(Note: this post is about some personal business, and likely only of interest to people who know me. If you're looking for something a tad more interesting, check back in a bit.)
A little over a week ago I took care of an important bit of personal business. Those who know me personally know that I was a Baha'i prior to becoming an Orthodox Christian, and the Baha'i administration loves its paperwork (indeed, the Baha'i equivalent of baptism or initiation is the signing of a form). While I consider that I ceased to be a Baha'i with my baptism and chrismation, the Baha'is happily continued to send me mail, email, and their bi-monthly magazine because I was officially on the rolls.
So, on the 22nd I mailed off letters to both my local assembly and the national records office informing them that I had become Orthodox and that yes, that meant I was no longer a Baha'i, and they should delete my name from the membership roster. I also mailed off a letter to the elderly Baha'i lady who introduced me to my wife, and who graciously permitted us to have our wedding at her house. I had hoped to avoid telling her, as I knew she would be disappointed, but ultimately I decided that I owed her the courtesy of an honest explanation, and as it happened she took it well.
There isn't much more to say about this, except that I have finally cast off the last remnants of my former religious identity. Now that I've gone public, I can be more open about my Baha'i experience, and if I can ever get it down in coherent form, I'll blog about my experience leaving the Baha'is. For the most part, though, I'd much rather look ahead than look back, so don't hold your breath. In the meantime, I can basically endorse most of what is said in this letter. It was written by someone who resigned nine years ago, but much of what she wrote is still valid today. There are others out there, written by people who are basically professional ex-Baha'is, but that's a path I don't want to go down. It doesn't seem spiritually healthy.
This is, however, a signpost along the path of my life, and I thought I'd mention it. You may now return to whatever you were doing before reading this. :-)