Because the Bahai Faith is based in the grassroots, any social action is the result of consultative decisions made in any given locality and depends on local capacities. Knowing you seem similar to my mindset from a brief review of your site, I might be more inclined to try the UU route. Bah Allh was subsequently confined by the Ottomans in Adrianople (now Edirne, Turkey) and then in Acre in Palestine (now Akko, Israel). Finally, you must become distinguished for heavenly illumination and acquiring the bestowals of God. Normally, it is possible to describe the situation surrounding a problem and seek help and advice in resolving it, without necessarily mentioning names. The writings and spoken words of the Bb, Bah Allh, and Abd al-Bah form the sacred literature of the Bah Faith. 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]. 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. IV. 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. Your message was successfully sent to BahaiTeachings.org. Its just spiritual, not practical, was one incorrect comment Ive heard about the Bahai Faith not once, but many times. Message and data rates may apply. Baha'is are followers of the teachings of Baha'u'llah, who brought an entirely new, worldwide Faith to humanity. Cults often promote violence, and Bahais are peaceful, non-violent citizens. 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. The government released Baha'u'llah in 1853, and exiled him to Baghdad, then part of the Ottoman Empire. It is not an ordinary distinction I desire: not scientific, commercial, industrial distinction. 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. 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. 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. promoting the Baha'i Faith for twenty years. The friends must overlook their shortcomings and faults and speak only of their virtues and not their defects. Baha'u'llahs writings form the foundation of the Baha'i faith. [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. Abstract This article will explore some of the issues involved in the sociological analysis of the status of the Bah' Faith. [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. The Baha'is are among the most persecuted religious minorities in the world. 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.. They also. The belief in fulfilled prophecies is presented by Bah' authors to demonstrate the validity of Bah'u'llh 's claim to divinity. Thus you will grow, become more perfect. Like all Bahai Houses of Worship, it welcomes everyone, and its nine entrances symbolize the many legitimate paths to the Creator. [12], Regarding the Bah teachings of peace and unity, E.G. For many, the Baha'i faith is one of the most universal religions. ", " Vicious criticism is indeed a calamity. in practice you would have lost your administrative rights anyway,. I understand that I can withdraw my consent at any time. If capable, those between the ages of 15 and 70 are required to fast 19 days a year, going without food or drink from sunrise to sunset. 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. The Bah Faith is a relatively new religion teaching the essential worth of all religions and the unity of all people.. Abd al-Bah actively administered the movements affairs and spread the faith to North America, Europe, and other continents. How blessed are these aims, especially the prevention of backbiting! For backbiting is divisive, it is the leading cause among the friends of a disposition to withdraw. 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. "[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. 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? [17], Bahu'llh's teachings on the equality of men and women, and that slavery should be banned, were controversial ideas in the nineteenth century Middle East that contributed to attempts to destroy his movement.[16]. "The only way jealousy or petty attitudes can be overcome is by the love and tact of the teacher; these are not things that can be solved by a 'ruling'.". Baha'u'llahs followers disseminated his teachings in the Middle East and beyond. A primary theme of Baha'u'llahs teachings is achieving world peace through the establishment of unity, justice and equality. You will overcome self, you will not even have time to think of the faults of others'. Soon after, early American converts began embracing the new religion. 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. From my understanding, Baha'i Faith is an offshoot from Islam but still believes in Muhammad. Historical context. 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. claimed the lives of thousands of his followers. Throughout his life, Bah'u'llah penned over 100 . gss t ws mr lk prf tht yr prblms l lss n pltcs nd rlgn nd mre n mntal hlth sss? 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. 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. ", "As regards backbiting, i.e., discussing the faults of others in their absence, the teachings are very emphatic. The Earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens, Committee Member - MNF Research Advisory Committee, PhD Scholarship - Uncle Isaac Brown Indigenous Scholarship. "[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. Whenever you recognize the fault of another, think of yourself! I resigned myself on 07/07/07. Ive never officially withdrawn or resigned, but stopped being a Bahai either one or two years after declaration. Maybe there is a wisdom in asking for parental consent after all, reading how this marriage of two adults ended up. 