AN OPEN LETTER TO MY FELLOW BAHÁ’ÍS
In the Bahá’í Faith, consultation is the vehicle that directs all group activities in a unified direction. Independent investigation of truth is like the fuel that feeds the engine of our Faith. Without these activities, we are lost in a world of chaos where unity dissipates and no progress can be made.
March of 2020 was the first time the world at large was confronted with a big lie and the Bahá’í world’s 100 year plus period of deepening in our beliefs would be put to the test.
There were many lies within this big lie but I will focus on only one: that we should all get vaccinated for Covid. The general Bahá’í response was to obey their governments. But here’s the problem: the governments broke dozens of laws which are designed to safeguard citizen’s rights and keep the politicians in their appropriate lane. When laws are broken with reckless abandon, we have chaos.
This brings us to the consultation that never was: should Bahá’ís obey their governments or should they obey the laws that govern their respective countries that should be upheld by their governments? We can’t do both because they often oppose each other so this is a perfect case for the dire need of consultation.
During the “pandemic,” which never fulfilled the legal nor biological definition of a pandemic, in the state of Washington, here are the laws that the government and businesses that followed suit broke:
U.S. FEDERAL LAWS
1. U.S. Constitution, 1st Amendment, Right to Assemble, Right to Freedom of Speech, Right to Religious Expression
2. U.S. Constitution, 4th Amendment, Right to Privacy
3. U.S. Title 52, Civil Rights Act of 1964: Unlawful to Discriminate in place of Public Accommodations
4. U.S. Title 42, Section 12101: Unlawful to Deny Entry to Persons with Disability or perceived medical condition (ADA)
5. U.S. Americans with Disabilities Act: Unlawful to Deny Entry to Persons with Disability or perceived medical condition
WASHINGTON STATE LAWS
1. Washington Constitution, Article 1, Section 3
2. Washington Constitution, Article 1, Section 5
3. Washington Constitution, Article 1, Section 11
4. Washington State Legislature Revised Code 18.71.021: Practicing medicine without a license
5. Washington State Legislature Revised Code 9A.60.040: Impersonating a peace officer
6. Washington State Legislature Revised Code 49.60.030: Free and Equal Access to Public Accommodations
7. Washington Constitution, Article 1, Section 1 protects personal rights
8. The Washington Law Against Discrimination (WLAD) prohibits discrimination based on disability: Individuals with disabilities have the same rights as others
9. Washington State Legislature Revised Code 49.60.030(1b): Disabled have full and equal access
10. Washington State Legislature Revised Code 9A.40.040, False Imprisonment
11. Washington State Legislature Revised Code 9A.84.030: Disorderly Conduct
12. Washington State Legislature Revised Code 9A.46.020: Harassment
Unfortunately, the global response from the Baha’i communities and their institutions was to obey the governments without question, laws be damned. What has resulted in this lack of consultation and independent investigation of truth? A cripple world community that has retreated from the forefront of spiritual progress to fill the ranks of the blindly obedient. We have not fought back against lawlessness and tyranny and have opted, however unintentionally, the path to compliance.
Bahá’ís often talk about preserving unity but unity of what? It appears we have been preserving unity of thought rather than unity of the deep seated belief in the unifying principles of Bahá’u’lláh, diversity of thought of which is a hallmark.
There, of course, remain scientific or medical matters about which experts have legitimate differences of opinion. Believers may, thus, come to various conclusions about such matters, and there is no obligation for the friends to have uniformity of thought about them. However they should not allow differing opinions to become a point of contention among themselves and should act in ways that demonstrate their care for the welfare of others.
—The Universal House of Justice
As Bahá’u’lláh stated: ‘Say: no man can attain his true station except through his justice. No power can exist except through unity. No welfare and no well-being can be attained except through consultation.” In this light, justice is indeed essential to resist the vain imaginings and idle fancies of social and political machinations, to see reality with one’s own eyes, and to identify the requirements for an equitable social order. But then unity is essential—forged through consultative processes, including action and reflection—to achieve the power required for positive social change.’
—The Universal House of Justice Department of the Secretariat, 27 April 2017
During Covid there were many Bahá’ís who (in my opinion) blindly followed government dictates but there were also many Bahá’ís who questioned the narrative. And that this has caused some division that is not to this day really spoken about in Bahá’í communities around the world. Those who questioned the narrative were marginalized and ridiculed in many communities, however, they would love to have a conversation about what happened.
Much of the above predicaments have been the result of fear. But what do we have to be afraid of? The weakening of our body politic has not been the result of outside influences; they have been the result of decisions we have made.
"Perhaps the greatest test Bahá’ís are ever subjected to is from each other; but for the sake of the Master they should be ever ready to overlook each other's mistakes, apologize for harsh words they have uttered, forgive and forget. He strongly recommends to you this course of action."
So where do we go from here to cultivate a more permanent, rather than an ephemeral, form of unity? Without fear and in the spirit of sharing, we can consult. Independently investigate. Know that we will be assisted in our deliberations if our unity is based on truth rather than convenience, groupthink or social pressure. If we each see with our own eyes and not through the eyes of others, we can contribute a point of view that might be worth consideration. Then we can fuel the engine of progress, forge ahead, and shape the world we live in to fulfill the vision of Bahá’u’llah.
—Matthew Levine
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Other relevant quotes
Religion should not be playing medicine: "But as we are a religion and not qualified to pass on scientific matters we cannot sponsor different treatments."
—1950-09-30 on behalf of the Guardian to an individual believer re medical treatments
One thing is clear―that Bahá’u’lláh has said we should consult a good physician if we are ill; However, they are free to use their own judgment as to what kind of a physician they consider a good physician, and ultimately decision as to whether to have one’s child vaccinated or not must rest with the parents in consultation with the doctor on whom they rely.
—From a letter dated February 15, 1957, written on behalf of the Guardian
Let them beware lest they allow themselves to become the tools of unscrupulous politicians, or to be entrapped by the treacherous devices of the plotters and the perfidious among their countrymen.
—Shoghi Effendi
What an extraordinary situation now obtains, when no one, hearing a claim advanced, asks himself what the speaker’s real motive might be, and what selfish purpose he might not have hidden behind the mask of words.
—‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the Secret of Divine Civilization
Treat disease first of all through diet, and refrain from medicine. If you can find what you need for healing in a single herb do not use a compound medicine. Leave off medicine when the health is good, and use it in case of necessity.
—Bahá’u’lláh
Do not neglect medical treatment, when it is necessary, but leave it off when the body is in good condition.
—Bahá’u’lláh