It tells open hearts that there is no clergy in the Baha’i Faith, that the consciences of human beings are sacred and should be protected, that everyone has the right and obligation to independently investigate the truth, that everyone has the right to express their concerns and opinions without fear; yet its top leadership dis-enrolls, excommunicates, and shuns those who ‘cross the line’. 

If the Universal House of Justice would just once answer these legitimate objections that thousands have about the current administration of the Baha’i Faith, including many members (some of whom are quiet and some not so quiet), that would be a good start. But it appears that the people in the ‘higher up’ positions are just interested in short term goals and securing their status for as long as they can milk it. It’s sad, really, because the Baha’i Faith could have been a tremendous spiritual force in this world. But its vitality has been sapped by extreme over organization, meetings about nothing, meetings about having meetings, misplaced loyalties, politics when it suits their cause, abstention from politics when it is non-Baha’is who are suffering, etc. 

It still makes me angry that this institution dares to say that it is because of Baha’u’llah’s ‘blessings’ that all of this ‘great’ stuff is being done by the rank and file Baha’i membership obeying their instructions. It offends me that they drag his name through the mud to promote their agenda, and I’m not even a Baha’i anymore.

Since the Baha’i Faith is not going to take over the world, people know that how many people in the world call themselves “Baha’i” is pretty much meaningless. What matters is what values, principles and causes people are working for, giving their time and energy and money to make a constructive difference in the world. If Baha’is would take at least 50% of the time, energy, and money they’re currently devoting to the “global Plan” for “intensive programs of growth” promoted by their beloved, supposedly infallible UHJ, and transfer those human and financial resources into doing actual work to promote ideals Baha’is have always believed in — things such as overcoming racism and gender