I watched the BBC documentary about who are the Baha’is and why are this largest religious minority in Iran is treated with violence and the persecution? BBC, with this 30 minutes documentary, attempts to shed light on a bright spot in the history of Iran that has been deliberately kept in the dark and associated with lies perpetuated by those who have feared it! For those who keep asking why the Baha’is have been such prime targets of persecution in Iran, the documentary provides a glance over the unique nature of the violations of the human rights of the Baha’is of Iran. The documentary is in Persian and is produced for the Persian speaking to get an objective and factual idea about who the Baha’is are.
Seven former Baha'i administrators in Iran in Evin prison for over two years!!
Amazingly, the documentary presents a very palatable glance over a horrifying history of violence and violations of human rights against the most peaceful and progressive community born in Iran in the mid 1800 to spread all over the world as the most diverse and progressive religious community working diligently for a unified, peaceful and progressive human civilization while honoring and embracing the worth and truth of all divine teachers of humanity.
Part of me was happy to see the information out there to educate Iranians about their own history. Part of me felt sad that BBC has to come to rescue and educate Iranians about a most beautiful flower that has bloomed in the blessed soil of Iran and its fragrance is spread to the far ends of our plant. Ignorance, I thought, is one of the most insidious consequences of oppressive regimes. When a society is manipulated and controlled in darkness of ignorance so the ruling group group can be in bliss for a time, the rest will pay by being content and the real doors of knowledge and progress will remain unattended. Then the only hope left is for the outsiders walk in, and with the rays of truth force the eyes open and then the creepy crawlies are seen for what they really are and flee to where they really belong.
The powerful expression of courage and love in the words and face of a Baha’i prisoner prior to his execution has etched a permanent mark on my mind and heart as an evidence of who we as human beings really are. It reminded me once again as Rumi puts it, I am the bird of the Kingdom not of earth and clay, living only for a few days in the cage of my body.
One of the goals of religion of God is to make us aware of our real Self, the potential god-Self entrusted in each one of us to lift us up and away from the reach of the animal self who plays the Dart-Wader in all of us. May all humanity learn of their real identity, the nobility and beauty of the human spirit that is destined to make this netherworld the kingdom of God on earth.
The beleaguered Baha’is of Iran have been an inspiration for the rest of humanity for holding tight to the force of good, the force that must never be defeated and is the birth right of the Luke-Skywalker in all of us.
May God bless
Keyvan
