| 4 Nov 1957 |
|
Shoghi Effendi makes the best move of his life: dying without leaving
a successor or any directives, thereby leaving the affairs of the Bahá'í
Faith squarely in the hands of the believers, and providing the Faith
with a new opportunity to mature as a modern, tolerant religion. |
| 21 May 1963 |
|
The Universal House of Justice is established. This wouldn't be so bad if it didn't extend executive and interpretive powers to this legislative institution. This represents a decision
on the part of the leadership of the Bahá'í community to restore supreme authority to the administration of
the Faith, thereby stifling freedom of expression within the congregation. |
| Apr 1965 |
|
I am—strangely enough—born into an active, dedicated
Bahá'í family, moving to a new pioneering post
every year or so, wandering around town and getting into mischief and
danger while my parents made a living and combed the countryside for
receptive souls. |
| 1986–7 |
|
On my way to a pioneering post in Africa, I decide to take a security
guard job at the BWC, and I am a good soldier indeed, enjoying the great
library and the great Arabic course, but I tire of all the exaltation of
the old men on the hill, and I return to California after a year of posing
for tourists, tripping over hedgehogs in the dark, and wondering when my
cheap guard pants were going to split. |
| Apr 1987 |
|
I join my first LSA. It happens to be led by an Orthodox Bahá'í. This is the first time that I am exposed to the arguments of a Bahá'í sect other than my own. The experience leaves me unimpressed with both sides of the debate, and my respect for the Bahá'í Covenant and Administrative Order is damaged beyond repair. |
| Jan 1988 |
|
I realize that I cannot voice my doubts before my family and other Bahá'ís, primarily because my family is too emotionally invested in my good standing as a Bahá'í. Even the most modest revelation of doubt leads to explosive confrontations. |
| May 1988 |
|
I privately decide, once and for all, that the Bahá'í Faith is fundamentally flawed. |
| 1991 |
|
I ask the US NSA to unenroll me, but they reject my request because I didn't give them an explanation. |
| May 1992 |
|
The first Internet newsgroup featuring the Bahá'í Faith is established. It turns out to be tightly controlled by the Bahá'í thought police, but it's a step in the right direction. |
| Mar 1993 |
|
An official English translation of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas is finally published, after over 120 years. On the face of it, this event encourages fundamentalist elements in Bahá'í community, but that is exactly what is needed to expose the Bahá'í Faith as the Islamist sect that it is. |
| Apr 1993 |
|
NCSA Mosaic is released. Look out, Bahá'í thought police,
there's trouble afoot! Netscape Navigator is released in Dec 1994. |
| 26 Apr 1996 |
|
Still enrolled against my will, I begin casually posting criticisms of
the Bahá'í Faith on soc.religion.bahai. |
| May 1996 |
|
Behavior of Bahá'ís in my family grows fanatical and offensive. My willingness to conceal my deep disdain for their religion wears thin, but I hold my tongue. |
| Aug 1996 |
|
At the last minute, my parents try frantically to convince my fiancé
and I to have a Bahá'í wedding ceremony. They do this in
spite of the facts (1) I have told them that the Bahá'í
Faith would not be involved in our marriage, and (2) I did not ask for
their consent. They threaten not to attend our wedding. This inspired
me to speak my mind more often on on soc.religion.bahai
for awhile, and ...
|
| Aug 1996 |
|
I send a detailed explanation of reasons for asking to be unenrolled to
the NSA. This time I am granted my wish. I finally stop receiving
the American Bahá'í! |
| Jan 1997 |
|
talk.religion.bahai
newsgroup is proposed for the first time. |
| Apr 1997 |
|
As the talk.religion.bahai
proposal is blocked by the Infallible Bahá'ís, alt.religion.bahai
newsgroup is created by a non-Bahá'í ... and many Bahá'ís
finally get a chance to speak their mind freely, though the accessibility
of this newsgroup is limited. |
| Sep 1997 |
|
I create the Enemies of the Cause web site, which would later evolve into the Bahá'í Millenarian Movement, and then (finally?) the Forum for Bahá'í Investigations. |
| Jan 1999 |
|
talk.religion.bahai
finally passes on the third try. Now there was a universally available, uncensored Bahá'í newsgroup. Over time, this site would become overwhelmed by spammers and lunatics, yet it represented a new era of open discussion for Bahá'ís, and just in time for the new millenium! |
