Friday, May 29, 2009

Bahai Control On Their Elections

BAHA’I CONTROL ON THEIR ELECTORAL SYSTEM

    IT IS SELECTION NOT ELECTION

A. A study of Baha”I institution

      Many control mechanisms relate to the electoral system and the realities of power are existing in the Bahai community. Early Baha’is allowed nominations to be made for Baha’i office, and also allowed campaigning for Baha’i Institution. When early Baha’is asked `Abdu'l-Baha how they should conduct elections for local spiritual assemblies he replied that they should follow the rules for election common in their own country

      (`Abdu’l-Baha 1908-1916: I,7).

      Van den Hoonard points out that nominations and canvassing for Baha’i office were standard practice in North America in the time of `Abdu’l-Baha (van den Hoonard 1996:157-158).

      Bahai Institutions abolished the practice of nominations and campaigning for elective Baha’i office in accordance with Iranian Baha’i practice. Although ending these practices appears to have a reason, as the community grew it became impossible for Baha’i elective institutions to have a control over the elections and to bring only those candidates whom they rely and decide.
      CRITICISM OF BAHA'I INSTITUTIONS BY A BAHA’I IS CONSIDERED AN ACT OF COVENANT BREAKING.”

      Criticism of Baha'i institutions by a Baha’i is considered an act of “Covenant Breaking” and is often branded a “dishonest attack” on the Baha'i faith, punishable by shunning. After a vote has been taken, all the members of the Baha’i community must support the result, and defeated minorities may not continue to criticize . This theory of political behavior denies the need for checks and balances.

      The placing of elected bodies above public criticism and the silencing of defeated minorities has had predictable effects at the national level.

      BAHAI ELECTIONS ARE INFACT SELECTIONS

      BAHAI ELECTORAL RESULTS ARE SKEWED IN THREE WAYS.

      First

      The National Spiritual Assembly enjoys all the advantages of controlling the image of potential NSA members in the national newspaper, The Baha'I News India (an organ of the N.S.A.), sending these incumbents to local communities, and sending members around to conferences, which enhances their visibility (all this is paid for out of the national Baha'i fund). These advantages of incumbency are especially very useful in a system where no campaigning for office by others is allowed.

      Second,

      The sitting members often promote close associates onto the body, “flying them around to conferences,” appointing them to high-powered national committees, and giving them prominence at important events . Since speaking openly about candidates is not allowed, subtle non-verbal signals have taken on extreme importance for delegates, who seem willing to be guided by the incumbents in these indirect ways.

      So the future members of the NSA is made a part of an orchestra conducted by the N.S.A Formally approved by Universal House of Justice and supported by the Continental Counsellor present in the Convention.

      Third,

      Some campaigns are launched by unannounced candidates who go about the country giving talks. Such informal campaigning, the National Spiritual Assembly occasionally stops by ordering the person’s talks cancelled, or, if chairmanship of a national committee is becoming a platform for popularity, by firing the individual.

      Baha’is call these manipulation of elections, as divinely inspired. Control Mechanisms and Sanctions.

      Baha’i leaders employ a number of important control mechanisms to control the Baha’is. These include removal of voting rights, shunning, demands for sticking to traditions, accusations of “weakness in the covenant,” informing and surveillance, and various forms of censorship. Many of these tools are employed basically against persons who are somehow prominent or appear to have leadership potential but do not seem easy for incumbents to control, or against intellectuals

      The prohibition of nominations and campaigning leads administrators to feel a need for strict controls on Baha’i discourse, and often to the avoidance of even mentioning leaders by name in public, which would be considered as “backbiting.”

      The ban on campaigning leads to a situation where a great deal of suspicion falls on any active intellectual not directly controlled by the N.S.A. Great suspicion attaches to any Baha’i teacher or lecturer who is not an elected or appointed official and is thought to be “gaining a following.”:

B. A study of Indian Baha'i Institution

      National Convention

      Delegates

      Till about 1986 there were about 171 delegates, courtesy Oliyai Family. These delegates were in accordance with the paper Baha'is projected by the Oliyai family which controlled the NSA elections. False statistics were given by which a large number of delegates were procurred.These delegates were given free Delhi trip and free lodging and boarding and were asked to vote for particular candidates .One of the delegate reported

      "While all of us were coming from Gwalior in a Jeep for National Convention, one of the delegates said," Nissan Oliyai is a very good boy, vote for him."

