28 November 1999
  
We are enclosing a copy of the document "Extracts regarding Electronic
Communication with Covenant-breakers," as well as a compilation of
quotations entitled "Non-Association with Covenant-breakers" that we 
hope you will find useful in answering questions on this subject....
  
                With loving Baha'i greetings,
                The International Teaching Centre
  
A Compilation:
Non-Association with Covenant-breakers    

WRITINGS OF BAHA'U'LLAH  
  

"Protect yourselves with utmost vigilance, lest you be entrapped in 
the snare of deception and fraud."  This is the advice of the Pen of 
Destiny.
  
"Therefore, to avoid these people will be the nearest path by which 
to attain the divine good pleasure; because their breath is infectious, 
like unto poison."
  
"Endeavor to your utmost to protect yourselves, because Satan appears 
in different robes and appeals to everyone according to each person's 
own way, until he becomes like unto him -- then he will leave him 
alone."
  
"...If you detect in any man the least perceptible breath of 
violation, shun him and keep away from him."  Then He says:  "Verily, 
they are manifestations of Satan."
  
     (Baha'i World Faith, p. 431)
  

WRITINGS OF  ABDU'L-BAHA  
  

     Baha'u'llah, in all the Tablets and Epistles, forbade the true 
     and firm friends from associating and meeting the violators of the 
     Covenant of His Holiness, the Bab, saying that no one should go 
     near them because their breath is like the poison of the snake 
     that kills instantly.
  
     (Baha'i World Faith, p. 430)
  

     And now, one of the greatest and most fundamental principles of 
     the Cause of God is to shun and avoid entirely the Covenant-
     breakers, for they will utterly destroy the Cause of God, 
     exterminate His Law and render of no account all efforts exerted 
     in the past.
  
     (Baha'i World Faith, p. 448)
  

My object is to show that 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 Baha 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!
  
     (Will and Testament of  Abdu'l-Baha, p. 12)
  
                                      -2-
  

EXTRACTS FROM THE WRITING OF SHOGHI EFFENDI AND LETTERS ON HIS BEHALF  
  
     With regard to avoiding association with declared Covenant-
     breakers, Shoghi Effendi says that this does not mean that if one 
     or more of these attends a non-Baha'i meeting any Baha'is present 
     should feel compelled to leave the meeting or to refuse to take 
     part in the meeting, especially if that part has been pre-
     arranged.  Also if in the course of some business transaction it 
     should become necessary to negotiate with one of these people, in 
     order to clear up the business, that is permissible, provided the 
     association is confined to the matter of the business in hand.  
     It is different if one of these people should come to a Baha'i 
     meeting. Then it would become necessity to ask him in a most 
     tactful and dignified way to leave the meeting as Baha'is are 
     forbidden to associate with him.
  
     (From a letter dated 16 May 1925 written on behalf of the 
     Guardian to an individual believer)
  

     You must of course send Avarih (a Covenant-breaker) his title 
     deed through the Qamsar Local Spiritual Assembly, as it is his 
     right.  The friends must have full regard for his rights inasmuch 
     as civil rights have no relation whatsoever to the beliefs of 
     individuals.  The Baha'is must be free and sanctified from 
     religious prejudice and from ignorant fanaticism.
  
     (From a letter to a Local Spiritual Assembly dated 15 February 
     1929 -- Translated from the Persian)
  

     Regarding Mr. ...'s question about the Covenant-breakers:  
     Baha'u'llah and the Master in many places and very emphatically 
     have told us to shun entirely all Covenant-breakers as they are 
     afflicted with what we might try and define as a contagious 
     spiritual disease; they have also told us, however, to pray for 
     them.  These souls are not lost forever.  In the "Aqdas", 
     Baha'u'llah says that God will forgive Mirza Yahya if he repents.  
     It follows therefore that God will forgive any soul if he 
     repents.  Most of them don't want to repent, unfortunately.  If 
     the leaders can be forgiven it goes without saying that their 
     followers can also be forgiven....
  
     Also, it has nothing to do with unity in the Cause; if a man 
     cuts a cancer out of his body to preserve his health and very 
     life, no one would suggest that for the sake of "unity" it should 
     be reintroduced into the otherwise healthy organism!  On the 
     contrary, what was once a part of him has so radically changed as 
     to have become a poison.
  
