Brent+Mathieu

Baha'i Executor Joseph Pepe wrote:



More letters [|by Brent Mathieu] are available [|here]...


 * //** From: **// || //** Brent Mathieu  **// ||
 * //** To: **// || //** unitarian-bahai@yahoogroups.com **// ||  ||

//** To whom it may concern, **//

//** Invocation: **//

//** Towards the One, in all divine names and forms. Creator, sustainer and guide of all the heavens and the earths. The most loving, most compassionate, most great and most glorious. **//

//** May God unite the hearts of all people, and reveal unto us the divine purpose in love, beauty and truth. **//

//** All praise and gratitude be to that One, the source of all being. **//

//** Herein follows my spiritual testament, memoir and transmission. **//

//** I, Hafiz, aka Brent B Mathieu, testify that all begin in the sacred unity of life, and to the mystery of unity of spirit, we all return. **//

//** Introduction: **//

//** In [| the lineage of Abraham, Sarah, Hagar and Keturah], which I revere, there have arisen the faiths of Judaism, Christianity, Islam and Baha’i. All believe in one God, one Supreme Being, called by many names in the Semitic languages of the Middle East. El, Elohim, Alaha, Allah. **//

//** This Great Mystery has many divine attributes or qualities. As the holy Quran states, ‘by whatsoever name ye will, invoke that One. Allah has most excellent names.’ **//

//** Ab-ra-ham, means ‘the source of many nations’ Abraham represents a patriarchal archetype of the masculine prophet, a male human friend of the divine. From his seed, have been born Ishmael, Issac, Jacob (aka Israel ) Esau, Moses (aka Musa), the tribes, prophets, kings and priests of Israel, Yeshua, (aka Jesus the christ, Issa , ruh allah, or yuz asaf) Muhammad (aka rasullillah), Siyyid ‘Ali Muhammad (aka the bab), and Mírzá Ḥusayn-`Alí Núrí (aka baha’u’llah) Peace and blessings be upon them all. **//

//** These are some of the masculine branches of Abraham’s lineage. They are the fruit of the monotheistic tree of human life. They are male exemplars of pious human beings, the hu-ri, the hu beings conscious and manifest ones of the earth. **//

//** Sarah, in the Semitic lineage of Middle Eastern spirituality, may be understood to represent the matriarchal archetype of the priestess of the divine feminine, the goddess, the mother of heaven and earth. Hagar, the daughter of Egypt, was her friend and handmaiden. (Refer to the thesis book: “Sarah the Priestess: The First Matriarch of Genesis” or the book: “The Tent of Abraham” for more details) The goddess has many names as well, in the ancient Middle East, the goddess was known as Elat, Innana, Astarte, Isis and more. A few of their daughters of blood and spirit are Rachel, Leah, Dinah, Ruth, Ester, Mariam, Mary, Mary Magdalene, Khadija, Aisha, Fatima, Khadijih Bagum, Tahirih, Asiyih Khanum, Fátimih Khánum, and Gawhar Khánum. Peace and blessings be upon them all. **//

//** Together, Sarah, Hagar, Keturah and Abraham co-created a multitude of nations and religions upon the earth, and a legacy both of unity and schism, a blessing and a curse. **//

//** We, all, the huri, need the masculine and the feminine in balance so that humanity may soar as a bird with two wings. **//

//** It is written in the Torah, that God made a covenant with Abraham, and blessed his descendants. **//

//** In the holy Quran, it is said that God opened Adam, the primordial hu-man, and looked upon all humanity, and asked us each and all: **//

//** Am I not your Rabb? (Rabb may translate or mean lord, sustainer, creator, provider, teacher, guide or master) **//

//** We all affirmed that we would bear witness that there was no one but that One. **//

//** This testament by Hafiz aka Brent B Mathieu is an endeavor to fulfill this covenant, and reconcile the lineage of Abraham and the hu-ri, and atone for the past. **//

//** The present day lineage of the Bahai Faith: **//

//** [|Bahá'u'lláh] (ba-haa-ol-laa, [|Arabic]: بهاء الله‎ "Glory of God") ( 12 November 1817 – 29 May 1892 ), born Mírzá Ḥusayn-`Alí Núrí, was the founder of the [|Bahá'í Faith]. In a progressive revelation in the lineage of Abraham’s faith, he taught the unity of humanity and the oneness of God. **//