      Many of the decisions of the NSA were taken outside NSA as Oliyai family enjoyed the majority. A set of decisions were made and it was circulated amongst their friends to finally approve them in the meeting.

      Once the members were of no use they were dropped from the NSA list in the next elections.

      Mr. Bargawa in 1972

      Mr. Khare in 1986

      Mr. & Mrs. Gandhi in 2000

      Mr. Khemani in 2000

      Mr. Shah in 2003

      Later on the UHJ cut short the number of delegates from 171 to 38 to cut Oliyai family to size, but HOUSE failed miserably.

      Letter of Universal House of Justice dated 20th September 1988

      The allocation of 38 delegated to India is a temporary measure.

      {11th meeting of NSA, 26th and 27th may 1993.}

      Canvassing in the National Convention

      1. A full scale canvassing is being done during the National convention, the NSA members show deep interest in the delegates enquiring about every minor and finer points of their states, to convey to the delegates that they are very true and faithful Baha'is and always wish for the development of the Faith in his state. This concern goes down till the Ballot paper. And once the Election is over, everything is backed to original state.
      1. Some of the members although unable to pronounce clearly Allahabha use to greet every delegate with a loud welcome of ALLAHUABHA .To show that they are completely PERSIANISED.
      1. The NSA members also do not fail in giving treats to the delegates of ICE CREAMS, who under ordinary days will not even bother to glance at them.
      1. The consultation during conventions are a major platform to project the Candidates for the NSA election. All the speeches are occupied by outgoing NSA members where they leave no stone unturned to show that they are the one “Human with potentials” and deserved to become the NSA members.
      1. Although Hindi is the Mother Tongue of a large number of the delegates, the NSA members will give big speeches in English, which is not even understood by a large number of delegates, but English is the effective way of proving that the are PERSONS WITH CAPACITY
      1. The NSA also decides during the year to have meetings in different states. This is just a publicity stunt and to impress upon the delegates who will be attending the convention.

      False Voting

      A teller reported that a number of Ballot papers are received by post with the same name repeated in the same order showing that the source of all these ballot papers are one

      The total numbers of delegates present in the convention were 17.The total number of ballots received and counted were33.

      All these is well known by the Counselor present in the convention.It all takes place with the effective approval of the UHJ as they do not want any unapproved member on NSA .

      UHJ interference in elections

      Many a times the appointment of Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer came from UHJ, there was no election, only selection, but it was announced as election of the office bearers. It was clear that the House was very interested in appointment of certain member as a Treasurer.

      Many a times Members of the House attended the NSA of India meeting and requested certain members to resign.

      Present Scenario

      The UHJ controls every bit of NSA members and their decisions,

      1-Mr. Payman Mohajir is the person responsible for India .He is in direct contact with Mrs. Farideh Vahidi who cares a damn not only to the various departments of NSA but also to her host Country.

      When one of the employees of the Bahai House, who was unjustly removed after his long years of services asked her to follow the law of the Land,

      She said I care a damn about your Country and its Laws.

      The election of Mrs. Sorabji is actually an election of Mr. Sorabji .It should be known that a non-Bahai Mr. Sorabji is more useful to the Faith then Mrs. Sorabji.As amount of power he yields in the Government.

      Mr. Sohail Mohajir Yes the Surname matters a lot to UHJ.

      So the main decision taker is UHJ through Mr. Paymen Mohajir supported by Mrs. Vahidi, Mrs. Sorabji Mrs. Nazneen Rohani and ofcourse one can take Mr. Mohajir for granted because of his surname.

      To put aside any discrepancies Mr. Satnam is appointed as the consultant showing the real position of Indian counselors.

      Not to mention all other members NSA are just a show piece.

      Congrats to Mr. Sarwal and Dr. Ansari for their self respect.

      PREPARED BY FORMER MEMBERS OF NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY OF INDIA.

