cire perdue

I have been watching threads at Planet Baha'i, and I find that criticism if viewed objectively without the gut wrenching effect it can sometimes have, reveals more about the one criticizing the Faith than it does about issues in the Faith. I think a lot of critics use fear tactics rather than sincerely wanting answers. It is an opportunity to ignore the Faith and turn away when the answers aren't fast enough or satisfying enough. I have no doubt that the process of accepting this Faith is fearful at times.

There are questions and critiques that resemble news casts that sensationalize things. I can imagine this interview with a Baha'i that gives a warm view of the Faith, suddenly asked, "But what about the covenant breakers? Doesn't the Faith condemn those who do not believe what they should?" How does one put something done that way into a fair context when asked in such a skewed way? The only way to become a covenant breaker today is to join the already existing groups, or to break away and say you are the new Guardian. It's been scores of years since anyone became a covenant breaker.

"Are you still beating your wife?" "Has your drinking problem improved?" "Are you still angry at me?" Gee, what if none of this was true to begin with, huh?

Another question that could put things on the skids could be, "The Faith believes in race equality. Then why were meetings segregated?" It so happens that until Abdul'baha came to America in 1912 and stopped the practice separate Feasts were held which was the social practice at the time. I doubt any other religion in America in 1912 practiced equality so completely after The Master intervened. With the attention span one develops with current media see how easy to discredit anything!

So there are questions and there is criticism. What is the intent and motive? There are no answers for some.

"No man shall attain the shores of the ocean of true understanding except he be detached from all that is in heaven and on earth. Sanctify your souls, O ye peoples of the world, that haply ye may attain that station which God hath destined for you..."

(Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 3)