To NoWings,
My friend!
… let us ponder:
I will start with the Baha’is Administrative order to you. Please click on this link for a full explanation of our Administrative system:
bahai.us/bahai-administration
This link will guide you to the Local Baha’i Administrative Brances. These Local Administrative Brances are not called ‘Local House of Justice’, they are instead called ‘Local Spiritual Assemblies (LSA)’ for each Locality. There is a ‘National Spiritual Assembly’ for each Country. There is ONE Universal House of Justice situated on Mount Carmel.
Isaiah Chapter 35, Verse 2
” It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the LORD, and the excellency of our God.”
Here is something about Today’s Jerusalem, and Mount Carmel:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Carmel,_Israel
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Arc_(Bah%C3%A1’%C3%AD)
terraces.bahai.org/index.en.html
Now Regarding the matter of the Universal House of Justice:
About schism, sources actually say that there have been no Schism that can legally adopt the name of the Baha’i Faith. So in practicle and also spiritual sence, there is no Schism. My explanation is just too simple to be anything Mystic!
And then, Shoghi Effendi had no son (the Guardian could only be an Agshan, that is ‘Branches’, male decendant of Baha’u’llah) so there can no blood line present after his death. Also, the remaining Agshan had broken the Covenant way in the lifetime of the Abdul Baha and then Shoghi Effendi. Also, Shoghi Effendi did not leave a Will indicating a New Guardian. In the Light of The Kitab-I-Aqdus and the Covenant of Baha’u’llah, also the indication of Abdul Baha (read the will and testament of Abdul Baha), we can see clearly the Universal House Of Justice. Also the decision of the Hand Of the Cause of Gods, and Ruhiya Khanom (The Wife Of Shoghi Effendi, Amatul Baha!) was in favour of it. Hence, the Universal House of Justice came into being, as guided by God through His plan, as an independent democratic Religious Governing Body.
The Covenant of Baha’u’llah is unbroken, its all-encompassing power inviolate. The two unique features which distinguish it from all religious covenants of the past are unchanged and operative. The revealed Word, in its origional purity, amplified by the divinely guided interpretations of Abdul Baha and Shoghi Effendi, remains immutable, unadulterated by any manmade creeds or dogmas, unwarrantable inferences, or unautorized interpretations. The channel of Divine guidance, providing flexibility in all the affairs of mankind, remains open through that Institution which was founded by Baha’u’llah and endowed by Him with supreme suthority and unfailing guidance, and of which Abdul Baha wrote: “Unto this body all things must be referred.” How clearly we can see the truth of Baha’u’llahs assertion:“The Hand of Omnipotence hath established His Revelation upon an unassailable, an enduring foundation. Storms of human strife are powerless to undermine its basis, nor will men’s fanciful theories succeed in damaging its structure.”
More information can be found here:
bahai.com/thebahais/pg49d.htm
onecountry.org
Even more info can be found, actually the best source, is the book: Taherzadeh, Adib (1972). “The Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh.”, do read it.
People who consider themselves Baha’i, are ofcourse Baha’i if they believe in Baha’u’llah and his Covenant. They should contact their nearest LSA. Go to:
www.bahai.org , find your nearest LSA there, by emailing them, or just searching your countries website (if available). There is an NSA everywhere in the world. It shouldnt be a problem.
Its simple and not very complicated. Just keep things simple, and life is easy.
