Pingback: Why peace activists (and critics of religion) sometimes fail Dale Husband's Intellectual Rants. Goodbye. Cults separate themselves from society, and Bahais take part in society. The Bb was arrested and, after several years of incarceration, was executed in 1850. The religion's governing institution is the elected Universal House of Justice, whose membership is male-only. 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. Cults separate, and the Bahai Faith unites. Baha'u'llahs followers disseminated his teachings in the Middle East and beyond. But this distinction must not depend upon wealththat they should become more affluent than other people. A Question About Translating the Baha'i Writings December 11, 2022. All national spiritual assemblies of the world periodically constitute themselves an international convention and elect a supreme governing body known as the Universal House of Justice. The other exclaimed: 'How it is deformed!' Marrying that mentally immature woman was perhaps the biggest mistake of my life, and joining the Bahai Faith was the second biggest. 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. Indeed Baha'u'llah claimed to be the manifestation of God that the Bab had foretold and gained a large following. The friends must overlook their shortcomings and faults and speak only of their virtues and not their defects. 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. [23], The Bah teachings emphasize the need for unity, and have an official line of succession of leadership to prevent schism. 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. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. 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. Origin of the Baha'i Religion. It has an office on the environment involved in sustainable development. Im lazy. A third cried out: 'What a stench! He proclaimed a spiritual doctrine emphasizing the forthcoming appearance of a new prophet or messenger of God who would overturn old beliefs and customs and usher in a new era. They and other UUs are destined to do the work of peace, unity, and freedom that Bahais cannot and will never do! 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. 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. Bahais have no clergy. 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. Bahu'llh's claim of divine revelation is in direct conflict with this common interpretation of Islam. tht ws qck. (Quoted in Star of West, Vol. I stayed silent about my defection from the Bahai Faith untilOctober 19, 2007, when I posted my first blog entry attacking it. I composed that letter on my computer and mailed it in January of 2005. 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. The letters or contact of why you are withdrawing are also another reason why not to do so. The Baha'i Faith, the world's newest independent global belief system, teaches the oneness of God, the unity of humanity , and the essential harmony of religion. Only the last category could fall into the category of reliable sources (although not independent or disinterested sources ). 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. If we allow our attention and energy to be taken up in efforts to keep others right and remedy their faults, we are wasting precious time. 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.. [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. 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. 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. 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. The ineligibility of women has caused discontent among small but vocal groups of western Bah intellectuals,[5][1] and criticism from others. Finding out about what the Bahai Faith was actually about rather than all the stuff they like to advertise was a big shock. [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. Being involved in interfaith work, Im constantly asked Whos your local spiritual leader, or priest, or pastor? The fact is, there isnt one. Of course, because the Bahai teachings emphasize the oneness of all religion, Bahais believe in the Jewish prophets and revere their Faith. Message and data rates may apply. "You ask in your letter for guidance on the implications of the prohibition on backbiting and more specifically whether, in moments of anger or depression, the believer is permitted to turn to his friends to unburden his soul and discuss his problem in human relations. Located there long before Israel became a nation, it happened because Bahaullah had been exiled to the prison city of Akka in Palestine, then part of the Ottoman Empire, about 85 years before the state of Israel was founded. Backbiting, Criticism, Faultfinding, Gossip, Lies, Slander Etc. | 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. The stupidity of that idea should be obvious. Pingback: Why I Abandoned the (Haifan) Bahai Faith | Dale Husband's Intellectual Rants. Baha'is, for example, embrace interracial marriage and education for girls. He was released in 1853 and exiled to Baghdad, where his leadership revived the Bb community. The Bible provides ALL the answers, in my truly humble (!) Eventually, what started as a compromise between us grew into a case of full blown allegiance to the UU church for both of us. 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. 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. 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, Omissions? Cheri came to love the freedom of thought in that church, despite still being a strong Christian, while I came to love the powerful community the church provided, despite my agnosticism. https://bahai.works/index.php?title=Lights_of_Guidance/Backbiting,_Criticism,_Faultfinding,_Gossip,_Lies,_Slander_Etc.