I encourage you to look him up and see if it resonates with you. 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. Reading and Reacting to The Gadfly Molehill. Cults have charismatic leaders, and Bahais have no clergy or leaders at all. People often fear and denigrate what they dont understand, and anyone who says that the Bahai Faith is a cult definitely does not understand it. [21], In the Kitb-i-Aqdas, Bahu'llh prescribed the death penalty both for intentional arson and murder. He further argued that in the case of "Baha'ism, with its rather vague doctrines as to the nature and destiny of the soul of man, it is a little difficult to see whence the driving force to enforce the ethical maxims can be derived. Your opinion is based on no facts whatsoever and therefore is not worth considering. Im lazy. 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. 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. From my understanding, Baha'i Faith is an offshoot from Islam but still believes in Muhammad. At the time, I didnt care. Eventually, what started as a compromise between us grew into a case of full blown allegiance to the UU church for both of us. The followers of such splinter groups are shunned and not considered Bahs by the majority. Pawel Szul heterodoxy religion of Bayan, Unitarian Baha'i Discussion Forum Yahoo. On the 200th anniversary of the birth of Baha'u'llah, the founder of the Baha'i faith, the question remains: What is the reason for their persecution? At the same time, the Baha'i faith has spread around the globe. The Bah Faith is a relatively new religion teaching the essential worth of all religions and the unity of all people.. (Bnai Brith means children of the covenant.). 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. Extract from Dale Husbands blog. I, too, am considering resigning my membership. Goodbye. After Islamic fundamentalists came to power in Iran in 1979, the 300,000 Bahs there were persecuted by the government. 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.' [26], Bahs have been accused, particularly by successive Iranian governments, of being agents or spies of Russia, Britain, the Shah, the United States, and as agents of Zionismeach claim being linked to each regime's relevant enemy and justifying anti-Bah actions. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); After years of investigation and soul-searching, I have finally come to the sad understanding that I can no longer bring myself to believe in Bahaullah or any of the institutions established in His name, including the Guardianship and the Universal House of Justice. Christian and Islamic authors (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. [1][2], The criticism and challenges it has faced vary considerably in different regions of the world. 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. When not convened as a body, each member has no autonomous authority. I should update this by noting that I separated from Cheri in December of 2011 and filed for divorce from her on May 7, 2012, finally getting the divorce granted on August 15, 2012. RELATED: What is the Best Way to Worship? 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. 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. Mirza Ahmad Sohrab; Lady Ruth White. I understand that I can withdraw my consent at any time. Omissions? The Bahi Faith underwent a rapid expansion beginning in the 1960s, and by the early 21st century it had more than 180 national spiritual assemblies (national governing bodies) and several thousand local spiritual assemblies. [4][5] These issues may be only marginal to the numerically dominant Bah community outside of Europe and North America. 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. I am currently a skeptic who is looking at both UU and Bahai as a new place to find a community that thinks like I do. 3 - Belief that all religions are valid, and that the Torah and Gospel have . "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. John Ankerberg) have attacked its history and founders, institutions, teachings, and use of prophecy. Membership in the Bah community is open to all who profess faith in Bah Allh and accept his teachings. [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. The Baha'i faith. One of them said: 'How putrid has this animal become!' Rather, Bahais look to the spiritual teachings of the Bab and Bahaullah, as interpreted and elucidated by Abdul-Baha, for inspiration and guidance. ", "As regards backbiting, i.e., discussing the faults of others in their absence, the teachings are very emphatic. ", "It is obvious that if we listen to those who complain to us about the faults of others we are guilty of complicity in their backbiting. Religion: Kashmir Shaivism (Trika) I've always found some issues with the main idea of the Baha'i faith, for a few different reasons. About 5 million people worldwide adhere to the Baha'i faith, according to Patheos.com, but other sources say there are as many as 7 million around the world.. Required fields are marked *. 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 . [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 belief in fulfilled prophecies is presented by Bah' authors to demonstrate the validity of Bah'u'llh 's claim to divinity. "[6] Former Bah William Garlington said the Bah position in the United States "can at most be characterized as one of sympathetic disapproval" toward homosexuality. Paradise and Paradigm - Christopher Buck 1999-01-01 Comparing paradise imagery in two Persian religions, early Syriac Christianity and the Baha'i Faith, this work contributes to religious studies methodology by introducing "symbolic paradigm analysis." The Baha'i Faith in Africa - Anthony Lee 2011-10-28 Others step inside, behold its beauty, but do not penetrate far. A comparative analysis of the Baha'i and Christian views of heaven and hell. 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. Baha'is have also been discriminated against in Yemen and in Egypt. 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. '", "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. Gods wisdom cannot always be seen by human eyes. I hope that all the believers will attain to this lofty station. 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? Assistant Professor of History and Middle East Studies, Idaho State University. [19] Abdu'l-Bah said that it would become clear in the future why the restriction was in place. I hope that you may become confirmed therein, because the worst human quality and the most great sin is backbiting; more especially when it emanates from the tongues of the believers of God. | 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. 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. Its just spiritual, not practical, was one incorrect comment Ive heard about the Bahai Faith not once, but many times. Summed up in Baha'u'llahs words: The Earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens.. ", "Indeed the believers have not yet fully learned to draw on each other's love for strength and consolation in time of need. Without the support of the UUs at First Jefferson Church, I might have never had the courage to do battle against the corrupt, idiotic Haifan Bahai Administrative Order as I have done. "[25] Excommunication among Bahs is rare and reserved for those actively promoting schism. 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. RELATED: What Happens When You Become a Bahai? In the end (undefined in conventional thinking) all knees will bow before the King of all Kings, Jesus Christ. "This is the attribute of the children of the Kingdom. The Bah Faith was first mentioned in the United States in 1893 at the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago. "Thou hast written regarding aims. Abstract This article will explore some of the issues involved in the sociological analysis of the status of the Bah' Faith. Whenever you recognize the fault of another, think of yourself! The ineligibility of women has caused discontent among small but vocal groups of western Bah intellectuals,[5][1] and criticism from others. Updates? (5) Moral concerns. More than one person has said Bahais arent involved in social action. Nothing could be further from the truth. 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. In all other levels of administration (other than the UHJ), however, women have always been eligible to serve, often contrary to prevailing cultural or societal norms. Selfless Service to Humanity, Eco-Caskets: The Spiritual How - and Why - of Green Burials, Dr. Anthony Lee and the Excavation of Buried Racial Narratives. IV. As part of its crackdown on the followers of the Bab, the Iranian government incarcerated Baha'u'llah. How very interesting,I too declared the same time but now find myself so spiritually down in the mouth, I take great objection to the anti-homosexual stance having got dear friends that are homosexual, also I actually enjoy the occasional glass of wine in the evening with my husband, the Bahai Calendar continues to baffle me and I cant get to grips with this fasting business, oh dear.Im not actually a bad person but find the faith quite difficult, I intend withdrawing from the faith as Im certainly not spiritually fulfilled, the people are nice but its not for me anymore. Here are the misconceptions I addressed: People often ask where Bahais worship, which perhaps indicates anassumption more than a misconception. The criticism and challenges it has faced vary considerably in different regions of the world. 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 Baha'is are among the most persecuted religious minorities in the world. His most well-known book is The Hidden Words, which is composed of short poetic statements that get to the heart of his spiritual and ethical teachings. 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. When people say that the Bahai Faith has something to do with Judaism, its often a result of confusing the word Bahai with Bnai Brith, a service organization dedicated to the social and educational betterment of Jews. 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. 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.". How can they best reach you? In such cases, of course, the name of the person or persons involved will have to be mentioned. 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