From: darricke@hotmail.com <darricke@hotmail.com>
Subject: Letter to Robert C. Henderson
Date: Monday, September 14, 1998 11:58 AM
TO: Robert C. Henderson, Secretary-General of the National Spiritual Assembly
of Baha'is in the United States FROM: Darrick Evenson DATE: 16 August 1998
SUBJECT: Withdrawal of My Request for Reinstatement
Dear Dr. Henderson,
I hereby withdraw my request for reinstatement in the Faith. My reasons are
as follows:
1) I do not believe you or the NSA have any intention of reinstating me; under
any circumstances. I believe you believe me to be a threat to your
interpretatiosn of the Faith.
2) Although I accept Baha'u'llah as a Manifestation of God, as an incarnation
of the Holy Spirit, I still feel--after many agonizing months of deep thought
and soul-searching--that He is subordinate to Jesus Christ; the Son of God. I
feel this way because of His statements that Jesus is "the Lord of the
Visible and the Invisible" and "the Lord of all being".
3) I had an overwhelming spiritual experience, which convinced me to return to
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I can only explain it as a
feeling of _TOTAL_ peace and assurance.
Intellectually, I had every reason to join the Faith. It seemed to me to be
the fulfillment of Mormon prophecies concerning the coming of the Millennial
Kingdom. However, while my head says the Faith is foremost, my heat tells me
otherwise. My heart is too attached to Jesus Christ for me to exist in a
religious community which views Jesus as merely a "forerunner" of Muhammad, or
"a teacher of peace and tolerance" or merely a Prophet who came to "advance
civilization". The Gospels and the entire New Testament declare--in no
uncertain terms--that Jesus came to offer His blood as a sacrifice for sin for
the remission of sins. He is the Lamb of God; slain before the foundations of
the Earth. He is _so much more_ that what Baha'is believe; merely a Prophet to
prepare for Islam, or to improve the status of minorities and women! Such
explanations only cheapen Him, and distort His true station.
I had hopes that I could teach the Friends of the true station and purpose
of Jesus, but--from my observations of soc.religion.bahai, I can see that
this will be mostly in vain. The NSA collectively, and you personally, will
oppose me every step of the way. You have created your own false "Jesus"; a
Prophet concerned only with teaching Liberal-Humanist values (or should I say
the lack thereof). Your Jesus is _NOT_ the Jesus of the New Testament; nor
even the Jesus of Baha'u'llah and 'Abdul-Baha, but a false, watered-down,
Liberal/Humanist/ Unitarian "Jesus" that was invented by men to replace the
true Jesus; Who came to offer Himself as a final sacrifice for sin, and
preach the repentence from sin. I cannot belong to any organization which so
cheapens and distorts my Lord and Savior! And I cannot teach the Friends when
you will constantly prevent me from doing so.
Those are my reasons, I hope you can understand them.
Before saying adieu, I would like to comment on some things I've observed
about the Faith in this country.
Shoghi Effendi once said, in a pilgrim's note, that his "greatest fear" was
that the Baha'is would water-down the Faith in order to make it acceptable to
the World. This is what you have done here in the U.S.! You've watered-down
the Faith into a mere set of 12 social-goals you call the "12 Principles of
the Faith". These were explanded from the original 9 Principles of World
Unity that were numbered and outlined by both Baha'u'llah and 'Abdul-Baha in
the Writings (Baha'i World Faith). None of these "12 Principles" have to do
with sin or salvation, or repentence, or heaven or hell. They all have to do
with World Unity. While World Unity was the Mission of Baha'u'llah, the 9
(now 12) principles were _never_ supposed to be presented as the "summon
bonum" and raison-d'etre of the Faith! Yet, this is exactly what they have
become. The Faith has become a mere set of social-principles: sans sin, sans
salvation, sans reprentence, etc. The Faith has been watered-down into
merely a "World Peace/ Race Unity/Moderate Feminist" social-activist
organization with a few religious overtones! How sad! Is it any wonder why
the Faith can't grow in this country?
