[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 147 (Thursday, November 14, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2020]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


 COMMEMORATING THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BAH[Aacute]'[Iacute] FAITH

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MARK STEVEN KIRK

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 13, 2002

  Mr. KIRK. Mr. Speaker, the American Bah[aacute]'[iacute] community, 
which has its national headquarters in Illinois, is commemorating the 
150th Anniversary of the beginnings of the Bah[aacute]'[iacute] Faith 
in Iran. The Bah[aacute]'[iacute] Faith is a world religion with more 
than 5 million adherents in some 230 countries and territories 
including more than 140,000 members here in the United States. The 
Bah[aacute]'[iacute] House of Worship in my district of Illinois is 
registered as a national historic site that has drawn more than five 
million visitors to enjoy its unique architecture and serene gardens 
since its completion in 1953.
  This is a special time for the American Bah[aacute]'[iacute] 
community because it was during the autumn 150 years ago that the 
founder of the Bah[aacute]'[iacute] Faith, Bah[aacute]'u'll[aacute]h, 
was first overwhelmed with the Bah[aacute]'[iacute] message of love and 
unity while unjustly imprisoned in one of Persia's (now Iran's) worst 
dungeons, the S[iacute]yah Ch[aacute]l. After his release from this 
dungeon, Bah[aacute]'u'll[aacute]h promoted this message despite being 
banished from Baghdad to Istanbul, from Istanbul to Edirne, and 
eventually from Edirne to the prison city of Acre where he died in 1892 
after having lived in exile for forty years for his belief in the 
oneness of humanity.
  The Bah[aacute]'[iacute] Faith is based on the principles of 
cooperation and peace outlined by Bah[aacute][uacute]ll[aacute]h. He 
taught that there is only one God, that the conscience of man is sacred 
and to be respected, that racial diversity contributes to the overall 
beauty of mankind, and that women and men are equals in God's sight. He 
taught that a spiritual solution is required to address the disparities 
of wealth distribution and that religion and science must agree. He was 
among the first to express the need for an international auxiliary 
language, emphasize the importance of universal education, and advise 
that a commonwealth of nations was needed for establishing global peace 
and security. The significance of these principles could not be 
overemphasized in today's volatile world.
  It is astounding to think how advanced these concepts were 150 years 
ago not only in an ancient Persian culture, but also in the United 
States. Slavery and persecution based on race were widely accepted 
facts of life at that time. Women in the United States were still 70 
years away from getting the vote. Global literacy was low and universal 
education was unheard of in most places. Colonial exploitation was on 
the rise and workers enjoyed few protections.
  Unfortunately, just as the Bahd'i message was met with hostility in 
Persia in 1852, it still faces persecution in that region today. The 
Islamic Republic of Iran regards Bahd'is as heretics who, according to 
Islamic law, should be executed. Bah[aacute]'[iacute]s, along with 
Iran's other religious minorities, are prevented from exercising their 
right to religious freedom. They are excluded from institutions of 
higher education, denied jobs, and have had many of their holy places, 
cemeteries and properties seized or destroyed. They are denied their 
most basic human rights.
  Since 1982, Congress has adopted eight resolutions condemning Iran's 
treatment of the Bah[aacute]'[iacute]s, its largest religious minority. 
With the support of the U.S. government, the UN General Assembly has 
adopted annual resolutions condemning these human rights abuses. Yet, 
Bah[aacute]'[iacute]s is still await the religious freedom called for 
in those UN resolutions and promised in Iran's constitution. The 
Bah[aacute]'[iacute] community remains an oppressed religious minority 
and is denied rights to organize, elect leaders, and to conduct freely 
its religious activities.
  On the 150th anniversary of Bah[aacute]'u'll[aacute]h's imprisonment 
and the founding of the Bah[aacute]'[iacute] Faith, we salute along 
with the American Bah[aacute]'[iacute] community the ideals of 
universal brotherhood, peace, cooperation, and understanding espoused 
by Bah[aacute]'u'll[aacute]h. These are Bah[aacute]'[iacute] values, 
they are American values, and they are universal values. I also would 
like to recognize the immense sacrifices that many around the world 
have made striving to ensure that true liberty and justice for all 
becomes not just an American dream, but also a global reality.

                          ____________________