. You might have to clear away a clutter of turbans and togas, but hang on to your religious intellectuals. They are a precious resource, and very rare (in fact, if you find two in one generation, one is probably a mistake). So there you are. Bahai is more than "peace, love and tolerance", but it is still a pretty simple idea, a solution to the problem of religion in modernity, wrapped in the forms of Iranian culture: a calendar like the Zoroastrians for example. With all due respect to the sincere gentlemen from Iran who have wrestled with this problem, and with the additional issue, for non-western thinkers, of how much of "western" solutions can be adopted, the best solution has been right under their noses all the time. If you are passing by a village in Peru or an island somewhere watery at the right time of year, and hear Naw Ruz being celebrated, there are good odds that it will be those Bahais. Iran's gift to the world, export only. Sen McGlinn To top * Writing humorously about Bahais What a nice article [Heechee kam nadaaran]. First of all hope by now your computer is working and secondly I am a third generation Bahai. Have heard it all and seen it all but never seen anybody writing humorously like yours. Thank you. Keep up the good work. Shahin To top * Answer harf-e-hessab Mr. Guive, What a wonderful essay [Give this republic a chance]. Now we know you know everything about gardening, sightseeing in Paris and next to nothing about Iran. I will let some of the other people in this forum to respond to you. I have a simple question to ask you. Since Republicanism is your favorite form of government and the revolution of 1979 was about republicanism versus monarchy and not the rule of clergy versus secularism. You were therefore always a republican . Right? In this case just tell us one single thing. Who paid for your education? Were you or were you not on a full scholarship with the Pahlavi Foundation? If you have always been a republican then why did you take money from a Foundation affiliated with the Crown? Set the empty words aside and answer harf-e-hessab. Or did you learn honesty, loyalty and integrity from your esteemed father. Like one day Foreign Minister of Iran and the next day receiving money from Saddam Hussein under the guise of "Patriotism". Is not it true? Regards, Kerman Zero 1 To top * What aroused you? A friend tonight told me about your article, "Heechee kam nadaaran", and I just read it. I am a Bahai in the United States, for almost 29 years now. Thank you for thinking of us and our suffering brethren in Iran. I would like to ask you a question. I understand from your article that you are not particularly religious (hocus pocus, you said, right?) so I would like to understand how the suffering of the Bahais came to your attention and what aroused you to speak out about them. Feel free to say as much as or as little as is comfortable for you. I was just thinking it would be nice to understand the thinking of the author of this article a little better. If you decide to respond, let me thank you in advance. With my best wishes, Ed Price To top * Shooting-around-without-any-real-bullets I refer to your article "Shah bee shah". Lovely, only you forgot to mention that they had bottles of Evian water flown in to Teheran. The city famous for its granate (spelling?) system throughout the world! (fresh mountain water, for goodness' sake!) (Ms Farah also paid for the highway between Nice and Cannes in the hope for it to carry her name. Nice, maybe a few roads in Iran wouldn't have gone amiss?) Yours faithfully, Shooting-around-without-any-real-bullets Marjaneh To top * IRI not a real republic Everyone with a little brain knows that "Islamic Republic" is not a real republic [Give this republic a chance]. It is and was from day 1 the "dictatorship of the Mollas", or as I used to call it in 1358 "dictatorship of Mollaria" as most of the Iranian left also supported this phoney republic. We need a secular Iran, be it "constitutional monarchy" or "republic", is secondary for me. Eventhough personally I believe that our route to secularism is much quicker through Pahlavi monarchy, as Reza shah the great was the founder of modern and secular Iran, and hence we can trust his grandson for this a lot more than anyone else. People like Mr. Mirfendereski who support this murderous regime under the pretext of "republicanism" are either complete idiots or on the payroll of the Mollas. Shame on all of them. Kaveh To top * Government has nothing to do with it It is regrettable that Mr. Kadivar ["Your beloved republic"] has found it opportune to make fun of my French; only if my typewriter could do French accents like his can [Give this republic a chance]. Nevermind: I am baffled though at his declaration that the Miserables is Victor Hugo's "most famous novel." I thought he should mostly favor the "Hunchback of Notre Dame." As for Voltaire's belief in a "Monarch eclaire," or Enlightened King, I can only say enlightenment is a function of wattage and sometimes what is eclaire in one culture does not obtain in another milieu, because of the difference in voltage! As for what the republic is doing: The republican form of government has nothing to do