18 comments:

Brent Poirier said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Brent Poirier said...

First, I wish to correct the tone of my earlier posting. I should not have referred to you as an avocado, or stupid, these are not the proper ways of discourse. I will do better from now on.

Secondly, there is not a single example of a person having been declared a Covenant-breaker for criticizing Baha'i institutions. There are many, many critics of Baha'i institutions, and if this was grounds for being declared a Covenant-breaker, there would be a whole lot more of them. Thankfully they only number in the hundreds, for the entire history of the Baha'i Faith. You do not provide a citation or reference for your statement -- because there is none. Your statement is a fabrication.

You have indicated that the practice of nomination was ended, to bring western Baha'i practice into compliance with Iranian practice. Again, you provide no citation for this, and you cannot; because it is not true.

There are no "defeated minorities" in the Baha'i Faith. We're all in this together. Once a decision is reached, all are to support it; there is no concept of the "loyal opposition" in Baha'i administrative practice. The matter can be brought up for reconsideration, and can be appealed to a higher body -- but it is not to be worked against, by those who do not agree.

Please sir, do you expect people to believe that the National Assembly's reason for meeting in different states has an improper motive? Is it not far more logical that the reason is so that the believers throughout the vast country of India can meet more easily with their elected representatives? Many of the believers cannot travel to the national capital, this is a great way to establish communications.

I hope one day you will approach your subject with fair-mindedness.

With best regards
Brent Poirier, USA

Bipasha Basu said...

Dear readers
I would like to thank all of the bahai and non-bahai readers of this weblog.

The main and the most condition of participating in the debates is to be polite and to observe the dignity and character of the others.
The bahais claim that they are the symbol of politeness and well-speaking, so we expect them to do what they claim.

Brent Poirier said...

Dear Sir:
On my own initiative, you will notice that I recognized that I needed to respond in a better tone, and I shall certainly do so.

Brent Poirier said...

I would like to greet the dear members of Tablighat-i-Islami, the enemies of the Cause of God in Iran, for providing us with yet another laughable attempt at imitating Baha'is outside of Iran. Thank you – this letter you created is wonderful entertainment. (And how is the weather in Qum this morning?)

So these Indian Baha'is will say Allah'u'Abha to prove they are "thoroughly Persianized"? That's rich. Tell that to the Baha'i villagers in New Guinea, in Uganda, in the mountains of Peru. All the Baha'is in the world say this sacred greeting, "God is All-Glorious." (And you Iranians must know this is Arabic, not Persian.)

And yet – you say that these same Baha'is give speeches in English to prove they are persons of capacity. Please make up your mind, do these Indians try to prove they are Persian or Western?

Your letter, supposedly composed by Baha'is, contains many many things that Baha'is would never say. This letter was written entirely by Iranian Muslims. Will you please deal with this subject honestly?

Please reflect: Do you believe that the authors of a letter criticizing the method by which people were elected to the National Spiritual Assembly – would be people who had been elected to that same Assembly, who would have used these same improper methods to get elected? And then, the letter lists five people who were not re-elected. Obviously, the authors of this letter would have to be among them. Do you think the authors of such a letter would then list their own names?

You have yourselves been lied to, and although you are university-educated, you still do not investigate for yourself. Your religious leaders tell you that Baha'is are enemies of Islam, and because they say it, you believe it. Look for yourselves! Look at any Book by Baha'u'llah or Abdu'l-Baha. http://reference.bahai.org/fa/ There is hardly a paragraph that does not contain a reverent reference to the Qur'an and its Prophet. Why will you not look for yourselves, instead of listening to your teachers?

Here's a fact to consider: You will not find, anywhere in Western countries, besides members of the Baha'i community, people with such a true and intense devotion to the person of Muhammad and His sacred Family, the bearers of 'ismat; and with such a belief in the divine origin of the Qur'an and the recognized and well-founded Ahadith. This is because Baha'is are taught this reverence in the Sacred Literature of the Baha'i Faith, and by the example of the Bab and Baha'u'llah. Do you think I learned this attitude when I was a Catholic? No, I only learned it after I became a Baha'i. And we are not friends of Islam because of the conduct of some of its followers, but because of the merits of its sacred Founders.

