A Voice of America journalist questioned President Ahmadinejad of Iran about his country’s persecution of the Baha’is at a recent press conference at the UN headquarters in New York.
In his question the journalist refers to the respect that Ahmadinejad shows to the divine prophets in his speeches and then says: “one of the Divine Prophets who has the largest religious minority of followers after the Muslims are the Baha’is”. He refers to the documents presented to the UN that show that Iran has a policy of preventing the social progress of the Baha’is. He asks Ahmadinejad why he does not use his powers under the Iranian constitution to ensure that Baha’is receive the same justice as other Iranian citizens.
Ahmadinejad gives the most extraordinary reply. He says that the Jews have Moses, Christians Christ, and Muslims the Prophet of Islam. But, he asks the journalist, “can you tell me who the divine prophet of the religion you mention is? He was revealed exactly when? Did he have a name? Good luck, thank you.”
You can watch this interchange here. It starts at minute 46, very close to the end of the video.
Technorati Tags: Baha’i, Baha, Iran, Ahmadinejad, religion, UN, human rights
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The name of the religion he mentioned is the Baha’i Faith.
The name of its divine prophet is Baha’u'llah.
He first revealed his mission to mankind in 1863.
You’re welcome.
Spot on, Dan! Mr Ahmadinejad just couldn’t bring himself to say it.
I don’t think Ahmadinejad’s response is extraordinary – not for Admadinejad at least! It’s consistent with his reponse to the National Press Club in Washinton – http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/24/AR2007092401084.html
According to Ahmadinejad, there are just four divine religions and Baha’i isn’t one of them. Notice that when Ahmadinejad talks to the press club about all religions having the same message and coming from the same place, he doesn’t include Baha’i and a bunch of other faiths.
Meanwhile, he plagiarized the Baha’i teachings!
I noticed that plagiarism, for instance, in some of the “letter” he sent to President Bush sometime in the past 12 months. Was it just me, or did some of the more lucid points sounded like they came from Secret of Divine Civilization.
Of course, it’s true that Ahmadinejad’s response is not extraordinary for Ahmadinejad, but its evasiveness and the speed with which he left the platform are clearly indicative of the utter discomfort he feels when faced with questions about the Baha’i Faith.
A while ago I was able to ask a question of former president Khatami during a Christian-Muslim dialogue session at Lambeth Palace (official residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury). Khatami went all around the houses to avoid answering the question. However, a Shia cleric who is based in London and who was at the same dialogue session told me in no uncertain terms that no one in Iran likes the Baha’is and the Baha’is had better just get used to it.
Khatami’s interpreter came up to me during the lunch after the dialogue session and assured me that actually people in Iran like and respect the Baha’is. He himself, he said, had many Baha’i friends.
Anyway, whatever Ahmadinejad does or says will eventually come back on his own head. And this will have the perverse result (from Ahmadinejad’s perspective) of raising the profile of the Baha’is in Iran internationally.
It seems he is getting upset with so many questions and references to the Baha’i Faith.
ay be this visit is producing some unexpected results for the Iranian government.
That’s all about the duplicity of the Iranian government and it’s President.
I was amazed by reading the introduction of his speech at Columbia. If one forgets for a second the person who read it, and what he said before and after…it’s impressive and i could agree with most of it (if only there were not all the rest!).
It really demonstrates once more his ability to show two completely different faces depending on the situation and the public he is facing.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/24/AR2007092401084.html
This for example is a quote from him:
“But our human responsibility requires us to reflect on the reality and truth as it is, and to bring the message of peace and friendship for all humanity. I hope that we will all succeed in our efforts.”
But my prefered one is:
“The human path is a movement from darkness to light. The truth of the world, of this universe, is pure, and the creator of the world is free of all forms of lies and deceits and oppression. The right path is the path to piety.
Lies are incompatible with the truth of mankind and with the objectives that the divine lord has given us for humanity. Lies are an incorrect reflection of the reality and a reflection of those behavior of the liars and the way they think.
Lies have nothing to do with the divine spirit of mankind. Lies deviate thoughts and lead to judgments that weaken the truth and deviate man’s path.
Therefore, lies and deceits are in fact a form of oppressing mankind.”
But nevertheless, there are no homosexuals, no baha’is and no human rights violations in Iran
I’m sorry for him.
Talking about nice concepts and using beautiful words is not so hard.But when the fact faces and huge difference between words and activities reveals, you see just words is not enough. I really wonder how someone can say somethings that everybody knows is not truth, with such a confidence !!!
The lies so blatantly spoken by Ahmadinejad and his cronies are breathtaking. Actually, it is ironic that Ahmadinejad are a “form of oppressing mankind”. This is so much like what Baha’u'llah says about untruth and about the greatest oppression is preventing people from knowing where to seek for truth.
Mr Ahmadinejad, you stupid, uneducated monkey who is now representing a nation. He brings embarrassment to his nation. The inhumane ways which the Bahá’í’s have and are being treated for years under the Islamic Revolution of Iran is despicable. This government can’t even leave the Bahá’í cemeteries alone.
ahmadnijad sucks! he’s an embarrasment to the world and those who follow him are fuckin fools!
after all of their games, here you see a new one!which is true?why along these years we haven’t seen a minute under freedom?!we just pray and try to see the day that holy books promised us about:
(from Quran)” and you see people who are accepting the Religion of God in great number”
pray and tray!
abha
Thank you all for your comments on this post.
His advisor is the son of an Azali, so he is well aware of the Abdu’l-Baha’s writings and plagiarized them in his talks.
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