Joel J. Marangella
2008-08-17 02:06:41 UTC
POSTED ON BEHALF OF THE GUARDIAN OF THE BAHA'I FAITH
UNDENIABLE CONCESSIONS GRANTED BY A TRUE BAHA'I
The Guardian of the Faith of Baha'u'llah recognized as such by the orthodox
Baha'is, together with Frank Schlatter and Jeffrey Goldberg, appointed Hands
of the Cause, by him, were summoned to appear on 11 August 2008 before a
mediator of a settlement conference convened by the United States Court of
Appeals for the Seventh Circuit of the State of Illinois, U.S.A. to
determine whether fundamental differences between members of the Orthodox
Baha'i Faith and the members of an administrative body, under the name of
the National Spiritual Assembly of Baha'is of the United States, a body
which has been reelected by heterodox Baha'i delegates at yearly conventions
held since May of 1960, would be subject to compromise, the granting of
concessions, on either side, or possible resolution, prior to the hearing of
an appeal that has been lodged by that Assembly with the Appellate Court,
following the favorable decision made earlier in our favor by Judge St. Eve
(discussed in detail in prior postings on the internet). This conference had
to be suffered by us, despite the fact that both the undersigned, together
with those named above and the adherents of the Orthodox Baha'i Faith,
consider that the members of the current National Assembly, as well as their
predecessor assemblies, have been patently guilty of heresy, since the
passing of the first Guardian of the Faith, Shoghi Effendi Rabbani in 1957,
in their professed belief that he was the first and only Guardian of the
Baha'i Faith and have accordingly rejected the continuation of an
institution which, during his ministry (1921-1957), they, formerly, as
faithful Baha'is, had declared their undeviating and steadfast belief,
together with their fellow-Baha'is throughout the world, to be an absolutely
essential, indispensable and irreplaceable institution of the Faith and
which, on the basis of the sacred terms of the Will and Testament of
'Abdu'l-Baha, and according to Shoghi Effendi's own extensive writings on
the Baha'i Administrative Order, was destined to endure as long as the
Dispensation of Baha'u'llah itself endured (at least 1000 years) through an
uninterrupted succession of Guardians, each of whom had been appointed to
this Office by his predecessor, but whose members now, since the passing of
Shoghi Effendi in 1957, incredibly espouse what to the Orthodox Baha'i is an
incomprehensible, heretical and completely untenable belief that the
Guardianship of the Faith ended with his passing. In their current
repudiation of the major provisions of the Will and Testament of
'Abdu'l-Baha, a Document that had been acclaimed by Shoghi Effendi as no
less sacred than the Kitab-i-Aqdas, Baha'u'llah's Most Holy Book, and which
therefore actually constitutes a part of the explicit Holy Text of the
Revelation of Baha'u'llah, they have now undeniably become, in the view of
an orthodox Baha'i, unfaithful and actual apostates of the Faith, and,
despite their present superiority of numbers, nothing more than a schismatic
and heretical offshoot and sect of the true Faith of Baha'u'llah.
Aside from the privity issue, which is being argued separately by legal
counsel on both sides and will not be argued in this paper, it may be
observed that the concessions discussed below relate solely to a basic
religious issue that separates us and is therefore undeniably outside the
province of a civil court to satisfactorily resolve and therefore an issue
which, if duly recognized as such, that court would certainly decline
judgment.
In consideration of the foregoing, the following undeniable facts, that are
too numerous to be taken up in such a conference, are enumerated below as an
indication of the concessions that must be ultimately recognized and
granted, without reservation, by any Baha'i, or by any administrative body
of the Baha'i Faith, that is desirous of establishing the truth, either as
it pertains to the legitimacy of the current institutions of the Baha'i
Administrative Order, as delineated by 'Abdu'l-Baha, the Son of Baha'u'llah
and the inspired Author of that Order, in His Will and Testament, or to the
proper recognition of those believers who are adjudged to be faithful to the
Covenant of Baha'u'llah, on the basis of their complete and steadfast
adherance to every clause of the provisions of that divinely-conceived,
sacred and immutable Document, that 'Abdu'l-Baha -- the appointed "CENTER OF
THE COVENANT" -- has bequeathed to the Baha'i World, and upon faithful
compliance therewith, Shoghi Effendi, the first Guardian of the Baha'i
Faith, has emphasized was an essential condition to such recognition and,
only when such adherence had been unconditionally and formally declared by
applicants for membership in the Faith to the appropriate Baha'i
administrative institution, would then officially possess the right to call
themselves and be identified as faithful and true Baha'is
Nothing less, therefore, than the following facts must be recognized and
conceded as valid:
* That the Baha'i Administrative Order is founded on the
divinely-conceived, sacred and immortal Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Baha,
the Son of Baha'u'llah, the Founder of the Baha'i Faith and the Author of
the Baha'i Revelation.
* That following His Ascension in 1891, 'Abdu'l-Baha has been universally
recognized by all faithful Baha'is as Baha'u'llah's appointed successor,
"THE CENTER AND PIVOT OF BAHA'U'LLAH'S COVENANT" with His followers, "THE
PERFECT EXEMPLAR OF HIS TEACHINGS", the sole "INTERPRETER OF HIS WORD", and
"THE MOST MIGHTY BRANCH" to Whom all faithful Baha'is accorded their
unwavering and complete devotion, fidelity and obedience.
* That the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Baha delineated the institutions
of the Baha'i Administrative Order of which the highest institutions of that
Order, are the Guardianship and the Universal House of Justice, representing
respectively the Executive and Legislative/Judicial functions in the Baha'i
System of government.
* That the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Baha actually expressed the Will
of Baha'u'llah, as well, as emphasized in a comprehensive letter dated 8
February 1934 addressed by the first Guardian of the Baha'i Faith, Shoghi
Effendi Rabbani "To the beloved of God and the handmaids of the Merciful
throughout the West² (later published under the title of "The Dispensation
of Baha'u'llah²) in which he made the following pertinent statement: "THE
CREATIVE ENERGIES RELEASED BY THE LAW OF BAHA'U'LLAH, PERMEATING AND
EVOLVING WITHIN THE MIND OF 'ABDU'L-BAHA, HAVE BY THEIR VERY IMPACT AND
CLOSE INTERACTION, GIVEN BIRTH TO AN INSTRUMENT WHICH MAY BE VIEWED AS THE
CHARTER OF THE NEW WORLD ORDER WHICH IS AT ONCE THE GLORY AND THE PROMISE OF
THIS MOST GREAT DISPENSATION. THE WILL MAY BE THUS ACCLAIMED AS THE
INEVITABLE OFFSPRING RESULTING FROM THAT MYSTIC INTERCOURSE BETWEEN HIM WHO
COMMUNICATED THE GENERATING INFLUENCE OF HIS DIVINE PURPOSE [ BAHA'U'LLAH]
AND THE ONE WHO WAS ITS VEHICLE AND CHOSEN RECIPIENT [ABDU'L-BAHÁ]. BEING
THE CHILD OF THE COVENANT--THE HEIR OF BOTH THE ORIGINATOR AND THE
INTERPRETER OF THE LAW OF GOD--THE WILL AND TESTAMENT OF 'ABDU'L-BAHA CAN NO
MORE BE DIVORCED FROM HIM WHO SUPPLIED THE ORIGINAL AND MOTIVATING IMPULSE
THAN FROM THE ONE WHO ULTIMATELY CONCEIVED IT." And in this same letter he
further emphasized that "THIS ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER... AS ITS COMPONENT
PARTS, ITS ORGANIC INSTITUTIONS, BEGIN TO FUNCTION WITH EFFICIENCY AND
VIGOR, ASSERT ITS CLAIM AND DEMONSTRATE ITS CAPACITY TO BE REGARDED NOT ONLY
AS THE NUCLEUS BUT THE VERY PATTERN OF THE NEW WORLD ORDER DESTINED TO
EMBRACE IN THE FULLNESS OF TIME THE WHOLE OF MANKIND."
* That, unlike current secular forms of government, the Guardian of the
Faith, under the terms of 'Abdu'l-Baha's Will, exercises authority in both
the executive and legislative/legal spheres of Baha'i government in that he
has been designated not only as the Head of the Faith, as "THE CENTER OF THE
CAUSE" but, as differentiated from the other non-permanent members of the
Universal House of Justice who are elected periodically, serves as the
"SACRED HEAD AND DISTINGUISHED MEMBER FOR LIFE" of that body and in this
capacity, is more than a figurehead in the performance of the following
essential functions:
* He is the sole "INTERPRETER OF THE WORD" when a question of
interpretation of the sacred Writings is involved.
* He "HATH AT HIS OWN DISCRETION THE RIGHT TO EXPEL ANY OF THE MEMBERS WHO
COMMIT A SIN, INJURIOUS TO THE COMMON WEAL, WHEREUPON THE PEOPLE MUST ELECT
ANOTHER ONE IN HIS STEAD."