with it. It is the government in the republic that is doing what it is doing. As for my "constant glorification of republicanism," well, what can I say, it is hardly a match for the cacophonous choir that resounds from his shrill part of the political spectrum. He is right in one regard: I do write well. Thank God. Sincerely, Guive Mirfendereski Newton, USA To top * Your beloved republic Bonjour, [Give this republic a chance] Sorry but look what your beloved republic is doing in the meantime. See here and here. You do write well and have arguments sir, but with all respect, and I know I shouldn't react so emotionally but Mr. Mirfenderiski your constant glorification of republicanism makes me itch and angry especially in todays context. For your information Voltaire was a Constitutionalist who believed in the benefits of a "Monarch éclairé" . He was therefore not against the Monarchy unlike most of other "Lumière" intellectuals such as Jean Jacques Rousseau. While you cultivate your garden Sir, let me submit to your sagacity to the following sentence from the "Miserables" Victor Hugo's most famous novel: " je suis tomber parterre c'est la faute à Voltaire. Je suis tomber dans le ruisseau c'est la faute à Rousseau" (" I am to fall down it is the fault of Voltaire. I am to fall in the brook it is the fault of Rousseau ") These were little Gavroche's last words before being Shot at the barricades in the 1948 revolution ... regards, Darius KADIVAR Paris, FRANCE To top * Lawyers CAN write Guive Mirfendereski's "Give this republic a chance" has all the three elements that make a message persuasive: it makes rational sense, it appeals to the senses, and it is being delivered by someone with high personal credibility. The argument is compelling because in a country like Iran, especially with Shiite culture's affinity to charismatic leadership, it has taken much perseverence to institutionalize elections -- however imperfect they have been -- as the principal venue for the expression of public opinion. It is impossible to deny that, no matter where our individual political preferences may lie. The style of Mirefendereski's writing, in its lucidity and depth, should put to rest once and for all the -- often true -- assertion that lawyers make poor writers. But then he is no ordinary lawyer. He is a legal scholar with an abiding interest in the key issues of our time, and the erudition to back it up. The core of his personal credibility, beyond the books he has read, stems from the fact that for two decades he has shown in word and deed that when Iranian talent in America is actually allowed to blossom beyond the workaday demands of BMWs and three-garage houses, when it manages to educate itself, it has the potential to bring up and enlighten not only people of its own ilk, but many from many different lands with whom it comes into contact. Alidad Mafinezam To top * Dirt is on this man's car Thanks for posting the "Haji Be Em Ve" photos on Iranian.com . One question regarding the photos below: wonder if this poor man knows the location of a near by car wash, and if so, wonder if he realizes how badly he should take his car to it! Having that much grime and dirt on a BMW somehow lessens the joy of owning and driving a BMW. While driving a less than new model automobile is no shame, (actually, some automobiles increase in value with age) but to leisurely drive a BMW around town with that much grime and dirt on it, is a shame..... and an embarrassment. (wouldn't it be funny if someone were to write with their finger in the dirt instead of "Wash Me" but instead to write something such as "Honk if you love Jesus" or "Vote for me as the next Shah" or "President of Keep Iran Clean and Beautiful Committee" or "Cleanliness is next to Godliness")...... sorry, I just kept laughing at how much dirt is on this man's car. It reminds me of how occassionally in town there are those big 4 wheel drive trucks and they are covered with mud - even the windshield has a thick layer of mud except where the wipers cleared a visual opening for the driver. The mud is dried to a hard crust so you know the mud has been on the vehicle for at least 24 hours as if they actually WANT to drive around town so people will know they have been "4-wheeling in the mud pits" (what an honor). M. Barette To top * Why should we? Mr. Guive, [Give this republic a chance] I have one question for you ñ why should we give this so-called republic a chance? While you are enjoying your gardening, travels, and "intellectual" pursuits, Iranians in Iran have given up their freedoms and human rights while this sham of a "republic" has been at it (mullah-republicanism) for over 23 years. I don't know what your agenda is, but I am surprised that you are not already living in this paradise, or let's say developing republican paradise. Shahla Samii To top * Qorboone marefatet Your article about the Bahaiyan dar Iran was really nice and you deserve a DAMET GARM phrase [Heechee kam nadaaran]. Hamshahri vaqean k gol gofti. This many years most of my friends or even my non Bahai relatives kept absolute silence. Even out of ensaniyat they could express a little bit of hamdardi amma hyf k kasi in shahamat ham az khodesh