     (From a letter dated 30 November 1944 written on behalf of the 
     Guardian to an individual believer)
  

     There is no excuse for believers continuing to associate with 
     ... and those who, knowing everything, still insist on doing so, 
     should be shunned by their fellow-Baha'is.  The same applies to 
     people who have left the Cause and associate with ...  The point 
     is that if the believers know and meet with people who are 
     acquainted with Covenant-breakers there is no harm in this, for
  
                                      -3-
  

such individuals are not Baha'is and have nothing to do with the 
issues concerned.  But those who have left the Cause, knowing all 
about such matters, and deliberately associate with Covenant-breakers, 
are well aware of what they do, and we must not associate with them at 
all.  It is for the Local Assembly, guided by the National Spiritual 
Assembly, to enforce such decisions and the Cause in its area of 
jurisdiction.
  
     The friends should, without too much dwelling on these negative 
     things, be made to understand that some people are spiritually 
     sick and that their disease is, alas, contagious.  Some recover 
     from it, as did ... whose heart could not rest till he returned to 
     the fold; others do not.  The Master and Baha'u'llah have taught 
     us that associating with these souls is not likely to heal them 
     at all, but on the contrary exposes one to grave danger of 
     contagion.  The history of the Faith has proved this over and over 
     again.  The only way we can prove to such people that they are 
     wrong is to censure their conduct; if we sympathise with them we 
     only fortify their perversity and waywardness.
  
     (From a letter dated 23 January 1945 written on behalf of the 
     Guardian to individual believer)
  

     It is better not to read books by Covenant-breakers because they 
     are haters of the Light, sufferers from a spiritual leprosy, so 
     to speak.  But books by well-meaning yet unenlightened enemies of 
     the Cause can be read so as to refute their charges.
  
     (From a letter dated 19 March 1946 written on behalf of the 
     Guardian to an individual believer)
  

     He is very happy to know your dear sister is now happier, and 
     more like her old self, and the dark thoughts she had have been 
     dispelled.  Covenant- breaking is truly a spiritual disease, and 
     the whole viewpoint and attitude of a Covenant-breaker is so 
     poisonous that the Master likened it to leprosy, and warned the 
     friends to breathe the same air was dangerous.  This should not 
     be taken literally; He meant when you are close enough to breathe 
     the same air you are close enough to contact their corrupting 
     influence.  Your sister should never imagine she, loyal and 
     devoted, has become a "carrier".
  
     (From a letter dated 29 July 1946 written on behalf of the 
     Guardian to an individual believer)
  

     He noted the report of ... about her meeting with the grandchild 
     of Subhi Azal.  He feels that the friends should as much as 
     possible avoid her, as it is very unlikely she has anything but 
     prejudice against Baha'u'llah, in view of her background.
  
     (From a letter dated 24 October 1947 to a National Spiritual 
     Assembly)
  
                                      -4-
  

     No intelligent and loyal Baha'i would associate with a 
     descendant of Azal, if he traced the slightest breath of 
     criticism of our Faith, in any aspect, from that person.  In fact 
     these people should be strenuously avoided as having an inherited 
     spiritual disease -- the disease of Covenant-breaking! Certainly 
     such matters should be brought to the attention of the Assembly 
     or National Spiritual Assembly within whose jurisdiction they 
     occur.
  
     (From letter dated 9 December 1948 to an individual believer)
  

     Whenever we find a person who opposes some fundamental of our 
     Faith, such as Institution of the Guardianship, we must first be 
     sure this is not due to ignorance or lack of proper training, 
     before we take action.  We must not suppose immediately that that 
     person is necessarily tainted by the spirit of Covenant-breakers.  
     If, however, this should prove to be the case, then strong action 
     must be taken by the Assembly.
  
     (From a letter date 24 June 1948 written on behalf of the 
     Guardian to an individual believer)
  

The friends are sometimes surprisingly naive and superficial in their 
approach to the subject of Covenant-breakers.  They do not seem to 
understand that the descendants of Azal, with their mother's milk, 
drank hatred of Baha'u'llah, just as the descendants of Muhammad-  Ali 
and his relatives have imbibed from babyhood a false concept of the 
Master.  It takes practically a miracle to overcome this lifelong 
habit of wrong thought.  Now, however, he has told the German believers 
to shun her.
  
