From: FG <FG@hotmail.com>
To: Juan Cole <jrcole@umich.edu>; bahai-faith @ makelist.com <bahai-faith@makelist.com>
Subject: [bahai-faith] Bahai accusation of TOS on AOL
Date: Friday, September 11, 1998 3:15 PM
I ask all Bahais or non-Bahais on AOL to email
the TOSGeneral@aol.com and inform him or her what you
believe may be actually involved here on the part of Bahais.
I myself have stated my opinion below.
FG....The Bahai Faith & Religious Freedom of Conscience:
index.htm AOL: alt.religion.bahai,
talk.religion.misc; or bahai-faith@makelist.com (accepts all "cc" posts)
Subscription & archive: https://www.findmail.com/listsaver/bahai-faith/
-----
Subj: Terms of Service
Date: 98-09-11 02:54:49 EDT
From: TOSBoards2
To: FG
Dear Member,
I need to let you know that America Online was notified of a post to one of
our message boards which violates the Terms of Service. Here is the
information I have placed on the account regarding this incident:
On 9/9/98 6:58 AM Eastern Daylight EST the FG screen name posted a
message in Baha'i Message Boards, For Non Baha'is >> Subject: Re: Literal-
minded Bahai ignorance. The following is an excerpt from the post: " The
typical response of Bahai fanatics....
FG:
"Some of the most striking methods demonstrated repeatedly by
many Bahais during the last year and a half of discussion about
an unmoderated newsgroup is their refusal to listen and respond to
the criticisms of those who are in favor of talk.religion.bahai,
ignoring their concerns, never responding analytically to their
messages and reasoning and logic and evidence, attacking them
through character assassination and ad hominem, ganging up
on individuals, and "circling the wagons" around every action
of the srb moderators or others who are opposed to
talk.religion.bahai.
"More than twenty different people on my web site have posted messages
explaining their experience with srb censorship yet many srb Bahais
NEVER address their concerns. Ignoring such charges will not make
them go away. NO ONE has to "try" to link the trb interest poll with
censorship on srb; the moderators themselves have done that by
suppressing droves of people for years. There are many people who
believe such suppression is part and parcel of the Bahai
community as it exists today. A YES vote need not necessarily
support such a belief. There are other reasons Bahais might vote
YES."
Ron House:
"I know what you mean. I've found over the years that
there is a technique used by traditional Baha'is and
others to squash dissension: harry the dissenter so
much he says something intemperate, then point out
how 'loving' and 'compassionate' they are and how
nasty the dissenter is. The trouble is that this
technique works, so I've been making a conscious
effort not to fall for it. Also, when they get the
dissenter discouraged and miserable enough, he
invariably makes a slip-up sooner or later that they
can REALLY let loose the venom over. IMHO, they did
this to you when you misread Sharon's intentions.
At any other time, they would overlook faults, as
Baha'u'llah says, but when they're in this mode
they go for the jugular. Very sad."
House2.htm
Fran Baker:
"Just have to say that in my experience this is a common
technique of manipulative people in general; it is especially
effective with thoughtful people who are willing to see both
sides of things, i.e., their own fault. I consider this brow-beating
technique to be a form of abuse. The only way to deal with it is
to call them on it every time and to refuse to let yourself be beat
up, i.e., not to do your part of the "tango." This can be very hard
to do, but it works.You can break this pattern in a personal
relationship. I don't know whether it's possible when a group
acts this way. Very scary."
Dr. Juan Cole:
"Let me ask you why in the world you think that I would risk my professional
reputation by publicly stating falsehoods? ...The very technique of the
more glaze-eyed among these people is to unbearably bully a Baha'i whom
they don't like, use unjustified threats of declaring him or her a CB to
silence the individual, and if the person will not be silenced, then to
depend upon the gullibility of the Baha'is in refusing to listen to any
victim's story because, of course, the Baha'i institutions are infallible
and divinely guided and could never do anything wrong. It is a perfect
racket.
"Of course, this technique of making liberals go away has been enormously
successful, and ex-Baha'i liberals have no credibility with the remaining
Baha'is nor do most of them have any energy to continue to make a case,
either to the Baha'is or the outside world, for the incredible abuses that
go on inside this organization ostensibly committed to tolerance!"
Cole10.htm
FG....The Bahai Faith & Religious Freedom of Conscience:
index.htm See alt.religion.bahai,
talk.religion.misc, or bahai-faith@makelist.com (accepts all "cc" posts)
Subscription & archive: https://www.findmail.com/listsaver/bahai-faith/
baha'i
baha'i"
Our Terms of Service agreement, which was presented during the sign up
process, allows America Online to be informative, entertaining and, above
all,
fun for all of our Members. You can review that agreement by using keyword
<A HREF="aol://1391:41-4688">TOS</A>. This area also has information and
tools you can use to help protect your account. Also, you may want to take
a
look at our <A HREF="aol://1722:parentalcontrols">PARENTAL CONTROLS</A>.