//** In [| his book of the Covenant], Baha’u’llah bequeathed unto his heirs a treasury of trust and resignation. He urged all to refrain from slander and to live rightly. He forbids conflict and contention. He directed his followers after his passing to turn to the one whom had branched from the root of the Tree of his life. He indicated this meant [|the A’zam] (Mighty) branch, his eldest son, ‘Abbas Effendi, known spiritually to the public as [|‘Abdu’l Baha], the servant of Baha, or Aqa, the master exemplar of the Bahai ideals. He chose his next eldest son, Mirza Muhammed ‘Ali, [|the Akbar] (Great) branch to succeed after ‘Abdu’l Baha. **//

//** [|The sons became estranged over the leadership manner of ‘Abdu’l Baha]. After [|the passing of ‘Abdu’l Baha], his apparent, [|though disputed], [|Will] and [|Testament] [|cut off his half brother from the succession], and appointed instead ‘Abdu’l Baha’s grandson, [|Shoghi Effendi], as [|the guardian of the Cause of God]. **//

//** [|The Will] and Testament made it incumbent for Shoghi Effendi to appoint his successor in his lifetime, and if his first born was not appropriate, then he must choose another branch to succeed him. **//

//** [|Shoghi Effendi] [|excommunicated all the other descendents] of Baha’u’llah, and [| had no children]. He [|established an administrative order], including the appointment of an [|international Baha’I council], and the [|Hands of the Cause], his spiritual and administrative aides. Shoghi Effendi died unexpectedly in 1957, and [|no personal will and testament was discovered]. The Hands met in conclave and [|determined that Shoghi Effendi had no heir or successor to the guardianship]. His leadership of the Baha’I Faith and his estate was held in trust by the custodianship of the Hands, until the election of a “Universal House of Justice” in 1963. The international Bahai council appointed by Shoghi Effendi remained relatively inactive and was bypassed as a possible successor to Shoghi Effendi’s guardianship. [|One of the Hands], [|Charles Mason Remey], [|the President of the IBC], [|persisted in urging the Hands to seek their guardian], and[| objected to the plan to elect an international Baha’I council as a preliminary step to the election of a Universal House of Justice]. Remey separated from the other Hands, and [|claimed to be the second guardian of the Baha’I Faith] on the basis of his [|being appointed the President of the international Baha’I council] [|by Shoghi Effendi]. [|Remey was an elderly American,] who [|had been highly regarded by ‘Abdu’l Baha as his spiritual, dear son]. [|The Hands denied Remey’s claim]. [|Remey] and [|the Hands] mutually excommunicated each other. **//

//** In the early 1960s, [|Remey appointed one of his main supporters, Joel Marangella, to succeed him]. Remey anticipated an imminent world cataclysm, and desired to preserve the guardianship. Subsequently, Remey appointed a second IBC with each member as a potential successor to Remey’s guardianship if there was need and no other successor was appointed. In the mid 1960s, Remey [|adopted an Italian-American friend, Joseph Pepe, to be his son,]granted him power of attorney as his companion and care-taker, and [|made him his heir in his will and testament]. Pepe declined Remey’s desire to name him as his successor to the guardianship, and instead promoted [|Donald Harvey] to Remey. Remey dissolved the second IBC. [| In 1967, Remey appointed Donald Harvey to be his successor to the guardianship.] [|Remey died in 1974.] **//

//** Personal spiritual history **//

//** I was born July 31, 19 55, and was raised by my parents, Burtis and Anna Mathieu, in the Lutheran church in Sidney , Montana , in which I received confirmation. Praise be to God with all gratitude for the gift of life! **//

//** I was introduced to the Bahai Faith, in December, 1973, by Doctors [|Leland and Opal Jensen], naturopathic and chiropractic physicians of Missoula, Montana. Peace and blessings be upon them both. The Jensens had served as teaching pioneers of the Baha’I Faith in the 1950s, and had been recognized by Shoghi Effendi for their services as “[|knights of Baha’u’llah]”. The Jensens nominally supported the guardianship of Remey, though Leland Jensen had begun to assert his own claim to be a “promised one”, with spiritual authority to lead a reformation and renewal of the Bahai Faith. The Jensens were excommunicated with the mainstream Haifa based Baha’I Administration. As a result, I never enrolled as a member of the Haifa based Baha’I Administration. From my first encounter with Haifa based Baha’is in 1974, I have experienced many instances of being shunned for my beliefs. Counselors from the Haifa based administration informed me in the early 1990s that I was considered a supporter of the views of Covenant-breakers due to my association with the Jensens, their community and my support for the continuation of the guardianship in the Remey lineage. **//

