Every Bahá'í is at liberty, nay is urged, to freely express
his opinion and his understanding of the Teachings, but all this is in a
totally different category from that of a Bahá'í who opposes the clear
Teachings of Bahá'u'lláh or who asserts his own opinion as an authoritative and
correct interpretation of the teachings, and attacks or opposes the very
Institutions which Bahá'u'lláh has created to protect His Covenant. When a person declares his acceptance of Bahá'u'lláh as a
Manifestation of God he becomes a party to the Covenant and accepts the
totality of His Revelation. If he then turns round and attacks Bahá'u'lláh or
the Central Institution of the Faith he violates the Covenant. If this happens
every effort is made to help that person to see the illogicality and error of
his actions, but if he persists he must, in accordance with the instructions of
Bahá'u'lláh Himself, be shunned as a Covenant-breaker. - The Universal House of Justice (From a letter dated March 23, 1975 to an individual believer;
compilation: Developing Distinctive Baha’i Communities, NSA of USA, 1998
edition)