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. 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.. In this two-part article we will briefly examine: (1) The Baha'i approach to other religions. The official website of the Baha'i Faith is: Sign up for our newsletter and get all our latest content, 2023 BahaiTeachings.org All Rights Reserved. Goodbye. Baha'is believe that God has . When Criticism and Harsh Words Arise "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. 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. 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. Christian and Islamic authors (e.g. Corrections? Vangelis was a Living Legend.and he Remains a Legend Forever! Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Selfless Service to Humanity, Eco-Caskets: The Spiritual How - and Why - of Green Burials, Dr. Anthony Lee and the Excavation of Buried Racial Narratives. [19] Abdu'l-Bah said that it would become clear in the future why the restriction was in place. 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. RELATED: What Happens When You Become a Bahai? 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. Assistant Professor of History and Middle East Studies, Idaho State University. There are more than 100,000 local Baha'i communities in places as diverse as Chile, Cambodia and the United States. Baha'u'llahs father was a minister in Irans government, which supported Shi'i Islam as the state religion. "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. Message and data rates may apply. Dale's Declarations. 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. (2) The absence of personal requirements (Baha'i demands) for the Manifestations. One of the first Bah institutions in the U.S. was established in Chicago and . 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. 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. 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. Pingback: Why I Rejected the Bahai Faith, 4th Edition | Dale Husband's Intellectual Rants, Your email address will not be published. My future wife was a member of First Baptist Church of Dallas, a stronghold of fundamentalism. Its six years since I declared and four or five since I became an ex Bahai. I, too, am considering resigning my membership. 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. Extract from Dale Husbands blog. He was asked 'How shall I overcome seeing the faults of othersrecognizing the wrong in others? His son and successor, Abdu'l-Baha, traveled to Europe and the United States to spread the faith. This page was last edited on 31 December 2020, at 01:55. The letters or contact of why you are withdrawing are also another reason why not to do so. Baha'is have also been discriminated against in Yemen and in Egypt. What are my imperfections?and try to remove them. Some discover a hornets nest in the garden and fearing being STUNG TO DEATH, run out of the garden in horror. Instead, I asked her to join with me in First Jefferson Unitarian Universalist Church, which I had belonged to before. There are no initiation ceremonies, no sacraments, and no clergy. At the time, I didnt care. We are like ploughmen each of whom has his team to manage and his plough to direct, and in order to keep his furrow straight he must keep his eye on his goal and concentrate on his own task. My life has changed in ways that I had hoped the Bahai Faith would help me do, but in 35 years has not. You must become distinguished for loving humanity; for unity and accord; for love and justice. [23], The Bah teachings emphasize the need for unity, and have an official line of succession of leadership to prevent schism. That Baha'u'llah was the Manifestation of God for this day and be obedient to the covenant. "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 feasts are designed to ensure universal participation in the affairs of the community and the cultivation of the spirit of brotherhood and fellowship. 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. 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. You may know of some other misconceptions, and I learned on our interfaith panel that they can be a wonderful topic for public discussion. The ineligibility of women has caused discontent among small but vocal groups of western Bah intellectuals,[5][1] and criticism from others. [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. [4][5] These issues may be only marginal to the numerically dominant Bah community outside of Europe and North America. "Thou hast written regarding aims. Finding out about what the Bahai Faith was actually about rather than all the stuff they like to advertise was a big shock. ", "I desire distinction for you. The Baha'i Faith is a scriptural religion; the current written texts are considered fully authoritative. Conservatives among Unitarian Universalists Still Feel Like Victims. Ottoman officials later moved Baha'u'llah to the prison city of Akka in Palestine. ", "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. Im glad to know that you have found a better life after moving on, as have I. ", "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. Despite their apparent differences, the worlds great religions, according to the Bahs, teach an identical truth. 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