Baha'i Youth conferences Begins with lackluster note

Participants gather outside of the conference venue in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea for betterment of society by ‘teaching Baha'i Faith’ to Tiny Tots of other Faiths.

Youth striving to contribute to the well-being of their communities have begun gathering in a series of conferences called for by the Universal House of Justice, the international governing body of the Baha'i Faith. The first eight of the 114 youth conferences, scheduled between now and October of this year, were held this past weekend in Papua New Guinea, Canada, Costa Rica, Colombia, and Indonesia.

The outcome of these already concluded 8 conferences can be best summarized in one word “ABSOLUTE FAILURE” from the side of UHJ as well as participants.

The participants were unaware for what they have been called and the UHJ was confused, what had to be done with participants who were ignorant about the basic principles of the Faith. Nobody knew the meaning of facilitator, teacher, cluster etc. They had all come on planned for picnic and games.

Despite strong propaganda, the attendance was poor, even though the UHJ had taken care of lodging, boarding and travel expenses, no enthusiasm was seen. The participants found no point in attending for the agenda. Several doubts remained unanswered. The truthfulness of the Baha'i Faith, its legality and who was Baha’u’llah? were the predominant thoughts in the minds of few attendees.

As new agenda floated, the minds of the youths were stirred with a more confusion and uncertainty. The youth debated the motive of these conferences’ and why suddenly the UHJ has become so hospitable? Was the UHJ trying to cover-up :
a)    failure of Ruhi curriculum? Or,
b)    absolute non acceptability of the Faith with the masses inspite of efforts taken by Baha'i authorities to make it acceptable. Or,
c)    to take the minds of the Baha'is away from humiliating court case defeats at the hands of followers of other sects of Baha'is.

Certain net savvy and updated youth discussed amongst themselves :
a)    why the Baha'i Faith is banned in most of the countries?
b)    why there are deportations and arrests of Baha'is in different countries?
c)    why does the intelligence agency of every country have a Baha'i cell to keep a track of their activities?
d)    why there is widespread and profound allegation of espionage charges made against Baha'is in many of the countries?

Some Baha'i Youths suggested that women and children are not safe in Baha'i meetings and classes, and hence “Child and women Protection”, has to be discussed in these conferences.

It was told in the conference that “The purpose of neighborhood children’s classes is to provide spiritual growth and training to children. Such classes make Baha'i children gain a stronger identity when they are in classes with children of non-Baha'is who are learning about the Baha'i Faith. It is an obligation of every Baha'i to teach others about Baha’u’llah.”

Most of the Baha'i youth did not think that children have any obligation “to teach Baha'i Faith to other children”. In fact, they felt that it shows that Baha'i Faith is desperate to make converts. A good religion sells itself without trying to sell itself, and does not need any special methods such as children’s classes, cleverly designed for evangelistic purposes.

Also whispered was that in a letter dated dated 1 July 2013 the UHJ stated that “how the act of reaching out to touch individual hearts, acquainting souls with the Word of God, and inviting them to contribute to the betterment of society” which is contrary to saying of Baha’u’llah “Verily I say, strife and dissension, and whatsoever the mind of man abhorreth are entirely unworthy of his station. Center your energies in the propagation of the Faith of God’

With this feedback of first few conferences, it is not clear how the remaining will be managed by the UHJ. Picnics apart, the youth do not see any sense in the way the Faith is managed.