The electoral process excludes parties or factions, nominations, and campaigning for office. '", "What the believers need is not only, as you state, to really study the teachings, but also to have more peace-makers circulating among them. 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. 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. 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. But this distinction must not depend upon wealththat they should become more affluent than other people. 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. [20] Particularly in the United States, Bahs have attempted to reconcile the immutable conservative teachings on sexuality with the otherwise socially progressive teachings of the religion, but it continues to be a source of controversy. The Bah community is governed according to general principles proclaimed by Bah Allh and through institutions created by him that were elaborated and expanded on by Abd al-Bah. Maybe there is a wisdom in asking for parental consent after all, reading how this marriage of two adults ended up. Get in touch with the Bahais in your community. The criticism and challenges it has faced vary considerably in different regions of the world. Since the Bahai Faith is a relatively young religion founded by Bahaullah in the middle of the 19th century not everyone knows a great deal about it, and some people have incorrect information. Like all Bahai Houses of Worship, it welcomes everyone, and its nine entrances symbolize the many legitimate paths to the Creator. 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. Bahais have no clergy, and in every location where they reside, Bahais live according to this administrative order, following the guidance given to them by the Universal House of Justice, the first truly democratic global system of governance. Lights of Guidance Backbiting, Criticism, Faultfinding, Gossip, Lies, Slander Etc. Backbiting, Criticism, Faultfinding, Gossip, Lies, Slander Etc. A Statement About Mental Disorders and Domestic Abuse. A primary theme of Baha'u'llahs teachings is achieving world peace through the establishment of unity, justice and equality. A few weeks later, the NSA replied that they had accepted my resignation and expressed hope that I would one day decide to return. The Bah Faith was first mentioned in the United States in 1893 at the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago. But the enemies who call themselves friends and who persistently violate every fundamental law of love and unity, are difficult to be dealt with in this day, for the mercy of God is still great. Its just spiritual, not practical, was one incorrect comment Ive heard about the Bahai Faith not once, but many times. 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. Abstract This article will explore some of the issues involved in the sociological analysis of the status of the Bah' Faith. If some Islamic countries were confused about how to classify the Bahai Faith, why have many of them officially recognized it as an independent religion distinct from Islam since early in the 20th century? 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. 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. Extract from Dale Husbands blog. Goodbye. There is no way Im going to use a strangers personal home as a house of worship. No, never! 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. 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, He concluded from this that the Bah' World Faith must be God's religion. Do this whenever you are tried through the words or deeds of others. ", "One must see in every human being only that which is worthy of praise. The central figure of the religion is Baha'u'llah, and Baha'is consider him to be the latest in a series of divine messengers. The governance of the Bah community begins on the local level with the election of a local spiritual assembly. As Abdul-Baha, the son and successor of Bahaullah, explained: The original purpose of temples and houses of worship is simply that of unity places of meeting where various peoples, different races and souls of every capacity may come together in order that love and agreement should be manifest between them that all religions, races and sects may come together within its universal shelter. In Acre in northern Israel, a former prison city of the Ottoman Empire, the barracks where Bahullh was imprisoned starting in 1868. Required fields are marked *. Criticism of the Baha'i Faith I can only speak for myself, but I consider direct and detailed criticism of the Baha'i Faith to be an essential part of the recovery process involved in leaving it. The members of the Hands of the Cause of God were appointed by Bah Allh and Shoghi Effendi. The Bah' Faith is a world religion based on the teachings of Bah'u'llh. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. [12], Regarding the Bah teachings of peace and unity, E.G. [11], Bah authors have written in response that the contradictory teachings are either social laws that change from age to age, as part of a progressive revelation, or human error introduced to the more ancient faiths over time. The religion officially formed in 1863, but a Shiite Muslim man in Iran began paving the way in 1844 by announcing a new prophet was to come - after Muhammad. The more the friends argue back and forth and maintain, each side, that their point of view is the right one, the worse the whole situation becomes. If the situation is of such gravity as to endanger the interests of the Faith, the complaint, as your National Spiritual Assembly has indicated, should be submitted to the Local Spiritual Assembly, or as you state to a representative of the institution of the Counsellors, for consideration and action. In fact, the first school for girls in Iran was established by the Baha'is. Yes, intermittent fasting has become pretty trendy, for this physical fast is a symbol of the spir, At the beginning of the 20th century, what did a P, One must see in every human being only that which, Every tender heart wonders What can I do to hel, Act in such a way that your heart may be free from, While sorrow and suffering seem to be inescapable, What is the Best Way to Worship? Soon after, early American converts began embracing the new religion. The other exclaimed: 'How it is deformed!' Every Bah, however, is under the spiritual obligation to pray daily; to abstain totally from narcotics, alcohol, or any other substances that affect the mind; to practice monogamy; to obtain the consent of parents to marriage; and to attend the Nineteen Day Feast on the first day of each month of the Bah calendar. But. 2,070. Ironic, considering that many Bahais have non-Bahai parents who may even be racist, and thus object to their children marrying members of a different race. If any individual should speak ill of one who is absent, it is incumbent on his hearers, in a spiritual and friendly manner, to stop him, and say in effect: would this detraction serve any useful purpose? More than one person has said Bahais arent involved in social action. Nothing could be further from the truth. Bahais have no clergy. Baha'is are followers of the teachings of Baha'u'llah, who brought an entirely new, worldwide Faith to humanity. 