[A much-quoted message regarding talk.religion.bahai.]
TO: (name deleted)
DATE: 14 October 1997 U.S.A.
Email address: (address deleted)
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MESSAGE:
The Universal House of Justice has received your two email messages of 6
October 1997
regarding the proposed newsgroup "talk.religion.bahai", and we have
been asked to reply.
The House of Justice does not feel that it can comment on the validity or
appropriateness of
various reasons for voting for or against the proposed newsgroup. Individual
Baha'is who are
interested in the matter must come to their own decision, based upon the
dictates of their
conscience and their understanding of the principles of the Faith.
In general, the House of Justice has no objection to Baha'is' participating
in public, unmoderated
discussions about the Faith, whether those discussions take place in person or
through some
form of electronic communication. The wisdom of participating in particular
discussions, must,
of necessity, depend upon circumstances prevailing at the time.
When, through such discussions, the Faith is attacked or erroneous
information about it is
disseminated, it may become necessary for individual Baha'is to actively defend
it. In some
circumstances, however, to avoid participating in argumentative exchanges,
attracting attention
to enemies of the Faith, or engaging Covenant-breakers, it will be more
appropriate to withdraw
from the discussion.
While the institutions of the Faith may, on occasion, find it necessary to
offer the friends
guidance related to their participation in particular discussions, generally
this, too, is a matter
left to the individual.
You are free to share this advice, electronically or otherwise, if you feel it appropriate.
Department of the Secretariat
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