Baha’i in Iran

There is no room for religious tolerance of other faiths in a Theocracy. Of course I think that is wrong.

It almost sounds logical from their point of view. If you are not Muslim, you are not a true believer...end of story. It is probably that cut and dried for them. No tolerance whatever for anything else.

If you know about the country you are talking about-Iran-then you shouldnt be very surprised. It is one country where terror and religious intolerance thrives in every domain of life and all leaders perfect this intolerance with a religious duty.

This is so sad. As you say the Baha'i faith is one of the most gentle and tolerant religions. Why are they persecuted and killed? Because totalitarian regimes cannot tolerate any deviance from the norm they impose.

Actually the Baha'is have had a mixed kind of a history. Earlier in the 20th Century, for example, they were much more accepting of a diversity of personal views than they are now. All religions change as they move further away from the lifetime of their founder and Baha'u'llah's religion is no different.

thank you for bringing up this discussion! I have been a Baha'i for about a year now and love the faith. Though I do acknowledge that it is by no means perfect I have found in my experience it is much less corrupted than many other religions. I just wanted to clarify one thing. The Baha'i Faith is an independent religion, it is not a sect of Islam. there is a lot of confusion about this because Baha'u'llah lived and taught in a Muslim country and many of the teachings of Islam are included in Baha'i writings. But to say the baha'i faith is a sect of Islam would be equivalent to saying christianity is a sect of Judiasm. In addition, the baha'i faith is not a sect of the Babi religion (another confusion) Both are indepedent religions intitiated by independent founders. Although the Baha'i Faith does follow the teachings of the Bab and Muhammad, Baha'is also follow the teachings of Christ, Krishna, Zoroaster, ect. The Baha'i Faith is no more part of one religion than another. Also, I wanted to add that the UN affirmed that mass killings and torturings of people happened in Iran but voted to do nothing about it which I found interesting...

Hello redyellowblackdog! It may not be reasonable to argue with you here because though I am not sure, yet, it seems that you are not willing to consider and present both sides of a story or state of affairs. Bias and Prejudice is common even in the educated lot and even on this community. I don’t know, how much you have studied Bahai history, or Iranian history, and their religious book “Al Bayan”. And, I don’t know how much you have considered or even know about other side of the story? So, I don’t find a basis for genuine debate as yet, and won’t comment directly on your post, the Bahai belief system, their practices and history. Bahais in Iran do have problems but they are no more than what Muslims, or blacks, or pagans or other groups have in America. I can surely bring thousands of stories, articles and news pieces, depicting plight of these groups in America but I don’t do this. It isn’t that I am not informed of the problems in America as such, but I don’t start discussions on the basis of political agenda and if I do, I tend to present both sides of a story because I don’t want to be a tool in the hands of some individuals who want to take advantage of me for their gains by politicizing the domestic issues. Also because, I am not perfect and am prone to mistakes just like any other body. However, when someone points out problems in others’ systems, I do remind people what problems they have in their own. Why I don’t start discussions and raise issues of human rights violations in America is because I TRY to consider both sides of a story and I believe natural process of normalization and don’t believe in interfering in others’ affairs based on political agenda. I do what is in my practical capacity about domestic problems in other countries without making negative hue and cry. Many wars have been waged on the pretext of doctrine of human rights while people waging war, seems to forget what violations they have in their own backyard. However, while not responding directly to your post, I do have some questions for you to consider and respond to me, honestly!! In your responses are the answers!:-) 1. How would you respond if I said that Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton are the heroes and are the voice of justice in America and whatever they say is RIGHT?? 2. Will you think of me as being honest and truth seeker, if I only read the plight of pagans in America from pagan writers or the plight of African Americans from African American writers without considering opposing and counter points!!? 3. What do you think of a person who takes one side of a story without deliberation and investigation and without even considering the other side!? 4. In any system of Justice, in any court of law, in any judicial system, will it be ‘just’ to NOT listen to the accused!? 5. How, in your opinion, a just and even handed opinion should be or can be formed!? 6. There were more than 480 hate crimes against Muslims according to FBI (reported by BBC) in 2001, and there are still more than 160 hate crimes against Muslims, annually. Total hate crimes against Muslims in America during last 10 years far out number hate crimes against Bahais in Iran in last 28 years. Would you consider America a hateful and tyrannical state on the basis of these figures? In your answers is the answer to your post!:-) Peace be to all!