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. Again, it doesnt really matter. Eventually, what started as a compromise between us grew into a case of full blown allegiance to the UU church for both of us. In 1863, shortly before being moved by the Ottoman government to Constantinople (now Istanbul), Bah Allh declared to his fellow Bbs that he was the messenger of God foretold by the Bb. He observed only the whiteness of the teeth and overlooked entirely the deformity of the body, the dissolution of its organs and the bad odour. "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. Mirza Ahmad Sohrab; Lady Ruth White. The individual believer should seek to do this, whether he is consulting a friend, Bah or non-Bah, or whether the friend is consulting him. Conservatives among Unitarian Universalists Still Feel Like Victims. [32][33] He specifically criticized the work of individual Bah scholars he saw as defending Bah orthodoxy at the expense of historical rigour, including William S. Hatcher,[32] Muhammad Afnan,[32] Juan Cole[33] (although Cole subsequently left the religion), Nader Saiedi,[34] and Moojan Momen. Bahais believe in the agreement of science and religion; and accept that religion must have practical benefit for humanity in fact, Abdul-Baha said, otherwise it would be preferable to have no religion. [35], Christian Research Journal, Winter/Spring, 1989, p. 2. Bah Allh was arrested in 1852 and jailed in Tehrn, where he became aware that he was the prophet and messenger of God whose coming had been predicted by the Bb. The Bah Faith and its predecessor, the Bb religion, originated in the nineteenth-century Persian Empire, arousing considerable opposition, initially on purely theological and doctrinal grounds; it was perceived by many Iranians as threat to established power and authority in Persia.. 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. More recently I found that the Dalai Lama said something similar in just two paragraphs of his 10-chapter book, he says hes not an advocate of religious syncretism such as you find in Bahaism.. I resigned myself on 07/07/07. In such cases, of course, the name of the person or persons involved will have to be mentioned. John Ankerberg) have attacked its history and founders, institutions, teachings, and use of prophecy. He was asked 'How shall I overcome seeing the faults of othersrecognizing the wrong in others? One must expose the praiseworthy qualities of the souls and not their evil attributes. He must be a seeker of the truth, no matter from what source it come. 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. (2) The absence of personal requirements (Baha'i demands) for the Manifestations. Someone from the Bahai community will contact you shortly. It is one of the functions of the older and the more mature Bahs to help the weaker ones to iron out their difficulties and learn to really function and live like true believers!". 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. claimed the lives of thousands of his followers. It has an office on the environment involved in sustainable development. promoting the Baha'i Faith for twenty years. Bahs believe in the oneness of humanity and devote themselves to the abolition of racial, class, and religious prejudices. "You also ask what one should do to 'handle depression and anger with someone' one feels 'very positively about'. If some means were devised so that the doors of backbiting could be shut eternally and each one of the believers of God unsealed his tongue in the praise of the other, then the teachings of His Holiness Baha'o'llah (Bahullh) would be spread, the hearts illuminated, the spirits glorified and the human world would attain to everlasting felicity. My future wife was a member of First Baptist Church of Dallas, a stronghold of fundamentalism. Instead, he joined a new religious movement, started by a young Iranian, known as the Bab. 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. The belief in fulfilled prophecies is presented by Bah' authors to demonstrate the validity of Bah'u'llh 's claim to divinity. 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.' RELATED: What is the Best Way to Worship? By clicking "Submit", I agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, and consent to receive communications (email, telephone call, or text message) from Bahaiteachings.org about news, events and offers, including via automated technology and/or prerecorded calls or messages to the number and email provided above, even if my number is a mobile number or is currently listed on any state, federal or corporate Do Not Call list. 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 . There are more than 100,000 local Baha'i communities in places as diverse as Chile, Cambodia and the United States. While Bah teachings assert that men and women are spiritually equal, some areas of differentiation remain. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. But even if these are not taken from the records it still does not make them either true or false. Baha'u'llahs writings form the foundation of the Baha'i faith. p. 192) Bahullh says in the Hidden Words: 'Breathe not the sins of others so long as thou art a sinner. I have been studying AJ Millers teachings for 17 months now. [23], The Bah teachings emphasize the need for unity, and have an official line of succession of leadership to prevent schism. One of the Bbs earliest disciples and strongest exponents was Mrz osayn Al Nr, who had assumed the name Bah Allh when he renounced his social standing and joined the Bbs. Your message was successfully sent to BahaiTeachings.org. Finally, you must become distinguished for heavenly illumination and acquiring the bestowals of God. Jehovah's Witnesses and Baha'is were among the most . Its six years since I declared and four or five since I became an ex Bahai. I understand that I can withdraw my consent at any time. Thornton Chase was the most prominent among the first American Baha'is and made important contributions to early activities. I stayed silent about my defection from the Bahai Faith untilOctober 19, 2007, when I posted my first blog entry attacking it. There also exist in the Bah Faith appointive institutions, such as the Hands of the Cause of God and the continental counselors. Selfless Service to Humanity, Eco-Caskets: The Spiritual How - and Why - of Green Burials, Dr. Anthony Lee and the Excavation of Buried Racial Narratives. 