* He provides "THE NECESSARY GUIDANCE TO DEFINE THE SPHERE OF THE
LEGISLATIVE ACTION. . . "
* He "IS BOUND TO INSIST UPON A RECONSIDERATION BY THEM OF ANY ENACTMENT
HE CONSCIENTIOUSLY BELIEVES TO CONFLICT WITH THE MEANING AND TO DEPART FROM
THE SPIRIT OF BAHA'U'LLAH'S REVEALED UTTERANCES."
* That Shoghi Effendi became the Guardian of the Faith upon the Ascension
of 'Abdu'l-Baha on 28 November 1921, a date coincident with the inception of
the Baha'i Administrative Order. His ministry lasted for a period of
thirty-six years that ended with his passing in London, England on 4
November 1957.
* That the terms of the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Baha, state: "IT IS
INCUMBENT UPON THE GUARDIAN OF THE CAUSE OF GOD TO APPOINT IN HIS OWN
LIFE-TIME HIM THAT SHALL BECOME HIS SUCCESSOR, THAT DIFFERENCES MAY NOT
ARISE AFTER HIS PASSING." The qualifications that his successor must possess
on the basis of this Document are stated as follows:
* He "MUST MANIFEST IN HIMSELF DETACHMENT FROM ALL WORLDLY THINGS."
* He "MUST BE THE ESSENCE OF PURITY."
* He "MUST SHOW IN HIMSELF THE FEAR OF GOD, KNOWLEDGE, WISDOM AND
LEARNING."
And, "SHOULD THE FIRST-BORN OF THE GUARDIAN OF THE CAUSE OF GOD NOT MANIFEST
IN HIMSELF" the spiritual qualities that have been enumerated above, "THEN
MUST HE, (THE GUARDIAN OF THE CAUSE OF GOD) CHOOSE ANOTHER BRANCH TO SUCCEED
HIM."
* That the qualifications enumerated under the terms of the Will and
Testament of 'Abdu'l-Baha for appointment as the Guardian's successor, in
the absence of a spiritually qualified first born son, permit him to choose
"ANOTHER BRANCH" but the use of the term "BRANCH" (another male believer) is
not a reference to, or limit this choice, to an Aghsan, as was falsely
claimed by the Hands of the Cause following the passing, of Shoghi Effendi,
as he has clearly defined the Aghsan as the sons of Baha'u'llah (p. 239, God
Passes By) whose demise had long since taken place.
* That the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Baha endows the Guardian of the
Faith with the authority to appoint highly distinguished believers to the
station of Hands of the Cause who serve under his direction and whose
obligations "are to diffuse the Divine Fragrances, to edify the souls of
men, to promote learning, to improve the character of all men and to be, at
all times and under all conditions, sanctified and detached from earthly
things" and, as noted above, these functions do not require them to exercise
any administrative responsibilities or functions whatsoever.
* That, during the first twenty-nine years of his 36-year ministry, Shoghi
Effendi concentrated his efforts on the establishment of effectively
functioning Baha'i administrative institutions at local and national levels
only.
* That Shoghi Effendi, in the 30th year of his ministry, dispatched to the
Baha'i World a cablegram, under date of 9 January 1951, the one and only
Proclamation issued during his ministry but despite its identification as
such, in opening with the word: "PROCLAIM", it was manifestly and tragically
never accorded the important recognition it deserved, as later events would
tragically prove, for in this Proclamation addressed specifically and
significantly to the "NATIONAL ASSEMBLIES OF EAST AND WEST," he proclaimed
that the following developments "COMBINE TO INDUCE ME TO ARRIVE AT THIS
WEIGHTY AND EPOCH MAKING DECISION" to form "AT LONG LAST" the "FIRST
INTERNATIONAL BAHA'I COUNCIL" and "THIS FIRST EMBRYONIC INTERNATIONAL
INSTITUTION:"
* The "FULFILLMENT OF THE PROPHECIES UTTERED BY THE FOUNDER OF THE FAITH
AND THE CENTER OF HIS COVENANT CULMINATING IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE
JEWISH STATE . . ."
* "THE SWIFT UNFOLDMENT OF THE HISTORIC UNDERTAKING ASSOCIATED WITH THE
CONSTRUCTION OF THE SUPERSTRUCTURE OF THE BAB'S SEPULCHER ON MOUNT CARMEL."
* "THE PRESENT ADEQUATE MATURITY OF NINE VIGOROUSLY FUNCTIONING NATIONAL
ADMINISTRATIVE INSTITUTIONS THROUGHOUT THE BAHA'I WORLD."
* That, further, in his Proclamation of 9 January 1951, Shoghi Effendi had
further acclaimed his "HISTORIC DECISION" to form the International Baha'i
Council as "THE MOST SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE IN THE EVOLUTION OF THE
ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER OF THE FAITH OF BAHA'U'LLAH IN THE COURSE OF THE LAST
THIRTY YEARS" (that is, since the inception of that Order with the Ascension
of 'Abdu'l-Baha in 1921.)
* That Shoghi Effendi outlined the initial functions of the International
Baha'i Council to which would be added further functions as it evolved
through successive stages into an "OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZED [INTERNATIONAL]
BAHA'I COURT, ITS TRANSFORMATION INTO A DULY ELECTED BODY AND ITS
EFFLORESCENCE INTO THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE."
* That in this same Proclamation Shoghi Effendi had further eulogized the
unprecedented import attached to the constitution of the International
Baha'i Council in stating: "HAIL WITH THANKFUL JOYOUS HEART AT LONG LAST THE
CONSTITUTION OF THE INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL WHICH HISTORY WILL ACCLAIM AS THE
GREATEST EVENT SHEDDING LUSTER UPON THE SECOND EPOCH OF THE FORMATIVE AGE OF
THE BAHA'I DISPENSATION POTENTIALLY UNSURPASSED BY ANY ENTERPRISE UNDERTAKEN
SINCE THE INCEPTION OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER ON THE MORROW OF
'ABDU'L-BAHA'S ASCENSION, RANKING SECOND ONLY TO THE GLORIOUS IMMORTAL
EVENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE MINISTRIES OF THE THREE CENTRAL FIGURES OF THE
FAITH..."
* That in a message to the Baha'i World, dated 2 March 1951 Shoghi Effendi
identified Mason Remey as President and Amelia Collins as Vice-President of
this "NEWLY FORMED INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL" which, "THROUGH [ITS] CONTACT WITH
AUTHORITIES" had been "DESIGNED TO SPREAD THE FAME, CONSOLIDATE THE
FOUNDATIONS AND WIDEN THE SCOPE OF INFLUENCE EMANATING FROM THE TWIN
SPIRITUAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE WORLD CENTERS PERMANENTLY FIXED IN THE HOLY
LAND..."
* That perhaps the failure to recognize the import of his decision to form
the International Baha'i Council may be attributed or excused due to the
fact that Shoghi Effendi had perforce retained this supreme Council in an
inactive role during the remaining years of his ministry, for reasons that
will be explained below, but notwithstanding, this did not alter the fact
that it was undeniably the supreme administrative body, which, upon
activation as a functioning institution, would rightfully assume
jurisdiction over the National Assemblies to which the Proclamation had been
addressed and would then clearly function as subordinate national bodies, to
this International Council and in due course, when the International Council
had attained the second stage of its development as the International
Court,would exercise jurisdiction over "SIX NATIONAL BAHA'I COURTS" located
in "THE CHIEF CITIES OF THE ISLAMIC EAST." ( message of 8 October 1952).
* That, undeniably, the International Baha'i Council, as an EMBRYONIC
institution, was a complete and perfect organism at its inception for
'Abdu'l-Baha has stated that "THE EMBRYO POSSESSES FROM THE FIRST ALL
PERFECTIONS . . . IN ONE WORD, ALL THE POWERS--BUT THEY ARE NOT VISIBLE AND
BECOME SO ONLY BY DEGREES" (P. 313, BWF). And, as this was now
unquestionably the case with the embryonic Universal House of Justice, this
institution therefore undeniably possessed, at its inception, pursuant to
the explicit terms of 'Abdu'l-Baha's Will and Testament, an irremovable
"SACRED HEAD" who could be none other than the future Guardian of the Faith
and a body of at least eight believers. And, further, it had been for this
very reason that Shoghi Effendi had, out of necessity, retained the
International Council in an inactive status under the Presidency of Mason
Remey--the second Guardian-to-be, during the remaining years of his ministry
and had only assigned tasks to its members, from time to time, on an
individual basis, and additionally had designated Ruhiyyih Khanum as the
"CHOSEN LIAISON" between himself and the Council and had thus precluded, in
this way, any semblance of assuming the Presidency himself which, in that
case, would have required him to depose Mason Remey as its President.
