From: khademi@cajal.usc.edu (Peyvand Khademi)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.iranian
Subject: Re: A WORD OF CAUTION
Date: 30 Aug 1992 13:03:55 -0700
Organization: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: cajal.usc.edu


In <saleham.715045099@craft.camp.clarkson.edu>, Anwar M. Saleh writes:

> darvish@khAneghAh.alishAh (darvish-ali) writes:
> > ......
> >     ;Do all muslim hate Bahaie?

>        Again, watchout. This question if not coupled with the 
>        the question "Do all Bahaie hate Muslims?", then it serves
>        as a hidden message.

Indeed Anwar, hidden messages abound!  For example:

1. A subtle but consistent hidden message lies in the misspelling of
references to the Baha'i Faith, by those on this newsgroup and elsewhere
who for whatever reasons don't think highly of this religion.  Given
that at least for months the Baha'i Faith has been a topic of various
threads on this newsgroup, whatever initial mistakes may have existed
due to lack of knowledge should have disappeared gradually as those who
cared about its good name (in this case its literal name), i.e. the
Baha'is, used the correct spelling.  But persistence of errors seems to
indicate something beyond casual carelessness.

Hidden Message of the misspellings (IMHO):

    "We who misspell the name do so intentionally to show our total
    lack of respect for this wanna-be religion.  We do so to show how
    unworthy of attention we [pretend to] think it is, that we don't
    bother or care to spell it correctly.  We do so to irritate the
    Baha'is: not only do we gleefully not recognize them as equal
    citizens in our Islamic countries, but we get some additional kicks
    out of annoying them with this misspelling of the names of their
    prophet and religion; they are not legitimate there, nor here.
    Finally, we do so to convey our in-between-the-lines propaganda:
    they're a _strange_ lot, so much so that we can't even get their
    _strange_ name right."

To those of this mind set, I'll give this much satisfaction: as a Baha'i,
it does bother me.  But not exceedingly.  I take it in stride and take
heart in my love for Baha'u'llah which is not diminished by such tactics.
As to the underhanded attempts to undermine the stature of the Baha'i
Faith, it's counter-productive.  I've written this in a previous post,
that I can respect righteous hatred for an ideology or religion if one
believes it to be evil (the example I used was righteous hatred of
racism).  But to attack that hated ideology or religion on any level
other than forthright and factually-based arguments, both reduces the
moral effectiveness of the attacker in the eyes of his/her intended
audience, as well as blind the attacker to perspectives and possibilities
he/she has not yet considered.

[For the record (and for those who care), the religion is generally referred
to as "The Baha'i Faith", the founder was "Baha'u'llah", a follower is a
"Baha'i" (plural, "Baha'is").  "Baha'i" is also used in the adjective form,
as in "Baha'i law".  For information on the transliteration system used,
see the Appendix in "The Dawn Breakers", by Shoghi Effendi.]

2. There is another hidden implication in the above quoted statement:

    "It would be just as valid to ask 'Do all Baha'is hate Muslims?',
     as it would be to ask 'Do all Muslim's hate Baha'is?' In fact,
     all Baha'is do hate Muslims, and in this they cannot claim a 
     higher moral ground."

I can't speak for all Baha'is, obviously.  I'll speak honestly about my own
feelings.  As a child, growing up in Iran, I feared (in a childish way to
the point of hate) those Muslims who wanted to or did harm Baha'is, though
I didn't know any of them personally.  I recoiled at the stories my father
told of the treatment he had received as a Baha'i child in NahAvand, and his
parents and other Baha'i relatives before him.  I recall my nervousness and
that of those around me during the month of Muharram as the fanatic fervor
that fanned violent feelings toward Baha'is would reach its highest pitch.

I have long abandoned any feelings resembling hatred for Muslims in general
or any particular Muslim.  I have reflected upon and try to live by the
dictates of my Faith, calling me to associate with the followers of all
religions in utmost amity and love.  (One could go further and say that the
Golden Rule, calling on men to treat each other with justice and love, is
a universal teaching of all religions.)  And though there may be individual
Baha'is who hold on to resentment for Muslims by reason of the suffering
they've endured, it would be against and in spite of their own Faith.

Regards
Peyv&
____________________________________________________________________________
Peyvand Khademi
Department of Computer Science                khademi@cajal.usc.edu
University of Southern California             Los Angeles                   
Newsgroups: soc.culture.iranian