The voices of Iranian Baha’is are calling out for deliverance against a horrible oppressor – their own government. In the past few weeks, the world has learned, through the United Nations, of a new set of “impermissible and unacceptable” actions taken by the Iranian government to strangle the long-suffering Baha’i community of Iran. Through multiple agencies, the government has begun systematically identifying members of the Baha’i Faith and monitoring their activities. In addition, they have orchestrated ridiculous and odious fabrications against the faith and its adherents in the government-controlled media.
The teachings of the Baha’i Faith are open and available for the world to see. Anyone with unrestricted Internet access can go to www.bahai.org to learn the basics. Furthermore, several online services offer all the Baha’i writings available free. But Iran is not an open society. People can be easily manipulated by those who are motivated by misdirected religious zeal.
Is this the beginning of another mass extermination? Is it another program against a defenseless peaceful religious minority? Why is the government trying to stir the Iranian masses against the Baha’is?
The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the freedom of religious belief thinks that these lists will be used as a basis for “increased persecution of, and discrimination against, members of the Baha’i Faith, in violation of international standards.”
It should be noted that the Baha’is of Iran have suffered at the hands of their government on and off since the inception of the Baha’i Faith in 1844. This year stands out as one in which thousands of Americans and Europeans (Adventists, Templars and others) eagerly awaited the return of Christ. Indeed, the greatest eschatological movement in the history of Christianity occurred in 1843 and 1844. The Muslim year 1260, (our 1843 – 1844) was also the year in which many Muslims were anticipating the appearance of the promised Mahdi – the guided redeemer of Islam. The claims of the Baha’is that these expectations were jointly fulfilled in Iran in 1844 deeply agitate the Iranian clergy and fundamentalists, who wish to maintain their power and who have gained control of the government.
What can we do to prevent a peace-loving people, known the world over for bringing people of conflicting heritages together in a firm unity, for uniting science and religion, advocating universal education and championing the rights of minorities and women, from being exterminated?
We can raise our voices in outrage! We can ask our Iranian friends if they know of the persecution of Baha’is and of the recent ominous signs. We can ask what they know about the Baha’i Faith, and determine if it is based on fact or hateful fantasy. We can educate them. We can also join with the White House, which has expressed its concern, and write our members of congress with our concerns, so that just governments may arise, act and protect the innocents who teach peace.