* That had the Hands perceived these facts, they would have realized why
Shoghi Effendi had resorted to this wholly unexpected, yet valid manner, of
appointing his successor as he had obviously foreseen correctly that by
effecting the appointment of his successor in an indirect way he would
effectively obscure from both the Hands and all of the believers, as well,
that he had foreseen that his passing was near at hand which otherwise would
not have been the case if the appointment had been made openly and, as a
result, had imposed upon them a devastating shock. For, this would have been
the result, had the believers realized that Mason Remey, who was not a young
or even middle-aged believer, as they would have expected his successor to
be, but who, despite being almost a quarter of a century older than Shoghi
Effendi, would become his successor, this highly disquieting foreknowledge
would have seriously interfered with and certainly impeded the successful
achievement of the formidable tasks that would soon face them in fulfilling
the goals of the Ten Year Global Crusade scheduled to commence at Ridvan
1953.
* That in a message, under date of 23 November 1951, Shoghi Effendi,
referred to the Global Crusade conceived by 'Abdu'l-Baha, and projected the
significantly active function that would then be exercised for the first
time by the International Baha'i Council, as he stated that this Crusade,
scheduled to begin at Ridvan, (21 April-2 May) 1953, would "EMBRACE ALL THE
CONTINENTS OF THE EARTH" and "WILL BRING THE CENTRAL BODY [I. E. THE
INTERNATIONAL BAHA'I COUNCIL] DIRECTING THESE WIDELY RAMIFIED OPERATIONS
INTO DIRECT CONTACT WITH ALL THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLIES OF THE BAHA'I WORLD,
WHICH IN VARYING DEGREES, WILL HAVE TO CONTRIBUTE THEIR SHARE TO THE WORLD
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CAUSE OF BAHA'U'LLAH, AS PROPHESIED BY 'ABDU'L-BAHA,
AND ENVISIONED BY DANIEL," and had again clearly predicted, in an indirect
way, that for the International Council to assume this active role, his own
passing would necessarily have to take place either prior to or during the
Ten Year Crusade.
* That, having significantly extolled in his Proclamation, the
constitution of the "FIRST INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTION" of the Faith -- the
embryonic Universal House of Justice -- under the provisional name of
International Baha'i Council, on 9 January 1951, there remained for Shoghi
Effendi to establish the other international institution of the Hands of the
Cause as delineated by 'Abdu'l-Baha in His Will and Testament. Although he
had previously named several Hands of the Cause posthumously, he now
appointed the first living members of this Institution as he announced in a
message, dated 24 December 1951, his appointment of the first contingent of
twelve Hands of the Cause whose number included Mason Remey, and which would
be followed by further appointments as time went on that would bring the
total to twenty-seven living Hands of the Cause by the time of his passing.
* That, as further undeniable evidence that should have dispelled any
lingering doubt, that Shoghi Effendi had, in fact, established the Universal
House of Justice, albeit in its embryonic form, he stated in a message,
dated 30 June 1952, that: "AT THE WORLD CENTER OF THE FAITH, WHERE, AT LONG
LAST, THE MACHINERY OF ITS HIGHEST INSTITUTIONS HAS BEEN ERECTED, AND AROUND
WHOSE MOST HOLY SHRINES THE SUPREME ORGANS OF ITS UNFOLDING ORDER, ARE, IN
THEIR EMBRYONIC FORM, UNFOLDING . . . "
* That the claim made in the "Proclamation" issued by the Hands on 25
November 1957 at the conclusion of their conclave in Haifa, that "no
successor to Shoghi Effendi could have been appointed by him" and that he
"had left no Will and Testament" because "The Aghsan (branches) one and all
are either dead of have been declared violators of the Covenant by the
Guardian. . ." was clearly an erroneous statement, as previously discussed,
and was either glaring evidence of their inexcusable lack of knowledge of
the terms of the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Baha or a nefarious and
deliberately duplicitous attempt to misrepresent the qualifications
prescribed in that Document for the one chosen by the Guardian as his
successor, which enables him, in the absence of an eldest son with the
requisite qualifications, to choose "ANOTHER BRANCH," to succeed him, a term
which they falsely claimed restricted the Guardian to the appointment of an
Aghsán, ignoring the fact that this was patently untrue as Shoghi Effendi
had identified this term to apply solely to the sons of Baha'u'llah, who,
moreover, as they were apparently unaware, would due to their demise never
be available for appointment and who, even prior to the passing of
'Abdu'l-Baha, had been guilty of infidelity to the Covenant and therefore
had already been conspicuously omitted from His mention of those in Part
Three of His Will and Testament who have been particularly enjoined to show
fidelity to the Guardian of the Faith.
* That the Hands, having failed to recognize that Shoghi Effendi had
appointed his successor in faithful compliance with the terms of the Will
and Testament, as explained above, and having thus further disregarded the
indisputable fact that they lacked any authority whatsoever, under the
provisions of that sacred Document, to direct the affairs of the
Faith,illegitimately seized this authority upon his passing that had
occurred, as he had foreseen during the Ten Year Crusade, and did not permit
the International Baha'i Council--as the embryonic Universal House of
Justice and unquestionably the "SUPREME ADMINISTRATIVE INSTITUTION" of the
Faith, under Mason Remey's Presidency--to assume its rightful authority and
to exercise what would now have become an active role in its direction of
the National Spiritual Assemblies of the world in their achievement of the
goals of the Ten Year Global Crusade, then at its midpoint, as Shoghi
Effendi had clearly envisaged and projected in his message of 23 November
1951.
* That, wherever in the above statements the Hands have been criticized
for their failings it should be understood that Mason Remey is exempted from
this criticism. He had been summoned by Shoghi Effendi in 1950 to move to
Haifa from his ancestral home in Washington D.C. and informed that
henceforth he should make Haifa his permanent home and then during the
remaining years of Shoghi Effendi's ministry had, in further complementing
his unsurpassed record of manifold and outstanding accomplishments for the
Faith over half a century, prepared, as its architect, the design of the
International Archives building now erected on Mount Carmel and before that,
as the architect specifically chosen by 'Abdu'l-Baha, had designed the
Baha'i Temple that will be erected in the future on Mount Carmel and,
moreover, as the architect chosen by Shoghi Effendi, had designed the Baha'i
Temple that will, in the future, be built in Iran and had been the
architect, as well, of the Baha'i Temples already constructed in Sydney,
Australia and in Kampala, Uganda. It was because of his residency in Haifa
that he was one of the nine Hands that had been appointed by his
fellow-Hands to the illegitimate body of the Custodians that assumed
direction of the Faith following the passing of Shoghi Effendi. Not for one
moment however did this mean that he had agreed with the conclusion that had
been reached by them that the Guardianship had forever ended with the
passing of Shoghi Effendi for his diary written under the title of "Daily
Observations" provides stark evidence of his frequently voiced passionate
appeals to his fellow-Custodians to reconsider their stand on the
termination of the Guardianship, in addition to his several magnificently
written appeals to all of his fellow-Hands setting forth his arguments as to
why they were obliged to reconsider their stand against the continuation of
the Guardianship, all of which had proved to be of no avail. Finally,
thoroughly frustrated with the ineffectiveness of these efforts he left
Haifa late in 1959 and returned to his previous ancestral home in Washington
from which he dispatched his Proclamation, as the second Guardian of the
Faith in May of 1960 addressed to "THE BAHA'IS OF THE WORLD THROUGH THE
ANNUAL CONVENTION OF THE BAHA'IS OF THE WORLD THROUGH THE ANNUAL CONVENTION
OF THE BAHA'IS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ASSEMBLED AT WILMETTE,
ILLINOIS [DURING] RIDVAN 117 [OF THE] BAHA'I ERA" with the expectation that
this National Spiritual Assembly would forthwith inform the other National
Spiritual Assemblies throughout the world of this proclamation which
unfortunately and tragically was never done and consequently the members of
these assemblies were never given the opportunity to judge for themselves
the validity of his accession to the Guardianship, the National Spiritual
Assembly of France being the notable exception, only because it had directly
received a copy of his Proclamation and upon due consideration and
consultation had recognized his rightful accession to the Guardianship, and
as a result been illicitly disbanded on orders from the body of Custodian
Hands, who by this time had also, in their nefariously delusion, cast Mason
Remey out of the now sans-Guardian Faith that they espoused.
* That, had the Hands, on the other hand, permitted developments to
unfold, as envisaged and projected by Shoghi Effendi, they, as well as the
believers throughout the world, would certainly have perceived that, as only
the Guardian of the Faith rightfully presides as the "SACRED HEAD" of the
Universal House of Justice--provisionally named in its embryonic stage of
development as the International Baha'i Council--he had, in the appointment
of Mason Remey as its President, undeniably and faithfully provided for the
continuance of the Guardianship.
