Baquia's Ruhi

In this post I'll summarize what I see in Baquia's description of the Ruhi courses, here and here, and where I agree and disagree. In a later post I'll describe the courses as I see them, from my own experience with them. The parts in parentheses are not explicit in Baquia's description. I've added them because they're part of what I might imagine from reading what she says, if I didn't know otherwise.

(They're impoverished imitations of the Christian Alpha course that took off in the early 1990's). Their whole essence is is blind and unquestioning imitation in action or belief. They're a jumble of authenticated Baha’i texts, pilgrims notes and the commentary and interpretation of the authors of the courses, with no distinction between them. They consist of (nothing but) reading, writing answers to questions, repeating, and memorizing. They're based on an unquestioned assumption that a systematic and standardized curriculum is better. They became sacrosanct in a very short time because they're the only such courses mentioned repeatedly by name by the House of Justice and the ITC in their official communiques, and they have strongly recommended them and aggressively promoted them. (No one has any better reason for promoting or supporting them). They have crowded out other activities like the Mashriq’ul-Adhkar, charitable and SED projects, deepenings and teaching projects. Any criticism of the weaknesses of Ruhi is interpreted as a direct criticism or attack on the House of Justice and the ITC. Any member of the Faith who doesn't participate is branded as covenantally weak. That is having poisonous effects on the Baha’i world which will increase.

In the Ruhi courses there is no interest in reaching out to the world and connecting with other people and groups with similar values; no interest in seeing how we can help those in need, or those less fortunate; and no interest in truly deepening in the Writings through independent investigation of truth. There is no interest in Baha'u'llah or Abdu'l-Baha. There is no room for imagination, intelligence or creativity. Communities become desperately and passionately preoccupied with how many of their members have done how many courses. Mind-numbing drivel passes for wisdom. You can see what they are like by attending a Jehovah's witness Bible study class.

Now I'll list the statements, and indicate where I agree and disagree.

- (Impoverished imitations of the Christian Alpha course that took off in the early 1990's).

Maybe. I don't know anything about the Alpha course.

- Their whole essence is is blind and unquestioning imitation in action or belief.

I disagree. The falsity of that can be seen by examining all the books.

- They're a jumble of authenticated Baha’i texts, pilgrims notes and the commentary and interpretation of the authors of the courses, with no distinction between them.

I agree.

- They consist of (nothing but) reading, writing answers to questions, repeating, and memorizing.

I disagree. There is much more to them than that, as anyone can see by browsing through all the books.

- They're based on an unquestioned assumption that a systematic and standardized curriculum is better.

I'm not sure what that means. Unquestioned by whom? Better than what, for whom, and for what purposes? If it means that the only reason anyone has for promoting or supporting them is because they're systematic and standardized, I disagree.

- They became sacrosanct in a very short time because they're the only such courses mentioned repeatedly by name by the House of Justice and the ITC in their official communiques, and they have strongly recommended them and aggressively promoted them.

I disagree.

- (No one has any better reason for promoting or supporting them).

I disagree.

- They have crowded out other activities like the Mashriq’ul-Adhkar, charitable and SED projects, deepenings and teaching projects.

I see people being pressured to participate in the Ruhi courses and and a few other activities, and to give up doing anything else.

- Any criticism of the weaknesses of Ruhi is interpreted as a direct criticism or attack on the House of Justice and the ITC. Any member of the Faith who doesn't participate is branded as covenantally weak. That is having poisonous effects on the Baha’i world which will increase.

Maybe, on line. I haven't seen that off line. What I have seen is disapproval of anyone not participating in the courses and a few other activities, and disapproval of anyone doing anything else. I agree that the effects are poisonous

- In the Ruhi courses there is no interest in reaching out to the world and connecting with other people and groups with similar values; no interest in seeing how we can help those in need, or those less fortunate; and no interest in truly deepening in the Writings through independent investigation of truth.

I disagree.

- There is no interest in Baha'u'llah or Abdu'l-Baha.

I disagree. The falsity of that can be seen by examining all the books.

- There is no room for imagination, intelligence or creativity.

I disagree. The falsity of that can be seen by examining all the books.

- Communities become desperately and passionately preoccupied with how many of their members have done how many courses.

Maybe. I've seen a preoccupation with steadily increasing the numbers, at the expense of quality, but I haven't seen anything desperate or passionate about it.

- Mind-numbing drivel passes for wisdom.

I've always seen that in the Baha'i community, everywhere. I don't see what it has to do with the Ruhi courses.

- You can see what they are like by attending a Jehovah's Witness Bible study class.

- I disagree, and I'm speaking from experience.

In a later post I'll describe the courses as I see them, from my own experience with them starting in the late 1980's or early 1990's.