North London Interfaith Events

Our aim is to break through barriers of ignorance and prejudice so that harmonious living in a multifaith society becomes a reality.

Freedom to believe: a Baha’i perspective on freedom of religion and belief

A talk by the Hon. Barnabas Leith on 17 October 2006

Barney Leith is the Secretary of External Affairs of the Baha’i community of the UK. He started his talk by introducing us to the fact that 25th November marks the anniversary of the 1981 United Nations Declaration on the elimination of all intolerance based on religion and belief. The Baha’i community in the UK and throughout the world will be celebrating this. Earlier, the UN Declaration of Human Rights, article 18, stated that “Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.”

The UN Declaration of Human Rights is an aspirational document, not international law. Some governments have clamped down on the right of people to change their religion. As a result, the statement about people’s right to change their religion has been watered down. Barney Leith also pointed out that while the fact that religion is in the forefront of daily news could be construed as a rise in spirituality and belief, the real and perceived targeting of particular religions is a damaging exercise. He also talked about the need to distinguish between the certitude that one searches for in one’s spiritual quest, and the kind of certainty that causes an unwillingness to listen to other points of view and thus may lead to fanaticism and extremism. Mr. Leith spoke about the persecution currently faced by the Baha’i community in Iran at the hands of Shi’a clerics. Young Baha’is there are denied access to education.

Baha’is firmly believe that all human beings have the right to investigate reality themselves and to arrive at a conclusion by following their conscience. In this way we become fully rounded human beings. Today there is a threat by religious fanatics who want to force their views on the world. But none of us has complete truth. We all have only partial truth.

Mr. Leith outlined the history of the Baha’i faith and its relationship with Islam its early days. The Baha’i faith was founded in Iran in 1844 by the Bab (the “Gate”), who declared himself to be the return of the 12th Imam (the Hidden Imam). The Bab looked forward to the coming of a further messenger from God. In 1863 the Bab’s most prominent follower, Baha’u’llah (“the Glory of God”) announced that he was the one foretold by the Bab.

Some of the major aspects of the Baha’i faith are:

• Belief that all the major faiths come from one divine source. There is a strong commitment to good interfaith relations.
• Strong emphasis on education especially women’s education. Baha’is should use this education to serve others.
• Obligatory prayers (at least one of three to be recited daily).
• Humility, reflection and contemplation of the self. Tolerance and understanding of others are important aspects of the faith.
• Freedom of conscience, thought and belief is central to the faith
• Associating with fanaticism and extremist ideologies is expressly forbidden.
• The faith encourages followers to pursue both science and religion in their quest for truth about themselves.
• In the Baha’i faith, religious rules and protocol are less important than the spirit and faith in which the follower prays.

Mr. Leith concluded his talk by pointing out that the freedom not to believe is just as important as the freedom to believe.