* That, having faithlessly failed to perceive that Shoghi Effendi had
appointed his successor they instead incredulously assumed they had been
assigned authority over the Faith, on the basis that Shoghi Effendi had
conferred upon them the appellation: "CHIEF STEWARDS OF BAHA'U'LLAH'S
EMBRYONIC WORLD COMMONWEALTH" in the very last message he had issued to the
Baha'i World, in October of 1957, one month prior to his passing, oblivious
of the fact that he had, instead, indirectly affirmed and had clearly
implied that their recently established embryonic institution would continue
to develop, together with all of the other embryonic institutions of the
Administrative Order, until it, together with them, attained their destined
maturity in that future Commonwealth, and which, as this maturity pertained
to their institution, could obviously only be realized if a future living
Guardian of the Faith and "CENTER OF THE CAUSE" was presiding over the Faith
in that Commonwealth and able to appoint future Hands of the Cause.
* That the Hands of the Faith failed on all counts to perceive that Shoghi
Effendi had assured the continuance of the Guardianship and took it upon
themselves, to appoint nine Hands from their own number to serve on a body
they termed "the Custodians of the Baha'i World Faith," to which they
subordinated the International Baha'i Council, notwithstanding the fact that
this was obviously an illegitimate body that had been established outside
the provisions of the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Baha and yet, as they
stated, had been authorized by the entire body of their fellow-Hands ³to
Exercise--subject to such directions and decisions and as may given [by
them] from time to time as the Chief Stewards of the Baha'i World Faith--all
such functions, rights and powers in succession to the Guardian of the
Baha'i Faith, His eminence the late Shoghi Effendi Rabbani. . . until such
time as the Universal House of Justice, upon being duly established and
elected in conformity with the Sacred Writings of Baha'u'llah and the Will
and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Baha, may otherwise determine.²
* That, following a period of some six years during which the Custodian
Hands directed the affairs of the Faith, they transferred their illicitly
acquired authority and functions to an elected, equally illegitimate
sans-Guardian Universal House of Justice which without the Guardian of the
Faith presiding as its "SACRED HEAD" was obviously not the Institution
prescribed by 'Abdu'l-Baha in His Will and Testament.
* That, as Shoghi Effendi has stated in The Dispensation of Baha'u'llah:
"THE BEDROCK ON WHICH THIS ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER IS FOUNDED IS GOD'S
IMMUTABLE PURPOSE FOR MANKIND IN THIS DAY," it is certain that the
sans-Guardian and seriously flawed man-made administrative system that has
been established by the leaders of the heterodox Baha'is, is unquestionably
contrary to the Purpose of God and therefore cannot long survive whereas it
is clear that the divinely-conceived, sacred and immortal Administrative
Order bequeathed to the Baha'i World by 'Abdu'l-Baha in his Will and
Testament shall ultimately be restored, triumph and flourish in all of its
perfection.
An understanding of the difficulty that is faced by Orthodox Baha'is in
reaching any settlement in our dispute with the heterodox Baha'is, on
religious grounds, may be facilitated and better understood by an individual
or the members of a court unfamiliar with the Baha'i Faith and, in this
case, with the status and the role of the Guardian of the Faith as its
appointed Head, if it is realized that the basic issue involved and the real
reason why the National Spiritual Assembly has initiated its lawsuit in the
first place is purely a religious one, based on its belief that the
Guardianship of the Faith ended with the passing of Shoghi Effendi, and its
perverse refusal, together with the heterodox Baha'is, under their
jurisdiction, not to mention those Baha'is outside of the United States and
the members of their so-called and grossly misnamed Universal House of
Justice, to recognize and accept the undeniable evidence, presented to the
contrary, as discussed above. A further analogy of the situation, applicable
in part, may be helpful in facilitating an understanding of the issue, if a
comparison is drawn between the Orthodox Baha'i who maintains an unshakeable
and steadfast belief in the divine appointment and uninterrupted continuance
of the institution of the Guardianship, to the same degree as the devout
Catholic who believes in the divine origin, authenticity and permanency of
the Papacy, on the basis of the words of His holiness, Jesus Christ to the
Apostle, Peter, as found in the well known verse in the Bible (although, in
their case, but not in ours, the true meaning of His statement may be
differently interpreted) and consequently are firmly convinced that Peter
was undeniably, in effect, if not so named, the first Pope, whereas early
Protestant devotees who had previously believed in the Papacy were
subsequently influenced by apostates from their faith, such as Martin
Luther, to reject the Papacy. Also, with respect to the question of their
right to the exclusive use of the symbols of the Faith, as claimed by the
National Spiritual Assembly, this claim may be likened to one Christian sect
ludicrously claiming exclusive use or display of the Christian Cross. And,
as for the exclusive use of the phrase: "WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH," a
phrase, whose use may also be in dispute, this phrase, the Orthodox Baha'i
believes is not subject to restriction of any kind as it may be compared to
the phrase: "Kingdom of God" which is included, for example, in the Lord's
Prayer recited by the Christian worshiper as he entreats God that His
Kingdom come to earth as it is in heaven and is synonymous to the Baha'i
with the phrase: "THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH" which upon its ultimate
establishment throughout the world will virtually bring to this earth that
long-awaited heaven, and an united world that the Baha'i looks forward to
being fully and gloriously realized in the Golden Age of His Dispensation,
now only in the early stages of its Formative Age.
Moreover, is the National Spiritual Assembly of the heterodox Baha'is of the
United States ludicrously demanding that members of the Orthodox Baha'i
Faith, the majority of whom have been Baha'is for more than half a century,
now no longer call themselves Baha'is?
Surely the facts discussed above prove conclusively and irrefutably that
Shoghi Effendi, ever faithful and dedicated to fulfilling every Mandate of
'Abdu'l-Baha, had additionally acted in complete accordance with his own
clear, conclusive and extensive writings on the Baha'i Administrative Order,
extracts of which have been quoted above, and are, by no means exhaustive,
in which he has repeatedly emphasized the essentiality, prime importance,
and the destined continuance of the Guardianship and which constitute
undeniable proof that he insured the continuation of the Guardianship of the
Cause of God.
Joel Bray Marangella
Guardian of the Baha'i Faith
July 2008
Emphasis added
Notes.
It has been incorrectly argued by those who have not given due consideration
to the stage of development of the Faith at the World Center, either prior
to or at the time of Shoghi Effendi's passing, that they consider that Mason
Remey's accession to the Guardianship invalid, because the twenty-seven
living Hands of the Cause appointed by Shoghi Effendi during his ministry
had never, as stipulated in the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Baha, elected
"FROM THEIR OWN NUMBER NINE PERSONS THAT SHALL AT ALL TIMES BE OCCUPIED IN
THE IMPORTANT SERVICES IN THE WORK OF THE GUARDIAN OF THE CAUSE OF GOD. . ."
and who "UNANIMOUSLY OR BY A MAJORITY VOTE, MUST GIVE THEIR ASSENT TO THE
CHOICE OF THE ONE WHOM THE GUARDIAN OF THE CAUSE OF GOD HATH CHOSEN AS HIS
SUCCESSOR" had not done so. It should be considered in the first place that
the work of the Guardian at the World Center during this period did not
require the assistance of one third of the twenty-seven Hands that he had
appointed, or seven Hands, and he had obviously only required the assistance
of three Hands, in addition to his wife, Ruhiyyih Khanum, whom he had asked
to move to and reside permanently in Haifa, two of whom, Mason Remey and
Leroy Ioas he had been appointed to the International Baha'i Council as
President and Secretary-General respectively while, his wife, Ruhiyyih
Khanum, had also been appointed to the Council and significantly designated
as the "CHOSEN LIAISON" between himself and the Council, thus precluding any
direction of the Council himself which would have then automatically deposed
Mason Remey as its President. The remaining Hands had therefore been given
such assignments by Shoghi Effendi as attending the Intercontinental
Conferences and in rendering assistance in the teaching work during the Ten
Year Global Crusade that gainfully occupied them in promoting the Faith
throughout the world. As for the requirement of giving their assent to the
one the Guardian has chosen as his successor Shoghi Effendi has explained in
his writings that obviously it had not been the intention of 'Abdu'l-Baha in
this clause of His Will and Testament to confer upon the Hands the authority
to approve the Guardian's choice, made under divine guidance, of his
successor. What he did not point out however was the reason for this
requirement which may be realized when we consider the tremendous power that
will reside in the Guardianship, in the future when it will far surpass even
that of the Papacy today and when it could serve the purpose of unprincipled
or even criminal interests to attempt to influence or exercise control over
the choice of the Guardian's successor. The nine Hands that must give their
assent, by secret ballot, to the choice of the Guardian's successor are
therefore nine incorruptible and unimpeachable witnesses that must attest to
the authenticity of the Guardian's appointment of a successor which
certainly was not in question, and therefore not actually required in 1951,
although this appointment remained unrecognized as such, when Shoghi Effendi
publicly announced in his cablegram of 2 March 1951 that Mason Remey was the
President of the International Baha'i Council.