//** In the mid 1970s, I began a correspondence with both Donald Harvey and Joseph Pepe. In the late 1970s, I was persuaded by Leland Jensen that Pepe was the valid successor to Remey and ceased to correspond with Harvey until I resumed again in 1990. In 1990, I exchanged a series of letters with Leland Jensen and his community, stating my points of disagreement with their beliefs, and my disassociation and independence from their sect. **//

//** Pepe and I corresponded often in the early 1990s, sometimes exchanging several letters each month. In August, 1990, Pepe, in response to an exchange between Leland Jensen and him, concerning a mystical experience by myself, [|wrote me a letter which included his adoption of me as his “spiritual son” and appointment of myself as his “aghsan successor”]. Pepe had a hope of rehabilitating Remey’s memory and name, as his “moral and filial obligation” to Remey with the Haifa based administration and envisioned my assistance. Pepe corresponded with other individuals from Jensen’s community, and encouraged each of us to help him in this endeavor. **//

//** Pepe, circa March 1991, proposed to Harvey that he reconsider his appointment of successor and instead appoint myself, Brent Mathieu, to be Harvey ’s successor. Harvey, Pepe and I corresponded about the proposal and my concerns, and no change in appointment occurred. Donald Harvey died in October 1991 and [|was succeeded by] [|Jacques Soghomonian]. Pepe and the Jensens each died in the early to mid 1990s. After Harvey ’s death, I contacted the Haifa based Baha’I Administration to explore reconciliation and joining their organization for fellowship purposes for myself and my children. It became clear that my support of the continuation of the guardianship in Remey’s lineage was not a welcome fit in the Haifa based Baha’I Administration’s community, and I dropped the inquiry. **//

//** An electronic archive copy of my scanned and typed correspondence with Pepe, Jensen, Harvey and others related to the guardianship has been distributed and exists, along with the originals of letters received. **//

//** Circa 1992-1993 and subsequently, I became an active supporter of Harvey ’s successor Jacques Soghomonian. **//

//** While participating in a gathering of pro-guardians Bahais in central Colorado circa 1993, I experienced a remarkable dream relevant to this testimony. Its details are recorded in my journal, and have been previously shared with a few, including Jeannie McGinley of Missoula, Montana. Without reviewing my journal, my recollection at present of the dream is that I was in a house, in a state of disrepair and weakened foundation and supports, with sagging floors and decks, with the potential for collapse. Two or three people were present urging me to help them repair the house. (I interpret these to be dream projections of the Haifa based Universal House of Justice and my contacts with Haifa Administration representatives earlier). There was a dying or dead tree next to the house, almost leafless with dead, dry, broken branches. (A tree is a symbol of spiritual or physical lineage – a tree of life nearly dead) I was standing on a sagging deck of the house, which was about to collapse, I had a choice to stay in the collapsing house, or leap to grasp a branch of the tree. I knew that the dead branch could not bear my weight and would break, yet I leaped. The branch broke and I fell to the ground. Then I awoke. The dream had some other aspects too. **//

//** Recently, the symbolism tied in with a story in Genesis about the staff of Aaron, a dead branch that flowers. It inspires a poem: **//

//** “Upon barren branch **// //** appeared a bud of life, **// //** fragrant flowers followed.” **//

//** In the late 1990s, circa 1998-1999, Soghomonian appointed me a Hand of the faith, and considered naming me his successor. In the Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l Baha, the Hands of the Cause have a function of diffusing the divine fragrances. **//

//** In the mid 2000s, circa 2006, [| Soghomonian voided the nominations of those of us appointed as Hands, and appointed Mr. E. S. Yazdani, an Iranian Bahai residing in Australia as his successor.] **//

