On the Independent Investigation of Truth: Children Free to Choose to Be Baha'is

A reader has raised some interesting points in a comment s/he made today to a two month-old post on Baha'i Views:

You state in your post of February 28, 2006 that "the Baha'i Faith is a voluntary organization." Yet, many of the younger generation of Baha'is, to which I belong, were essentially raised in the Baha'i Faith.

Personally, I don't recall really being given a *choice* by my parents over whether to become a Baha'i or not. They agreed amongst themselves that I'd "be raised a Baha'i". Signing that declaration card in my mid teens was as much of a "choice" as was deciding whether or not to live under my parents' roof at that time, or whether to attend Feast, etc.

I've always been curious, and more than a bit disturbed, by this phenomenon, and I'm curious about your thoughts on this issue.

Posted by Anonymous to Baha'i Views at 4/27/2006 11:57:49 AM
~~~~~~~~~
Here is what Shoghi Effendi said on the matter:

"The basic principle of the Cause is independent investigation of truth. This applies to us as much as to our children. They should be free to choose for themselves any religion they wish. To promise that they will belong to a certain Faith and not to another is therefore not only contrary to our precepts, but is also a futile promise to give. How can we make the future generation think as we do or follow our dictates. God has made them free. All that we can do is to open their eyes and tell them of what we think to be the truth."

From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, March 3, 1931
~~~~~~~~~
Below are links to passages from Lights of Guidance that relate in greater detail to the important related issues that this dear reader raises.

Education and Training of Children
479. Must First Train Children in Principles of Religion 480. Encourage the Children from Early Childhood 481. Incumbent Upon Bahá'í Children to Surpass Other Children 482. Parents Held Responsible to God for Education of Children 483. Teachers of Children Serving Bahá'u'lláh 484. Failure to Educate Child is an Unpardonable Sin 485. Child Left in Natural State Grows Up in Ignorance... 486. If Babe Did Not Live at All, Better Than to Grow Ignorant 487. Training in Morals and Good Conduct is Far More Important Than Book Learning 488. Pupil Must Be Encouraged 489. Station of Those Who Serve and Teach Children 490. Methods of Teaching Children 491. A Wise Schoolmaster 492. Curriculum of Study: Must Follow Same Curriculum for Daughters and Sons 493. Beginning of Formal Education 494. Subjects to be Taught in Children's Classes 495. Formal Education Must Begin at the Age of Five 496. Nothing in Teachings States Child Must Not Be Separated from Parents for First Five Years 497. Mother Has Chief Responsibility for Bringing Up Child 498. Mothers Ordained Primary Trainers of Children and Infants 499. Training of Children in Case One of Parents is Non-Bahá'í 500. Greatest of All Services Rendered by Man to Almighty God--Teach Children to Deliver Speeches of High Quality 501. Preferable that Child Should Receive First Training at Home Under Mother Instead of in the Nursery 502. Spiritual Assemblies Should Provide Mothers with Well-Planned Programme 503. Difficult to Teach and Refine Character Once Puberty is Passed 504. Should Train Children to Memorize Prayers and Tablets 505. Sacred Duty of Children Towards Their Parents 506. Children Should Be Trained to Understand Spiritual Significance of Bahá'í Meetings

Registration of Children
512. Bahá'í Children Do Not Automatically Inherit Faith of Parents 513. Children Whose Parents Become Bahá'ís 514. Status of Children Under the Age of 15 515. Age 15 Relates to Spiritual Functions and Obligations 516. Children Under 15 Cannot Marry 517. Children Are of Age at 15 as Far as Keeping Laws of Aqdas 518. Children of Bahá'í Parents Considered as Bahá'ís 519. Registering Children Upon Attaining Age 15 520. Upon Attainment of Age 15 Child Must Reaffirm His Faith 521. Registration of Children of Bahá'í Parents 522. May Be Circumstances in which Children Should Not Be Registered

Lights of Guidance, A Bahá'í Reference File by Bahá'u'llah, 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Shoghi Effendi and Universal House of Justice, Compiled by Helen Hornby