Baha'i equality of sexes and the UHJ (Kingdom, faith, God)

[Wandered Off]

In another thread, Scott posted the following:

Originally Posted by Popeyesays

"BAHA'O'LLAH declares the absolute equality of the sexes. The male and female in the mineral, vegetable and animal kingdoms share alike the material bestowals...."
(Abdu'l-Baha, Divine Philosophy, p. 82)

I asked:

...given this absolute equality, is it true that women are not allowed to serve in the governing body of the Baha’i Faith, the Universal House of Justice?"

These are excerpts of further clarification from Scott:

In reference to the Universal House of Justice Baha`u'llah refers to nine men.

Men and women elect the Universal House of Justice. Only men can serve on the Universal House of Justice.

Why? I may hear you ask. When asked, Shoghi Effendi said: "The wisdom of this will become apparent in the future."

In the spirit of a DIR forum, I'm not trying to debate whether this is sexism. The quotation raised a couple of follow-up questions, and I would be interested in getting opinions from any willing Baha'i.

Do most Baha'i simply accept this kind of answer ("The wisdom of this will become apparent in the future") without question?

Are there any efforts on the part of Baha'i today to change this policy?

Scott clearly pointed out that women have apparently equal power in all other levels of governance, and the track record is much better than certain other repressive faiths. For example, I would guess it's not considered shameful for Baha'i women to speak at religious gatherings or teach men. Still, I wonder whether this is an issue for any Baha'i.

Thanks for your thoughts.

[Popeyesays]

When my wife and I were married she was not Baha`i. She signed her declaration card about three months later.

This was an issue for her. She overcame it on her own, I was wise enough to shut up and let others explain. I am not always so wise, but on this occasion I was wisdom personified.

Shoghi Effendi had this discussion countless times with those who came to the World Center on pilgrimage. (It was a much more private affair back in those days.)

There are several descriptions of that discussion from different instances. One of the friends in Arizona had been on Pilgrimage in 1954, and this issue was discussed over tea in the evening with the Guardian present amongst the pilgrims.

A woman frustrated slapped her hand on the table and said "WHY?" Shoghi Effendi slapped his hand on the table too and said, I do not know, but the wisdom of ir will become apparent when the time is right."

Now this question has indeed caused some to leave the faith. For them it was so serious an issue that they could not remain Baha`i's in good conscience. They withdrew from the Faith. Some eventually returned.

The "wisdom" will become apparent, but that is on a personal basis more immediately than on general decision. It is only important that the individual come to terms with it.

There were less than one million Baha`i's in 1963. There are seven million now. So that is sevenfold growth in fifty years. Each declarant has to come to terms with that and other issues before they declare and there is no such thing as automatic enrollment in the Baha`i Faith.

Regards,
Scott

[arthra]

First of all ... Welcome to the Baha'i Forum "Wandered Off"!

Thanks for posting here!

You pose the following:

Do most Baha'i simply accept this kind of answer ("The wisdom of this will become apparent in the future") without question?


My reply is that Baha'is recognize that the constitution of the Universal House of Justice as male is found in the Kitab-i-Aqdas and was further explained by Abdul-Baha ... Yes ...only men serve on this Institution which has been elected every five years since it's inception in 1963. It is also our understanding that the "wisdom of this will become apparent in the future".


Here is the text available to us from Abdul-Baha:

"The House of Justice, however, according to the explicit text of the Law of God, is confined to men; this for a wisdom of the Lord God's which will ere long be made manifest as clearly as the sun at high noon. (Selections from the writings of Abdu'l Baha (rev. ed) Haifa: Bahá'í World Center, 1982), p. 80)

People of course will speculate but for Baha'is the matter is pretty much settled...

Women have served as Hands of the Cause of God and in the Babi dispensation as a Letter of the Living and Bahiyyih Khanum was the defacto leader of the Faith until Shoghi Effendi could assume the Guardianship after the passing of Abdul-Baha. Also I think Ruhiyyih Khanum had a very crucial role in our Faith as a Hand of the Cause until her passing... So women have been very much in the very thick of things all along in our history..


The Universal House of Justice is not a residue of male chauvenism... You can examine all of the Messages of the House from it's inception in 1963 to determine this and I would encourage you to do this if you are truly interested.

"Wandered Off" writes:

Are there any efforts on the part of Baha'i today to change this policy?

Baha'is pretty much recognize the authority of the House of Justice and accept it... If I was to build a house and dismiss what the architect had planned and designated for it ... It would no longer be what the architect intended is my feeling. The House is not seen as an institution of male superiority.

"Wandered Off":

Scott clearly pointed out that women have apparently equal power in all other levels of governance, and the track record is much better than certain other repressive faiths. For example, I would guess it's not considered shameful for Baha'i women to speak at religious gatherings or teach men. Still, I wonder whether this is an issue for any Baha'i.

Thanks for your thoughts.

My reply:

I would hope you have investigated Baha'i Faith historcially to know that it is not repressive, but rather is actually repressed and oppressed in parts of the world today and survived the regimes of Hitler and Stalin historically.

Women participate in all levels of administration on the local and national levels and also in our Feasts and other activities... Internationally they serve as appointed Counsellors and Auxiliary Board Members and many other capacities.

Finally, there is a compilation on the subject that you can explore at:

http://bahai-library.com/index.php5?file=uhj_women_uhj

- Art