//** At present, as I have previously stated, in a letter dated Sept 20, 2007, to Jacques Soghomonian, and others within the pro-guardian community, I can not profess to be Baha’i, with a clear conscience. By most conventional and traditional Baha'i standards of belief, I do not accept what may be essential elements of the Baha'i Faith. To be brief, let it suffice that I question Baha'u'llah's central assertion in the Book of Certitude, and other of His writings, that only way to know God is through His Manifestation, and that it is incumbent to recognize and obey this Manifestation. I do not recognize Baha'u'llah's Revelation as infallible and supreme in its authority, or the sole path to God in this Day. Thus, I may not be Baha'i. **//

//** I recognize and testify that Baha'u'llah is a Manifestation of Allah, in the lineage of Abraham, Sarah, Hagar, and Keturah, one foreseen by sages and prophets, and that his Revelation, and lineage of succession of his sons, ‘Abdu’l Baha, and Mirza Muhammed Ali, and of the Guardianship is a Light of Divine Guidance, and a teacher of the path to God. Thus, I am of Baha. **//

//** I am convinced that many enlightened human beings, the awakened, evolved hu-ri, besides the few Manifestations recognized in the Baha'i Faith, have realized their unity with the One. **//

//** Regarding the Guardianship, I affirm that [|Shoghi Effendi appointed Charles Mason Remey to be President of the International Baha’I Council], the embryonic Universal House of Justice. [|Remey was the spiritual, dear son of ‘Abdu’l Baha.] Shoghi Effendi did not explain the significance or potential of Remey’s appointment in relation to the Guardianship. He did not direct the Baha’is to turn to Remey as his successor. The significance of Shoghi Effendi’s appointment of Remey as President, and the succession of the Guardianship is controversial and divisive. It is a subject that an individual can decide only for one’s own self. For the Baha’I’ community, it is a matter that needs authoritative decision, and the Hands [|who were given that authority in the Will] and Testament, [|concluded there was no individual successor] to the Guardian, Shoghi Effendi. [|The Haifa based Universal House of Justice, without a guardian as its head for life, affirmed their decision.] **//

//** [|One of the documents which Charles Mason Remey signed] after the death of Shoghi Effendi, included the following statement: **//

//** "[|The Custodians] shall be deemed to succeed the Guardian of the Bahá'í **//

//** Faith, His Eminence the late Shoghi Effendi Rabbani, in Palestine or **//

//** Israel Branches of National Spiritual Assemblies of various countries, **//

//** which are registered in Israel, and the Custodians may nominate one or **//

//** more persons to act on their behalf in any such Israel Branches." **//

//** Completed, sealed and signed on this 25th day of November, 1957. **//

//** Therefore, I conclude for myself that there is no definite or explicit continuation of the Guardianship after Shoghi Effendi, though I do not deny the possibility, and affirm the evident need for [|lights of guidance.] **//

//** I recognize [|Jacques Soghomonian] as the present successor in the spiritual lineage from ‘Abdu’l Baha via Mason Remey as his dear, spiritual son, and as the successor to Remey’s appointment as President of the embryonic Universal House of Justice. I recognize and affirm Charles Mason Remey, Donald A Harvey, and Jacques Soghomonian as chosen branches in the spiritual lineage of ‘Abdu’l Baha. I hereby assent to Mr E.Yazdani as the appointed successor to Jacques Soghomonian. **//

//** Personally, I regard myself as to have no authority greater than that of any other soul among my brothers and sisters of humanity, the hu-ri. I believe in the Oneness of the Supreme Being, that from One all come, and unto One, all shall return. **//

//** My aspiration is to know, love, and praise Allah, the Oneness, the Source of all Being, by whatsoever names and paths revealed to us. **//

//** Since the early 1990s I have been actively participating in [|the Dances of Universal Peace]. I may be self described as a JudeoChristianIslamicBahaiSufi Unitarian/Universalist, with great regard and respect for Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, and Shamanism. **//

//** In April and May 2005, I made a solo, independent pilgrimage to the holy lands and sites of Rome, Jaffa, Jerusalem, Haifa and Akka, including the Baha’I holy sites of the shrine of the Bab, the shrine of Baha’u’llah at Behje, and the houses of Baha’u’llah and ‘Abdu’l Baha in Akka. It was a quest for reconciliation and atonement within myself of my spiritual lineage, and the legacy of my family ancestors, and culture upon the earth. **//