Let me close by asking you scholars to please, write more letters and create more websites like this. Not only are they great entertainment. Thanks be to God you are promoting the Baha'i Revelation and spreading its fame throughout the world.

Anonymous said...

Brent Piorier says :
"This letter was written entirely by Iranian Muslims."

Are there moslems in Iran?

My Ruhi teacher says that today a Majority of Iranians are not Moslem and they are Baha'is. They do not like Islam and they are converting to Bahaism. Is this true Mr. Brent Piorier

Brent Poirier said...

Dear Anonymous: Let us speak truthfully to one another. You have written this letter, pretending to be a Baha'i; you are an Iranian Muslim. You state that you are attending Ruhi courses, that the teacher said that most Iranian Muslims are becoming Baha'is, and that Baha'is do not like Islam; no Baha'i would say this, or even think this.

1. As to the religious makeup of Iran: The name of the country is "The Islamic Republic of Iran." Twelver Shiism is the official religion of the country of Iran. According to Wikipedia more than 90% of the population of Iran is Muslim.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Iran

2. Any Baha'i who insults Islam would immediately be corrected. There is not one criticism of the Founder of Islam, of its sacred Book, or of the bearers of 'ismat -- Fatimih and the Twelve Imams, anywhere in Baha'i literature. I invite you -- I challenge you -- to find such a statement in the Baha'i Teachings. However, as we both know, you are not attending Ruhi classes, and there is no Ruhi teacher who would say bad things about Islam, nor is there any knowledgeable Baha'i who would say that multitudes of Iranian Muslims are becoming Baha'is.

3. Undoubtedly, many more Iranian Muslims *would* become Baha'is, if people did not spread untruths about it. Regrettably, some of those fabrications are found on this website.

I will continue this posting in a separate comment.

Brent Poirier said...

4. You may wish to keep in mind that the Baha'i Faith teaches Christians to respect Islam. For example, Queen Marie of Rumania was the head of the Orthodox Church in her country. Nearly 100 years ago she wrote open letters to many newspapers throughout the USA and Canada, attesting to her newly-found belief in the divine origin of Islam. This is referred to in the following extract from the greatest history of the Baha'i Faith, written by the Head of our Faith, Shoghi Effendi:

"As to Muhammad, the Apostle of God, let none among His followers who read these pages, think for a moment that either Islam, or its Prophet, or His Book, or His appointed Successors, or any of His authentic teachings, have been, or are to be in any way, or to however slight a degree, disparaged. The lineage of the Báb, the descendant of the Imam Husayn; the divers and striking evidences, in Nabil's Narrative, of the attitude of the Herald of our Faith towards the Founder, the Imams, and the Book of Islam; the glowing tributes paid by Bahá'u'lláh in the Kitáb-i-Íqán to Muhammad and His lawful Successors, and particularly to the "peerless and incomparable" Imam Husayn; the arguments adduced, forcibly, fearlessly, and publicly by 'Abdu'l-Bahá, in churches and synagogues, to demonstrate the validity of the Message of the Arabian Prophet; and last but not least the written testimonial of the Queen of Rumania, who, born in the Anglican faith and notwithstanding the close alliance of her government with the Greek Orthodox Church, the state religion of her adopted country, has, largely as a result of the perusal of these public discourses of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, been prompted to proclaim her recognition of the prophetic function of Muhammad -- all proclaim, in no uncertain terms, the true attitude of the Bahá'í Faith towards its parent religion.

"'God,' is her royal tribute, 'is All, everything. He is the power behind all beginnings.... His is the Voice within us that shows us good and evil. But mostly we ignore or misunderstand this voice. Therefore, did He choose His Elect to come down amongst us upon earth to make clear His Word, His real meaning. Therefore, the Prophets; therefore, Christ, Muhammad, Bahá'u'lláh, for man needs from time to time a voice upon earth to bring God to him, to sharpen the realization of the existence of the true God. Those voices sent to us had to become flesh, so that with our earthly ears we should be able to hear and understand.'

