Judaism and Christianity are predecessors of Islam but criticism aimed directly at either of the two doesn't seem to directly affect Islam because of a belief in the Bible and Torah being corrupted or outdated versions of God's message. gss t ws mr lk prf tht yr prblms l lss n pltcs nd rlgn nd mre n mntal hlth sss? 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. Others step inside, behold its beauty, but do not penetrate far. The governance of the Bah community begins on the local level with the election of a local spiritual assembly. In any case, good luck to you and God Bless. 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. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Bahaullahs revelation has been recognized as an independent global Faith in most of the countries of the world. Rather, Bahais look to the spiritual teachings of the Bab and Bahaullah, as interpreted and elucidated by Abdul-Baha, for inspiration and guidance. Baha'u'llah's writings form the foundation of the Baha'i faith. Consider this your only warning!). Cults often promote violence, and Bahais are peaceful, non-violent citizens. Do this whenever you are tried through the words or deeds of 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. Baha'u'llahs writings form the foundation of the Baha'i faith. opinion. 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. Lights of Guidance/Backbiting, Criticism, Faultfinding, Gossip, Lies, Slander Etc. 2,070. An unethical teaching from the Caleb and Sophia Series December 24, 2022. 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. My life and Cheris together are proof that it can work! [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. How cadaverous looking!' But its root is lack of faith in the system of Bahullh, i.e., the Administrative Orderand lack of obedience to Himfor He has forbidden it! I would later realize how useful those books could have been as weapons against my former religion, but I also was able to find enough online resources for my purposes. 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. Baha'is, for example, embrace interracial marriage and education for girls. [27][31], Denis MacEoin, a scholar who had previously been a Bah, criticized what he saw as a threat to the impartiality of the academic field of Bb and Bah studies due to the dominance of practising Bahs in the field. Actually, Bahais have been imprisoned and martyred since their Faith began in Persia, because of the persecution of the powerful Islamic clerics who consider the Bahai Faith and its progressive principles a threat. A third cried out: 'What a stench! About a dozen of these have been translated into English and other languages. Out of the frying pan and into the fire, so to speak. In Iran, where the religion was founded, universities refuse to admit Baha'i students, Baha'i cemeteries have been destroyed and the countrys Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei has confiscated properties from Baha'i families. You don't need to belong to a religion to be of service to others and do good in the world. (Quoted in Star of West, Vol. From my understanding, Baha'i Faith is an offshoot from Islam but still believes in Muhammad. 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. Baha'u'llahs father was a minister in Irans government, which supported Shi'i Islam as the state religion. But even if these are not taken from the records it still does not make them either true or false. "[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. Bahs believe that all the founders of the worlds great religions have been manifestations of God and agents of a progressive divine plan for the education of the human race. The Christian Grace Network on YouTube November 23, 2022. Baha'is are followers of the teachings of Baha'u'llah, who brought an entirely new, worldwide Faith to humanity. Abd al-Bah actively administered the movements affairs and spread the faith to North America, Europe, and other continents. The year begins on the first day of spring, March 21, which is one of several holy days in the Bah calendar. It really doesnt matter what one calls oneself, it only matters what ones relationship is to God in reality. 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. Indeed Baha'u'llah claimed to be the manifestation of God that the Bab had foretold and gained a large following. How can they best reach you? Goodbye. 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. The followers of such sects are labeled Covenant-breakers, shunned, and viewed as enemies of the faith. In our group, the discourse enabled all participants to deal upfront with common misconceptions about their religions, and allowed panelists and audience members to be exposed to religions unfamiliar to them. The members of the Hands of the Cause of God were appointed by Bah Allh and Shoghi Effendi. 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? Subsequent public protests and mob violence claimed the lives of thousands of his followers. Shoghi Effendi (Guardian of the Baha'i Faith) wrote about this. The criticism and challenges it has faced vary considerably in different regions of the world. 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? That Baha'u'llah was the Manifestation of God for this day and be obedient to the covenant. "Thou hast written regarding aims. 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. She agreed! Jehovah's Witnesses and Baha'is were among the most . 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. [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. 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? He concluded from this that the Bah' World Faith must be God's religion. There is, of course the right of appeal from the Local to the National Assembly, and from that to Shoghi Effendi,* but the matter ought to be dealt with, in the first instance, by the Local Spiritual Assembly. In a letter written to an individual believer on behalf of the Guardian it is stated: 'If we are better, if we show love, patience, and understanding of the weakness of others, if we seek to never criticize but rather encourage, others will do likewise, and we can really help the Cause through our example and spiritual strength. The religion's governing institution is the elected Universal House of Justice, whose membership is male-only. Im lazy. 