I hope that all the believers will attain to this lofty station. The Christian Bible clearly displays this concept, as it includes the Old Testament prophets Moses and Abraham, along with the New Testament prophet Jesus Christ, all of whom Bahais revere and consider divine messengers. They and other UUs are destined to do the work of peace, unity, and freedom that Bahais cannot and will never do! 3 - Belief that all religions are valid, and that the Torah and Gospel have . Author Lil Abdo says that the Bah understanding of sexual equality is different from that of secular feminists. Your email address will not be published. The Baha'i Faith is not just a collection of philosophical principles or an attempt to combine or conflate religions. Backbiting, Criticism, Faultfinding, Gossip, Lies, Slander Etc. Rather, Bahais look to the spiritual teachings of the Bab and Bahaullah, as interpreted and elucidated by Abdul-Baha, for inspiration and guidance. As a member of Irans nobility, Baha'u'llah was offered a government position. He teaches that God is a loving Parent who never uses threats or fear or guilt or shame in relating to Her/His children. Another Haifan Bahai Gets Busted on Reddit, A Challenge Leads to a Peaceful Resolution, The Next UUA Presidential Election Seems to be in Trouble, An unethical teaching from the Caleb and Sophia Series, A Question About Translating the Bahai Writings. A comparative analysis of the Baha'i and Christian views of heaven and hell. He was asked 'How shall I overcome seeing the faults of othersrecognizing the wrong in others? Ive never been into having to jump through hurdles to withdraw. promoting the Baha'i Faith for twenty years. Soon after this, I began my relationship with Cheri, the woman that would later become my wife. in practice you would have lost your administrative rights anyway,. In brief, you must become distinguished in all the virtues of the human world; for faithfulness and steadfastness; for philanthropic deeds and service to the human world; for love toward every human being; for unity and accord with all people; for removing prejudices and promoting international peace. I read where it clearly said in the Bahai Writings you have to explicitly deny belief in Bahaullah to be removed from National Bahai membership rolls. He concluded from this that the Bah' World Faith must be God's religion. When we did, I left behind at the house most of the Bahai books and other literature I had collected from my eight or nine years as a Bahai. Regretfully, Dale Husband I composed that letter on my computer and mailed it in January of 2005. Your details have now been sent. There also exist in the Bah Faith appointive institutions, such as the Hands of the Cause of God and the continental counselors. [3][9], Christian author and missiologist Ed Stetzer rejects the Bah Faith as a syncretic combination of faiths,[10] while Christian author John Ankerberg points to discrepancies between faiths to contradict the idea of unity of religion.[8]. The first is that they equate Krishna to many other prophets, as if somehow Krishna in either case is the main god or spokesperson or prophet of Hinduism as a monolithic religion. Bahs believe that all the founders of the world's great religions have been manifestations of God and agents of a progressive divine plan for the education of the human race. The friends must overlook their shortcomings and faults and speak only of their virtues and not their defects. His son and successor, Abdu'l-Baha, traveled to Europe and the United States to spread the faith. People who leave the religion, transgress community standards, or attack it externally are not considered Covenant-breakers. Bahu'llh's claim of divine revelation is in direct conflict with this common interpretation of Islam. It will endeavor to present criteria for the labels "world religion" and "new religious movement," as well as explore to what extent the Bah' Faith fulfils these criteria. Bah Allhs peculiar function was to overcome the disunity of religions and establish a universal faith. I was recently invited to participate on an interfaith panel where we all responded to this question: What are the truths and misconceptions about your Faith? Despite the persecution, the Baha'i faith has attracted millions of adherents around the globe for its ability to transcend nationalism, racism and the like. Such passages as the following extract from one of the letters written on behalf of the beloved Guardian by his secretary will also be helpful: " 'Each of us is responsible for one life only, and that is our own. And actually the Bahais are far more interested in growing their numbers than spending time and money on charitable work. Oral reports, although they exist, are considered too unreliable to be fully authoritative and are to . I am closer to