Eric Stetson’s Viewpoint on Baha’is

Eric Stetson is one of the famous researchers and writers who was expelled from the Baha’i faith after 4 years of active membership because of his critical positions and free thinking views. He was trying to do some reforms in the Baha’i Faith by showing different difficulties and faults through his speeches and writings. He even proposed a new Baha’i Group. He never had a militant and hard position toward Baha’i Administration but he had serious critiques on UHJ of Baha’is. Stetson does not believe in the infallibility of Baha’i Leaders and believes that this kind of attitude will cause the dictatorship and autarchy inside the Baha’i community. He does not recognize the current process of Baha’i leadership and believes that Mohammad Ali Effendi (the brother of Abdul- Baha) was the real legitimate leader of Bahaism after Bahaullah. He is not optimistic about the future of Bahaism and thinks that in this situation this faith will not benefit and acquire a significant progress and ability. He also has some critiques about the book of Aqdas of Bahaullah and does not accept it as a suitable teaching and book for the 21st century.