     (From a letter dated 18 August 1949 written on behlaf of the 
     Guardian to a National Spiritual Assembly)
  

     A Covenant-breaker, as you know, is one who disobeys and turns 
     away from the Centre of the Covenant.  Until such time as they 
     repent of this sincerely, and express their willingness to work 
     under the Centre of the Covenant, their status must be considered 
     the same.  However, such matter should be discussed and decided 
     upon within the National Spiritual Assembly itself.
  
     (From a letter dated 16 March 1953 written on behalf of the 
     Guardian to an individual believer)
  

EXTRACTS FROM LETTERS AND MESSAGES OF THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE  
  

     ...children of Covenant-breakers, who have grown up with and 
     still associate with their parents, are probably thoroughly 
     infused with the Covenant-breaking spirit, and the friends must 
     not associate with them until the Hands of the Cause have 
     ascertained that these children have understood the sin of their 
     parents and dissociated themselves from them.
  
     (From letter dated 5 February 1969 to an individual believer)
  
                                      -5-
  

     It should be explained that descendants of Covenant-breakers who 
     have not positively repudiated their forebears and sought 
     readmittance to the Cause should be viewed with caution as they 
     may well have received the poison of Covenant-breaking from their 
     parents and would then have to be shunned by the friends.
  
     (From memorandum to the Hands of the Cause in the Holy Land dated 
     2 December 1971)
  

     The danger of meeting with children of Covenant-breakers is that 
     even although they may never have been declared Baha'is there is 
     always the likelihood that they have been strongly indoctrinated 
     by their parents with the poison of Covenant-breaking.
  
     (From a letter dated 9 June 1974 to an individual believer)
  

     The Baha'i students who go to schools which children of Covenant-
     breakers attend should be made, lovingly and wisely, to 
     understand that as Baha'is they cannot and must not choose 
     children of Covenant-breakers as their personal friends, without 
     making the matter into an open issue before the school. Thus, 
     there should be no hard and fast rule to the effect that no 
     Baha'i child should be enrolled in a school where children of 
     Covenant-breakers are also enrolled, or that they should leave a 
     school as soon as a child of a Covenant-breaker enters it.  The 
     important thing is to impress upon Baha'i children that personal 
     friendship and individual companionship with children of 
     Covenant- breakers must be avoided.  Should it be found that in a 
     particular case the situation is such that the policy outlined 
     above cannot be followed, then in such cases, which we hope can be 
     kept to a minimum, it would be desirable for Baha'i children to 
     change schools.
  
     (From a memorandum dated 22 January 1976 to the International 
     Teaching Centre)
  

YOUR REPORT FICICCHIA RECEIVED STOP IF COVENANT-BREAKER 
ATTENDS PUBLIC MEETINGS HE SHOULD BE TREATED BY SPEAKER 
IN WISE MANNER SUCH AS USED BY DR. ... STOP BAHAIS OTHER 
THAN CHAIRMAN AND SPEAKER SHOULD AVOID CONVERSATION 
WITH HIM STOP SITUATION ILLUSTRATES VITAL IMPORTANCE 
DEEPENING COVENANT ALL BELIEVERS STOP
  
     (Telegram dated 23 February 1976 to a National Spiritual 
     Assembly)
  

     In reply to your letter of April 19, 1977, enquiring whether ... 
     may receive financial assistance from her Covenant-breaking 
     father, we are instructed by the House of Justice to say that it 
     feels, in the circumstances set forth in your letter, that it 
     would be inadvisable for ... to accept such financial assistance.
  
     (From a letter dated 4 May 1977 to a National Spiritual 
     Assembly)
  
                                      -6-
  

     The Universal House of Justice has requested us to acknowledge 
     your letter of 17 January 1978 and to say that ... need not feel 
     guilty about selling items from her shop to Mr. ..., or engaging, 
     as your Assembly states, in "distant business conversation" with 
     him, should he call again at her shop.
  