neshoon nadad. Shekayat nist vali ma az hamvatanane azizemoon entezar darim. Dar har hal qorboone marefatet dadash befadat khodam saber. Jena Hamadani To top * They won't go away on their own Giving a democratic republic a chance in Iran is certainly a good idea for Iranians [Give this republic a chance], in fact the best idea, having looked at the examples of other alternatives provided by history. However, to give it a chance doesn't mean that its problems should be overlooked or simply dismissed. They won't go away on their own and until they do, unsatisfactory leaders perforce will end up being removed via violence and there will always be a threat of internal terrorism from opposing political parties. First problem: If a certain unelected leader and his equally unelected cronies can veto anything the people vote for, then it's not a true democratic republic. The elected leaders (and by extension the people who elected them) have no real power which makes voting simply a head-game and a very unfunny joke. Second problem: The basic intolerance inherent in a strictly theocratic controlled system. This intolerance frames every law and institution to favor adherents of one religion only, Shi-ism, (based on the arrogant assumption that it is the only right one) and, as are many religions, is quite stingy with that favor when it comes to women. Even so, it is illegal to criticize the government or in any way express an opinion contrary to its own. What this amounts to, is in inability for the government to solve problems to the satisfaction of the people it purports to serve, since, after all, if you can't admit a problem exists or even look at it, how can you fix it? For non-adherents of the preferred religion comes harassment and repression, no voice in government whatsoever and many a trumped-up legal charge. What this all amounts to, is a LOT of differing political groups and individuals who feel personally persecuted and inclined to react violently to it. Hence, the secular-inclined but terrorist MKO consists largely of very angry women who would really just like basic civil rights. (I sympathize with their goals and can't help but admire the fact that they've managed to build an army of their own, but can't condone their using terrorism as their modus operandi - that's just wrong and a sure sign of societal sickness). The monarchists justifiably, reminisce over better conditions during the Shah's time despite the fact that monarchy is unstable and doesn't usually manage to work well for the people (as you pointed out). This is nostalgia and idealism working here, not true people-power aspirations. As for the communists, I'm not sure I really understand them, but guess they probably feel they will never get their due in life if resources are not forcibly divided among the people. As I am an American (3rd generation issue descended from Swedish, British, and Norwegian immigrants), I am sure there is a lot about the motivations of Iranian political factions I can't possibly understand. But there is a good reason that American versions of most such factions don't tear our society apart. We have basic civil rights built right into our constitution including the right to practice whatever religion we choose. Reference "by the people, for the people," and the "life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness," clauses. Since there was some ambiguity even there and bigotry exists even in ideal circumstances, we have, over the years, added ant-discrimination amendments to the constitution and to our laws. This is a dynamic system that grows in proportion to our consciousness of problems and mostly without bloodshed. This isn't like Iran's 1906 constitution if I understand it right (please correct me if I'm wrong), which simply gave veto right to the mullahs over any law they felt contrary to their religious beliefs. As for monarchy, there is no American-equivalent faction for it. Our country was founded on its opposition to monarchy, the "Divine (therefore capricious) Right of Kings," and anything whatsoever that wholly removes power and responsibility from the people and places it in the hands of one man - be he King or Supreme Leader or even President. That aside, there's a product you can buy at most hardware or garden stores called "Weed Be Gone" (I think that's the name). You can sprinkle on your garden after you've thoroughly weeded it and your flowers and vegetables are already well established. The stuff keeps new seeds from generating for an entire season, though it won't stop whatever comes from a broken piece of root left in the ground (i.e. dandelions, buttercups, and blackberries). Still, it does lighten up the need to weed. Debra Johnson To top * Bahai with Jewish and Muslim background This was a great article and much needed [Heechee kam nadaaran]. Thank you. One of the reasons that majority of the Iranian people don't like the bahais, is the fact that all Bahais at one time or another were Muslims or Jewish. I am a Bahai person with Jewish and Muslim background/family members. Within my own family, I see the problem with converting to another religion. It is almost as if they have been betrayed or sold out by the family members