February 20. On this date in 2003, the Universal House of Justice wrote an Assembly inquiring "about the appropriateness of Bahá’ís participating in demonstrations for peace. It is important to keep in mind that while these activities are generally carried out in the name of peace, such occasions are motivated by highly political and controversial sentiments at a time of turmoil and confusion in the world. Not only would it be contrary to the Bahá’í principle of non-involvement in politics for individual believers, or Bahá’í institutions, to become associated with such activities, it could also be harmful to the interests of the Faith internationally. The point to bear in mind here is that current demonstrations are not intended to promote peace in principle but are focused on a specific dispute among governments. As you can no doubt understand, Bahá’í participation in public demonstrations involving controversial issues would undermine the Faith's essential purpose of promoting unity in all aspects of human affairs, and your desire to remain focused on the essential work of the Faith is deeply appreciated."
The Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of ...
Dear Baha’i Friends,
The Universal House of Justice was concerned to learn from your email letter dated 18 February 2003 that your Assembly has decided to participate in activities aimed at protesting against the United States government’s actions in Iraq and the Middle East.
While the activities you describe are to be carried out as elements of what is purported to be a peace campaign, it is obvious that the occasion is motivated by highly political and controversial sentiments at a time of turmoil and confusion in the world. Not only would it be contrary to the Baha’i principle of non-involvement in politics for Baha’i institutions, or individual believers, to become associated with such activities, it would also be harmful to the interests of the Faith internationally. The point to bear in mind here is that this event is not intended to promote peace in general but is focused on a specific dispute among governments. You should, therefore, reverse your decision; and if it becomes necessary to give a reason for not participating in the event, you need simply to explain that the Baha’i community prefers not to join in public demonstrations involving controversial issues, as this would undermine its essential purpose of promoting unity in all aspects of human affairs.
With loving Baha’i greetings,
Department of the Secretariat
cc: International Teaching Centre Board of Counsellors in Asia
In the lead-up to the invasion of Iraq in 2003, the false information of Iraq's purported possession of weapons of mass destruction was leaked to the media by David Kelly, a Bahá’í authority on biological warfare, employed by the British Ministry of Defence, and formerly a weapons inspector with the United Nations Special Commission in Iraq.
David Kelly was found dead from an apparent suicide on July 17, 2003, two days after appearing before a before a parliamentary Foreign Affairs Select Committee.
On August 11, 2003, The Independent carried an article about David Kelly, noting "In October 2002, Dr Kelly gave a slide show and lecture about his experiences as a weapons inspector in Iraq to a small almost private gathering of the Baha'i faith, which aims to unite the teachings of all the prophets. Dr Kelly had converted to the religion three years earlier, while in New York on attachment to the UN. When he returned to England he became treasurer of the small but influential Baha'i branch in Abingdon near his home. Roger Kingdon, a member, recalls: 'He had no doubt that [the Iraqis] had biological and chemical weapons. It was clear that David Kelly was largely happy with the material in the dossier.'"
On July 17, 2013, the Universal House of Justice sent a letter "to the Bahá’ís of the World" announcing "with utter shock and desolating grief that the Bahá’ís in Baghdad discovered on 26 June that the “most holy habitation” of Bahá’u’lláh had been razed almost to the ground to make way for the construction of a mosque," at the end of what the Universal Hose of Justice calls a "highly delicate situation in Iraq over the last tumultuous decade."
It is somewhat ironic, that in the lead-up to the invasion of Iraq in 2003, the false information of Iraq's purported possession of weapons of mass destruction was leaked to the media by David Kelly, a Bahá’í authority on biological warfare, employed by the British Ministry of Defence, and formerly a weapons inspector with the United Nations Special Commission in Iraq. David Kelly was found dead from an apparent suicide on July 17, 2003, two days after appearing before a before a parliamentary Foreign Affairs Select Committee.
On August 11, 2003, The Independent carried an article about David Kelly, noting "In October 2002, Dr Kelly gave a slide show and lecture about his experiences as a weapons inspector in Iraq to a small almost private gathering of the Baha'i faith, which aims to unite the teachings of all the prophets. Dr Kelly had converted to the religion three years earlier, while in New York on attachment to the UN. When he returned to England he became treasurer of the small but influential Baha'i branch in Abingdon near his home. Roger Kingdon, a member, recalls: 'He had no doubt that [the Iraqis] had biological and chemical weapons. It was clear that David Kelly was largely happy with the material in the dossier.'"
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