After a long period of time one of those who turned against Baha’ism is Mrs. Karen Dee Hayre[1] Bacquet.
Biography:
Mrs. Karen Dee Hayre is from California, the U.S.A. she is a teacher and living there.
Her field of study is education and she has searched about Baha’ism a lot. She is a prolific author and a critical scholar and is going to make others aware of the realities existing in the Baha’i community writing critical and questionable materials.
Since 1999 and for 14 years, she has been an active member of the Baha’i community; but she lost her trust due to the existence of contradictions in Baha’ism and the persecution she received from the Baha’i leaders. So, she turned against Baha’ism
“… The reason for my turning against Baha’ism was my awareness of the lie and deceit by the American Baha’i national assembly concerning Dialogue Magazine. [This magazine was cancelled by the American Baha’i national assembly due to its attack to the Baha’i organization]. I was present at 1988 national convention[2] and heard they denied the issue. However; later on, I figured out that the reality is something else. No attack had been done by the magazine. I felt that the national assembly had lied to me. The national assembly of the American Baha’is had been treacherous against my belief and I was suffered from the spiritual crisis. From that time on, I wasn’t able to have any belief in Bahaullah. I left the Baha’i community because I didn’t trust on the Baha’i foundations and institutions.[3]”
Criticized Baha’ism in her webpage[4] in the cyberspace after she leaving Baha’ism.
Karen has written several articles in the periodical called “the sectarian cultural studies[5] including the article entitled “Enemies inside: The dispute and control in the Baha’i community[6]” in which she introduces and explain about the unsatisfied open-minded in Baha’ism. This periodical was published by “the American family foundation which was later on called the sectarian studies association[7].
I another article; in the new religions magazine[8], she published another article. According to Mr. Moojan Momen, Bacquet has assumed herself a Baha’i identity out of the Baha’i organization.[9]
Due to the critical debates posed by Mrs. Bacquet, the universal house of justice has announced that she hasn’t been merited to be Baha’i.
Mrs. Bacquet is one of the active people in the site rants[10] who is presenting various criticisms in beautiful forms against the Baha’is and sometimes she writes for the site using Baquia[11] pen name.
In an article called “My thought about everything”, she writes in the site rants: “I was timid at first. Then, I felt stuffy, unhappy and disappointed. Next, I got angry for a long time and wrote some matters through the internet; but I gradually withdrew again. I still believe in Bahaullah; but I don’t believe in the universal house of justice and I worship out of Baha’ism organization…”
She continues: “You annoyed me and your opponents. You can’t claim for being agree with science and religion; but you annoy the scientists.”
One of the other problems I face is vagueness in recognizing the position and the authorities of the universal house of justice and the guardian of the faith. Most Baha’is believe that the universal house of justice members are the gods on the earth or the representatives of God on Earth. Such people make a mistake to assume Shoqi Effendi’s words are Baha’i rules. This is one of the most destructive mistakes ever happened.
I believe that everything must be clear. Secrecy and justice cannot live together. This matter has become explicit repeatedly during human history and doesn’t need to be discussed. To be honest, I hope all voice inside the organization to be heard advocating such clarity.
[۱] Bacquet is her husband’s surname.
[۲] The representatives of the local assemblies gathered to elect the members of the national assemblies.
[۳] http://fglaysher.com/bahai censorship/ex14.htm
[۴] Beliefnet.com
[۵] Cultic studies jornal
[۶] Bacquet, k., 2001.Enemies within: conflict and control in the Baha’i community, cultic studies Journal, 18 (1), pp. 140-171.
[۷] International cultic studies association
[۸] Nova religion
[۹] Momen, Moojan. “Marginality and apostasy in the Baha’i community.” Religion 37.3 (2007): 187-209. P. 199.
[۱۰] Bahairants.com
[۱۱] Baquia
