Dennis MacEion is the researcher who turned against this organization after 15 years of being the member of the Baha\u2019i community.<\/p>\n
He was born on Jan. 26, 1949 A.D. in Belfast, Northern Ireland. After learning English literature from English Poet called Michel Langley, he became interested in theater and literature. During these years, he became familiar with Baha\u2019ism<\/a>, too. He went to Dublin to learn English language and literature. After that he has learned Arabic language, the holy Quran and Persian language in Edinburgh university in Scotland. Then, he travelled to Jordan, Turkey and Iran. After studying at Shiraz university, he received his Ph.D. from \u201cking\u2019s College Cambridge with a thesis on Sheikism and Babism in Shia Iran during 19th<\/sup> century.<\/p>\n Dr. Eion who was a Baha\u2019i taught English, the Islamic civilization and translating English to Arabic in Muhammad V\u201d university in Morocco for two years (1979-1980 A.D.). After that (1981 A.D.) he became busy teaching Arabic in Newcastle university when the Saudi Arabia investors dismissed him due to teaching Shia and Sufi issues.<\/p>\n During the time when he was a member of Baha\u2019ism tried hard to explain this cult\u2019s aims and nature scientifically and academically and such scientific and research focus caused his departure from Baha\u2019ism to be paid more attention. After 15 years of continuous serving Baha\u2019ism from being present at organizational conferences to teaching in Baha\u2019i summer schools he was boycotted and dismissed from Baha\u2019ism.<\/p>\n Dennis MacEion has written various articles about his scientific discoveries containing interesting notes.<\/p>\n In the following sentences, various notes can be figured out about the method of creating attraction for unaware non-Baha\u2019i to clarifying their basic nature:<\/p>\n \u201c\u2026 Basically, one of the cases that caused me to be attracted to Baha\u2019ism were being modern, paying attention to the contemporary issues and the claim for passing previous religions by Baha\u2019ism and for offering new dimensions of belief and action. However; now when I observe it with an open eye, I see it as a creed being managed by really traditional and conservative men and women; those whose beliefs are in line with merely the most conservative dimensions of ancient religions. The Baha\u2019is beliefs are more in line with Jewish and Christian exterimists and Muslim fundamentalists and Salafis rather than with Jewish, Christians, Muslims and Shia reformists.[1]<\/a>\u201d<\/p>\n Mr. MacEion didn\u2019t conclude it overnight or in a short period of time to withdraw from Baha\u2019ism and basically in the beginning of the matter his aim of posing criticisms wasn\u2019t to leave Baha\u2019ism, but his mere measure was to make his research and scientific spirit awake. Alongside with his mastering over Persian and Arabic languages it caused him to confront with contradictions and many objections in theoretical foundations of Baha\u2019ism, but he critically reviewed the Baha\u2019is performance and people in charge of this organization, too.<\/p>\n As a matter of fact; with the passage of time, the expansion of his research and increasing of his awareness of the Baha\u2019ism aspects, he tried to correct the existent situation by useful criticisms. Finally, he returned against the cult due to the Baha\u2019is actions and performance and theological and historical positions. The following are the issues criticized professionally by this master of university:<\/p>\n These are some cases mentioned by MacEion in the form of letter, article and etc. offered to the Baha\u2019is, but the Baha\u2019ism organization wasn\u2019t able to answer them, but people such as \u201cJuan Cole\u201d who once tried to defend Baha\u2019ism against these difficulties turned against Baha\u2019ism after a while.<\/p>\n Baha\u2019is helplessness in confronting and responding appropriately to a person like Dennis MacEion and their coersive behaviors indicate that contrary to this cult\u2019s claim for the importance and believing in the principle of \u201cthe necessity for harmony between science and religion\u201d (one of the twelve principles of Baha\u2019ism in which Baha\u2019ism is believing and bond), it cannot stand the slightest scientific view and the scientific figures can\u2019t tolerate the atmosphere dominating this organization.<\/p>\n The following is the examining one of the critical works of Mr. MacEion which has been translated into Persian language by Mrs. Leila Chaman Khah. In this book, three writings written by Dennis MacEion have been translated entitled: \u201cDennis MacEion\u2019s letter concerning the Baha\u2019i creed dated 1979 A.D.\u201d, \u201cBranches and leadership claims in Baism (1850-1866 A.D.)\u201d and \u201cCrisis in Babi and Baha\u2019i studies\u201d. Of course, some notes have been added by the translator.<\/p>\n The first letter (material) has been written by the author when he was still hopeful with the influence of mentioning. What can be acquired by the letter is the Baha\u2019is treatments, the activities and the method of confronting with the teaching of \u201cnon-interference in politics\u201d\u2026 He honestly presented some of the Baha\u2019i activities which are merely proselytizing and has shown that how the teaching of the lack of interference in policy is in contradiction with the aims posed by the Baha\u2019i creed concerning the Baha\u2019i university government. In this stage, he hopes to be able to reform the community of the Baha\u2019is.[3]<\/a>\u201d<\/p>\n With regard to the importance of Ali Muhammad Shirazi<\/a>\u2019s succession (the head of Babism) to prove Baha\u2019ism for the followers of the cult, the author was going to present a brief narration of the events happened after Bab\u2019s death in the article entitled \u201cThe leadership branches and claims in Babism\u201d a bit after his turning against Baha\u2019ism. He was also going to analyze the issues related to succession in this cult criticizingly\u2026 In this article, the author is studying a short-termed period of time of the history of forming Baha\u2019ism that is power war and challenging over Babi community leadership after Bab\u2019s death.[4]<\/a>\u201d<\/p>\n It is interesting to be noted that he hasn\u2019t suffice mentioning the historical narrations and eventually the article is analyzing and investigating the validity of the statements remained in this regard. It should be noted that although this article is investigating the issue of Ali Muhammad Shirazi\u2019s succession, but it doesn\u2019t mean it is going to confirm his claiming for prophethood. It is going as a scientific and merely historical article to reveal the fact and events which have been happened not the veracity of surrounding claims[5]<\/a>.<\/p>\n The third article of this book has been written to oppose the Baha\u2019i international study atmosphere; particularly to oppose Juan Cole. Of course, Mr. Cole turned against Baha\u2019ism community later on and became one of the famous critics of the universal house of justice. In this article, the author shows a very important crisis in Baha\u2019ism; that is, non-scientific approach of Baha\u2019ism confronting historical-scientific criticisms. Meanwhile, the article suggests the organization whether to reform its approach or not to have any claim for being scientific.<\/p>\n As one can see the atmosphere of the Baha\u2019ism studies and the limiting approach of the main center of the Baha\u2019i organization in the freedom of expression; particularly in the area of free access to information in the field of the beliefs of Babism and Baha\u2019ism history, the study of MacEion\u2019s works and criticisms is important because it shows that a person who has been Baha\u2019i for years and has spent a significant period of his struggled so much in line with the goals of this organization, is criticizing Baha\u2019ism when he gains more information in the field of it!<\/p>\n www.roshangar-online.com<\/u><\/p>\n [\u06f1]<\/a> Farnagh, Hamid, Baha\u2019ism in Dennis MacEion\u2019s researches, Tehran: Gooy publishing house, 1400, p. 14.<\/p>\n [\u06f2]<\/a> Ibid, pp. 16 & 17.<\/p>\n [\u06f3]<\/a> MacEion, Dennis, branches and claims of the leadership in Baha\u2019ism, translated by Leila Chaman Khah, Tehran: The contemporary look, 1392 S.H., p. 6.<\/p>\n\n