God than I have ever been, and less confused than I have ever been. The Bb was arrested and, after several years of incarceration, was executed in 1850. "[13], William McElwee Miller (18921993) was a Presbyterian missionary in Iran who published a polemic titled The Baha'i Faith (1974), in which he attacked the religion by promoting the views of individuals opposing Bah leadership. In fact, 41 countries - or around a fifth (21%) of those evaluated - banned at least one religion-related group in 2019, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of laws and policies in effect in 198 countries in 2019, the most recent year for which comprehensive data is available. Cheri came to love the freedom of thought in that church, despite still being a strong Christian, while I came to love the powerful community the church provided, despite my agnosticism. Someone from the Bahai community will contact you shortly. That relationship ended long ago and now I am Orthodox, but this post kind of brought up some old memories. He was kept in an underground prison in Tehran, which Baha'u'llah describes in his writings as filthy, dark and foul beyond comparison.. Bah's recognize the coming of Bah'u'llh as the latest expression of God's guidance . "You also ask what one should do to 'handle depression and anger with someone' one feels 'very positively about'. "The only way jealousy or petty attitudes can be overcome is by the love and tact of the teacher; these are not things that can be solved by a 'ruling'.". You must become distinguished for loving humanity; for unity and accord; for love and justice. Every attempted Bah schism has failed to attract more than a few hundred individuals and declined over time. Being involved in interfaith work, Im constantly asked Whos your local spiritual leader, or priest, or pastor? The fact is, there isnt one. Bahais have no clergy. A few weeks later, the NSA replied that they had accepted my resignation and expressed hope that I would one day decide to return. While its true that a Bahai House of Worship exists on each continent, and several local Houses of Worship are also being built, theyre all meant as places where anyone can come to pray and meditate. A third cried out: 'What a stench! claimed the lives of thousands of his followers. Abdo presented the following list of criticisms of the Bah Faith from a feminist perspective at an annual gathering for Bah studies in 1995: the ineligibility of women to serve on the Universal House of Justice--this is of particular interest to supporters of women priests within the Christian tradition; the intestacy laws in the Kitab-i-Aqdas; the dowry laws with particular reference to the virginity refund clause; the exemption of menstruating women from obligatory prayers and the implication of menstrual taboo; the use of androcentric language and male pronouns in texts; the emphasis on traditional morality and family values[18]. The Cause of God is endowed with tremendous powers, and the reason the believers do not gain more from it is because they have not learned to draw fully on these mighty forces of love and strength and harmony generated by the Faith. Consider this your only warning!). I am totally convinced that the Bahai Faith is doomed to fail in its mission to bring peace, unity, and a Golden Age to humanity and I therefore resign from my past membership in the Faith. Selfless Service to Humanity, Eco-Caskets: The Spiritual How - and Why - of Green Burials, Dr. Anthony Lee and the Excavation of Buried Racial Narratives. I understand that I can withdraw my consent at any time. Since then, the Bahai International Community, as a non-governmental organization with a permanent seat at the United Nations, has consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council. (Bnai Brith means children of the covenant.). Because the Bahai Faith is based in the grassroots, any social action is the result of consultative decisions made in any given locality and depends on local capacities. Lights of Guidance/Backbiting, Criticism, Faultfinding, Gossip, Lies, Slander Etc. But. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. The faith has no priesthood and does not observe ritual forms in its worship. SOLanding, a Possible Cryptocurrency Scam Site? Baha'u'llah, whose name means Glory of God in Arabic, was born in Tehran in 1817. p. 192) Bahullh says in the Hidden Words: 'Breathe not the sins of others so long as thou art a sinner. "You are quite correct in your understanding of the importance of avoiding backbiting; such conduct strikes at the very unity of the Bah community. Deeds not words are what they demand, and no amount of fervor in the use of expressions of loyalty and adulation will compensate for failure to live in the spirit of the teachings.". Quite controversially, the Bab claimed that his teachings were a revelation from God and predicted that a new prophetic figure, or manifestation of God, would soon appear. 