converting to another religion. I feel proud of my grand-grand parents for converting to the Bahai faith and creating a better life/processes of thinking for me. It was not an easy task or a life style to choose at that time. Regardless of the prosecution and the persecution Bahais have endured, we all stray away from one of the major criteria of the religion, and thats judgment. Thats how we continue to grow and blossem as a religion/school of thought/culture????? My only recommendation for everyone is, the independent investigation of truth. That is among the top ten amendments of the Bahai faith. If we all did this, we would have a much better world. Thank you Gina To top * Fighting to pove who's religion is best Couldn't stop myself not writing to you after reading your article about (when we are going to recognize the Bahai Faith) [Heechee kam nadaaran]. Wish more people would think your way.. At least.. we would surely have a better place to live with love and harmony... Im a Bahai and i believe that since the basic of all religions (no matter what names they are called and recognised with) are the same... then its a real big shame to fight and try to prove who's religion is the best... all religions have come to fulfil one single main goal and that is to make us live in peace and unity together as human beings.. so..s houldn't we appreciate such a blessing and great honor and try to make earth the real home for humanity???? since the real love is not in loving our own countries only ..but to love the whole nations as one single family. Regards. Farah. R. To top * Recognizing injustice Thank you for your piece [Heechee kam nadaaran]. As an American Bahai I have only been exposed to the martyrdom and persecution of Iranian (generally prefer the term Persian) Bahai's second hand. Very interesting to hear perspective of a non-Bahai seemingly average Iranian citizen. It seems that clearly the attempt to put out the light of Baha'u'allah in Iran has failed miserably because clearly you know more about the fundamentals (vaguely of course) than most Americans. As a person I thank you for recognizing injustice and going out on a limb to question your peers and raise awareness. I also wanted to point out that many customs of "eastern" culture that "western" cultural looks down on (chador..lack of womens rights..etc) are also fundamentally opposed to the teachings of the Bahai Faith. So in a sense allowing Iranian Bahai's to live a "Bahai life" in Iran would require GREAT social changes. Not a bad idea butÖ..from where I sit the opinion may be a bit bias. -Jennifer To top * Need to do something Good on you Mr Javid, [Heechee kam nadaaran] I agree that ordinary Iranians need to do something about this issue. Regards, T. Ehsani To top * Sad rahmat beh Khe'ya'boon-e- Ray "Montreal never sleeps" You said? Cut some slackss, Bro. Montreal, and the rest of Canada as a matter of a fact, is a hole in the ground. A dump. As we say in my home-town:"SAG HAM TU CANADA ZENDEGEE NEMEE'KONEH." I live in the City of Brotherly-loved, Vegas, and you tell me about a shit place called ... what the f...ck is the name?...o...yeah, Canada? Khe'ya'boon-e- Ray, south of Tehran in the 1960's SAD RAH'MAT DAAREH BEH your Canada. For ever, DON'YA VU DU JAA: AABODAAN -U- VEGAS. Issa UNLV To top * Gracias Danke [Heechee kam nadaaran] Obrigado Thanks Merci Cristiane Reys To top * Make home with whoever accepts me I am impressed and shocked that someone (Non Bahai) actually took the time and wrote that article [Heechee kam nadaaran]. Did it ever occur to anyone that when you treat a Bahai like a non Iranian how that Bahai would feel? I am a Bahai and I am Iranian but to be honest, I can never identify myself as a part of Iran. I hop from one place to another and make home with whoever accepts me. The world has been extremely kind to me and so I thank my lucky stars that the rest of the world exists. May Tazehzadeh To top * Banning hairy men In response to "Omberian visa requirements", I wonder if our beloved George W has considered proposing US legislation banning men with very hairy arms and chests from entering the US of A? That would automatically exclude 99.9% of Iranian men and most other men of Middle Eastern origin from ever getting US visas. Katayoun Jarrah-Layegh To top * First time (openly) Dear Sirs, It was a very nice piece of writing [Heechee kam nadaaran]. It is the first time I read something criticizing the criminal way of Bahá'ís treatment in Iran, at least openly. Thanks Ivone Félix Correia - Portugal To top * People who question I liked your peice [Heechee kam nadaaran]. It's people with open minds like you, people who question why things are the way they are and not carry through life like sheeps in a hurd that will change the world to a better peacefull place. Just as an fyi Baha'u'llah is the founder of the Bahai religion. Born in 1817, Bahá'u'lláh was a member of one of the great patrician families of Persia. The family could trace its lineage to the ruling dynasties of Persia's imperial past, and was endowed with wealth and vast estates. Turning His back on the position at court which these advantages offered Him, Bahá'u'lláh became known for His generosity and