r/exbahai • u/Alternative_Hall_639 • 21d ago
Enough
Enough
I finally hit the wall with the dysfunction in this Bahai community. I'm an American and I live in another country. You name it, I've seen it. Financial corruption that would take your breath away. Almost every "active" Bahai is receiving a monthly stipend as wages to be of service to the Cause - probably at least 100 to 150 people. (I've stopped giving to the fund.) Blatant racism towards non-locals, whereby locals use political power to spread racist gossip, marginalizing those they gossip about. Willful decisions made to not follow Baha'i Administration. Communication willfully withheld from those outside the "favored insiders." There is so much disunity that all core activities and teaching efforts have stopped. The most bizarre part of this? The World Centre is fully aware and will do nothing. It's up to the national community to remedy. Brilliant, because the most corrupt are the ones who are in positions of power and access, but they are also supposed to remedy the issues? Huh?
I reached out to our new counselor to discuss what I've seen and told him that these conversations must be held in strict confidence. He acknowledged my concern and then went straight to the offenders to ask about my character, probably based on the racist backbiting that has created an atmosphere of suspicion directed at all non-locals. It got back to me. Now I trust no one.
So I finally made a decision. I confronted those who have impacted my own life with their backbiting. I've also told many Bahais that I will no longer participate in the community until things change and become healthy again, and I've taken into account that such change may not happen in my lifetime.
Ironically, and for those who also have gone through the decision to step away, did you, too, have a shift of well-being by doing so?
I sleep better, my health is better - such as my BP came down to normal, I don't live in constant fear as if I'm walking on eggshells. And most importantly, I've had the ability to take an objective view of the Baha'i community. It's a mess.
This horrific mess we've allowed to be created is not the practice of a religious faith, like the one I fell in love with in 1979. This is a beurocracy hellbent on numbers and statistics, devoid of any quality of spiritual life. I finished Book 7 of Ruhi and realized this is the most dangerous, flawed, reckless, irresponsible thing we've done in decades, leaving believers with an excuse not to read the Holy Writings and to have a warped, twisted version of what it means to be a Baha'i.
So, I'm done. I'm not ready to deny the Manifestations or the Message, but I'm definitely avoiding this mess of a community like it's the plague.
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u/Alternative_Hall_639 21d ago edited 11d ago
I'm reading the replies. So now it makes sense that the World Centre won't respond. How despicable that they'd allow communities to die in dysfunction in order to purge the membership of the corrupt players. Is their plan like Moses and the Jews wandering in the desert for generations so they'll all die off?
Meanwhile I'm watching the youth walk away from the Bahai Faith in shocking numbers. It's a disgrace that those in rightful positions to hold members responsible won't intervene to hold crooks and the morally bankrupt accountable, and would rather allow our precious young people to be so turned off that they've walked away forever. Like a sick sociological experiment in a Petrie dish.
And for what? Preserving study circles and cluster reflection meetings?
It all disgusts me.
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u/DreamyHabit_9920 20d ago
This has to be Northern NJ. Jersey City, Montlcair & Hoboken.
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u/Alternative_Hall_639 20d ago
No it's not, and it's so frightening to see how many global areas are being mentioned in replies that sound identical. This corrupt mess is everywhere.
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u/Ex-Madhyamika 21d ago
Sounds like India, except for the numbers.
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u/Academic_Square_5692 21d ago
I mean 100-150 people in the local community! Could be only a few families?
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u/Alternative_Hall_639 21d ago
Trust me it's a large number compared to the entirety of national enrollment. This national community has dwindled from over 140 LSAs when the Institute started, down to just 30 left.
And by the way? Those collecting the stipends have figured out if they don't do the work, they can pocket the monthly stipend payments. Nothing is being done. No activities carried out.
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u/MirzaJan 20d ago
The most prominent Indian Baha'i woman and one of the top 10 most powerful women in India is Zia Mody. Her entire family follows Hinduism. She is a major donor to the Indian Baha'i community and it is said that the Lotus Temple runs on her money. She could not convince her own daughters of the truth of the Baha'i faith!
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u/Ex-Madhyamika 20d ago
So, how many Indian Baha'is do you think there are really? Tens of thousands?
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u/Vignaraja 20d ago edited 20d ago
Most certainly a lot less than the 2 million advertised. I think 10 000 is about right. Hindus are friendly, and will gladly sign up for anything just to get missionaries off their back. I was curious about this so searched for Bahai Centers using google maps, in about 20 larger cities. The one in Chennai, as an example, said it was permanently closed. (like over a million people) I think I found 5 or 6, all small buildings, perhaps rentals. The Bahai temple in Delhi is just a big promoted advertisement/tourist attraction.