     (From a letter dated 14 February 1978 to a National Spiritual 
     Assembly)  
  

Extracts Regarding Electronic Communication with Covenant-Breakers    
  
     Regarding your concerns about Covenant-breakers participating in 
     and posting material to the "Baha'i Forum" on America Online 
     (AOL), you should, of course, scrupulously and impartially uphold 
     the rules of AOL's "Religion and Beliefs" area.  You may warn the 
     friends about interaction with Covenant-breakers if you feel it 
     to be appropriate and if you can do so without violating the 
     impartiality that you, as Forum manager, must demonstrate.
  
     With respect to your concerns about your own contact with 
     Covenant- breakers, you should feel no trepidation at having to 
     interact with them in this particular situation and, if 
     necessary, to read their postings.  It is suggested, however, 
     that your contact with them be kept to a minimum, as strictly 
     required by your obligations as Forum manager.  You will want to 
     resist any temptation to be drawn into discussions or 
     consideration of the arguments which they may advance.
 
     (From a letter dated 28 May 1998 written on behalf of the 
     Universal House of Justice to an individual)
  
     More generally, while it is disconcerting that Covenant-breaker 
     material is being disseminated on the Internet, there is little 
     that can or should be done to directly oppose such dissemination.  
     Rather, the greatest protection to the Cause will be through 
     ongoing deepening of the Baha'i community in the Covenant and the 
     history and teachings of the Faith.  An important role that the 
     Internet can play in this regard is to make authentic Baha'i 
     literature, on the Covenant and on Baha'i teachings generally, 
     easily available. 
  
     (From a letter dated 19 December 1997 written on behalf of 
     the Universal House of Justice to an individual)
  
     The House of Justice feels that, when Baha'is are teaching in an 
     online "chat room" and Covenant-breakers intrude upon the 
     discussion, the friends should not feel obliged to sign off 
     simply because Covenant-breakers are present in this virtual 
     space.  They should, however, refrain from knowingly engaging the 
     Covenant-breakers in discussions and, in any case, should avoid 
     being drawn into contentious or disputatious situations. 
  
     (From a letter dated 27 October 1997 written on behalf of the Universal 
     House of Justice to an individual)
  
     The Universal House of Justice has received your email message 
     of 29 September 1997 regarding the Covenant-breaking material 
     sent to your personal email account.
  
     The House of Justice is aware of such activities on the part of 
     Covenant-breakers, and while it is closely following this issue, 
     it sees no cause for undue concern.  The friends should, of 
     course, ignore any materials produced by Covenant-breakers which 
     they may receive unsolicited by email or happen on while 
     exploring the World Wide Web.  With regard to your concerns over 
     the content of the message, you are advised to turn to your Local 
     Spiritual Assembly or an Auxiliary Board member for assistance in 
     dealing with the spurious claims advanced in that message. 
     
                                                     Page 2
  
     The best countermeasure to Covenant-breaker initiatives and the 
     greatest protection for the Cause is for the believers to 
     acquire a deeper appreciation of the station and purpose of 
     Baha'u'llah and to become well-grounded in His Covenant. 
  
     (From a letter dated 7 October 1997 written on behalf of the 
     Universal House of Justice to an individual)
  
     In principle, no person can be considered a Covenant-breaker 
     unless he has been so designated by the Head of the Faith.  
     However, it is strongly advised not to associate with those who 
     have fallen under the pernicious influence of groups such as the 
     "Orthodox Baha'is".  They are infected with the spirit of 
     Covenant-breaking, even if they are not all designated as such.  
     Accordingly, the friends should not answer queries from 
     individuals who obviously seek to draw them into the 
     consideration of the spurious claims and logic of the Covenant- 
     breakers.
 
     (From a letter dated 3 July 1997 written on behalf of the 
     Universal House of Justice to an individual)
  
     Your faxed message dated 14 May 1997, requesting guidance 
     concerning the attention given by the friends to postings by 
     Covenant-breakers on the Internet, was received by the Universal 
     House of Justice and referred to our Department for reply.
  
