Now that Gilberto has been banned, I just want to say one thing.
I believe Gilberrto was completely correct about the capability of a
future Baha'i state to practice warfare. His example of the abrogation
of the right of Baha'i individuals to freely publish without prior
censorship, as was expressly sanctioned by the beloved Guardian, in
the establishment of "review", is a valid example of how any Baha'i
principle may be abrogated in light of a greater good, as determined
by ultimate Baha'i authority.
Shoghi Effendi was the ultimate Baha'i authority while he lived and he
had every right to abrogate freedom of expression, or any other Baha'i
principle, in favor of censorship (or any other greater good he
esteemed worth the price), and all Baha'is were bound to obey his
dictate.
Today, and in the future, the ultimate Baha'i authority is the
Universal House of Justice, and if that body approve of war (or any
other action, for that matter) then no Baha'i can disobey or dispute
the virtue of the ordained war (or other act).
This is what it means to have an all powerful, infallible authority.
Now, we as Baha'is certainly trust that our Institutions will never
commit evil acts; they are protected from all error by God. But to a
non-believer, the only thing they can trust in is the good will of
future Baha'i authority.
Ron Stephens
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