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. 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. Gods wisdom cannot always be seen by human eyes. 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. This unique conception of religion which Abdul-Baha explained by saying These holy Manifestations of God are the Educators and Trainers of the world of existence, the Teachers of the world of humanity is not an artificial attempt to bring religions together, but instead a completely new way to see all Faiths as one organic whole rather than a collection of competing belief systems. The Baha'i Faith is a scriptural religion; the current written texts are considered fully authoritative. 9 Politics: Here a number of criticisms about the Bahai faith aligning itself with different historical superpowers are listed. 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. The Bah Faith is a relatively new religion teaching the essential worth of all religions and the unity of all people.. If you dont recognize Bahaullah as a manifestation of God then you arent really a Bahai whether or not you happen to be part of the Bahai Administrative Order. ", "I desire distinction for you. RELATED: What Happens When You Become a Bahai? Once they are ADULTS, they should be treated like adults, period. The continental counselors are appointed by the Universal House of Justice. His son and successor, Abdu'l-Baha, traveled to Europe and the United States to spread the faith. Baha'is believe that God has . I declared back in 2008 when I was a naive open eyed idealist about the principles without knowing about all the contradictions and stuff. Even if what is said against another person be true, the mentioning of his faults to others still comes under the category of backbiting, and is forbidden.". 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. The Bah Faith is a relatively new religion teaching the essential worth of all religions and the unity of all people. (Quoted in Star of West, Vol. 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. 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. "I hope that the believers of God will shun completely backbiting, each one praising the other cordially and believe that backbiting is the cause of Divine wrath, to such an extent that if a person backbites to the extent of one word, he may become dishonored among all the people, because the most hateful characteristic of man is fault-finding. You should urge your fellow-Bahs to take this point of view, and to support you in a strong effort to suppress every critical thought and every harsh word, in order to let the spirit of Bahullh flow into the entire community, and unite it in His love and in His service. "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. If, on the other hand, God's own nature is said to be contradictory, that is, that God is both one God and many gods, that God is both able and not able to have a son, personal and impersonal, etc., then the Bahai concept of God is reduced to meaninglessness. On January 18, a court in Iran's Mazandaran province ordered that property belonging to Bahai citizen Sheida Taeed be confiscated and transferred to the "Execution of Imam Khomeini's Order," a committee controlled by . If he looks to this side and that to see how Tom and Harry are getting on and to criticise their ploughing, then his own furrow will assuredly become crooked. Throughout his life, Bah'u'llah penned over 100 volumes in Arabic and Persian. All national spiritual assemblies of the world periodically constitute themselves an international convention and elect a supreme governing body known as the Universal House of Justice. The Baha'i Faith, the world's newest independent global belief system, teaches the oneness of God, the unity of humanity , and the essential harmony of religion. Baha'is, for example, embrace interracial marriage and education for girls. Bahaullahs revelation has been recognized as an independent global Faith in most of the countries of the world. ", " Vicious criticism is indeed a calamity. He must be a lover of the rose, no matter in what soil it may be growing. They also. Baha'u'llahs followers disseminated his teachings in the Middle East and beyond. 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. Try making a comment like an adult and I will then treat you like one. Thanks! She has published in anthologies, textbooks, peer-reviewed academic journals, radio and magazines; presented papers at numerous By clicking "Sign up", I agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, and consent to receive communications (email, telephone call, or text message) from Bahaiteachings.org about news, events and offers, including via automated technology and/or prerecorded calls or messages to the number and email provided above, even if my number is a mobile number or is currently listed on any state, federal or corporate Do Not Call list. Yet Baha'is in Iran, who are the largest non-Muslim religious community, continue to face persecution. The year begins on the first day of spring, March 21, which is one of several holy days in the Bah calendar. Marrying that mentally immature woman was perhaps the biggest mistake of my life, and joining the Bahai Faith was the second biggest. They and other UUs are destined to do the work of peace, unity, and freedom that Bahais cannot and will never do! opinion. Actually, Baha'is have been imprisoned and martyred since their Faith began in Persia, because of the persecution of the powerful Islamic clerics who consider the Baha'i Faith and its progressive principles a threat. Others step inside, behold its beauty, but do not penetrate far. 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.". 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].