Detailed information with respect to my appointment on 5 December 1961 by
Mason Remey as his successor may be found in my Proclamation issued on 12
November 1969 and recorded in my webpage: http://www.Bahai-Guardian.com
WEB:
http://www.Bahai-Guardian.com/concessions.html
UNDENIABLE CONCESSIONS GRANTED BY A TRUE BAHA'I
The Guardian of the Faith of Baha'u'llah recognized as such by the orthodox
Baha'is, together with Frank Schlatter and Jeffrey Goldberg, appointed Hands
of the Cause, by him, were summoned to appear on 11 August 2008 before a
mediator of a settlement conference convened by the United States Court of
Appeals for the Seventh Circuit of the State of Illinois, U.S.A. to
determine whether fundamental differences between members of the Orthodox
Baha'i Faith and the members of an administrative body, under the name of
the National Spiritual Assembly of Baha'is of the United States, a body
which has been reelected by heterodox Baha'i delegates at yearly conventions
held since May of 1960, would be subject to compromise, the granting of
concessions, on either side, or possible resolution, prior to the hearing of
an appeal that has been lodged by that Assembly with the Appellate Court,
following the favorable decision made earlier in our favor by Judge St. Eve
(discussed in detail in prior postings on the internet). This conference had
to be suffered by us, despite the fact that both the undersigned, together
with those named above and the adherents of the Orthodox Baha'i Faith,
consider that the members of the current National Assembly, as well as their
predecessor assemblies, have been patently guilty of heresy, since the
passing of the first Guardian of the Faith, Shoghi Effendi Rabbani in 1957,
in their professed belief that he was the first and only Guardian of the
Baha'i Faith and have accordingly rejected the continuation of an
institution which, during his ministry (1921-1957), they, formerly, as
faithful Baha'is, had declared their undeviating and steadfast belief,
together with their fellow-Baha'is throughout the world, to be an absolutely
essential, indispensable and irreplaceable institution of the Faith and
which, on the basis of the sacred terms of the Will and Testament of
'Abdu'l-Baha, and according to Shoghi Effendi's own extensive writings on
the Baha'i Administrative Order, was destined to endure as long as the
Dispensation of Baha'u'llah itself endured (at least 1000 years) through an
uninterrupted succession of Guardians, each of whom had been appointed to
this Office by his predecessor, but whose members now, since the passing of
Shoghi Effendi in 1957, incredibly espouse what to the Orthodox Baha'i is an
incomprehensible, heretical and completely untenable belief that the
Guardianship of the Faith ended with his passing. In their current
repudiation of the major provisions of the Will and Testament of
'Abdu'l-Baha, a Document that had been acclaimed by Shoghi Effendi as no
less sacred than the Kitab-i-Aqdas, Baha'u'llah's Most Holy Book, and which
therefore actually constitutes a part of the explicit Holy Text of the
Revelation of Baha'u'llah, they have now undeniably become, in the view of
an orthodox Baha'i, unfaithful and actual apostates of the Faith, and,
despite their present superiority of numbers, nothing more than a schismatic
and heretical offshoot and sect of the true Faith of Baha'u'llah.
Aside from the privity issue, which is being argued separately by legal
counsel on both sides and will not be argued in this paper, it may be
observed that the concessions discussed below relate solely to a basic
religious issue that separates us and is therefore undeniably outside the
province of a civil court to satisfactorily resolve and therefore an issue
which, if duly recognized as such, that court would certainly decline
judgment.
In consideration of the foregoing, the following undeniable facts, that are
too numerous to be taken up in such a conference, are enumerated below as an
indication of the concessions that must be ultimately recognized and
granted, without reservation, by any Baha'i, or by any administrative body
of the Baha'i Faith, that is desirous of establishing the truth, either as
it pertains to the legitimacy of the current institutions of the Baha'i
Administrative Order, as delineated by 'Abdu'l-Baha, the Son of Baha'u'llah
and the inspired Author of that Order, in His Will and Testament, or to the
proper recognition of those believers who are adjudged to be faithful to the
Covenant of Baha'u'llah, on the basis of their complete and steadfast
adherance to every clause of the provisions of that divinely-conceived,
sacred and immutable Document, that 'Abdu'l-Baha -- the appointed "CENTER OF
THE COVENANT" -- has bequeathed to the Baha'i World, and upon faithful
compliance therewith, Shoghi Effendi, the first Guardian of the Baha'i
Faith, has emphasized was an essential condition to such recognition and,
only when such adherence had been unconditionally and formally declared by
applicants for membership in the Faith to the appropriate Baha'i
administrative institution, would then officially possess the right to call
themselves and be identified as faithful and true Baha'is
Nothing less, therefore, than the following facts must be recognized and
conceded as valid:
* That the Baha'i Administrative Order is founded on the
divinely-conceived, sacred and immortal Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Baha,
the Son of Baha'u'llah, the Founder of the Baha'i Faith and the Author of
the Baha'i Revelation.
* That following His Ascension in 1891, 'Abdu'l-Baha has been universally
recognized by all faithful Baha'is as Baha'u'llah's appointed successor,
"THE CENTER AND PIVOT OF BAHA'U'LLAH'S COVENANT" with His followers, "THE
PERFECT EXEMPLAR OF HIS TEACHINGS", the sole "INTERPRETER OF HIS WORD", and
"THE MOST MIGHTY BRANCH" to Whom all faithful Baha'is accorded their
unwavering and complete devotion, fidelity and obedience.
* That the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Baha delineated the institutions
of the Baha'i Administrative Order of which the highest institutions of that
Order, are the Guardianship and the Universal House of Justice, representing
respectively the Executive and Legislative/Judicial functions in the Baha'i
System of government.
* That the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Baha actually expressed the Will
of Baha'u'llah, as well, as emphasized in a comprehensive letter dated 8
February 1934 addressed by the first Guardian of the Baha'i Faith, Shoghi
Effendi Rabbani "To the beloved of God and the handmaids of the Merciful
throughout the West² (later published under the title of "The Dispensation
of Baha'u'llah²) in which he made the following pertinent statement: "THE
CREATIVE ENERGIES RELEASED BY THE LAW OF BAHA'U'LLAH, PERMEATING AND
EVOLVING WITHIN THE MIND OF 'ABDU'L-BAHA, HAVE BY THEIR VERY IMPACT AND
CLOSE INTERACTION, GIVEN BIRTH TO AN INSTRUMENT WHICH MAY BE VIEWED AS THE
CHARTER OF THE NEW WORLD ORDER WHICH IS AT ONCE THE GLORY AND THE PROMISE OF
THIS MOST GREAT DISPENSATION. THE WILL MAY BE THUS ACCLAIMED AS THE
INEVITABLE OFFSPRING RESULTING FROM THAT MYSTIC INTERCOURSE BETWEEN HIM WHO
COMMUNICATED THE GENERATING INFLUENCE OF HIS DIVINE PURPOSE [ BAHA'U'LLAH]
AND THE ONE WHO WAS ITS VEHICLE AND CHOSEN RECIPIENT [ABDU'L-BAHÁ]. BEING
THE CHILD OF THE COVENANT--THE HEIR OF BOTH THE ORIGINATOR AND THE
INTERPRETER OF THE LAW OF GOD--THE WILL AND TESTAMENT OF 'ABDU'L-BAHA CAN NO
MORE BE DIVORCED FROM HIM WHO SUPPLIED THE ORIGINAL AND MOTIVATING IMPULSE
THAN FROM THE ONE WHO ULTIMATELY CONCEIVED IT." And in this same letter he
further emphasized that "THIS ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER... AS ITS COMPONENT
PARTS, ITS ORGANIC INSTITUTIONS, BEGIN TO FUNCTION WITH EFFICIENCY AND
VIGOR, ASSERT ITS CLAIM AND DEMONSTRATE ITS CAPACITY TO BE REGARDED NOT ONLY
AS THE NUCLEUS BUT THE VERY PATTERN OF THE NEW WORLD ORDER DESTINED TO
EMBRACE IN THE FULLNESS OF TIME THE WHOLE OF MANKIND."
* That, unlike current secular forms of government, the Guardian of the
Faith, under the terms of 'Abdu'l-Baha's Will, exercises authority in both
the executive and legislative/legal spheres of Baha'i government in that he
has been designated not only as the Head of the Faith, as "THE CENTER OF THE
CAUSE" but, as differentiated from the other non-permanent members of the
Universal House of Justice who are elected periodically, serves as the
"SACRED HEAD AND DISTINGUISHED MEMBER FOR LIFE" of that body and in this
capacity, is more than a figurehead in the performance of the following
essential functions:
* He is the sole "INTERPRETER OF THE WORD" when a question of
interpretation of the sacred Writings is involved.
* He "HATH AT HIS OWN DISCRETION THE RIGHT TO EXPEL ANY OF THE MEMBERS WHO
COMMIT A SIN, INJURIOUS TO THE COMMON WEAL, WHEREUPON THE PEOPLE MUST ELECT
ANOTHER ONE IN HIS STEAD."