6. The stupidity of that idea should be obvious. Over 20,000 unique works by Baha'u'llah have been identified at the Baha'i World Centre, comprising just under seven million words. The followers of such sects are labeled Covenant-breakers, shunned, and viewed as enemies of the faith. Many things are preserved in records as matters of opinion; no one has given a verdict on this matter! "he suggests you write the National Spiritual Assembly in a loving spirit, and point out to them how it distresses you to think that, after so many years of service, statements about you which you consider unjustified should be preserved. "[25] Excommunication among Bahs is rare and reserved for those actively promoting schism. The feasts are designed to ensure universal participation in the affairs of the community and the cultivation of the spirit of brotherhood and fellowship. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. I declared back in 2008 when I was a naive open eyed idealist about the principles without knowing about all the contradictions and stuff. Whenever you recognize the fault of another, think of yourself! ", " Vicious criticism is indeed a calamity. Goodbye. Would it please the Blessed Beauty, contribute to the lasting honour of the friends, promote the holy Faith, support the Covenant, or be of any possible benefit to any soul? In the West, liberals have criticized the Bah Faith for some of its conservative social practices, notably the prohibition on premarital or homosexual intimacy for Bahs. There are no initiation ceremonies, no sacraments, and no clergy. Later, my mother, who was always hostile to the Bahai Faith because of her Baptist convictions, took those items and discarded them all without my consent. ", " If any soul speak ill of an absent one, the only result will clearly be this: he will dampen the zeal of the friends and tend to make them indifferent. Syncretic means that a religion contains nothing original, but instead is a collection of teachings culled from other religions in an attempt to fuse them. [19] (Dale Husband: How old are you? The Baha'i faith. [17], Bahu'llh's teachings on the equality of men and women, and that slavery should be banned, were controversial ideas in the nineteenth century Middle East that contributed to attempts to destroy his movement.[16]. The Bah Faith is a relatively new religion teaching the essential worth of all religions and the unity of all people.. Though new, these beliefs originated in Twelver Shii Islam, which asserts a belief in the forthcoming return of the 12th imam (successor of Muhammad), who will renew religion and guide the faithful. by Jeremy Butler | Mar 25, 2010 | Baha'i, World Religions. He appointed his eldest grandson, Shoghi Effendi Rabbn (18971957), his successor. Most criticism has come from Iranian enemies with a reputation for deception, Christian groups intending to smear the religion, and disaffected former Baha'is who largely criticize individuals in the administration. Many of the Bahai writings are mystical and tell us a great deal about spiritual reality but others lay the foundation for an elegant and very practical democratically-elected global administrative order, designed to gradually unfold and help bring humanity to a permanent world peace. [24] The religion has seen a few attempts at splintering, but they have remained extremely small and declined over time. Baha'u'llah encouraged Baha'is to cooperate with their governments and engage with the followers of all religions in a spirit of fellowship. [6], The religion's rise in the Middle East and subsequent movement into the West has given rise to a body of anti-Bah polemic. To put you in touch with a Bahai in your area who can answer your questions, we would like to kindly ask for a few details about yourself. But His Holiness Christ said: 'Look at its teeth! The Bah' Faith is a world religion based on the teachings of Bah'u'llh. When not convened as a body, each member has no autonomous authority. ", "When criticism and harsh words arise within a Bah community, there is no remedy except to put the past behind one, and persuade all concerned to turn over a new leaf, and for the sake of God and His Faith refrain from mentioning the subjects which have led to misunderstanding and inharmony. Helen Hornby, "Breathe not the sins of others so long as thou art thyself a sinner. When Criticism and Harsh Words Arise "When criticism and harsh words arise within a Bah' community, there is no remedy except to put the past behind one, and persuade all concerned to turn over a new leaf, and for the sake of God and His Faith refrain from mentioning the subjects which have led to misunderstanding and inharmony. The other exclaimed: 