Those who are attracted to the cults having long-termed aims are serving the cult all their lifetimes. The cult misuses the person’s time and lifetime to such an extent that is useful for the cult. However, those who join the legitimate organization have a definite service period of time and can leave or extend it. This is difference between the sectarian organizations and the legitimate groups. So, one of the factors which proves Bahaism organization to be a cult and to be destructive is the lack of freedom in leaving members or the measures applied by cult to prevent people abandoning it.
The reaction of Bahaism organization towards those who leave the deviant cult of Bahaism: The programs of the organization against those who want to turn against Bahaism is terror and horror created by the organization. Those who turn against Bahaism are pursued, punished and excommunicated and even assassinated by the organization. In the cults, people are trained not to have any relationship with those who have turned against the cult.
At the same time, they expand rumors about those who have turned against the cult in order to dishonor them. To be honest, the relationship with the ex-Baha’is is really dangerous for the organization because the ex-Baha’is provide facilities for other members to exit the cult by explication.
One of the Bahaism organization tricks to make the members return again and to prevent the members leaving the cult is excommunication. Excommunication is exerted in affairs such as: Marriages which are out of the organizational orders, traveling without the organization permission, hiding belief and generally speaking the affairs which are out of the organizational orders.
Ataullah Qaderi, the ex-Baha’i – says about the lack of people’s freedom in Bahaism: “In Bahaism, everything is generally authorized by the organization; from naming newly- born to education.”
Behzad Jahangiri, the other ex-Baha’i says about the members’ devotion: “I Sympathized my mother. What a misery life she had due to the organization. She had obeyed the organization blindly all of her lifetime.”
There are two kinds of excommunications in the Baha’ism organization: Spiritual and administrative both of which are used to put pressures on members. In administrative excommunication, a member whose total lifetime had been spent for the cult programs and had had organizational identity is cut with the cult. In spiritual excommunication, none the cult members are allowed to be in touch with the member and he/she is let alone. It would be a severe
mental and emotional torture on members.
Iraj Qolami, the ex-Baha’i, says about the excommunication in the organization: “… the administrative excommunication was done in the first stage and the next was the spiritual one. Of course, when I became Muslim, I was told they were not ordered to excommunicate me spiritually. So, I was communicated administratively If they were saying hello to me and I was answering back, they were being excommunicated, too. That is, they were being exited from Bahaism. Thus, they were just excommunicating me administratively in order to have social intercourse.”[۱]
Excommunication is originated form organizational orders of the head of this cult. For example, Shogi Effendi the third head of Bahaism issued the following message for those members who were going to exit or some doubts which had been created in their minds: “Violating the covenant is a spiritual illness and all views and behaviors of a covenant breaker is too poisonous that Abbas Effendi has likened it leprosy and has prevented the disciples having social intercourse with him/her.”[۲]
Sara Karami, the ex-Baha’i, narrates her bitter memoirs about Bahaism concerning her mother’s cautions about excommunication by the organization: “My mother explained us continually that we want to be Muslims and it will be a great event in our lives. She explained its consequences such as: Everybody may leave us even father, grandfather, grandmother, maternal aunt, maternal uncle and etc.”[۳]
One of the other threats of the organization against members is separating couples and offspring from each other. Jahangiri says in this regard: “… they separated my wife and me in Tehran city and said: whether become Baha’i again or divorce your wife.”[۴]
Ataullah Qaderi says about losing his job after leaving organization: “It was really hard for me. Having no money, excommunication and persecution and thousands of calamities were exerted on us… We must just trust just on God…”
So, depriving ex-Baha’is of the economic and financial sources is of the other methods of the organization to make them turn to Bahaism again.
The other measure for making ex-Baha’is to return to the deviant cult of Bahaism is creating horror and fear. Jahangiri says in this regard: “My mother said to me: I sympathy you for destroying your world and futurity and you are disfavored by the Blessed Beauty. Now, you are writing books… I say to you to give up your activities. I won’t ignore you if you write book again. I don’t allow you to see me or call my name… .”[۵]
These organizational behaviors are violation of freedoms. Exerting pressure on those who turn against the cults, the cults take away the power of freedom and authority of people to exit the organization.
[۱] Shatfafiat periodical, No.32, p. 36.
[۲] The message of shogi Effendi to the national spiritual assembly of Canada, March, 30, 1957 A.D.
[۳] Shaffafiat periodical, No. 35, P. 35.
[۴] Jahangiri, Behzad, the organization disclosed, p. 397.
[۵] Ibid, p. 411