* He provides "THE NECESSARY GUIDANCE TO DEFINE THE SPHERE OF THE
LEGISLATIVE ACTION. . . "
* He "IS BOUND TO INSIST UPON A RECONSIDERATION BY THEM OF ANY ENACTMENT
HE CONSCIENTIOUSLY BELIEVES TO CONFLICT WITH THE MEANING AND TO DEPART FROM
THE SPIRIT OF BAHA'U'LLAH'S REVEALED UTTERANCES."
* That Shoghi Effendi became the Guardian of the Faith upon the Ascension
of 'Abdu'l-Baha on 28 November 1921, a date coincident with the inception of
the Baha'i Administrative Order. His ministry lasted for a period of
thirty-six years that ended with his passing in London, England on 4
November 1957.
* That the terms of the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Baha, state: "IT IS
INCUMBENT UPON THE GUARDIAN OF THE CAUSE OF GOD TO APPOINT IN HIS OWN
LIFE-TIME HIM THAT SHALL BECOME HIS SUCCESSOR, THAT DIFFERENCES MAY NOT
ARISE AFTER HIS PASSING." The qualifications that his successor must possess
on the basis of this Document are stated as follows:
* He "MUST MANIFEST IN HIMSELF DETACHMENT FROM ALL WORLDLY THINGS."
* He "MUST BE THE ESSENCE OF PURITY."
* He "MUST SHOW IN HIMSELF THE FEAR OF GOD, KNOWLEDGE, WISDOM AND
LEARNING."
And, "SHOULD THE FIRST-BORN OF THE GUARDIAN OF THE CAUSE OF GOD NOT MANIFEST
IN HIMSELF" the spiritual qualities that have been enumerated above, "THEN
MUST HE, (THE GUARDIAN OF THE CAUSE OF GOD) CHOOSE ANOTHER BRANCH TO SUCCEED
HIM."
* That the qualifications enumerated under the terms of the Will and
Testament of 'Abdu'l-Baha for appointment as the Guardian's successor, in
the absence of a spiritually qualified first born son, permit him to choose
"ANOTHER BRANCH" but the use of the term "BRANCH" (another male believer) is
not a reference to, or limit this choice, to an Aghsan, as was falsely
claimed by the Hands of the Cause following the passing, of Shoghi Effendi,
as he has clearly defined the Aghsan as the sons of Baha'u'llah (p. 239, God
Passes By) whose demise had long since taken place.
* That the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Baha endows the Guardian of the
Faith with the authority to appoint highly distinguished believers to the
station of Hands of the Cause who serve under his direction and whose
obligations "are to diffuse the Divine Fragrances, to edify the souls of
men, to promote learning, to improve the character of all men and to be, at
all times and under all conditions, sanctified and detached from earthly
things" and, as noted above, these functions do not require them to exercise
any administrative responsibilities or functions whatsoever.
* That, during the first twenty-nine years of his 36-year ministry, Shoghi
Effendi concentrated his efforts on the establishment of effectively
functioning Baha'i administrative institutions at local and national levels
only.
* That Shoghi Effendi, in the 30th year of his ministry, dispatched to the
Baha'i World a cablegram, under date of 9 January 1951, the one and only
Proclamation issued during his ministry but despite its identification as
such, in opening with the word: "PROCLAIM", it was manifestly and tragically
never accorded the important recognition it deserved, as later events would
tragically prove, for in this Proclamation addressed specifically and
significantly to the "NATIONAL ASSEMBLIES OF EAST AND WEST," he proclaimed
that the following developments "COMBINE TO INDUCE ME TO ARRIVE AT THIS
WEIGHTY AND EPOCH MAKING DECISION" to form "AT LONG LAST" the "FIRST
INTERNATIONAL BAHA'I COUNCIL" and "THIS FIRST EMBRYONIC INTERNATIONAL
INSTITUTION:"
* The "FULFILLMENT OF THE PROPHECIES UTTERED BY THE FOUNDER OF THE FAITH
AND THE CENTER OF HIS COVENANT CULMINATING IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE
JEWISH STATE . . ."
* "THE SWIFT UNFOLDMENT OF THE HISTORIC UNDERTAKING ASSOCIATED WITH THE
CONSTRUCTION OF THE SUPERSTRUCTURE OF THE BAB'S SEPULCHER ON MOUNT CARMEL."
* "THE PRESENT ADEQUATE MATURITY OF NINE VIGOROUSLY FUNCTIONING NATIONAL
ADMINISTRATIVE INSTITUTIONS THROUGHOUT THE BAHA'I WORLD."
* That, further, in his Proclamation of 9 January 1951, Shoghi Effendi had
further acclaimed his "HISTORIC DECISION" to form the International Baha'i
Council as "THE MOST SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE IN THE EVOLUTION OF THE
ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER OF THE FAITH OF BAHA'U'LLAH IN THE COURSE OF THE LAST
THIRTY YEARS" (that is, since the inception of that Order with the Ascension
of 'Abdu'l-Baha in 1921.)
* That Shoghi Effendi outlined the initial functions of the International
Baha'i Council to which would be added further functions as it evolved
through successive stages into an "OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZED [INTERNATIONAL]
BAHA'I COURT, ITS TRANSFORMATION INTO A DULY ELECTED BODY AND ITS
EFFLORESCENCE INTO THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE."
* That in this same Proclamation Shoghi Effendi had further eulogized the
unprecedented import attached to the constitution of the International
Baha'i Council in stating: "HAIL WITH THANKFUL JOYOUS HEART AT LONG LAST THE
CONSTITUTION OF THE INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL WHICH HISTORY WILL ACCLAIM AS THE
GREATEST EVENT SHEDDING LUSTER UPON THE SECOND EPOCH OF THE FORMATIVE AGE OF
THE BAHA'I DISPENSATION POTENTIALLY UNSURPASSED BY ANY ENTERPRISE UNDERTAKEN
SINCE THE INCEPTION OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER ON THE MORROW OF
'ABDU'L-BAHA'S ASCENSION, RANKING SECOND ONLY TO THE GLORIOUS IMMORTAL
EVENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE MINISTRIES OF THE THREE CENTRAL FIGURES OF THE
FAITH..."
* That in a message to the Baha'i World, dated 2 March 1951 Shoghi Effendi
identified Mason Remey as President and Amelia Collins as Vice-President of
this "NEWLY FORMED INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL" which, "THROUGH [ITS] CONTACT WITH
AUTHORITIES" had been "DESIGNED TO SPREAD THE FAME, CONSOLIDATE THE
FOUNDATIONS AND WIDEN THE SCOPE OF INFLUENCE EMANATING FROM THE TWIN
SPIRITUAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE WORLD CENTERS PERMANENTLY FIXED IN THE HOLY
LAND..."
* That perhaps the failure to recognize the import of his decision to form
the International Baha'i Council may be attributed or excused due to the
fact that Shoghi Effendi had perforce retained this supreme Council in an
inactive role during the remaining years of his ministry, for reasons that
will be explained below, but notwithstanding, this did not alter the fact
that it was undeniably the supreme administrative body, which, upon
activation as a functioning institution, would rightfully assume
jurisdiction over the National Assemblies to which the Proclamation had been
addressed and would then clearly function as subordinate national bodies, to
this International Council and in due course, when the International Council
had attained the second stage of its development as the International
Court,would exercise jurisdiction over "SIX NATIONAL BAHA'I COURTS" located
in "THE CHIEF CITIES OF THE ISLAMIC EAST." ( message of 8 October 1952).
* That, undeniably, the International Baha'i Council, as an EMBRYONIC
institution, was a complete and perfect organism at its inception for
'Abdu'l-Baha has stated that "THE EMBRYO POSSESSES FROM THE FIRST ALL
PERFECTIONS . . . IN ONE WORD, ALL THE POWERS--BUT THEY ARE NOT VISIBLE AND
BECOME SO ONLY BY DEGREES" (P. 313, BWF). And, as this was now
unquestionably the case with the embryonic Universal House of Justice, this
institution therefore undeniably possessed, at its inception, pursuant to
the explicit terms of 'Abdu'l-Baha's Will and Testament, an irremovable
"SACRED HEAD" who could be none other than the future Guardian of the Faith
and a body of at least eight believers. And, further, it had been for this
very reason that Shoghi Effendi had, out of necessity, retained the
International Council in an inactive status under the Presidency of Mason
Remey--the second Guardian-to-be, during the remaining years of his ministry
and had only assigned tasks to its members, from time to time, on an
individual basis, and additionally had designated Ruhiyyih Khanum as the
"CHOSEN LIAISON" between himself and the Council and had thus precluded, in
this way, any semblance of assuming the Presidency himself which, in that
case, would have required him to depose Mason Remey as its President.
