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Wednesday
May 9, 2001

Bahais care about their Persian identity

Jim Entessari ["Not Persians"] has chosen a very narrow interpretation of my comments; his view that the quotaions are a contradiction only prove his superficial understanding of the Bahai ideals. Does love and respect for of one's neighbors and community mean one does not have family identity or simply one does not care for ones own home (Iran)? Bahai simply believe that in order to bring peace and tranquility to the world , we must see humanity as one family and become united despite all the diversity. I think our forced flight from our homeland and experience as Iranians scattered throughout the world enable us a better understanding of this concept as we have become Iranian-Americans, Iranian-swedes etc.

To understand this, I think one only has to look upon not just the words uttered in praise of Iran but the actions and sacrificial deeds of Iranian Bahais who continue to dedicate their lives and in some cases give their lives in the path of service for humanity. To the Western eye and writers they were better known as Persian and they have been judged and credited according to their deeds and actions. Perhaps the most well known of these Persian Bahais and the most written about was Abdul-Baha (1844-1921) who traveled to the West in 1912 .

He was only six when he was sent into exile with his father, Baha'u'llah and family spending most of his Life in confinement under the Ottoman Turks. Since Abdul- Baha like many of us spent his life away from his homeland and is looked upon by Bahais as the perfect example for Bahais, he should be a good example of how much Bahais care about their Persian identity. The story of his trip to New york, his many talks in universities (Stanford and Columbia) ,churches, synagogues and mosques; the thousands of rich and poor who thronged to see this Persian (ex) prisoner, amongst them Ted Roosevelt, Alexander Graham Bell and many others who marveled at his insight and wisdom. The Lebanese poet Khalil Gibran met Abdul-Baha through his friend and Neighbor Juliet Thompson a local NYC Bahai artist, and drew a portrait of Abdul-Baha. He traveled with him and later spoke of the great spiritual influence of Abdul-Baha in his poetry.

Unfortunately the space in the Iranian does not allow me to quote the expressed love and reverence for what Bahais call the HOLY LAND OF IRAN; not to mention the Glory and respect that Baha'u'llah has prophesied to come to Iran in the future; of how and when it will become the spiritual envy of the world; of when it will regain the glory of its past. This is a matter for independent search and study requiring an open mind, empty of preconceived ideas promoted by years of misinformation through venomous mollas.Thankfully the now discredited mollas can no longer keep the truth of this long kept secret from Iranians.

One is just an internet click away from volumes written about such subjects. Perhaps, as Iranians we are reaching the point when where we may begin to see what a treasure of knowledge and wisdom has been kept from us all by the barriers of religious prejudice. It is also ironic that non-Iranians have espoused these ideals and principles and applied them to their lives ,while for the last hundred years even the most educated of the Iranian intellengencia have sad little knowledge of them, mostly heresays and tired old clichés manufactured by the now discredited mollas. With our country in such turmoil today, with such vacuum for peace and Justice; is it not a cause for Persian pride that such universally accepted social and spiritual principles were promulgated from Iran and from the mouth of an Iranian?, and when and at what time? during perhaps Iran's most backward period in its history.

Not wishing to seem preachy, but the substance of the answer to Mr. Jim Entessari is in the teachings, track record and actions of Bahais and their contribution to Iran and the world. Contributions that have led to the adoption of many of its precepts and ideas by world bodies such as the UN since its inception.

-- the abandonment of all forms of prejudice
-- assurance to women of full equality of opportunity with men
-- recognition of the unity and relativity of religious truth
-- the elimination of extremes of poverty and wealth
-- the realization of universal education
-- the responsibility of each person to independently search for truth
-- the establishment of a global commonwealth of nations
-- recognition that true religion is in harmony with reason and the pursuit of scientific knowledge

Jim Entessari wrote, "... their 'faith' or 'religion' has adopted a totally different calendar to that of Iranians. Their 'months' are 19 days each and furthermore they have hijacked the idea of Norouz by celebrating it as a religious feast rather than an Iranian one."

Bah'u'llah was an Iranian. His teachings were first adopted by Iranians, but His message of unity is for all humanity, for a completely new era, one that we can not easily preceive at this time. The monumental teachings of Bah'u'llah can not been fully understood in the context of the present world order where the acceptance of national interdependance has been so slow in the coming. It is only in the last few years where even the mighty USA has realised that it is relaint on other nations for its existance. Unfortunately econonmic wealth and military might allow it to dictate its will.This is pretty much the status quo today. However I think most agree most people and enlghtened nations have seen the sheer necessity of forming blocks of nations. Baha'u'llah's writings (1870-1892) contain a blueprint for an establishment of a global world commonwealth.

The new Bahai calendar therefore is one that Bahais believe will be adopted by all nations in the future, not unlike the necessary global standards being universally adopted for weights and measures, currency etc, all for the creation of unity. Norouz is indeed the first day of the Bahai New year. How wonderful that as this message of unity spreads to other nations and peoples' hearts as our most cherished holiday is revered and celebrated by the rest of the world, at present roughly almost 6 million non Iranians.

Jim Entessari said, "Perhaps Mansuri can explain why Bahais are so much fond of using so many Arabic words in their teachings when he claims that Bozorgmehr has got it wrong!"

Baha'u'llahs mother tongue was Persian. and although he had not studied Arabic , the teachings and principles were revealed to him in Arabic. A closer look at this fact alone will draw one closer to the need for a greater understanding of how the words of God were communicated to those Great souls such as Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad. That the knowledge of the prophets were not acquired knowledge as one learns in school, but rather they are just a mouthpiece or vehicle of communication from God to Man. The anti-Arab prejudices aside, in the world of theology, the classical Arabic language is considered to be more complete in its ability to pinpoint and communicate complex theological principles.

To put a more personal face on this discuusion, as an eleven year old "Jahan koodaki" who left his friends behind in Iran to attend boarding school in England. I can not tell you of the number of adolescent fights and black eyes I got in defense of being Persian. I can tell you of the pride and the trouble I got into making sixty Footbal-mad english kids, (all bigger than me ) to watch the 2500 celebration of Persian monarchy in Perespolis instead of match of the day. It was in college and university when I realised that my English, Egyption,Turkish, and Greek friends had the same passion for their culture and homeland. It was a deeper understanding of the Bahai writings that has allowed me to put my patriosm and love of my country in context with the rest of the world.

Jim Entessari refers to most of the six million non-Iranian Bahais in the world and not the Persian kind like me who long to go take my wife and two little boys to Iran some day and enjoy as a Bahai and not an outlawed religion the same rights as my other fellow Persians.

Faryar Mansuri

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