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Return to God, Not to Institutions: Baha'u'llah's Call to Repentance and Truth


 
Hi Free Baha'i Team, I've a question, can you please help me with it. If a guy who once served the Cause turns away from it, does the teaching say to simply condemn and excommunicate them, or does Baha'u'llah ask to leave the door open for them to return?

Answer:

Hello Maggie,

Allah’u’Abha!

Thank you for your email. The question you have raised is quite interesting, and we understand where you're coming from.

One of the most striking things about Baha'u'llah's words is that even when He addresses someone who has seriously turned away, He does not begin by closing the door. He calls that person to truth, self-examination, repentance and return.

The passage from the Kitab-i-Aqdas is particularly powerful because Baha'u'llah reminds this person of the closeness they once had to the Cause. He recalls how they were educated and prepared for service, and even reminds them of the words they themselves once wrote at His direction. Then comes the question that cuts much deeper than any punishment could:

"Suppose people were mistaken about thy affair; art thou mistaken about thyself?"

That is a question every believer can ask themselves.

What happens when loyalty to a person, institution or position becomes more important than truth? What happens when zeal prevents us from recognizing our own mistakes? And what happens when we become so attached to defending our position that we can no longer honestly examine it?

Baha'u'llah's answer is not simply rejection. He says:

"Take care that zeal does not hinder thee from the Unity. Face towards Him, be not afraid because of thy (evil) works. He forgives whom He wills by Grace from Him."

And finally, He leaves the door open:

"Therefore return to Him submissive, humble, and humiliated. He will pardon thy evil doings."

For Free Baha'is, these words carry an important lesson. No institution, administration or human authority should become more important than the truth itself. A person who discovers that they have followed an interpretation, a leader or an institution in error must have the freedom to reconsider and return to the Word of God without fear.

Independent investigation is not merely the freedom to choose what we believe. It is also the courage to admit when we may have been wrong.

Baha'u'llah's invitation is remarkably simple: return to Him.

Not to an institution.

Not to a personality.

Not to an administration.

Return to God.

Warmth and peace,

Team Free Baha'is 

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