Ruhiization of Baha’i Community

Australian Study Circle

The whole of the Baha’i community is infected by Ruhi Institute. It looks like The Ruhiization of Baha’i community is the sole aim of Universal House of Justice.

“It seems strange to expect that materials developed for largely uneducated rurally based Colombians would transplant well into other places in the world. Unfortunately, since the same group (Arbab, Correa, Lample, etc.) that created and promoted Ruhi are now in the highest positions within the Baha’i Administration, it will be long time until we put it all behind us. For this small group of persons, there is just too much personal interest at stake. I can empathize. It’s never easy to admit that one is wrong. That’s just human. But usually when we fall prey to this defect of human nature, it is only ourselves that we hurt. But in the case of Ruhi, the whole Baha’i community is suffering.

Arbab, Correa & Lample

What is notable is that there has been no critical discussion of Ruhi books or study circles in any Baha’i periodicals. Differences of opinion are not tolerated well by many Baha’is, who mistake the concept of unity with quashing all dissent. But there are deeper problems caused by the way that uncomfortable discussions on internet lists were handled and individual Baha’is reprimanded that has presumably scared most thinking Baha’is from speaking out critically about this or any community-related issue.

Only counting Baha’is and non-Baha’is participating in courses is not the way of Evaluation. The Baha’i Administration gives the message that Ruhi content should not be evaluated, it should only be implemented.

Any criticism of the weaknesses of Ruhi is interpreted as a direct criticism or attack on the House of Justice and the ITC.

It is conveyed to the Baha’is clearly in no uncertain terms that disliking study circles means having problems with covenant and is branded as covenantal weakness.

The poisonous effects of this on the Baha’i world community are already apparent and will get even more pronounced with time. Those Baha’is who are expelled from the community for criticism of Ruhi have become real powerhouses since their expulsion. Think how amazingly vibrant the Baha’i faith could become if the House would remove just 1% of the Baha’is from membership, let alone 10% or 100%.

The Ruhi-system is treated tantamount to a revelation from God. It is perfect and suitable, nothing to change about it: it just needs to be implemented. If it doesn’t work, it’s not the material that’s wrong. We were just too dumb to use it. Any question about Ruhi will be counter by sanction of Administrative Right followed by threat to be declared a Covenant breaker.

So the destiny of every Baha’i is either Ruhi book graduates or a Covenant breaker