Admin, I apologize if I am the one who took this off topice. I thought that proselytizing was in keeping with what the Bahais were arrested for and I felt a need to clarify its meaning, per UHJ. Could you send me an e-mail to let me know where I erred? Again, I apologize.

Please keep the discussion on-topic.

Regards, Editor

Mark – You are correct about “stones” . . .nothing can restrain Divine Will.

That was the point of my story (above) regarding the party of 40 people without matches . . .it happened in Iran. . . the Baha’i were not actively teaching . . .the man was not seeking . he did not believe that no one in crowd of 40 had a match . . . but it became clear to him when he learned they were mostly Baha’is. It may seem innocuous but . . .there it is, the cleanliness of these Baha’is was made . . .apparent.

Additionally, this blog is not meant to proselytize, which the Bahá’í Faith forbids.

The Universal House of Justice said this:

“Proselytizing implies bringing undue pressure to bear upon someone to change his faith.”

I think that settles the questions anyone may have about proselytizing and teaching. You may find this information in Ocean, a non-official Bahai program that you can download or use online.

Along the lines of what Ali mentioned, discretion is always advisable because you cannot “teach” a person who does not want to learn. This is different than “dissimulation” (a concept allowed by Shi’a belief ), which is to conceal one’s belief until a situation is more receptive or tolerant. Many religious minorities have practiced this in the past to survive.

Baha’s cannot do this. I would also like to add that “teaching” the Baha’i Faith is more than “talking” about Baha’i Teachings and belief system.
It requires action that speak to Baha’i principles. This has been stressed again and again in the Writings of Baha’u'llah and Abdul Baha.

Teaching the Baha’i Faith is about how one lives the Baha’si Teachings. Please allow me to share the example a friend from Iran who told me. One night a strange man knocked on the door of a house where 40 people were gathered to celebate a family occasion. The people were mostly, but not all, Baha’i. Thoses who were not Baha’is were relatives or in-laws.

The man who had knocked asked for a match to light the pipe he was holding. No one among the 40 people in the house could offer him a match, because they did not smoke. The man who had knocked on the door was astounded and according to my friend, only accepted that no one had a match when it was explained that almost everyone at the party was a Baha’i.

Now that’s teaching!

I’ve had Bahai friends from Iran whose families “disappeared” and I don’t know if they are on the list of the missing. I agree, they know to follow what they are directed to do, and I can’t see them teaching in public. But, if you answer a question, that could be considered a violation. Similar to Nazi Germany, where children informed on parents, although I am not comparing The Holocaust to the pogrom against Bahais, as I do not want to offend my Jewish friends.

Do you have more specific insights on reading it to help me understand it better?

My e-mail is glennfrancosimmons@yahoo.com.