//** In recent years, several songs have been inspired out of this endeavor, my Lutheran heritage, and my participation with Ilowan’s Healing Temple, the Dances of Universal Peace, and an Aramaic Christian Sufi Peace study group. The writings and music of Hazrat Inayat Khan, Murshid Samuel Lewis, and Sa’adi, aka Neil Douglas-Klotz have been very influential and appreciated. The music and lyrics from my heart have been recorded, and performed for my community of friends and family. Among these are: The Aramaic Lord’s prayer. Do unto others. Hummingbird’s joy. Come unto me. A lover’s heart. Come on, let’s dance. **//

//** In May 2010, I accepted initiation into the Ruhaniat International Sufi Order, in the lineage of Murshid Samuel Lewis, and Hazrat Inayat Khan Chisti. My Sufi guide, Saladin, chose the name of Hafiz for me. **//

//** The legacy of the Baha’I Faith, as well as much of the JudeoChristianIslamic lineage of Abraham, and Sarah, Hagar and Keturah, has been filled with schism, discord, estrangement, and conflict. This is especially disturbing and tragic as it was Baha’u’llah’s often stated purpose in enduring his life of suffering and injustice, to promote peace, justice, love and unity among all humanity, the hu-ri. He advocated independent investigation of truth, and the harmonious fellowship among all religions and races. He declared that we, the hu-ri, all of humanity are the waves of one sea, the leaves of one tree, the fruits of one branch. Instead of the actualization of this vision of unity, his own family and followers, fell into schism and discord after his death, over the interpretation of his covenant. This cycle of schism has been repeated with each generation, and succession of authority within the Baha’I faith. **//

//** Recently, via [|the internet forum of Bahai Unitarians], attention has come to the fact that the [|covenant of Baha’u’llah], chose [|ghusn I akbar] to succeed after [|ghusn I a’zam]. Baha’u’llah’s will was that his son, Mirza Muhammed Ali, would succeed after Abbas Effendi aka ‘Abdu’l Baha. **//

//** This reminds that Remey, in his diaries of [|the Daily Observations], written in Haifa after the death of Shoghi Effendi, mused that perhaps some day the guardianship would be returned to physical descendents of Baha’u’llah. **//

//** The inspiration for this my spiritual testament came after a nine day inner retreat, and contemplation of Ya Hadi, the Arabic divine name for Allah’s quality as the Guide. Several individuals and occurrences in synchronicity contributed to its inception. **//

//** Transmission: **//

//** In the spirit of highest good and unity, for all the huri, the hu beings of the earth, and as a prayer and symbol, for the harmony of masculine and feminine, reconciliation and atonement, I, Brent B Mathieu, aka Hafiz, as a spiritual son and aghsan successor of Joseph Pepe Remey, do hereby by this document and my heart felt will, transfer and pass on any transmission of spirit received by myself from Pepe’s lineage of inheritance back now to the family of the physical descendents of Baha’u’llah. This transmission is to be received and held in trust by the great grand daughter of Baha’u’llah, [|Negar Bahai-Emsallem]. She, as a female branch as well as a leaf upon both the spiritual and physical tree of Life, of Baha’u’llah, may designate and transmit this trust and inheritance to whomsoever she chooses among the branches of Baha’u’llah. **//

//** Inshallah, as Baha’u’llah intended, let Akbar succeed A’zam as a branch upon the ancient Tree. May the branch that appeared dead, bud again and flower. May the spiritual and physical descendents join together in unity and love, and let there be light upon light. May the tree of life, for all humanity flourish, guide and shelter us. **//

//** I appeal to all concerned among the various branches of the family and faith of Baha’u’llah, to engage together in fellowship, love, counsel and action for the purpose of unity. May everyone of Baha, and of God, act and demonstrate unity to advance the vision of Baha’u’llah for the unity of humanity, and the realization of peace, justice, love and truth. Heaven upon the earth, and within the hearts of all. **//

//** In trust in life, and praise of God. **//

//** Amen. **//

[|//**Brent B Mathieu,**//] [| //**aka Hafiz ‘Abdu’l Hakim,**//] [| //**Boise Idaho, August 25, 2010**//]

//** The above is intended to be formalized by a notary in the near future. A brief statement to the above exists in my handwriting in my personal journal. **//