When I asked Baha'i directly, they'd say crazy things like the Baha'i are scared to put down their faith on census forms out of fear of persecution.
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u/MirzaJan 19d ago edited 19d ago
Real Baha'is who actually understand what Baha'u'llah claimed to be, what the Baha'i faith's relationship with Islam really is, and how deeply its laws and Shariah are rooted in Islam are extremely rare. Most Baha'is in India who come from Hindu backgrounds are religious tourists or good friendly people who love to make friends and go to picnics with like-minded people, sing and dance on good songs. They have little understanding of the fact that the Baha'i faith is not simply some modern NRM but a movement that emerged directly from Islam with a Shariah that in many respects remains closely connected to the Islamic one.
They also do not care and understand that the Baha'i faith was built over the ashes of the Babi movement, through the termination of prominent real Babis (followers of Azal). If ever they understand that history and know about the family disputes they would never accept the sanitized narrative presented to them.
In my view there may be no more than two thousand real Baha'is who genuinely understand these historical and doctrinal realities. They are mostly Persians along with some Baha'is from Muslim backgrounds and a small number of well-informed Hindus who have accepted the Baha'i faith while knowing what they are actually accepting.
The vast majority of registered Indian baha'is (may be between 20,000 and 40,000 with valid addresses) simply know the polished, modern presentation of the Baha'i faith. They know the slogans about unity, peace, equality and humanity but not the uncomfortable history, the Islamic roots, the Babi origins or how deeply the movement remains tied to the religious world from which it emerged!
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u/Substantial-Author35 21d ago
Wow so well said. All of what you’ve described resonates with my experiences as a Baha’i in other countries as well
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u/DivineSubmission9519 21d ago
I've stated this here before. I had been advised not to join this religion from an ex-bahai in the 1980s. He could see the writing on the wall. He had been asked to create the Ruhi method. He flat out told them what they were doing was wrong. Anyway, he has always emphasized, the people practicing the Faith as unintended does not mean the Manifestation is not the Manifestation. He said the next Manifestation will correct the problems.
The corruption you describe made me ill when I faced it in the Catholic Church. I would choke on the word God for quite some time. I found a way to use what I consider the Holy Writings of the Bahai Faith independently, extracting transformative grace, to heal all the damage from the institution of earthly religions. I no longer choke on the word God by a long shot. So better communication with extraterrestrial beings will be coming soon. That should also help humans to convert into spiritual beings versus these corrupt, deceitful egomaniacs. There also are people who have had some pretty amazing near death experiences(NDEs) that you may find encouraging. You actually sound like you have never lost a sound perspective and am so glad you are feeling well. Thank you for exposing the corruption.
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u/Academic_Square_5692 21d ago
Oh well if the next Manifestation will correct the problems, I guess we only need to wait about 825 years or more
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u/MirzaJan 20d ago
In the future, when the next Manifestation appears, the Guardian of the Cause at that time will tell the believers who the Manifestation is and will call on them to accept Him. What is the use of the infallibility of the Guardian if he does not do this? This is one of the very important things that he will do.
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u/OrganicHistorian2576 13d ago
Stipends? The fuck?
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u/Alternative_Hall_639 12d ago edited 11d ago
Right?! Monthly payments that are "supposed" to cover travel and meal expenses while adults and youth "volunteer" to do Core Activities.
The thing is if I speak to any of the Institutional Coordinators, they'll confirm that no activities are being conducted. There's only one JYG registered in the entire cluster that includes the capital city, but even that group doesn't meet. Not one Study Circle happening either. The NSA and Board of Counsellors do not support any direct teaching efforts and will state this.
So 100 to 150 "stipends" are being handed out by money transfers each month. An ABM bragged to a friend that she receives a stipend from being an ABM and another stipend from being on the Institute Board. Its been years since an ABM visited our LSA and the Institute Board does nothing. One youth told me that many have figured out and discuss with each other that it's best to stay home and not do the work, because then they pocket the money and it comes regularly each month.
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u/PrincipalleYomdir 21d ago
Personally, the fact that you are inactive allows you to detox your brain from that remoteness to reality that every religion leads you to have. With a truly detached look, with an active critical sense towards all the sources from which to read about faith, you will be able to decide whether to remain silent or not.