Leland Jensen
Leland Jensen |
|---|
Leland Jensen (August 22, 1914 - August 6, 1996)[1] was an American Bahá’í who pioneered to Reunion Island for which he was named a Knight of Bahá’u’lláh and he was also instrumental to the establishment of the Bahá’í Administration in Mauritius. He later became a Covenant-breaker accepting the claims of Mason Remey and attempting to support his attempt to usurp authority over the Bahá’í community. Ultimately Jensen attempted to establish his own independent group and made several unsuccessful apocalyptic predictions.
Biography[edit]
Jensen was born into a Bahá’í family in the United States in 1914 as a third generation Bahá’í. He married Opal at some point and they both studied at the School for Drugless Physicians becoming chiropractors.[2]
At the opening of the Ten Year Crusade in 1953 the Jensen's volunteered to pioneer to Africa with Opal pioneering to Reunion Island in 1953 and Jensen joining her in May 1954. As they were unable to practice chiropractic on the island they received financial support from the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States and they were able to form a Local Spiritual Assembly in St. Pierre in 1955. Due to their success in establishing the Faith they were not granted an extension on their visas and had to leave Reunion in December that year.[2][3]
The Jensen's moved to Mauritius from Reunion and assisted fellow pioneer Ottilie Rhein. Jensen moved to Johannesberg in South Africa in April 1956 and spent four months assisting with teaching work and aimed to settle in the city but was advised to return to Mauritius to assist with the establishment of Bahá’í administration in the country.[3] The Jensen's established themselves in Belle Rose with Ottilie Rhein and Jensen became a popular speaker hosting firesides and speaking at student and civic events.[3] During the Jensen's time in Mauritius the Caravan of East and West, a group affiliated with the Covenant-breaker Ahmad Sohrab, attempted to establish itself in the country and Jensen facilitated deepening's on the importance of the Covenant and obedience to the Bahá’í institutions, stressing obedience to the point of alienating some Bahá’ís.[4]
The Jensen's encountered challenges while in Mauritius which included struggling with health issues and the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States withdrawing its financial support. Jensen's attempts to introduce strict moral standards to the community resulted in severe disunity with several Bahá’ís protesting his conduct.[5] As a result of these challenges the Jensen's were asked to return to the United States doing so in February 1957. Some Mauritian Bahá’ís wrote to Shoghi Effendi to protest their departure however Shoghi Effendi encouraged them to take responsibility for their own community.[4] They settled in Joplin, Missouri, back in the United States.[6]
Shoghi Effendi passed away in November, 1957, and as he did not appoint a successor the Hands of the Cause established the institution of the Custodians to head the Faith until the Universal House of Justice could be established. Despite the fact Mason Remey had co-signed the statements of the Hands confirming that Shoghi Effendi had appointed no successor he claimed to be the Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith in 1960. Jensen supported his claim and was declared a Covenant-breaker as a result.[7] He promoted Mason Remey's claims to the Mauritian community through correspondence, sending large amounts of literature supporting Remey for distribution,[8] however the vast majority of the community rejected his claims.[4]
Jensen was imprisoned for molesting a fifteen year old patient in 1969 and while in prison he began promoting himself as having established the Bahá’í Faith to fellow inmates recruiting several followers.[9] He was released from prison in 1973 and established a group he called Bahá’ís Under the Provisions of the Covenant independent of Mason Remey despite the fact Remey was still alive at the time.[10] From 1979 to 1995 Jensen made several predictions of impending apocalypse, notably encouraging his followers to move to nuclear bunkers in 1980, however none of his predictions came true. He passed away in 1996.[11]
References[edit]
- ↑ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/137007493/leland-jensen
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Redman, E. The Knights of Bahá’u’lláh, George Ronald Press, London. p 129
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Edith Johnson & Lowell Johnson, Heroes and Heroines of the Ten Year Crusade in Southern Africa, National Spiritual Assembly of South Africa: Johannesburg, 2003, p 75
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Edith Johnson & Lowell Johnson, Heroes and Heroines of the Ten Year Crusade in Southern Africa, National Spiritual Assembly of South Africa: Johannesburg, 2003, p 76
- ↑ Edith Johnson & Lowell Johnson, Heroes and Heroines of the Ten Year Crusade in Southern Africa, National Spiritual Assembly of South Africa: Johannesburg, 2003, p 94
- ↑ U.S. Supplement, No. 33, p 3
- ↑ Redman, E. The Knights of Bahá’u’lláh, George Ronald Press, London. p 130
- ↑ Edith Johnson & Lowell Johnson, Heroes and Heroines of the Ten Year Crusade in Southern Africa, National Spiritual Assembly of South Africa: Johannesburg, 2003, p 66
- ↑ State v. Jensen, 153 Mont. 233, 455 P.2d 631 (Montana, 1969)
- ↑ Balch, Robert W. (1997) [Republished 2000]. "Fifteen Years of Failed Prophecy: Coping with Cognitive Dissonance in a Baha'i Sect". In Stone, Jon R. (ed.). Expecting Armageddon: Essential Readings in Failed Prophecy. New York: Routledge. pp. 269–282. ISBN 0-415-92331-X.
- ↑ Redman, E. The Knights of Bahá’u’lláh, George Ronald Press, London. p 130
