Although there isn’t any relationship between Christmas and lit up pines and the Iranian culture, but this glittering event can be visible due to the presence of Christians and their legal freedom for celebrations. Also, there are some photos and activities of Baha’is for the Christians. For example, there are some photos of illuminating the street leading to the burial place of Hussein Ali Nouri in Haifa for Christmas explaining: “These lights are both for Christmas feast and for Kermel bride sitting as the Chairman.” Such behavior and presence of the Baha’is are observable in celebrations like Halloween which is also originated from Christianity theologically.
Apart from the historical background of this ceremony exploited by various Christian movements, we are going to investigate the Baha’is approach and their purpose(s) for their showing off in such ceremonies. “Abbas Effendi”, the second head of the Baha’is considered Christmas celebration, being happy then and its symbols such as decorated pine trees as superstitions and those who do it as Short-sighted and deluded.[1]
On the other side, the Baha’is are claiming for their beliefs to be free from superstitions. The Baha’is are claiming for Bahaism to be updated and say that their heads are pioneers and accordance with modern science. Consequently, it can be calculated that the members of the cult must avoid the actions called by him as superstitions and delusions and confront it.
As a matter of fact, all plans, actions and behaviors of a Baha’i person is in favor of the organization and its organization proselytizing. If today a ceremony is in favor of Bahaism, the members the organization will ignore their beliefs and will perform that ceremony to proselytize and recruit. However, it shouldn’t be forgotten that all these actions are being done by the cult to achieve its goals that is recruiting non- Baha’is and at last to take charges. It is essential for to do the following seven stages to be formally recognized and to dominate on the world:
- being unknown
- being oppressed and subjugated
- being separated from other religions
- being independent
- being recognized officially
- emergence of terrestrial dominance of the faith and merging the country organization with the Baha’i system
- establishing the Baha’i Kingdom in international level.[2]
If we want to show a process of passing these stages, it can be said that the cult penetrates into a community and tries to find a social position among people. This position starts regarding planning through so-called effective activities and needed trainings of the region. In this stage, it isn’t said much about the cult to the addressees; so that even the active Baha’is accept people’s ideology at that special region and act based on their rituals. As the first head of Bahaism Hussein Ali Nouri socialized to Muslim mosques and bathrooms or even Abbas Effendi participating at group prayer even as the leader of group prayer![3] In Christian countries, the Baha’is also behaved based on traditions of Christianity; for instance, they were active in churches and baptized their offspring.
However, they gradually violated their previous behaviors and openly spoke about a new religion and exposed a different ideology which had assigned for themselves. Then, the Baha’is prevented and blamed those who behaved based on -Baha’i rituals and in some cases, they excommunicated. As Shogi Effendi, the third leader of Bahaism organization says: “Punishment (the administrative excommunication) must be exerted against those who don’t isolate from political and ecclesiastical activities persistently.”[۴] This is a public process which is being regulating in the Baha’s world. Shogi Effendi also says: “Holding celebrations related to the religious Christian holidays by the divine disciples (the Baha’is) is forbidden.”[۵]
These instructions show that Bahaism is trying to be separated from the others in this stage and is going to be accepted formally in the community. At first, the Baha’is and their leaders were negating all non-Baha’i rituals, but with the passage of time they decided to deceive and attract people towards themselves and to some extent they fell short of their positions. Consequently, the main center of deviant cult of Bahaism issued a message:
“The Baha’is can and must participate at harmless rituals and cultural events and the ceremonies…”[۶]
All in all, the Bahaism organization is intrinsically willing to omit each kind of non-Baha’i religious ceremonies, but on the other side, it extremely needs to be seen. So, it is actively participating in some ceremonies which are inoffensive and harmless. It wants to have an active and proselytizing presence there.
Thus, the Baha’i claiming for respecting all human beings having each religion is just mask wearing in public assemblies and internet nets to recruit unaware and naive people.
[۱] Effendi, Abbas, tablets and wills, vol.2, P3 295.
[۲] Effendi, Shoqi, the emergence of divine justice, p.32.
[۳] Ayati, Abdul Hussein (Avarah), Kawakeb-al-Dorrich, 124 Badia’, vol. 2, p.200.
[۴] Helen Hornby, the guidance lights, paragraph 183.
[۵] Ibid, paragraph 1029.
[۶] Ibid paragraph 464.
