Apostasy Plus
November 24th, 2007Alison gets more of a gurnsey than me in Moojan’s article, and she’s written about her reaction here.
The thing is, one religion’s apostate is another’s convert. I know that Moojan has tried to use a definition of apostasy as one who finds their identity in rejection of their former faith rather than in embracing their new faith identity, however given the Baha’i religion is such a strongly proselytizing one, we could easily apply this definition to many ‘core believers’ who spend their time proselytizing their former co-religionists (whether Christian, Jewish, Muslim or whatever).
Many of the apostates of Moojan’s article are not apostates from the faith at all. They are disaffected from Baha’i administration. Sort of like Catholics who decide the Pope isn’t all he’s cracked up to be don’t stop being Christians. Alison, Karen, even Juan all believe in Baha’u'llah, they just don’t believe the way Moojan wants them to believe.
There is also no recognition that the grievances of ex-Baha’is or unenrolled Baha’is might have any basis in fact. Apostates are depicted as caricatures - like annoying little devils who spend all their time running around prodding poor old patient ‘core believers’ with pitchforks.
Moojan was an academic I used to read regularly and for whom I used to have a great deal of respect. His earlier paper on Baha’i as meta-religion is an outstanding contribution. It was for this reason I and Abu Yasmin toodled off to a presentation in Australia that he gave many years ago after I had begun practising Islam. I tagged along with hubby to a smaller meeting with Moojan held the next day at Baha’i House and it was at this meeting that the old family friend accosted me and ridiculed Muslims and told me that I would have got the death penalty for what I did, had it been the other way around. I then realised the only right response is to say a`udhu billah and concentrate on my own deen.
And say to My servants (that) they should (only) speak that which is the best; (Because) Shaitan verily sows dissensions among them. Surely, Shaitan is an open enemy to man. (Al-Isra’ 17: 53)
Moojan, you’ve sold out mate.
[Update: Here’s fellow apostate Karen’s response]
A Melburnian Muslim convert blogs religion, academia and life in general. 
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Thank you for writing this. I have been feeling terrible about this crisis waiting to ignite in the Baha’i Faith and community. I recently resigned from that religion and have been trying to surrender it to nothingness, but I do feel like a bitter divorcee a lot of the time. There were so many visions that I had about the Baha’i Faith, none of which were accurate interpretations of what It says about Itself. And I couldn’t live the lie anymore and come up with my own unofficial interpretations, knowing very well that those interpretations are rejected by the “infallible institution.” So, why fool myself? Why not just accept the truth as it is, even though it hurts so bad?
I hope I can surrender this as well..
peace
Thanks Peace, it’s not easy - I think because the promises are so beautiful and so needed, it’s hard to be disappointed and let down. But as my Baha’i mum pointed out to me last night, Baha’is are human too and their administration is just like the administration / organisation / bureaucracy of every other religion. M. Scott Peck says that God doesn’t work in human institutions, he works in individuals and I believe him.
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