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. Pingback: Why I Rejected the Bahai Faith, 4th Edition | Dale Husband's Intellectual Rants, Your email address will not be published. For the first few months of our marriage, Cheri and I shared a home with my parents, until we had enough money to move out on our own. Your email address will not be published. But His Holiness Christ said: 'Look at its teeth! While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. [21] The Universal House of Justice stated in 1995, and has repeated since, that the teachings on sexuality are laid down in the faith's scripture and that, "the House of Justice has no authority to change this clear teaching on homosexual practice. You may know of some other misconceptions, and I learned on our interfaith panel that they can be a wonderful topic for public discussion. Origin of the Baha'i Religion. 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.". He concluded from this that the Bah' World Faith must be God's religion. Your details have now been sent. 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.. Membership in the Bah community is open to all who profess faith in Bah Allh and accept his teachings. 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? 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either of the two doesn't seem to directly affect Islam because of a belief in the Bible and Torah being corrupted or outdated versions of God's message. ", "I desire distinction for you. The principal Bah tenets are the essential unity of all religions and the unity of humanity. read more. Ratings: +1,422. He teaches that God is a loving Parent who never uses threats or fear or guilt or shame in relating to Her/His children. After Islamic fundamentalists came to power in Iran in 1979, the 300,000 Bahs there were persecuted by the government. Historical context. The ineligibility of women has caused discontent among small but vocal groups of western Bah intellectuals,[5][1] and criticism from others. It is the world's second-most widespread religion after Christianity, spanning the globe and working to unite it. Yet Baha'is in Iran, who are the largest non-Muslim religious community, continue to face persecution. 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. No, never! 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 friends must overlook their shortcomings and faults and speak only of their virtues and not their defects. The first time I heard the word syncretic connected with the Bahai Faith was from a college professor who knew I was Bahai but wanted to instruct me about this particular weakness he perceived. The government released Baha'u'llah in 1853, and exiled him to Baghdad, then part of the Ottoman Empire. 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.' A comparative analysis of the Baha'i and Christian views of heaven and hell. In Acre in northern Israel, a former prison city of the Ottoman Empire, the barracks where Bahullh was imprisoned starting in 1868. 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. gss t ws mr lk prf tht yr prblms l lss n pltcs nd rlgn nd mre n mntal hlth sss? 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. 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. The last claim is partially rooted in the presence of the Bah World Centre in northern Israel. Pingback: Why I Abandoned the (Haifan) Bahai Faith? The views expressed in our content reflect individual perspectives and do not represent the official views of the Baha'i Faith. 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. ", "an unwise act or statement by a Bah in one country could result in a grave set-back for the Faith there or elsewhereand even loss of the lives of fellow believers. I understand that I can withdraw my consent at any time. There were several completely inactive Bahais in the North Richland Hills, Texas locality who I never saw in the years I was a Bahai, but there was no talk of them not having administrative rights. You know nothing about why my marriage failed and it had nothing to do with lack of parental consent. Consider, that He did not look at all at the defects of that animal; nay, rather, He searched well until He found the beautiful white teeth. 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.. The Baha'i Faith is a scriptural religion; the current written texts are considered fully authoritative. 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. [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]. Bahais have no clergy. 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. Only the last category could fall into the category of reliable sources (although not independent or disinterested sources ). I sometimes hear, from those without much knowledge of the Bahai Faith, that it is syncretic. 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. In fact, the first school for girls in Iran was established by the Baha'is. For the most part, though, individual Bahai communities do not have a Bahai House of Worship, which are actually more like a gift to the community, not for exclusive use by Bahais. ", "One must see in every human being only that which is worthy of praise. 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? They also. Still others encircle this garden inhaling the fragrance of the flowers, having enjoyed its full beauty, pass out again by the same gate. Baha'u'llah, whose name means Glory of God in Arabic, was born in Tehran in 1817. [15], Islamic theology regards Muhammad as the Khatam an-Nabiyyin, the last prophet whom God has sent and Islam as the final religion for all humankind. "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. Knowing you seem similar to my mindset from a brief review of your site, I might be more inclined to try the UU route. Try making a comment like an adult and I will then treat you like one. One of the first Bah institutions in the U.S. was established in Chicago and . 9 Politics: Here a number of criticisms about the Bahai faith aligning itself with different historical superpowers are listed. Reading and Reacting to The Gadfly Molehill. 