I resigned initially because of the fact that I was so upset and shocked
with the total apathy of the NSA, and many or most of the American Baha'is,
toward the 1.4 million pre-natal child-murders in this country. Even the
Guardian clearly wrote that abortion was "the illegal taking of human life"
and "absolutely forbidden in the Faith. But he had no way to know that
Liberal religionists--such as yourself--would simply _ignore_ those laws and
directives which are at variance with Liberal-Humanist principles! If this is
not _hypocrisy_ in it's _fullest_, then I don't know _what_ is! You justify
yourself by writing a letter saying that abortion is forbidden, then
watering-down it's interpretation, then storing the letter and only releasing
it to those who specifically _request_ it! You utterly refuse to publish it
in *The American Baha'i*, or in any other way let the Friends even know it
exists! You also don't even reprimand any Baha'i who procures or performs an
abortion; for _ANY_ reason! Let me assure you, when you come before the
Heavenly Judge, you will be _held accountable_ for _every_ child who is
murdered in the womb by an American Baha'i who did so out of ignorance;
because _you_ had the divine responsibility to inform them, and you failed
completely to do so. When you proudly and openly ignore the Laws of God when
they are made plain before your face, then you _will_ be _held accountable_!
You seem to view the Faith as a "means to an end"; that end being a
Liberal/ Humanist World Federation. You have set the Faith and the Laws of
God on it's head; promoting the lesser aspects, and ignoring or distorting
the greater ones: like sin, repentence, and salvation. Baha'u'llah wrote:
"My sole duty is to remind you of your failure of duty towards the Cause of
God, if perchance ye may be of them that heed my warning. Wherefore, hearken
ye unto my speech, and return to God and repent, that He, through His grace,
may have mercy upon you, may wash away your sins, and forgive your
trespasses. The greatness of His mercy surpasseth the fury of His wrath, and
His grace encompasseth all who have been called into being and been clothed
with the robe of life, be they of the past or of the future." (Gleanings,
p.130)
The words are for you, Robert, would you but know it!
You will discover that your 4-Year Plan will fail, and fail miserably; not
because the Faith is untrue, but because your generation of American Baha'is
have so distorted it, so watered-it-down, that it has lost it's spiritual
power for most people. It has become merely a "World Peace/Race Unity" club
with a few prayers thrown in. But, you see, _most_ people aren't looking for
a religion that promises World Peace as it's Alpha and Omega. Most people are
joining religions which promise _Inner Peace_. That is why--for example--the
Liberal/ Humanist "mainline" Protestant have lost _millions_ in the past 30
years. This is why conservative churches like the Assemblies of God, and the
Mormons, have _gained_ millions in the past 30 years. People are seeking
salvation (remission of sins), and rewards for the righteous and publishments
for the wicked in the Afterlife; and this is what Jesus offers them. An
offering of a literal Heaven (which is more than just 'feeling good' about
working for the improvement of the status of minorities and women), the
forgiveness of sins ("sin" is basically an unknown word in the Baha'i Faith),
and moral guidelines (which are suggested, but have no _real_ meaning in the
Faith) beats out "Esperanto" and "Race Unity" any day of the week!
The Baha'i Faith in this country is a _dismal failure_, and Liberal Humanist
Baha'is (such as yourself) wil guarantree continued failure for _many_ years
to come. Why? Simple. Most people just aren't _looking_ for a religion that
doesn't offer them anything other than the Democratic platform!
As I told you in my letter of resignation two years ago, I will _never_
give- up Baha'u'llah! I believe He is the Spirit of Truth. And the "good
news" is that I don't have to! There is a doctrine in Mormonism which teaches
that the Holy Ghost will Himself incarnate into mortality and perform some
great missio for the world. Brigham Young taught that He would establish an
organization which would rule the nations,a nd guarantee the rights of all
men; regardless of race, color, or creed.
I have been critical of you and the NSA _NOT_ because I wish to bring
schism, but because I care about those children who are murdered by their
Baha'i mothers and Baha'i physicians--with your silent blessing! It makes me
sad to see the Faith so rudderless in this country. You were chosen to lead
the Faith in this country solely because of your incredible voice, and that
fact you were black. The Friends didn't know that you secretly are
Pro-Choice, and Pro-Gay; two things which violate the Laws of God, and the
Directives of the Guardian. I have more respect for a Baha'i who is openly
Pro-Choice and Pro-Gay, than for a "Baha'i" who works secretly behind the
scenes.
I can only admonish you (for any good it will do):
1) Do as the Guardian said and preach vehemently against abortion. You will
save many innocent lives.
2) Begin to teach the Friends the moral and religious aspects of the
Faith--not just the social-teachings. Emphasize more the concepts of sin,
repentence, and personal salvation via the atonement of Jesus Christ; as
'Abdul-Baha taught.
I _DO_ wish the Faith well; both here and worldwide. It is the Millennial
Kingdom of God, so victory is assured. The only question is "When?".
Sincerely,
Darrick Evenson