Shoghi and the Grandsons of 'Abdu'l Baha; The Guardianship of Shoghi: Losses and Losses; Shoghi in the Will of the Master Abdu'l Baha; New History Society; Early Baha'is. 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either of the two doesn't seem to directly affect Islam because of a belief in the Bible and Torah being corrupted or outdated versions of God's message. Instead, the Bahai Faith operates administratively with a system of local, national and international nine-member governing bodies, all democratically elected without nominations or campaigns. 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. Indeed Baha'u'llah claimed to be the manifestation of God that the Bab had foretold and gained a large following. Will and Testament of 'Abdul-Baha; Shoghi Effendi. 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. My future wife was a member of First Baptist Church of Dallas, a stronghold of fundamentalism. 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. 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. In this two-part article we will briefly examine: (1) The Baha'i approach to other religions. Thus you will grow, become more perfect. 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. "[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. I cant remember if it was one year or two years, but it was probably closer to one year. The Quran puts forth the same idea, because along with Muhammad it includes the Old Testament prophets and also Christ. opinion. Reading and Reacting to The Gadfly Molehill. 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. Its six years since I declared and four or five since I became an ex Bahai. If, however, we look at people from the standpoint of their faults, then being a friend to them is a formidable task. Bahu'llh's claim of divine revelation is in direct conflict with this common interpretation of Islam. The majority of Baha'is, however, live in the global south. Despite their apparent differences, the worlds great religions, according to the Bahs, teach an identical truth. 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.. But His Holiness Christ said: 'Look at its teeth! Bah World News Service Bah' International Community, has confiscated properties from Baha'i families. The global Baha'i community is not just a group of well-meaning people. "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. Like all Bahai Houses of Worship, it welcomes everyone, and its nine entrances symbolize the many legitimate paths to the Creator. If manifestations are allowed to contradict one another, then there is no way to separate false manifestations from true ones or to discover if any of them really speak for the true and living God. It has an office on the environment involved in sustainable development. Pingback: Why peace activists (and critics of religion) sometimes fail Dale Husband's Intellectual Rants. In the summer and fall of 2004, I gradually came to the conviction that the Bahai Faith was no longer worthy of my allegiance. Over 20,000 unique works by Baha'u'llah have been identified at the Baha'i World Centre, comprising just under seven million words. 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. 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 [17], From 1980 onward, several well-educated Bahs left the religion and subsequently criticized it. Shouldst thou transgress this command ACCURSED ART THOU.' Historical context. "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. (Quoted in Star of West, Vol. Once they are ADULTS, they should be treated like adults, period. 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. p. 192) Bahullh says in the Hidden Words: 'Breathe not the sins of others so long as thou art a sinner. How can they best reach you? I hope that all the believers will attain to this lofty station. 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. These are worded in a way to seem like crazy conspiracies. The Baha'is are among the most persecuted religious minorities in the world. Hi, exmuslim atheist here. The principal Bah tenets are the essential unity of all religions and the unity of humanity. The external article completely drops any pretenses of neutrality, blaming certain events (like the attempted assassination of Iranian officials) as done by . At the same time, the Baha'i faith has spread around the globe. I am closer to God than I have ever been, and less confused than I have ever been. 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. Large-scale persecutions of his adherents, the Bbs, followed. "You also ask what one should do to 'handle depression and anger with someone' one feels 'very positively about'. The feasts are designed to ensure universal participation in the affairs of the community and the cultivation of the spirit of brotherhood and fellowship. 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. 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. Pingback: Why I Abandoned the (Haifan) Bahai Faith | Dale Husband's Intellectual Rants. The continental counselors are appointed by the Universal House of Justice. 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. I declared back in 2008 when I was a naive open eyed idealist about the principles without knowing about all the contradictions and stuff. Yet Baha'is in Iran, who are the largest non-Muslim religious community, continue to face persecution. That Baha'u'llah was the Manifestation of God for this day and be obedient to the covenant. Baha'u'llah encouraged Baha'is to cooperate with their governments and engage with the followers of all religions in a spirit of fellowship. You don't need to belong to a religion to be of service to others and do good in the world. 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. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. [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. The Earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens, Committee Member - MNF Research Advisory Committee, PhD Scholarship - Uncle Isaac Brown Indigenous Scholarship. 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. Quoted in, Last edited on 12 February 2023, at 13:17, Political accusations against the Baha'i Faith, "The Economist explains: The Bahai faith", "Possible Criticisms of the Baha'i Faith from a Feminist Perspective", "The Baha'i Faith in America as Panopticon, 1963-1997", "Fundamentalism in the Contemporary U.S. Baha'i Community", "Bah' Youth and Sexuality A Personal/Professional View", "Missionary as Historian: William Miller and the Bah' Faith", "Marginality and Apostasy in the Baha'i Community", "An Introduction to Bah' Law: Doctrinal Foundations, Principles and Structures", "A Short Introduction to the Bah' Faith", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Criticism_of_the_Bah_Faith&oldid=1138934100, This page was last edited on 12 February 2023, at 13:17. 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. "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. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). The year begins on the first day of spring, March 21, which is one of several holy days in the Bah calendar. Many things are preserved in records as matters of opinion; no one has given a verdict on this matter! His son and successor, Abdu'l-Baha, traveled to Europe and the United States to spread the faith. Message and data rates may apply. Updates? 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. 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. in practice you would have lost your administrative rights anyway,. Baha'is were nonetheless subjected to persecution, as some Muslim clerics perceived their faith to be a heresy. 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. Bahais have no clergy. 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. But even if these are not taken from the records it still does not make them either true or false. It really doesnt matter what one calls oneself, it only matters what ones relationship is to God in reality. 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 He was asked 'How shall I overcome seeing the faults of othersrecognizing the wrong in others? 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! While Bahais dont have traditional churches or mosques, local Bahai communities may decide to rent or buy a meeting place, usually called a Bahai Center, depending on the size of the Bahai community and their circumstances. 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'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 faith has no priesthood and does not observe ritual forms in its worship. I composed that letter on my computer and mailed it in January of 2005. The writings and spoken words of the Bb, Bah Allh, and Abd al-Bah form the sacred literature of the Bah Faith. ", " Backbiting quencheth the light of the heart, and extinguisheth the life of the 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. [35], Christian Research Journal, Winter/Spring, 1989, p. 2. He must be a lover of the rose, no matter in what soil it may be growing. A comparative analysis of the Baha'i and Christian views of heaven and hell. Heaven and Hell and the Baha'i Faith. The stupidity of that idea should be obvious. Throughout his life, Bah'u'llah penned over 100 . Origin of the Baha'i Religion. Man must be a lover of the light, no matter from what dayspring it may appear. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window). From my understanding, Baha'i Faith is an offshoot from Islam but still believes in Muhammad. 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? 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