'How it is deformed!' Christian and Islamic authors (e.g. Its interesting how much confusion this lack of a fixed building in many Bahai communities can create for members of other Faiths who feel connected to their places of worship. Of course, because the Bahai teachings emphasize the oneness of all religion, Bahais believe in the Jewish prophets and revere their Faith. It is the world's second-most widespread religion after Christianity, spanning the globe and working to unite it. If that has changed recently Id like to see the reference. Cults often promote violence, and Bahais are peaceful, non-violent citizens. Cults separate, and the Bahai Faith unites. Baha'is, for example, embrace interracial marriage and education for girls. I understand that I can withdraw my consent at any time. 9 Politics: Here a number of criticisms about the Bahai faith aligning itself with different historical superpowers are listed. The ineligibility of women has caused discontent among small but vocal groups of western Bah intellectuals,[5][1] and criticism from others. The Bab and Bah'u'llh are believed to have been messengers from God and they told people that God has had many prophets and that God has had many names, but there is only one God. The last claim is partially rooted in the presence of the Bah World Centre in northern Israel. Mrz Al Moammad first proclaimed his beliefs in 1844 and assumed the title of the Bb. "On no subject are the Bah teachings more emphatic than on the necessity to abstain from fault-finding and backbiting while being ever eager to discover and root out our own faults and overcome our own failings. The Bah religion originally grew out of the Bb faith, or sect, which was founded in 1844 by Mrz Al Moammad of Shrz in Iran. However, from a Bahai perspective if your relationship to God has not been directed by the revelation of Bahaullah than we are really talking more about ones own vain imaginings as opposed to reality. "You ask in your letter for guidance on the implications of the prohibition on backbiting and more specifically whether, in moments of anger or depression, the believer is permitted to turn to his friends to unburden his soul and discuss his problem in human relations. Cults have charismatic leaders, and Bahais have no clergy or leaders at all. Goodbye. ", " Backbiting quencheth the light of the heart, and extinguisheth the life of the soul. Thanks for the post. He proclaimed a spiritual doctrine emphasizing the forthcoming appearance of a new prophet or messenger of God who would overturn old beliefs and customs and usher in a new era. Thanks! Do this whenever you are tried through the words or deeds of others. His writings, which promote peace and unity, are at the heart of the . Eventually, what started as a compromise between us grew into a case of full blown allegiance to the UU church for both of us. He remained there until his passing in 1892. "Thou hast written regarding aims. Ratings: +1,422. On the national scale, each year Bahs elect delegates to a national convention that elects a national spiritual assembly with jurisdiction over Bahs throughout an entire country. Throughout his life, Bah'u'llah penned over 100 volumes in Arabic and Persian. He was released in 1853 and exiled to Baghdad, where his leadership revived the Bb community. Man must be a lover of the light, no matter from what dayspring it may appear. Reading and Reacting to The Gadfly Molehill. Finally, you must become distinguished for heavenly illumination and acquiring the bestowals of God. Thus you will grow, become more perfect. After full consideration, the Spiritual Assembly should take such action as it deems advisable, and it is incumbent upon all members of the group to be loyal to whatever decision is arrived at by the Spiritual Assembly. Get in touch with the Bahais in your community. One of the first Bah institutions in the U.S. was established in Chicago and . There are more than 100,000 local Baha'i communities in places as diverse as Chile, Cambodia and the United States. About a dozen of these have been translated into English and other languages. Soon the Bbs teachings spread throughout Iran, provoking strong opposition from both the Shii Muslim clergy and the government. Subsequent public protests and mob violence claimed the lives of thousands of his followers. Do it yourself clergy aka the horrible administrative order, no politics allowed aka also another side effect of the administrative order as a model for the world at large, no alcohol drugs gambling gossip sex outside of heterosexual monogamy aka loads and loads of rules, etc are all drawbacks of being a Bahai. I desire this distinction for you. The external article completely drops any pretenses of neutrality, blaming certain events (like the attempted assassination of Iranian officials) as done