This
will allow you, among other things, to limit and/or block specific screen
names from various online activities.
Thanks for taking the time to read this letter. Please note, this screen
name
cannot accept replies. Therefore, if you have any comments or questions
please
send mail to <A HREF="mailto: TOSGeneral">TOSGeneral</A>.
Regards,
Bill
Community Action Team
America Online, Inc.
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You can upgrade for free at keyword: <A
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Upgrade today!
------
Bahai posts on AOL responding to "The Baha'i Technique":
-------
Subject: Re: fw Juan Cole Re: [bahai-faith] mutilation theology
Date: Wed, Sep 9, 1998 11:46 EDT
From: <A HREF="aol://3548:Holly7711">Holly7711</A>
Message-id: <1998090915464300.LAA29616@ladder01.news.aol.com>
Friends,
This stuff is not only ugly in its outlook toward Baha'is, but now there is
criticism of the Universal House of Justice and the beloved institutions of
the Faith.
This is right on the edge... borderline.
Charlotte
--------
Subject: Re: fw Juan Cole Re: [bahai-faith] mutilation theology
Date: Wed, Sep 9, 1998 11:59 EDT
From: <A HREF="aol://3548:Karndor">Karndor</A>
Message-id: <1998090915595200.LAA03894@ladder03.news.aol.com>
Charlotte,
before you read a post, look who wrote it, and if it is someone, that you
might think is a CB, or will make you mad, don't read it, and go on to the
next one. trust me it works.
Karen
Momie to
Forrest Febuary 17,1994
Terran October 23, 1996
<A HREF="https://members.aol.com/ballyhoo9/sexyguy.html"> </A>
<A HREF="https://www.kidscom.com/orakc/Mousers/mouse.html">KidsCom: Mousers
</A>
-----------
Subject: General Disclaimer
Date: Wed, Sep 9, 1998 14:00 EDT
From: <A HREF="aol://3548:WScott1995">WScott1995</A>
Message-id: <1998090918003500.OAA11333@ladder01.news.aol.com>
For those visiting our Baha'i boards, anyone can post here and say they are
a
Baha'i. That doesn't necessarily make it so. Every religion has their wolves
in sheeps clothing would would try to destroy the flock, and this forum
makes
this particularly easy since they can hide behind their computers and no one
will know who they are. Baha'is need to deal with these people as both our
writings and the Bible says:
"But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more
ungodliness. And their word will eat as doth a canker....and overthrow the
faith of some." (2 Tim. 2:16-17)
"Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and vain
babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge —by
professing it, some have strayed concerning the faith." (1 Tim 6:20-21)
A true Baha'i would abide by the teachings of Baha'u'llah, in every
situation,
to the best of his or her ability. And those teachings are:
"Should anyone wax angry with you, respond to him with gentleness; and
should
anyone upbraid you, forbear to upbraid him in return, but leave him to
himself
and put your trust in God, the omnipotent Avenger, the Lord of might and
justice." (Bahá'u'lláh: The Kitáb-i-Aqdas, Page: 75)
_____________________________
Love and peace, Wendy--------<-@
-----
ubject: Re: General Disclaimer
Date: Wed, Sep 9, 1998 15:05 EDT
From: <A HREF="aol://3548:Bennachti">Bennachti</A>
Message-id: <1998090919050600.PAA17531@ladder01.news.aol.com>
I agree, Wendy. I am always reminded of this passage, when I meet people
like
that online:
"Erelong shall clamorous voices be raised in most lands.
Shun them, O My people, and follow not the iniquitous and evil-hearted."
Baha'u'llah, Kitab-i-Aqdas, pg. 32
I'm all in favor of Karen's suggestion too, to just skip over the names of
people who seem to be filled with hatred. I hope that for their sake they
learn that their anger only hurts them, not anyone else. They can stew in
it,
suffer from it, develop heart and liver diseases from it (and more) but it
doesn't affect the rest of us at all. It is a most unfortunate malady, this
anger and hatred. May God help all of us to recover from angers and
resentments whensoever they may afflict us.
Love you all
Zaynab
No man shall attain the shores of the ocean of true understanding except he
be
detached from all that is in heaven and on earth.
- Bahá'u'lláh -
My Bahá'í Faith website: <A
HREF="https://members.aol.com/Bennachti/bahai.htm">
Camphor Fountain</A>
-----------
Subject: Re: General Disclaimer
Date: Wed, Sep 9, 1998 15:14 EDT
From: <A HREF="aol://3548:Holly7711">Holly7711</A>
Message-id: <1998090919140800.PAA18518@ladder01.news.aol.com>
Excellent advice, everyone!
Thanks particularly for those quotes from the writings.... always good
spiritual food for just about any situation that comes up. :)
Love,
Charlotte