kindliness which made Him deeply loved among His countrymen. This privileged position did not long survive Bahá'u'lláh's announcement of support for the message of the Báb. Engulfed in the waves of violence unleashed upon the Bábís after the Báb's execution Bahá'u'lláh suffered not only the loss of all His worldly endowments but was subjected to imprisonment, torture, and a series of banishments. The first was to Baghdad where, in 1863, He announced Himself as the One promised by the Báb. From Baghdad, Bahá'u'lláh was sent to Constantinople, to Adrianople, and finally to Acre, in the Holy Land, where He arrived as a prisoner in 1868. From Adrianople and later from Acre, Bahá'u'lláh addressed a series of letters to the rulers of His day that are among the most remarkable documents in religious history. They proclaimed the coming unification of humanity and the emergence of a world civilization. The kings, emperors, and presidents of the nineteenth century were called upon to reconcile their differences, curtail their armaments, and devote their energies to the establishment of universal peace. Bahá'u'lláh passed away at Bahjí, just north of Acre, and is buried there. His teachings had already begun to spread beyond the confines of the Middle East, and His Shrine is today the focal point of the world community which these teachings have brought into being. For more information you can visit www.bahai.org Sincerely, Kaveh Alexander Baghaee To top * Need to be fair Your very entertaining column [Heechee kam nadaaran] about the Bahais, was interesting to millions of followers around the world, including myself. As an American Bahai, I was attracted to the Bahai teachings for their high morals and ethics and their view of humanity as a "progressing" species, capable of peace and justice and respect for all culture and all belief. Indeed, the love of Persian culture has been carried to nearly 200 nations by Iranian Bahais who wish to share this very beautiful view of humanity with all who dwell on earth. Now, Iranian Bahais are vastly outnumbered by indigenous Bahais who teach their children that the future of the world can be hopeful. This ethic is one of the great "exports" of Iran, and it is having a tremendously positive effect in communities in every corner of the world. Thank you for calling the attention of your many readers to the need to be fair in the judgement of the Bahais. Kevin P. Smith Toronto, Ontario To top * Like you being kicked out of the universe Thank you for your article and your thoughts about the matter [Heechee kam nadaaran]. It has actually kept my mind busy for quit sometime now. I had to go through the Bahai books and the Islamic books that reject it to get some clue what is this Bahai faith all about. I am officially shi'a Moslem but I am not religious at all. In fact I don't believe in many parts of it. however I did find out that Bahai faith cant be anything but a big con. The con is defiantly harmful for Islam for all the reasons that you know better than me. but is it really harmful for mankind and society, I don't think so, at least not yet. Religions have been destructive only at the time they had power. Otherwise every religion has a period of goody, goody look. Few things I like to mention are that Bahai faith believes in a central religious government. (it seems they like to put it in Haifa, Israel) I don't think you or any other person at this time of civilization vote for that. The other thing is Bahais approach to criticism. If you try to argue with them or try to make a dialog about their religion if they can't convince or answer you they would label you as a person who's heart is not open up to receive the message of god from his last profit and lot of B.S. like that. The worst thing is their approach to breakers of the faith. As you may know Bahais don't have big communities around the world. Ten here, hundred there and if its somewhere popular maybe thousands people show up. When you are a breaker none of these people would talk to you ever after! You feel like you have been kicked out of the universe. I have read terrible stories about these people. About bob and Baha's greatness I think it doesn't apply to bob at all. He was more to the crazy side. Go read his books and find it for yourself. I admit Baha was smarter and the smartest was Abdul Baha. He and Shoghi Afandi screwed up quit a lot. Being central figures they were suppose to know everything but of course they didn't. one thing you can check out was this homosexuals mater that was brough up to shoghi afandi. He was totally against it and ignored them with harsh words. Now the faith accepts gay Bahais. I think it comes with being open minded! This was just to mention what I have found out about this goody, goody, sweet looking religion. You are very true about all the discrimination that they suffer in Iran. Its not only Bahais though but I know that they suffer a big deal. I hope things change for them. A. N. To top * Minoo Samimi Dear All, I am a French writer and i'm looking for a woman named Minoo Samimi. I will explain why to people who ask! Lots of the best for all Marie See Part I To top |
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