In recent years, American Baha’is have felt a dilemma between
their identities as Baha’is and their desire to support members of the
LGBTQ community.
Why are some American Baha’is leaving their faith?
In the past two years, three written
pieces by Baha’is who left, or considered leaving their faith have
gained publicity on social media. All three people who published such
pieces left or considered leaving the Baha’i faith due to the faith’s
stance on homosexuality. The Universal House of Justice, the Baha’i
authority of the world, describes homosexuality as similar to issues
such as drinking and doing drugs. While Baha’is are encouraged to be
sympathetic toward LGBT members of the faith, the UHJ considers
homosexuality immoral if expressed in sexual acts. Since April of 2015,
three prominent Baha’is have expressed their struggles and disagreements
with this stance.
In recent years, the first person to come forth so publicly on this
issue was former Baha’i Sean Rayshel. In an April 2015 interview with
the Huffington Post, Rayshel discussed his journey leaving the Baha’i
Faith due to feeling that the official Baha’i stance on homosexuality
“debased” him, and claimed that he was part of the world’s
disintegration. Just one month later, out gay Baha’i radio talk show
host Jake Sasseville published a statement titled, “Baha’i Curious?
Religion and Sexuality” in which he mentioned that he considered leaving
the Baha’i Faith. Sasseville stated that being a gay Baha’i makes him
feel “unlovable” in what is otherwise “the most accepting, loving, and
global community I’ve ever known.” In February of 2016, Baha’i actress
Anisa George published her letter of resignation from the Baha’i faith
to the Universal House of Justice on gaybahai.net. George expressed her
sorrow in leaving the faith, however she also stated “when it comes to
civil rights issues pertaining to the LGBTQ community, Baha’is are so
woefully behind the curve.”
Rayshel and George express a sentiment that Baha’i holy texts
condemn pederasty, and not homosexuality, as the Universal House of
Justice has interpreted them.
Sources:
bahai-library.com/compilation_homosexuality_bwc