* That had the Hands perceived these facts, they would have realized why
Shoghi Effendi had resorted to this wholly unexpected, yet valid manner, of
appointing his successor as he had obviously foreseen correctly that by
effecting the appointment of his successor in an indirect way he would
effectively obscure from both the Hands and all of the believers, as well,
that he had foreseen that his passing was near at hand which otherwise would
not have been the case if the appointment had been made openly and, as a
result, had imposed upon them a devastating shock. For, this would have been
the result, had the believers realized that Mason Remey, who was not a young
or even middle-aged believer, as they would have expected his successor to
be, but who, despite being almost a quarter of a century older than Shoghi
Effendi, would become his successor, this highly disquieting foreknowledge
would have seriously interfered with and certainly impeded the successful
achievement of the formidable tasks that would soon face them in fulfilling
the goals of the Ten Year Global Crusade scheduled to commence at Ridvan
1953.
* That in a message, under date of 23 November 1951, Shoghi Effendi,
referred to the Global Crusade conceived by 'Abdu'l-Baha, and projected the
significantly active function that would then be exercised for the first
time by the International Baha'i Council, as he stated that this Crusade,
scheduled to begin at Ridvan, (21 April-2 May) 1953, would "EMBRACE ALL THE
CONTINENTS OF THE EARTH" and "WILL BRING THE CENTRAL BODY [I. E. THE
INTERNATIONAL BAHA'I COUNCIL] DIRECTING THESE WIDELY RAMIFIED OPERATIONS
INTO DIRECT CONTACT WITH ALL THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLIES OF THE BAHA'I WORLD,
WHICH IN VARYING DEGREES, WILL HAVE TO CONTRIBUTE THEIR SHARE TO THE WORLD
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CAUSE OF BAHA'U'LLAH, AS PROPHESIED BY 'ABDU'L-BAHA,
AND ENVISIONED BY DANIEL," and had again clearly predicted, in an indirect
way, that for the International Council to assume this active role, his own
passing would necessarily have to take place either prior to or during the
Ten Year Crusade.
* That, having significantly extolled in his Proclamation, the
constitution of the "FIRST INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTION" of the Faith -- the
embryonic Universal House of Justice -- under the provisional name of
International Baha'i Council, on 9 January 1951, there remained for Shoghi
Effendi to establish the other international institution of the Hands of the
Cause as delineated by 'Abdu'l-Baha in His Will and Testament. Although he
had previously named several Hands of the Cause posthumously, he now
appointed the first living members of this Institution as he announced in a
message, dated 24 December 1951, his appointment of the first contingent of
twelve Hands of the Cause whose number included Mason Remey, and which would
be followed by further appointments as time went on that would bring the
total to twenty-seven living Hands of the Cause by the time of his passing.
* That, as further undeniable evidence that should have dispelled any
lingering doubt, that Shoghi Effendi had, in fact, established the Universal
House of Justice, albeit in its embryonic form, he stated in a message,
dated 30 June 1952, that: "AT THE WORLD CENTER OF THE FAITH, WHERE, AT LONG
LAST, THE MACHINERY OF ITS HIGHEST INSTITUTIONS HAS BEEN ERECTED, AND AROUND
WHOSE MOST HOLY SHRINES THE SUPREME ORGANS OF ITS UNFOLDING ORDER, ARE, IN
THEIR EMBRYONIC FORM, UNFOLDING . . . "
* That the claim made in the "Proclamation" issued by the Hands on 25
November 1957 at the conclusion of their conclave in Haifa, that "no
successor to Shoghi Effendi could have been appointed by him" and that he
"had left no Will and Testament" because "The Aghsan (branches) one and all
are either dead of have been declared violators of the Covenant by the
Guardian. . ." was clearly an erroneous statement, as previously discussed,
and was either glaring evidence of their inexcusable lack of knowledge of
the terms of the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Baha or a nefarious and
deliberately duplicitous attempt to misrepresent the qualifications
prescribed in that Document for the one chosen by the Guardian as his
successor, which enables him, in the absence of an eldest son with the
requisite qualifications, to choose "ANOTHER BRANCH," to succeed him, a term
which they falsely claimed restricted the Guardian to the appointment of an
Aghsán, ignoring the fact that this was patently untrue as Shoghi Effendi
had identified this term to apply solely to the sons of Baha'u'llah, who,
moreover, as they were apparently unaware, would due to their demise never
be available for appointment and who, even prior to the passing of
'Abdu'l-Baha, had been guilty of infidelity to the Covenant and therefore
had already been conspicuously omitted from His mention of those in Part
Three of His Will and Testament who have been particularly enjoined to show
fidelity to the Guardian of the Faith.
* That the Hands, having failed to recognize that Shoghi Effendi had
appointed his successor in faithful compliance with the terms of the Will
and Testament, as explained above, and having thus further disregarded the
indisputable fact that they lacked any authority whatsoever, under the
provisions of that sacred Document, to direct the affairs of the
Faith,illegitimately seized this authority upon his passing that had
occurred, as he had foreseen during the Ten Year Crusade, and did not permit
the International Baha'i Council--as the embryonic Universal House of
Justice and unquestionably the "SUPREME ADMINISTRATIVE INSTITUTION" of the
Faith, under Mason Remey's Presidency--to assume its rightful authority and
to exercise what would now have become an active role in its direction of
the National Spiritual Assemblies of the world in their achievement of the
goals of the Ten Year Global Crusade, then at its midpoint, as Shoghi
Effendi had clearly envisaged and projected in his message of 23 November
1951.
* That, wherever in the above statements the Hands have been criticized
for their failings it should be understood that Mason Remey is exempted from
this criticism. He had been summoned by Shoghi Effendi in 1950 to move to
Haifa from his ancestral home in Washington D.C. and informed that
henceforth he should make Haifa his permanent home and then during the
remaining years of Shoghi Effendi's ministry had, in further complementing
his unsurpassed record of manifold and outstanding accomplishments for the
Faith over half a century, prepared, as its architect, the design of the
International Archives building now erected on Mount Carmel and before that,
as the architect specifically chosen by 'Abdu'l-Baha, had designed the
Baha'i Temple that will be erected in the future on Mount Carmel and,
moreover, as the architect chosen by Shoghi Effendi, had designed the Baha'i
Temple that will, in the future, be built in Iran and had been the
architect, as well, of the Baha'i Temples already constructed in Sydney,
Australia and in Kampala, Uganda. It was because of his residency in Haifa
that he was one of the nine Hands that had been appointed by his
fellow-Hands to the illegitimate body of the Custodians that assumed
direction of the Faith following the passing of Shoghi Effendi. Not for one
moment however did this mean that he had agreed with the conclusion that had
been reached by them that the Guardianship had forever ended with the
passing of Shoghi Effendi for his diary written under the title of "Daily
Observations" provides stark evidence of his frequently voiced passionate
appeals to his fellow-Custodians to reconsider their stand on the
termination of the Guardianship, in addition to his several magnificently
written appeals to all of his fellow-Hands setting forth his arguments as to
why they were obliged to reconsider their stand against the continuation of
the Guardianship, all of which had proved to be of no avail. Finally,
thoroughly frustrated with the ineffectiveness of these efforts he left
Haifa late in 1959 and returned to his previous ancestral home in Washington
from which he dispatched his Proclamation, as the second Guardian of the
Faith in May of 1960 addressed to "THE BAHA'IS OF THE WORLD THROUGH THE
ANNUAL CONVENTION OF THE BAHA'IS OF THE WORLD THROUGH THE ANNUAL CONVENTION
OF THE BAHA'IS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ASSEMBLED AT WILMETTE,
ILLINOIS [DURING] RIDVAN 117 [OF THE] BAHA'I ERA" with the expectation that
this National Spiritual Assembly would forthwith inform the other National
Spiritual Assemblies throughout the world of this proclamation which
unfortunately and tragically was never done and consequently the members of
these assemblies were never given the opportunity to judge for themselves
the validity of his accession to the Guardianship, the National Spiritual
Assembly of France being the notable exception, only because it had directly
received a copy of his Proclamation and upon due consideration and
consultation had recognized his rightful accession to the Guardianship, and
as a result been illicitly disbanded on orders from the body of Custodian
Hands, who by this time had also, in their nefariously delusion, cast Mason
Remey out of the now sans-Guardian Faith that they espoused.
* That, had the Hands, on the other hand, permitted developments to
unfold, as envisaged and projected by Shoghi Effendi, they, as well as the
believers throughout the world, would certainly have perceived that, as only
the Guardian of the Faith rightfully presides as the "SACRED HEAD" of the
Universal House of Justice--provisionally named in its embryonic stage of
development as the International Baha'i Council--he had, in the appointment
of Mason Remey as its President, undeniably and faithfully provided for the
continuance of the Guardianship.