by . Shouldst thou transgress this command, accursed wouldst thou be, and to this I bear witness. An overwhelming majority of Bbs acknowledged his claim and thenceforth became known as Bahs. [25] Jason Boyett wrote in 12 Major World Religions that, "The [Bah] condemnation of covenant-breakers is immediate, absolute, andin a religion promoting love and acceptanceprofoundly disconcerting. gss t ws mr lk prf tht yr prblms l lss n pltcs nd rlgn nd mre n mntal hlth sss? When Bahaullahs son and successor Abdul-Baha visited North America in 1912, he modeled an example of social action when he told Bahais to racially integrate even in cities which were segregated at that time; and to also apply the Bahai principle of the equality of the sexes to their lives. In fact, the first school for girls in Iran was established by the Baha'is. Ive never officially withdrawn or resigned, but stopped being a Bahai either one or two years after declaration. Its first leader, the Bb, was imprisoned and executed for heresy in 1850, and Bahu'llh, another central figure, was exiled from Iran and both the Ottoman and Persian Empires tried to destroy his movement. In the love of God you must become distinguished from all else. Your opinion is based on no facts whatsoever and therefore is not worth considering. The Bahai House of Worship in North America is in the town where two generations of my family lived before me Wilmette, Illinois, just outside of Chicago. Theimplication is that Bahai is Jewish, which may also be mistakenly inferred by some because the world headquarters of the Bahai Faith is in Haifa, Israel. Realizing that I had to remove myself from that community outright as a matter of honor, I wrote the following letter: To the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahais of the United States, Origin of the Baha'i Religion. I resigned myself on 07/07/07. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. opinion. But ere long this merciful door will be closed and such enemies will be attacked with a madness. The Bahs must be distinguished from others of humanity. Yet Baha'is in Iran, who are the largest non-Muslim religious community, continue to face persecution. In the early 21st century there were nine Bah houses of worship: in Australia, Cambodia, Chile, Germany, India, Panama, Samoa, the United States, and Uganda. Bah Faith, religion founded in Iraq in the mid-19th century by Mrz osayn Al Nr, who is known as Bah Allh (also spelled Bahullh), which in Arabic means Glory of God. The cornerstone of Bah belief is the conviction that Bah Allh and his forerunner, who was known as the Bb (Persian: Gateway), were manifestations of God, who in his essence is unknowable. The great bulk of Bah teachings is concerned with social ethics. Christian apologist Francis J. Beckwith wrote of the Bah teachings: The fact that the various alleged manifestations of God represented God in contradictory ways implies either that manifestations of God can contradict one another or that God's own nature is contradictory. The truth, on the contrary, is that the Bahai Faith teaches progressive revelation, which means, as Abdul-Baha said in a talk he gave in the United States in 1912, that: the divine religions of the holy Manifestations of God are in reality one, though in name and nomenclature they differ. IV. [27] Soon after his resignation, Cole created an email list and website called H-Bahai, which became a repository of both primary source material and critical analysis on the religion. Bah Allh was subsequently confined by the Ottomans in Adrianople (now Edirne, Turkey) and then in Acre in Palestine (now Akko, Israel). December 8-10, 1995 (see list of papers from #8) The claim of the Baha'i Faith to uphold the equality of men and women as a principle attracts attention from others who would also claim to be advancing the cause of sex equality, albeit from different perspectives. (Quoted in Star of West, Vol. If we think we can help matters by a frank and friendly talk with the individual concerned, refraining from judging or condemning, but pointing out in as kind a manner as possible the way in which, as it seems to us, the sort of conduct in question is harmful to the Cause or of a nature forbidden by the teachings, then it seems well to try that method before resorting to the more formidable method of bringing the matter before the Spiritual Assembly. Actually, when I was Bahai I was dating a nominal Christian, and I had suggested the UU church as a possible place that we could go for worship together if we got married. It has an office on the environment involved in sustainable development. ", "He feels that you should do your utmost to call the attention of the friends to these large things, and real triumphs, and away from their personal differences and petty pre-occupations. Baha'i