"What greater proof, it may be pertinently asked, can the divines of either Persia or Turkey require wherewith to demonstrate the recognition by the followers of Bahá'u'lláh of the exalted position occupied by the Prophet Muhammad among the entire company of the Messengers of God? What greater service do these divines expect us to render the Cause of Islam? What greater evidence of our competence can they demand than that we should kindle, in quarters so far beyond their reach, the spark of an ardent and sincere conversion to the truth voiced by the Apostle of God, and obtain from the pen of royalty this public, and indeed historic, confession of His God-given Mission?"
(Shoghi Effendi, The Promised Day is Come, p. 108)

5) Reference is made to the addresses of Abdu'l-Baha in the West, which He made in churches and in synagogues, in which He spoke fearlessly of the divine Message of Islam. For example, in October 1912 Abdu'l-Baha addressed 2000 Jewish people in the Temple Emmanu-El synagogue in San Francisco. He provided proofs of the Mission of Jesus Christ and Muhammad to them. Instead of making up false statements about what the Baha'is say about Islam, why don't you print the truth? You can read it here:
http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/ab/PUP/pup-111.html

Sincerely,
Brent Poirier

J. Taylor said...

Dear Sirs
I have been working in Iran for a Swedish company in 90 decade. As far as I understood the exact majority of Iranian are good shia Muslims and in spite of the whole propagation of bahais, I didn’t find any success for bahais to convert the Iranian to bahaism, only a few.

Susan Maneck said...

Given what has just happened in Iran, this is a rather ironic blog, don't you think?
I've never known Baha'is to stuff ballot boxes.

Anonymous said...

Bipasha Basu wrote:
"The bahais claim that they are the symbol of politeness and well-speaking"

This is the *first good thing* that you have said of my religion. Lamentably this is the only positive thing that you will say.

What can we hope from someone who creates a blog with the only intention of attacking and defaming to a religion?

Smith said...

There are many positive matters which will be interesting for you as a bahai I invite you to read the articles :

Human Equality in the Bahai Faith

http://www.bahaiawareness.com/bahai15.html

. . . . .

That person is the infallible Abdul Baha saying:
"For instance, you see the blacks in Africa who are in fact cows that God has created in the shape of human beings, and then you see the blacks of America, who are smart, civilized and cultured. Visiting schools and assemblies of blacks in Washington, during this trip, and having extensive discussions, they could understand my points like the smart Europeans." [3]

. . . . .

Fazil Mazandarani quotes Abdul Baha in "A glossary of Baha'i terms":
When King Jamal reached Akka he asked to see me. Riding on a donkey I headed for his house. As soon as he saw me, he warmly greeted me and offered me a seat beside himself. Without any introduction he said: ‘You are a corrupter of religion, that’s why the Iranian government exiled you here.’... I thought to myself: ‘This is a Turk so the reply for him should be ridicules and silencing.’ [5]
In the same book we are advised us to:
"Keep away from Turks and leave them alone even if he is your father! Because if he loves you he will eat you and if he hates you, he will kill you." [6]

. . . . .

The glorious founder of the Baha’i Faith, whose goal in life is to unite humanity and encourage global respect and understanding says:
"Who so ever doesn’t regard the Baha’i teachings and regulations as the ultimate truth, should ask his mother about the truth of his origin* and cannot be considered as his father’s right and legal son." [8]
"Those souls who oppose Kitab-i-Badi’s orders are deprived of names and characters, and God regards them as animals and with such (animals) will they be joined and assembled." [9]
"Today who so ever merely addresses my rejecters as "human beings" will be totally deprived of God’s mercy, let alone those who try to prove such souls’ worth or grant them status." [10]

. . . . .

