Suppose someone uses the limited means at hand to investigate the truth about Baha’ism and, based on his investigation, reaches a conclusion that goes against official doctrine. If this conclusion is publically announced, that person will be shunned. For instance if someone opposes the guardian, they must be shunned and no excuse must be accepted from them. `Abdu’l-Bahā says:

The Hands of the Cause of God must be ever watchful and so soon as they find anyone beginning to oppose and protest against the Guardian of the Cause of God, cast him out from the congregation of the people of Bahā and in no wise accept any excuse from him. How often hath grievous error been disguised in the garb of truth, that it might sow the seeds of doubt in the hearts of men!^[1]

Ironically, the same `Abdu’l-Bahā that gives the order to expel his coreligionists says:

 Kindness brings about life, separation brings about death.^[2]

This law is not limited to those that oppose or protest the Guardian. Shoghi, and subsequently the UHJ, have shunned many people because they deemed their words or actions inappropriate, even when they were based on the truth.

Today, there are a number of prominent Baha’i academics who have either been kicked out of the Baha’i community or have left it themselves after they protested the actions of the UHJ or their investigations showed facts contrary to what the UHJ was propagating. People such as Professor Juan Cole, Dr. Linda Walbridge, Dr. Firouz Anarki, Sen McGlinn, and Frederick Glaysher are only a few of these individuals.

If people must independently investigate the truth then why are they kicked out of the Baha’i community and shunned when they do so?

[1] `Abdu’l-Bahā, The Will and Testament of `Abdu’l-Bahā (US Bahā’ī Publishing Trust, 1990), p. 12.

[2] `Abdu’l-Bahā, Khaṭābāt (Egypt), vol.1, p. 153.