Equality in the Bahai Community

[Xue]

It is well known that Bahai's promote equality of men and women in all aspects of life except membership on the Universal House of Justice. And so I am curious what women think of the current state of sexual equality in the community. I am not referring to the technicality that women and men are equal, I am more interested if women find that the traditional qualities attributed to women (although of course often present in men too) are given equal respect and weight in their community experiences. I mean qualities such as gentleness, indirectness, attentiveness, non-linear logic, in touch with emotions, and nurturing. Do people with feminine qualities get a chance to be themselves and still receive equal recognition and respect in the community, or do they need to resort to more masculine type qualities?

Andrew

[arthra]

Originally Posted by Xue

It is well known that Bahai's promote equality of men and women in all aspects of life except membership on the Universal House of Justice. And so I am curious what women think of the current state of sexual equality in the community. I am not referring to the technicality that women and men are equal, I am more interested if women find that the traditional qualities attributed to women (although of course often present in men too) are given equal respect and weight in their community experiences. I mean qualities such as gentleness, indirectness, attentiveness, non-linear logic, in touch with emotions, and nurturing. Do people with feminine qualities get a chance to be themselves and still receive equal recognition and respect in the community, or do they need to resort to more masculine type qualities?

Andrew

Andrew.. I think you state your question giving an incorrect premise... We Baha'is don't look on the Universal House of Justice as an example of inequality of men and women. It is not an Institution that was founded as a result of male chauvenism or superiority.

It was founded on the foundation of the Kitab-i-Aqdas revealed by Baha'u'llah and the interpretation of Abdul-Baha.

The Universal House of Justice was first elected by the National Spiritual Assemblies of Baha'is around the world in 1963 after the passing of the Guardian of the Baha'i Faith Shoghi Effendi and elected every five years. It is the Center of our Faith and meets on Mount Carmel in Haifa, Israel.

Any areas that concern Baha'is that are not in the revealed Writings of our faith are the concern of the House of Justice. You can research for yourself the decisions of the House of Justice and will not find anywhere any decisions that one could even remotely be considered to be representing male superiority.

So it is an Institution of service not superiority. The memebrs by themselves have no more authority than any Baha'i. It is only as an Institution that the House of Justice has authority and that under it's Constitution.

See:

http://info.bahai.org/article-1-3-6-1.html

Historically women have actually been at the fore front of our Faith... starting with the Persian poetess Tahireh who was ahead of her t9ime in advocating women's rights in a country that oppressed women, i.e., the Persian Empire in mid nineteenth century.. Moving on to the many women who promoted the Faith such as Martha Root and May Bowles Maxwell and many others... Bahiyyih Khanum the sister of Abdul-Baha who was the defacto center of the Faith after the passing of her Brother in 1921 until Shoghi Effendi could assume the Guardianship a few years later.. and Hand of the Cause of God Ruhiyyih Khanum the wife and later widow of the Guardian who died just a few years ago to name just a few. So women have been I would say more in the forefront of this Cause than most men. Women serve on the Local and National Spiritual Assemblies around the world as well as Counselor and Auxiliary Board Members so women are very much at the center of things and are actually in many places ahead of the men in our faith.

:cool

[Jafar]

Originally Posted by Xue

Do people with feminine qualities get a chance to be themselves and still receive equal recognition and respect in the community, or do they need to resort to more masculine type qualities? Andrew

I think there are two ways to answer this question:

1. I believe that the Baha'i Writings teach that the feminine qualities are equally important to the masculine qualities. In fact, the Baha'i Faith teaches that until those qualities make their presence in all arenas of socio-political life many or most of the problems that exist in the world will not find solutions. The Baha'i Faith teaches that women and feminine qualities are encouraged to play an equal and mutually complementary role with those of men.

2. The only real way to know the answer is to look at what Baha'is do and how they act. I do not think that Baha'is are perfect, but I do think that because of the stress that the Baha'i Writings put on the equally important roles of women and men--complementary roles--that they may have a unique advantage in the form of motivation from their Faith. I guess you'd have to go find out for yourself.