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 World News Service Bah' International Community, has confiscated properties from Baha'i families. [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. [27] For example, Juan Cole converted to the Bah Faith in 1972, but later resigned in 1996 after conflicts with members of the administration who perceived him as extreme. Summed up in Baha'u'llahs words: The Earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens.. 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. Get in touch with the Bahais in your community. On the contrary, it would make the dust to settle so thickly on the heart that the ears would hear no more, and the eyes would no longer behold the light of truth. Heaven and Hell and the Baha'i Faith. In the love of God you must become distinguished from all else. Marrying that mentally immature woman was perhaps the biggest mistake of my life, and joining the Bahai Faith was the second biggest. 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. They and other UUs are destined to do the work of peace, unity, and freedom that Bahais cannot and will never do! Zackery M. Heern does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. I am closer to God than I have ever been, and less confused than I have ever been. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. In 'Star of the West', Volume 8, No. 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. Therefore, Baha'u'llahs teachings specifically advocate for racial unity, gender equality, universal education, and harmony of science and religion. I hope that all the believers will attain to this lofty station. Selfless Service to Humanity, In fact, Bahaullah mandated that his followers involve themselves in social action when he said, Be anxiously concerned with the needs of the age ye live in, and center your deliberations on its exigencies and requirements.. [19] Abdu'l-Bah said that it would become clear in the future why the restriction was in place. "[25] Excommunication among Bahs is rare and reserved for those actively promoting schism. 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. If the Bahs would follow the Bah laws in voting, in electing, in serving and in abiding by Assembly decisions, all this waste of strength through criticising others could be diverted into cooperation and achieving the Plan. As a member of Irans nobility, Baha'u'llah was offered a government position. Throughout his life, Bah'u'llah penned over 100 volumes in Arabic and Persian. [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. 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. For backbiting is divisive, it is the leading cause among the friends of a disposition to withdraw. Instead, I asked her to join with me in First Jefferson Unitarian Universalist Church, which I had belonged to before. 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 electoral process excludes parties or factions, nominations, and campaigning for office. Select search scope, currently: articles+ all catalog, articles, website, & more in one search; catalog books, media & more in the Stanford Libraries' collections; articles+ journal articles & other e-resources (2) The absence of personal requirements (Baha'i demands) for the Manifestations. RELATED: What is the Best Way to Worship? I decided that if she wanted to marry me, she would have to leave that church, because I would never join it and she still wanted us to worship together on Sundays. [1] Western academics have criticized the requirement for Bahs to seek pre-publication review when publishing on the religion[3] and the exclusion of women from serving on the Universal House of Justice. According to Bahai law, I would have needed the consent of both her mother (her father was already deceased), and my BIRTH (not adoptive) parents to be married to her. Yet Baha'is in Iran, who are the largest non-Muslim religious community, continue to face persecution. Please select which sections you would like to print: Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Historical context. 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. "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. The Baha'i Faith explained that away by claiming that while Jesus was indeed a Messenger (or Manifestation) of God, His faith had become corrupted over time and thus most Christians were not truly following him, but the doctrines of men. A comparative analysis of the Baha'i and Christian views of heaven and hell. The Bible provides ALL the answers, in my truly humble (!) The Bah's are fully entitled to address criticisms to their assemblies; they can freely air their views about policies or individual members of elected bodies to the assembly, local or national, but then they must whole-heartedly accept the advice or decision of the assembly, according to the principles already laid down for such matters in 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, [16] Thus, authorities in the Muslim world have rejected the Bah Faith and regard Bahs as apostates if they had been Muslims before conversion. 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.. Goodbye. ", "Indeed the believers have not yet fully learned to draw on each other's love for strength and consolation in time of need. 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. Browne wrote that while he found them admirable, in his view they are inferior to the simplicity and beauty of the teachings of Christ. He was asked 'How shall I overcome seeing the faults of othersrecognizing the wrong in others? ", "One must see in every human being only that which is worthy of praise. Christian and Islamic authors (e.g. Perhaps youll be inspired to organize a similar discussion where you live. ", "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. Lights of Guidance Backbiting, Criticism, Faultfinding, Gossip, Lies, Slander Etc. Shouldst thou transgress this command, accursed wouldst thou be, and to this I bear witness. Of course, because the Bahai teachings emphasize the oneness of all religion, Bahais believe in the Jewish prophets and revere their Faith. Bahais have no clergy. Soon after, early American converts began embracing the new religion. The followers of such splinter groups are shunned and not considered Bahs by the majority. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window). 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.. RELATED: What Happens When You Become a Bahai? 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. The majority of Baha'is, however, live in the global south. 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