Re: Non-partisanship...
lunamoth said:
Hi Scott,
I don't think you are being argumentative, and I hope you do not feel that I am being so. I would say that telling someone that they can no longer attend Feast, can no longer vote, can no longer give to the funds (a spiritual obligation), no longer attend the conventions, and are no longer "a Baha'i in good standing" would be a barrier between the person and Baha'u'llah, if He is considered the Divine Healer.
While no one can put anything between a person and God but that person themself, for many of us, Christians and Baha'is and many other members of organized, communal religions, being cut out from the community is quite devastating and is going to make it harder to stick with that religion and grow in faith. I have the utmost respect for Baha'is who choose and are able to abide by the Baha'i chastity laws and I do not wish to minimize their sacrifice or testimony. But I have a feeling that we just don't hear very much from those Baha'is who end up drifting away from the Faith, and possibly from faith altogether.
What is gained by imposing these sanctions?
peace,
lunamoth
Dear Luna,
Because it IS a grave step removing administrative rights is only appropriate after every other possible step has been taken.
"As he already told you in a previous communication he feels that your Assembly should not deprive people of their voting rights unless the matter is really very grave; this is a very heavy sanction, and can embitter the heart if lightly imposed, and also make people thing we unduly resort to pressure of a strong nature. The friends must be nursed and assisted, for they are still most immature spiritually, and their 'sins' are those of immaturity! Their hearts are loyal to the Cause, and this is the most important thing."
(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to the National Spiritual Assembly of India and Burma, August 2, 1946)
(Compilations, Lights of Guidance, p. 51)
Local Assemblies cannot remove administrative rights at all. And when an assembly confers with the National Assembly the NSA is very careful to make sure that all other steps have been tanken.
"The general basis for the deprivation of voting rights is of course gross immorality and open opposition to the administrative functions of the Faith, and disregard for the laws of personal status; and even then it is the duty of the National Assembly, before exercising this sanction, to confer with the individuals involved in a loving manner to help them overcome the problems; second, to warn them that they must desist; three, to issue further warning of the original warnings are not followed; and finally, if there seems no other way to handle the matter, then a person may be deprived of voting rights.
"The Guardian however, wishes the National Assemblies to be very cautious in using this sanction, because it might be abused, and then lose its efficacy. It should be used only when there seems no other way to solve the problem."
(Compilations, Lights of Guidance, p. 51)
I think I have said before that the removal of administrative rights is not ex-communication. "The suspension of voting and other administrative rights of an individual believer, always conditional and therefore temporary, can never have such far-reaching implications, since it constitutes merely an administrative sanction; whereas his expulsion or ex- communication from the Faith, which can be effected by the Guardian[1] alone in his capacity as the supreme spiritual head of the Community, has far-reaching spiritual implications affecting the very soul of that believer.
[1 The function of expulsion or ex-communication from the Faith is now effected by the Universal House of Justice supreme "as spiritual head of the community."]
(Compilations, Lights of Guidance, p. 56)
No one has ever been removed from the faith because of an issue of "morality", the only thing that causes such an extreme action is when one elevates personal interpretation to be binding upon the faith as a whole - the elevation of ego above the good of the faith in general.
""While the Assembly should always be concerned about matters which might affect the good name of the Faith, it should be remembered that a believer involved in such matters is entitled to be understanding of the Assembly and may need its guidance and assistance both before and after any decision regarding sanction is made."
(From a letter of the Universal of Justice to the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States, July 16, 1969)"
(Compilations, Lights of Guidance, p. 57)
Administrative rights do not define a person as Baha`i.
"Shoghi Effendi, in Principles of Bahá'í Administration, p. 88
A person whose administrative rights of membership in the Bahá'í community have been removed is a Bahá'í at heart if he still recognizes
Bahá'u'lláh and believes in His Revelation. Since his spiritual commitment is not in question, his continuing Bahá'í life can include worship of God through the prayers of the Báb, Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá, and observance of the Fast, of the Bahá'í Holy Days, and of all the personal and family occasions of the Faith. He has access to the literature of the Faith and, unless specified otherwise by the National Spiritual Assembly, may attend proclamation meetings and Bahá'í school sessions that are open to the public. He may subscribe to
Brilliant Star and
World Order Magazine and other general publications, but he cannot receive
The American Bahá'í. He cannot have a Bahá'í marriage or go on pilgrimage."
No assembly goes looking for things to discipline, that's a violation of the purpose of the administrative order.
"To regard homosexuals with prejudice and disdain would be entirely against the spirit of Bahá'í Teachings. The doors are open for all of humanity to enter the Cause of God, irrespective of their present circumstance; this invitation applies to homosexuals as well as to any others who are engaged in practices contrary to the Bahá'í Teachings. Associated with this invitation is the expectation that all believers will make a sincere and persistent effort to eradicate those aspects of their conduct which are not in conformity with Divine Law. It is through such adherence to the Bahá'í Teachings that a true and enduring unity of the diverse elements of the Bahá'í community is achieved and safeguarded.
When a person wishes to Join the Faith and it is generally known that he or she has a problem such as drinking, homosexuality, taking drugs, adultery, etc., the individual should be told in a patient and loving way of the Bahá'í Teachings on theses matters. If it is later discovered that a believer is violating Bahá'í standards, it is the duty of the Spiritual Assembly to determine whether the immoral conduct is flagrant and can bring the name of the Faith into disrepute, in which case the Assembly must take action to counsel the believer and require him or her to make every effort to mend his ways. If the individual fails to rectify his conduct in spite of repeated warnings, sanctions should be imposed.
Assemblies, of course, must exercise care not to pry into the private lives of the believers to ensure that they era behaving properly, but should not hesitate to take action in cases of blatant misbehaviour.
The Spiritual Assemblies should, to a certain extent, be forbearing in the matter of people's moral conduct, such as homosexuality, in view of the terrible deterioration of society in general.
The Assemblies must also bear in mind that while awareness of contemporary social and moral values may well enhance their understanding of the situation of the homosexual, the standard which they are called upon to uphold is the Bahá'í standard. A flagrant violation of this standard disgraces the Bahá'í community in its own eyes even if the surrounding society finds the transgression tolerable.
With regard to the organized network of homosexual Bahá'ís mentioned in your letter, the Universal House of Justice has instructed us to say that, while there is an appropriate role in the Bahá'í community for groups of individuals to come together to help each other to understand and to deal with certain problem situations, according to the Bahá'í Teachings there can be no place in our community for groups which actively promote a style of life that is contrary to the Teachings of the Cause.
It should be understood that the homosexual tendencies of some individuals do not entitle them to an identity setting them apart from others. Such individuals share with every other Bahá'í the responsibility to adhere to the laws and principles of the Faith as well as the freedom to exercise their administrative rights.
(The Universal House of Justice, 1995 Sept 11, Homosexuality)
O apologize for the length of the quotes, but I think it is really important to go with what is expressed authoritatively when discussing HOW that authority may be proper or improper.
I understand that you came to your decision regarding the faith through a personally painful process, and I am glad that you have found a home better suited to your comfort. These decisions are always made the hard way. I believe your motivations are pure, and even though self-severed from the organized Baha`i Faith the teachings of Baha`u'llah are "written on your heart". I would happily embrace you as a sister in faith, were I ever given the actual opportunity to do so.
Regards,
Scott