3 - Belief that all religions are valid, and that the Torah and Gospel have . Ive never been into having to jump through hurdles to withdraw. 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. Ottoman officials later moved Baha'u'llah to the prison city of Akka in Palestine. 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. The Nineteen Day Feast, originally instituted by the Bb, brings together the Bahs of a given locality for prayer, the reading of scriptures, the discussion of community activities, and the enjoyment of one anothers company. 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. [27] Central to Cole's complaints is the Bah review process, which requires Bah authors to gain approval before publishing on the religion. 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. A Statement About Mental Disorders and Domestic Abuse. 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. Abd al-Bah actively administered the movements affairs and spread the faith to North America, Europe, and other continents. Pingback: Why peace activists (and critics of religion) sometimes fail Dale Husband's Intellectual Rants. But if that fails or if we feel that it is hopeless to try and deal with the matter in that way, while at the same time the case is so serious that the interests of the Cause require that it should be firmly dealt with, then the proper course is to bring the matter before the Spiritual Assembly and have it frankly and fully discussed, calling such evidence as is necessary for the elucidation of the matter. Despite their apparent differences, the worlds great religions, according to the Bahs, teach an identical truth. I declared back in 2008 when I was a naive open eyed idealist about the principles without knowing about all the contradictions and stuff. 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? (Bnai Brith means children of the covenant.). ", "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. People who leave the religion, transgress community standards, or attack it externally are not considered Covenant-breakers. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Heaven and Hell and the Baha'i Faith. 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 Bible provides ALL the answers, in my truly humble (!) 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. Extract from Dale Husbands blog. The letters or contact of why you are withdrawing are also another reason why not to do so. (5) Moral concerns. 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. 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 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 . Im lazy. Instead, I asked her to join with me in First Jefferson Unitarian Universalist Church, which I had belonged to before. From my understanding, Baha'i Faith is an offshoot from Islam but still believes in Muhammad. The Bah' Faith is a world religion based on the teachings of Bah'u'llh. The Bah Faith is a relatively new religion teaching the essential worth of all religions and the unity of all people.. 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. There also exist in the Bah Faith appointive institutions, such as the Hands of the Cause of God and the continental counselors. "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. 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? Unfortunately, not only average people, but average Bahs, are very immature; gossip, trouble-making, criticism, seem easier than the putting into practice of love, constructive words and cooperation. Christian and Islamic authors (e.g. 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. Soon after, early American converts began embracing the new religion. It is not an ordinary distinction I desire: not scientific, commercial, industrial distinction. [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. That Baha'u'llah was the Manifestation of God for this day and be obedient to the covenant. He taught there is one God and one human family, and that the great religions of the world represent successive stages in the spiritual evolution of human society. opinion. If some means were devised so that the doors of backbiting were shut eternally and each one of the believers unsealed his lips in praise of others, then the teachings of His Holiness Bahullh would spread, the hearts be illumined, the spirits glorified, and the human world would attain to everlasting felicity.' p. 192) Bahullh says in the Hidden Words: 'Breathe not the sins of others so long as thou art a sinner. 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. According to Bah' belief, there have been individuals throughout history who were Manifestations of God, who founded major world religions and had certain supernatural powers, such as the ability to prophesy. Someone from the Bahai community will contact you shortly. For many, the Baha'i faith is one of the most universal religions. 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. Cults often promote violence, and Bahais are peaceful, non-violent citizens. We need not fear the enemies on the outside for such can be easily dealt with. Whenever you recognize the fault of another, think of yourself! The Earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens, Committee Member - MNF Research Advisory Committee, PhD Scholarship - Uncle Isaac Brown Indigenous Scholarship. You must become distinguished for loving humanity; for unity and accord; for love and justice. Corrections? "If we profess loyalty to Bahullh, to our Beloved Master and our dear Guardian, then we must show our love by obedience to these explicit teachings. [16] Thus, authorities in the Muslim world have rejected the Bah Faith and regard Bahs as apostates if they had been Muslims before conversion. That relationship ended long ago and now I am Orthodox, but this post kind of brought up some old memories. 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. 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