Viewpoint Heaven and Hell are not seen as literal places that the soul of man goes after physical death but are seen as the . The members of the Hands of the Cause of God were appointed by Bah Allh and Shoghi Effendi. [14] For example, the perspectives of Subh-i-Azal, Mrz Muhammad Al, and Mason Remey, the most prominent covenant-breakers of the religion, were all upheld by Miller in an attempt to show its adherents as deceived, its teachings superficial or irrelevant, and its administration "a dictatorship". Check your email for the latest from BahaiTeachings.org. "As to backbiting, the House of Justice points out that learning not to concern oneself with the faults of others seems to be one of the most difficult lessons for people to master, and that failing in this is a fertile cause of disputes among Bahs as it is among men and women in general. Baha'is were nonetheless subjected to persecution, as some Muslim clerics perceived their faith to be a heresy. The condemnation of backbiting could hardly be couched in stronger language than in these passages, and it is obviously one of the foremost obligations for Bahs to set their faces against this practice. Pingback: Why I Abandoned the (Haifan) Bahai Faith? Each of us is immeasurably far from being "perfect as our Heavenly Father is perfect" and the task of perfecting our own life and character is one that requires all our attention, our will-power and energy. Importantly, the Bahai Faith first emerged in a Muslim culture in what is now Iran, so Islam could be said to be its parent Faith in the same way that Judaism was the parent Faith of Christianity. | The Bahai Insider, Dale Husband: Why I Abandoned the (Haifan) Bahai Faith Bah Censorship, Another reason to despise Michael Shermer | Dale Husband's Intellectual Rants, A Critical Analysis of the The Kitb-i-Aqdas, Part Three | Dale Husband's Intellectual Rants, A Conversion to Mormonism | Dale Husband's Intellectual Rants, Featured in a magazine critical of the Bahai Faith | Dale Husband's Intellectual Rants, Why I Rejected the Bahai Faith, 4th Edition | Dale Husband's Intellectual Rants. For many, the Baha'i faith is one of the most universal religions. How white they are!' You know nothing about why my marriage failed and it had nothing to do with lack of parental consent. "It is related that His Holiness ChristMay my life be a sacrifice to Him!one day, accompanied by His apostles, passed by the corpse of a dead animal. Finding out about what the Bahai Faith was actually about rather than all the stuff they like to advertise was a big shock. The religion's governing institution is the elected Universal House of Justice, whose membership is male-only. It is free information and it is offered without any coercion on your free will about what to do with it. "The question of dealing with those who call themselves Bahs but who act in ways which we believe to be detrimental to the interests of the Cause is a very difficult one. The Earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens, Committee Member - MNF Research Advisory Committee, PhD Scholarship - Uncle Isaac Brown Indigenous Scholarship. Still, when I left the Administration I formally withdrew but this had more to do with the sanctity of the rites of initiation in the Christain Church than it did with the Administration of the Bahai faith. It doesnt matter if you didnt formally withdraw because in practice you would have lost your administrative rights anyway, and since that is the only thing that a formal declaration providesadministrative rightsit really makes no difference anyway. Located there long before Israel became a nation, it happened because Bahaullah had been exiled to the prison city of Akka in Palestine, then part of the Ottoman Empire, about 85 years before the state of Israel was founded. Some discover a hornets nest in the garden and fearing being STUNG TO DEATH, run out of the garden in horror. Instead, I asked her to join with me in First Jefferson Unitarian Universalist Church, which I had belonged to before. In Iran and other parts of the Middle East, Bahs continue to be criticized for breaking with Islam and accused of conspiring with western powers, resulting in intense persecution and the loss of civil rights. Jehovah's Witnesses and Baha'is were among the most . The views expressed in our content reflect individual perspectives and do not represent the official views of the Baha'i Faith. The clear, forthright responses he gave to the criticism that "the Baha'i Faith offers nothing new," have become, during the intervening century, a classic catalog of the many unique and unprecedented aspects of the Baha'i teachings and principles. In the end (undefined in conventional thinking) all knees will bow before the King of all Kings, Jesus Christ.
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