* That, having faithlessly failed to perceive that Shoghi Effendi had
appointed his successor they instead incredulously assumed they had been
assigned authority over the Faith, on the basis that Shoghi Effendi had
conferred upon them the appellation: "CHIEF STEWARDS OF BAHA'U'LLAH'S
EMBRYONIC WORLD COMMONWEALTH" in the very last message he had issued to the
Baha'i World, in October of 1957, one month prior to his passing, oblivious
of the fact that he had, instead, indirectly affirmed and had clearly
implied that their recently established embryonic institution would continue
to develop, together with all of the other embryonic institutions of the
Administrative Order, until it, together with them, attained their destined
maturity in that future Commonwealth, and which, as this maturity pertained
to their institution, could obviously only be realized if a future living
Guardian of the Faith and "CENTER OF THE CAUSE" was presiding over the Faith
in that Commonwealth and able to appoint future Hands of the Cause.
* That the Hands of the Faith failed on all counts to perceive that Shoghi
Effendi had assured the continuance of the Guardianship and took it upon
themselves, to appoint nine Hands from their own number to serve on a body
they termed "the Custodians of the Baha'i World Faith," to which they
subordinated the International Baha'i Council, notwithstanding the fact that
this was obviously an illegitimate body that had been established outside
the provisions of the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Baha and yet, as they
stated, had been authorized by the entire body of their fellow-Hands ³to
Exercise--subject to such directions and decisions and as may given [by
them] from time to time as the Chief Stewards of the Baha'i World Faith--all
such functions, rights and powers in succession to the Guardian of the
Baha'i Faith, His eminence the late Shoghi Effendi Rabbani. . . until such
time as the Universal House of Justice, upon being duly established and
elected in conformity with the Sacred Writings of Baha'u'llah and the Will
and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Baha, may otherwise determine.²
* That, following a period of some six years during which the Custodian
Hands directed the affairs of the Faith, they transferred their illicitly
acquired authority and functions to an elected, equally illegitimate
sans-Guardian Universal House of Justice which without the Guardian of the
Faith presiding as its "SACRED HEAD" was obviously not the Institution
prescribed by 'Abdu'l-Baha in His Will and Testament.
* That, as Shoghi Effendi has stated in The Dispensation of Baha'u'llah:
"THE BEDROCK ON WHICH THIS ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER IS FOUNDED IS GOD'S
IMMUTABLE PURPOSE FOR MANKIND IN THIS DAY," it is certain that the
sans-Guardian and seriously flawed man-made administrative system that has
been established by the leaders of the heterodox Baha'is, is unquestionably
contrary to the Purpose of God and therefore cannot long survive whereas it
is clear that the divinely-conceived, sacred and immortal Administrative
Order bequeathed to the Baha'i World by 'Abdu'l-Baha in his Will and
Testament shall ultimately be restored, triumph and flourish in all of its
perfection.
An understanding of the difficulty that is faced by Orthodox Baha'is in
reaching any settlement in our dispute with the heterodox Baha'is, on
religious grounds, may be facilitated and better understood by an individual
or the members of a court unfamiliar with the Baha'i Faith and, in this
case, with the status and the role of the Guardian of the Faith as its
appointed Head, if it is realized that the basic issue involved and the real
reason why the National Spiritual Assembly has initiated its lawsuit in the
first place is purely a religious one, based on its belief that the
Guardianship of the Faith ended with the passing of Shoghi Effendi, and its
perverse refusal, together with the heterodox Baha'is, under their
jurisdiction, not to mention those Baha'is outside of the United States and
the members of their so-called and grossly misnamed Universal House of
Justice, to recognize and accept the undeniable evidence, presented to the
contrary, as discussed above. A further analogy of the situation, applicable
in part, may be helpful in facilitating an understanding of the issue, if a
comparison is drawn between the Orthodox Baha'i who maintains an unshakeable
and steadfast belief in the divine appointment and uninterrupted continuance
of the institution of the Guardianship, to the same degree as the devout
Catholic who believes in the divine origin, authenticity and permanency of
the Papacy, on the basis of the words of His holiness, Jesus Christ to the
Apostle, Peter, as found in the well known verse in the Bible (although, in
their case, but not in ours, the true meaning of His statement may be
differently interpreted) and consequently are firmly convinced that Peter
was undeniably, in effect, if not so named, the first Pope, whereas early
Protestant devotees who had previously believed in the Papacy were
subsequently influenced by apostates from their faith, such as Martin
Luther, to reject the Papacy. Also, with respect to the question of their
right to the exclusive use of the symbols of the Faith, as claimed by the
National Spiritual Assembly, this claim may be likened to one Christian sect
ludicrously claiming exclusive use or display of the Christian Cross. And,
as for the exclusive use of the phrase: "WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH," a
phrase, whose use may also be in dispute, this phrase, the Orthodox Baha'i
believes is not subject to restriction of any kind as it may be compared to
the phrase: "Kingdom of God" which is included, for example, in the Lord's
Prayer recited by the Christian worshiper as he entreats God that His
Kingdom come to earth as it is in heaven and is synonymous to the Baha'i
with the phrase: "THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH" which upon its ultimate
establishment throughout the world will virtually bring to this earth that
long-awaited heaven, and an united world that the Baha'i looks forward to
being fully and gloriously realized in the Golden Age of His Dispensation,
now only in the early stages of its Formative Age.
Moreover, is the National Spiritual Assembly of the heterodox Baha'is of the
United States ludicrously demanding that members of the Orthodox Baha'i
Faith, the majority of whom have been Baha'is for more than half a century,
now no longer call themselves Baha'is?
Surely the facts discussed above prove conclusively and irrefutably that
Shoghi Effendi, ever faithful and dedicated to fulfilling every Mandate of
'Abdu'l-Baha, had additionally acted in complete accordance with his own
clear, conclusive and extensive writings on the Baha'i Administrative Order,
extracts of which have been quoted above, and are, by no means exhaustive,
in which he has repeatedly emphasized the essentiality, prime importance,
and the destined continuance of the Guardianship and which constitute
undeniable proof that he insured the continuation of the Guardianship of the
Cause of God.
Joel Bray Marangella
Guardian of the Baha'i Faith
July 2008
Emphasis added
Notes.
It has been incorrectly argued by those who have not given due consideration
to the stage of development of the Faith at the World Center, either prior
to or at the time of Shoghi Effendi's passing, that they consider that Mason
Remey's accession to the Guardianship invalid, because the twenty-seven
living Hands of the Cause appointed by Shoghi Effendi during his ministry
had never, as stipulated in the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Baha, elected
"FROM THEIR OWN NUMBER NINE PERSONS THAT SHALL AT ALL TIMES BE OCCUPIED IN
THE IMPORTANT SERVICES IN THE WORK OF THE GUARDIAN OF THE CAUSE OF GOD. . ."
and who "UNANIMOUSLY OR BY A MAJORITY VOTE, MUST GIVE THEIR ASSENT TO THE
CHOICE OF THE ONE WHOM THE GUARDIAN OF THE CAUSE OF GOD HATH CHOSEN AS HIS
SUCCESSOR" had not done so. It should be considered in the first place that
the work of the Guardian at the World Center during this period did not
require the assistance of one third of the twenty-seven Hands that he had
appointed, or seven Hands, and he had obviously only required the assistance
of three Hands, in addition to his wife, Ruhiyyih Khanum, whom he had asked
to move to and reside permanently in Haifa, two of whom, Mason Remey and
Leroy Ioas he had been appointed to the International Baha'i Council as
President and Secretary-General respectively while, his wife, Ruhiyyih
Khanum, had also been appointed to the Council and significantly designated
as the "CHOSEN LIAISON" between himself and the Council, thus precluding any
direction of the Council himself which would have then automatically deposed
Mason Remey as its President. The remaining Hands had therefore been given
such assignments by Shoghi Effendi as attending the Intercontinental
Conferences and in rendering assistance in the teaching work during the Ten
Year Global Crusade that gainfully occupied them in promoting the Faith
throughout the world. As for the requirement of giving their assent to the
one the Guardian has chosen as his successor Shoghi Effendi has explained in
his writings that obviously it had not been the intention of 'Abdu'l-Baha in
this clause of His Will and Testament to confer upon the Hands the authority
to approve the Guardian's choice, made under divine guidance, of his
successor. What he did not point out however was the reason for this
requirement which may be realized when we consider the tremendous power that
will reside in the Guardianship, in the future when it will far surpass even
that of the Papacy today and when it could serve the purpose of unprincipled
or even criminal interests to attempt to influence or exercise control over
the choice of the Guardian's successor. The nine Hands that must give their
assent, by secret ballot, to the choice of the Guardian's successor are
therefore nine incorruptible and unimpeachable witnesses that must attest to
the authenticity of the Guardian's appointment of a successor which
certainly was not in question, and therefore not actually required in 1951,
although this appointment remained unrecognized as such, when Shoghi Effendi
publicly announced in his cablegram of 2 March 1951 that Mason Remey was the
President of the International Baha'i Council.
Detailed information with respect to my appointment on 5 December 1961 by
Mason Remey as his successor may be found in my Proclamation issued on 12
November 1969 and recorded in my webpage: http://www.Bahai-Guardian.com
WEB:
http://www.Bahai-Guardian.com/concessions.html