     The House of Justice is aware of the electronic postings on the 
     Internet by Covenant-breakers.  While it is closely following 
     this issue, it sees no cause for undue concern.  "The Baha'i 
     World", a Web site developed by the Baha'i International 
     Community's Office of Public Information, was launched in July 
     1996. It, together with a range of specialized Baha'i Internet 
     presentations such as the new "One Country" site, now provides 
     individuals interested in learning about the Baha'i Faith with a 
     large and ever-expanding body of authentic material on the Faith, 
     attractively presented and illustrated.  Sites maintained by 
     Covenant-breaker groups will have a diminishing impact in the 
     context of the information deluge on the Internet and against the 
     background of the authorized Baha'i source now accessible.
  
     The greatest protection to the Cause will, of course, be through 
     ongoing deepening of the Baha'i community in the Covenant and the 
     history and teachings of the Faith.  To facilitate this, you may 
     wish to bring attention to the availability of the Sacred Text on 
     the Web site "The Baha'i World" and on the Baha'i World Centre 
     FTP server. 
  
     (From a letter dated 4 June 1997 written on behalf of the 
     Universal House of Justice to a National Spiritual Assembly)
  
     Your email of 11 April 1997 regarding contact through the 
     Internet between the friends and Covenant-breaker groups has been 
     received by the Universal House of Justice.  It is not possible 
     to provide you with a list of Internet addresses of Covenant-
     breaker groups as you have requested, as no such listing is being 
     maintained at the Baha'i World Centre at this time.
  
     Any plans that you have to alert the friends to Covenant-breaker 
     activity on the Internet should, of course, be undertaken with 
     wisdom and discretion so as to avoid giving Covenant-breakers 
     more attention or prominence than they would otherwise receive. 
     (From a letter dated 4 May 1997 written on behalf of the 
     Universal House of Justice to a National Spiritual Assembly) 
     
                                                       Page  3
  
     Thus, if any participant in an email discussion feels that a view 
     put forward appears to contradict or undermine the provisions of 
     the Covenant, he should be free to say so, explaining candidly 
     and courteously why he feels as he does.  The person who made the 
     initial statement will then be able to re- evaluate his opinion 
     and, if he still believes it to be valid, he should be able to 
     explain why it is not contrary to either the letter or the spirit 
     of the Covenant.  The participants in such a discussion should 
     avoid disputation and, if they are unable to resolve an issue, 
     they should refer the point to the Universal House of Justice 
     since, in accordance with the Will and Testament of `Abdu'l-Baha, 
     "By this body all the difficult problems are to be resolved..." 
     and it has the authority to decide upon "all problems which have 
     caused difference, questions that are obscure, and matters that 
     are not expressly recorded in the Book."  In this way the 
     Covenant can illuminate and temper the discourse and make it 
     fruitful. 
  
     (From a letter dated 16 February 1996 written on behalf of 
     the Universal House of Justice to an individual)
  
     There is an ever increasing use by believers of the Internet and 
     other available computer based means of communication.  These 
     open unlimited possibilities for continuous proclamation and 
     teaching, bringing the Creative Word and the Sacred Writings as 
     well as the ideas of individual believers to hearts and minds 
     everywhere.  It also offers easy access to these same believers 
     by those whose purpose is to undermine their faith. By being 
     constantly alert we are able to encourage the use of this medium 
     by the friends while ensuring their protection from those who 
     would prey on them. 
  
     (From a letter dated 11 May 1995 written by the 
     International Teaching Centre to a Continental Counsellor)
  
     Participation by enemies of the Faith or members of Covenant- 
     breaker groups may, indeed, occur in the dialogue on electronic 
     forums.  It is not advisable for the institutions of the Faith or 
     its individual members to become directly involved in such 
     discussion.  It is neither wise nor possible to interfere with 
     postings on public forums, but if it is observed that such 
     activity is taking place on Baha'i-only forums National 
     Assemblies should be alerted so that they may provide appropriate 
     advice to the administrator of the forum.  The greatest 
     protection to the Faith will not be through intervention on 
     either open or closed electronic forums, but through ongoing 
     deepening of the Baha'i community in the Covenant and the history 
     and Teachings of the Faith. 
  
     (From a letter dated 24 February 1995 written by the 
     International Teaching Centre to a Continental Board of 
     Counsellors)