Universal House of Justice to be elected:

[arthra]

BAHA'IS TO ELECT UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE

HAIFA, Israel, 22 April 2008 (BWNS) -- A global election process that
began with people in 100,000 cities and villages around the world will
culminate on 29 April when delegates gather here to elect the
international governing body of the Baha'i Faith.

Representatives of some 170 nations will cast ballots for the nine
members of the Universal House of Justice, which has its seat at the Baha'i
World Centre in Haifa. The election is held every five years.

Baha'i elections are distinctive in that there are no nominations, no
campaigning, and no discussion about which individuals should be
elected.

The delegates to the International Baha'i Convention - members of all
the Baha'i national governing bodies around the world - vote by secret
ballot for the nine people they believe best suited for membership on
the supreme institution of their Faith.

The Baha'i writings state that voters should try to choose people "of
selfless devotion, of a well-trained mind, of recognized ability and
mature experience."

For Baha'is, the Universal House of Justice is the highest religious
authority. It guides the worldwide Baha'i community in its development
and in its response to changing world conditions, provides for Baha'i
pilgrimage, holds in trust and maintains the Baha'i holy places, and
administers international Baha'i funds.

Any male age 21 and over is eligible for election to the Universal
House of Justice. Both women and men serve on all other Baha'i
institutions-international, continental, national and local.

The election process began well over a year ago when Baha'is in some
100,000 localities around the world began meeting in district conventions
to elect delegates to their own national conventions. At those
gatherings, the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of each country is
elected.

The members of those national councils gather as electors at the global
level for the International Baha'i Convention, to be held from 29
April to 2 May in Haifa.

About 1,200 delegates are expected to attend the convention. Those
unable to attend send ballots by mail.

The establishment of the institution of the Universal House of Justice
was called for by Baha'u'llah Himself, the founder of the Baha'i Faith.





To view the photos and additional features click here:
http://news.bahai.org

--
2-sw-080422-1-PRECONVENTION08-620-S

 

[arthra]

BAHA'IS ELECT UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE

HAIFA, Israel, 30 April 2008 (BWNS) -- The results of the election of
the nine members of the Universal House of Justice, the governing body
of the Baha'i Faith, have been announced.

Delegates to the Tenth International Baha'i Convention cast ballots
yesterday for membership in the council that serves as the head of the
religion.

Those elected are Farzam Arbab, Kiser Barnes, Peter Khan, Hooper
Dunbar, Firaydoun Javaheri, Paul Lample, Payman Mohajer, Shahriar Razavi, and
Gustavo Correa.

Members are elected for five-year terms.

The Universal House of Justice has its permanent seat at the Baha'i
World Centre in Haifa, Israel. Membership requires residence in Haifa.

Any Baha'i male age 21 and over is eligible for election. Both women
and men are eligible for election or appointment to all other Baha'i
institutions.

In His teachings, Baha'u'llah provided for the elected institution of
the Universal House of Justice, which gives a continuing source of
divine authority to guide the worldwide Baha'i community and to legislate on
matters not spelled out in the Baha'i sacred writings.

The delegates that voted in the election are themselves members of
national Baha'i governing bodies from around the world. They were chosen in
earlier elections in their own countries.

The Baha'i Faith, which has more than 5 million followers, is
established in almost every nation.



To view the photos and additional features click here:
http://news.bahai.org

 

[Wandered Off]

Any male age 21 and over is eligible for election to the Universal House of Justice.

Is there any movement among the Baha'i calling for women to be allowed to serve in this particular body from which they are excluded?

 

[Popeyesays]

Is there any movement among the Baha'i calling for women to be allowed to serve in this particular body from which they are excluded?

We have to do things according to Baha`u'llah's directions.

So far, there is nothing found in the writings to mitigate what Baha`u'llah decreed. Until such is found it is off the table.
However, should such a thing be found the Universal House of Justice is free to reverse its decision like any other decision by the House.

Until such time, if ever, women will continue to serve on the National Houses of Justice which elect the Universal House of Justice.

When the Addembled Hands of the Cause gathered to establish the first election of the Universal House of Justice they placed three questions before the House.

1) Was it proper for the Hands to deny themselves the requirements to serve on the House if elected?

2) Was there any possibility of perpetuating the Guardianship which had begun and ended with Shoghi Effendi?


About half of the surviving Hands of the Cause were, indeed women, and they unanimously voted to not allow themselves to be elected to the House in the first UHJ election.

It is up to the House to legislate that which is not expressed in the writings, it is expressly forbidden to the House to interpret the writings or to legislate on that which is express in the writings.

Regards,
Scott
3) Was it possible for women to be elected to the Universal House of Justice?

 

[Booko]

Is there any movement among the Baha'i calling for women to be allowed to serve in this particular body from which they are excluded?

Since the requirements are spelled out so clearly in the Writings, it's rather hard to pretend it doesn't say what it says. As Scott says, they might find something yet, but not at this time.

No matter, though...the ordinances are only for the duration till the next prophet arrives. Perhaps the world will be ready by then, and who knows? The next prophet might be a woman herself.

 

[arthra]

Is there any movement among the Baha'i calling for women to be allowed to serve in this particular body from which they are excluded?

Hello "Wandered Off"! Thanks for your comment..

Let me say that there was a movement among Baha'is to establish the Universal House of Justice over fifty years ago and it was successful in 1963 and every five years since that time the Baha'i representatives of over a hundred National Spiritual Assemblies elect the members of the House of Justice, this year was no exception.

That women don't serve on the House of Justice is not saying that men are superior or should have rule over women...

- Art

 

[Wandered Off]

We have to do things according to Baha`u'llah's directions.

Since the requirements are spelled out so clearly in the Writings, it's rather hard to pretend it doesn't say what it says.

That makes sense. Other faiths have had words from holy texts that were similarly clear - but movements within that suggested a less literal interpretation. Indeed, Scott has mentioned in many posts that members of the Baha'i faith interpret the Bible and writings from other faiths "spiritually" (which seems to mean non-literally), so I was just wondering whether there was any attempt to do something similar in this case.

Thanks for the responses! I appreciate everyone here for taking some time to share a Baha'i perspective.

 

[arthra]

Thanks again for your posts "Wandered Off"!

The establishment of the Universal House of Justice was in 1963 and was revealed in the Kitab-i-Aqdas by Baha'u'llah in 1871 and further was explained by Abdul-Baha as the Interpreter of HIs Father Writings. The Universal House of Justice is our primary administrative body today and deals with issues not explicitly mentioned in the Baha'i Writings as well as the administration of ordinances of the Faith.

You can see online the Constitution of the Univeral House of Justice:

Constitution of the Universal House of Justice

There's also an excellent article on women and the Universal House of Justice at:

UHJ letter: women.uhj.html

A photo of the elected House of Justice members:



- Art

 

[Adib]

To add a little bit of input, I believe it was `Abdu'l-Baha who said that the reason for the ineligibility of women on the House would one day "become as clear as the sun in the sky." It's one of the very few (specific) things that we take based wholly on faith and trust in God. But hey, with all of the other stuff he and the other Central Figures have revealed to us, I'm willing to take that.

 

[Popeyesays]

Kitab'i Hearsay from a pilgrim to Akk back in in 1955 or '56 says that a lady talking with Shoghi Effendi on the topic of women serving in the House of Justice became somewhat impassioned and she slapped the table and said "WHY?".

Shoghi Effendi slapped the table back and said, "I do not know, but Abdu'l Baha says someday it will clear."

It must have worked because that woman remained Baha`i to the end of her days serving as an Auxiliary Board member to the Hands of the Cause in the United States.

Regards,
Scott