3. Talks of Abdul-Baha in Europe and America, Abdul-Baha, p. 203
http://reference.bahai.org/fa/t/ab/MMAB/mmab-201.html#pg203
5. ‘A glossary of Baha'i terms’, Fazil Mazandarani, Volume 3, page 42
http://www.h-net.org/~bahai/areprint/authors/mazandarani/Mazandarani_Asrar_Athar_v3_part1of3.pdf
6. ‘A glossary of Baha'i terms’, Fazil mazandarani, Volume 2, page 154
http://www.h-net.org/~bahai/areprint/authors/mazandarani/Mazandarani_Asrar_Athar_v2_part2of2.pdf
8. Ma'idih-'i Asmani, (Heavenly Repast), Bahaullah, Volume 4, page 355
http://reference.bahai.org/fa/t/b/MAS4/mas4-355.html#pg355
9. Kitab-i-Badi, Bahaullah, page 213
http://www.h-net.org/~bahai/areprint/baha/A-F/B/badi/badi213.jpg
10. Kitab-i-Badi, Bahaullah, page 140
http://www.h-net.org/~bahai/areprint/baha/A-F/B/badi/badi140.jpg

Smith said...

The Oneness of the World of Humanity in Bahaism ? ! [ Part 1 ]
http://bahaimirage.wordpress.com/2008/05/12/28/

. . . . .

For instance, look into this instance in order to see what order Baha’u’llah, the founder of this religion gives to his followers.”0-bahais, be an inevitable chastisement for those who have not believed (in bahaism)[1].” That is, spare nothing to persecute them. He did not become content with this for expanding the division among men and issued another order , saying “0 my friends and 0 my choice people , hear my call ! if you have felt the smell of unbelief from any one less than what can be supposed, that is ,even less than a particle ,turn him away any more. This is an order which we have re-commended to you in all of our writings.[2]”
[1] - Baha’u’llah , The Book Majmu-i Alwah , p.216.

[2] - The Book Asrar al-Ather-i Khususi, vol.4, p.126.

. . . . .

Smith said...

The Oneness Of The World Of Humanity In Bahaism ? ! [ Part 2 ]
http://bahaimirage.wordpress.com/2008/05/12/the-oneness-of-the-world-of-humanity-in-bahaism/

. . . . .

a conflict broke out between yahya and bahaollah and consequently among their followers.
In this conflict all human questions, including ‘politeness’ and ‘etiquette’ were forgotten and ruined. Bahaollah called his brother "lamb"[4], "satan"[5] and entitled him "bull"[6]. He abused him under the name "deceptive snake"[7] and called his followers "dogs"[8] and considered their sayings the calls of the "wolf" and of the "pig"[9].

. . . . .

The disunion and conflict between the two brothers and among their followers did not cease in the course of abuse and betrayal, and after a while, the followers of bahaollah began to massacre the adherent of yahya at his command. They trapped the opponents through foul plots and swooped down on and murdered them. [10]

. . . . .

we see such an order from bahaullah, what can it be called but an attempt to prevent the approach of nations and the unity of humanity.
"It has not been allowed to associate with, talk to and meet those who have not believed in bahaism” [12]

. . . . .

[4] - the book asrar al-athar-i khususi , vol4 p.197.
[5] - ibid .,vol.4,p101.&
Ibid .,vol.5,p.346.
[6] - bahaollah , the book badi , p.772.
[7] -The book asrar al-ather-I khususi , vol.4, p.34
[8] & [9] - The book asrar ai-ather-I khususi, vol. 5 , p.177.
[10] - Ishrag khavari,abdol hamid,taqvim-I tarkikh-I amr ,p.245.
Taqvim –I trikh amr, p.245.
[12] - maidah asmani , vol.8, p.74.

Naser Emtesali said...

Friends, visit this site for good books on Baha'i Faith.
http://www.scribd.com/NaserEmtesali

Mohan said...

How do you get this kind of sensitive information? Do you have a spy in Indian NSA?

Your Father said...

This is rubbish - u moslems are the dirtiest people on this beautiful earth.

For Dear Susan said...

Dearly Loved Susan,
I beg to differ
U claim Baha'i are not involved in Election Scam.
Please read this
http://www.scribd.com/doc/17233212/Race-Immorality-and-Money-in-the-American-Bahai-Community
http://www.scribd.com/doc/20325549/Bahai-Elections
http://www.scribd.com/doc/34220433/Election-Fraud-in-Bahais-of-Pakistan
http://bahaism.blogspot.com/2010/02/bahai-control-on-their-electoral-system.html
you need more references please tell me I have more.
Your statement proves the fact that you are the real "Soldier of Baha'u'llah".
Thank you.