[earthling155]

I think that the Universal House of Justice being all male is a continuation of that principle that the oldest son usually inherits the leadership of the family. There's a name for it but I can't think of it right now. All of the Manifestations of God have been male and there is a tradition of male leadership of the family, tribe and spiritual fellowship throughout human history.

Another thing is that the Writings say that at some point the reason for the all male Universal House of Justice will become obvious to everyone.

[arthra]

It might be good to share the teachings of the equality of men and women in the Faith:


And among the teachings of His Holiness Bahá'u'lláh is the equality of women and men. The world of humanity has two wings -- one is women and the other men. Not until both wings are equally developed can the bird fly. Should one wing remain weak, flight is impossible. Not until the world of women becomes equal to the world of men in the acquisition of virtues and perfections, can success and prosperity be attained as they ought to be.

~ Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'i World Faith p. 288

One of these principles concerns equality between men and women. He declared that as all are created in the image and likeness of the one God, there is no distinction as to sex in the estimation of God. He who is purest in heart, whose knowledge exceeds and who excels in kindness to the servants of God, is nearest and dearest to the Lord, our Creator, irrespective of sex. In the lower kingdoms, the animal and vegetable, we find sex differentiation in function and organism. All plants, trees and animals are subject to that differentiation by creation, but among themselves there is absolute equality without further distinction as to sex.

~ Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 394

And this from the Universal House of Justice:

With regard to the status of women, the important point for Bahá'ís to remember is that in the face of the categorical pronouncements in Bahá'í Scripture establishing the equality of men and women, the ineligibility of women for membership on the Universal House of Justice does not constitute evidence of the superiority of men over women. It must also be borne in mind that women are not excluded from any other international institution of the Faith. They are found among the ranks of the Hands of the Cause. They serve as members of the International Teaching Center and as Continental Counsellors. And, there is nothing in the text to preclude the participation of women in such future international bodies as the Supreme Tribunal.

Though at the present time, it may be difficult for the believers to appreciate the reason for the circumscription of membership on the Universal House of Justice to men, we call upon the friends to remain assured by the Master's promise that clarity of understanding will be achieved in due course. The friends, both women and men, must accept this with faith that the Covenant of Bahá'u'lláh will aid them and the institutions of His World Order to see the realization of every principle ordained by His unerring Pen, including the equality of men and women, as expounded in the Writings of the Cause.
The Universal House of Justice

Women on the Universal House of Justice

We should note the above statement:

"...the ineligibility of women for membership on the Universal House of Justice does not constitute evidence of the superiority of men over women"

For myself the issue is one of following what was revealed in the Kitab-i-Aqdas and the interpretations of Abdul-Baha and the Guardian.

[BruceDLimber]

You should also note that the Baha'i scriptures also grant special priveleges to women over men: Women--ALL women, not just nine or fewer, receive automatic priority over all men for receipt of eduation!

Peace, :-)

Bruce

[Pollwr]

That is a really good point, Bruce. This is explained as because the woman is the first educator of the children.

"The decision-making agencies involved would do well to consider giving first priority to the education of women and girls, since it is through educated mothers that the benefits of knowledge can be most effectively and rapidly diffused throughout society."

Universal House of Justice
(Compilations, Lights of Guidance, p. 616)

"O handmaids of the Merciful! Render ye thanks unto the Ancient Beauty that ye have been raised up and gathered together in this mightiest of centuries, this most illumined of ages. As befitting thanks for such a bounty, stand ye staunch and strong in the Covenant and, following the precepts of God and the holy Law, suckle your children from their infancy with the milk of a universal education, and rear them so that from their earliest days, within their inmost heart, their very nature, a way of life will be firmly established that will conform to the divine Teachings in all things.

For mothers are the first educators, the first mentors; and truly it is the mothers who determine the happiness, the future greatness, the courteous ways and learning and judgement, the understanding and the faith of their little ones."

(Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 124)

This is just my opinion - I think that with this role, esential to the well-being of society, women have been spared the duty of being elected to the Universal House of Justice. I know if there was a world crisis and my child had a crisis, I would attend to my child and ignore the world and I think that this is OK.

Most Bahá'í communities I have been in seem to have a female majority. I don't know if this is a worldwide thing at the moment or just my experience.