&oldid=121304. Parental consent should only be an issue if the married partners are still minors. Whenever you recognize the fault of another, think of yourself! Bah Allhs peculiar function was to overcome the disunity of religions and establish a universal faith. Shouldst thou transgress this command, accursed wouldst thou be, and to this I bear witness. 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. Bahs believe that all the founders of the world's great religions have been manifestations of God and agents of a progressive divine plan for the education of the human race. You don't need to belong to a religion to be of service to others and do good in the world. He remained there until his passing in 1892. "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. In 1852, two years after the execution of the Bb, a fringe element in the . My life has changed in ways that I had hoped the Bahai Faith would help me do, but in 35 years has not. Actually, Baha'is have been imprisoned and martyred since their Faith began in Persia, because of the persecution of the powerful Islamic clerics who consider the Baha'i Faith and its progressive principles a threat. Mrz Al Moammad first proclaimed his beliefs in 1844 and assumed the title of the Bb. Hi, exmuslim atheist here. (Dale Husband: How old are you? p. 192) Bahullh says in the Hidden Words: 'Breathe not the sins of others so long as thou art a sinner. An overwhelming majority of Bbs acknowledged his claim and thenceforth became known as Bahs. The followers of such sects are labeled Covenant-breakers, shunned, and viewed as enemies of the faith. 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. Rather, Bahais look to the spiritual teachings of the Bab and Bahaullah, as interpreted and elucidated by Abdul-Baha, for inspiration and guidance. When this is done, one can be a friend to the whole human race. ", "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. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. But there are always some who enter and, becoming intoxicated with the splendor of what they behold, remain for life to tend the garden.. The Bahs must be distinguished from others of humanity. Beliefs, ideas and rituals of the Baha'is: 1 - Belief that Allaah is incarnated in some of His creation, and that Allaah was incarnated in al-Baab and al-Baha'. [27] Central to Cole's complaints is the Bah review process, which requires Bah authors to gain approval before publishing on the religion. Its 2014 now. The Baha'i Faith is a scriptural religion; the current written texts are considered fully authoritative. But even if these are not taken from the records it still does not make them either true or false. At the same time, the Baha'i faith has spread around the globe. Over 20,000 unique works by Baha'u'llah have been identified at the Baha'i World Centre, comprising just under seven million words. 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. 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. 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? However, from a Bahai perspective if your relationship to God has not been directed by the revelation of Bahaullah than we are really talking more about ones own vain imaginings as opposed to reality. 2 - Belief in the transmigration of souls, and that reward and punishment happen to the soul only. Selfless Service to Humanity, Eco-Caskets: The Spiritual How - and Why - of Green Burials, Dr. Anthony Lee and the Excavation of Buried Racial Narratives. 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 . "he suggests you write the National Spiritual Assembly in a loving spirit, and point out to them how it distresses you to think that, after so many years of service, statements about you which you consider unjustified should be preserved. [1][2], The criticism and challenges it has faced vary considerably in different regions of the world. I declared back in 2008 when I was a naive open eyed idealist about the principles without knowing about all the contradictions and stuff. In the temples there is no preaching; services consist of recitation of the scriptures of all religions. The Bah Faith was first mentioned in the United States in 1893 at the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago. You may know of some other misconceptions, and I learned on our interfaith panel that they can be a wonderful topic for public discussion. That Baha'u'llah was the Manifestation of God for this day and be obedient to the covenant. The Bah community is governed according to general principles proclaimed by Bah Allh and through institutions created by him that were elaborated and expanded on by Abd al-Bah. [22] Bah scholar Udo Schaefer stated that the legitimization of the death penalty in cases of murder and arson is usually met with disapproval and suspicion in Europe. There are more than 100,000 local Baha'i communities in places as diverse as Chile, Cambodia and the United States. 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. It is free information and it is offered without any coercion on your free will about what to do with it. I am closer to God than I have ever been, and less confused than I have ever been. (Bnai Brith means children of the covenant.). Throughout his life, Bah'u'llah penned over 100 volumes in Arabic and Persian. 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. Mirza Ahmad Sohrab; Lady Ruth White. 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 criticism and challenges it has faced vary considerably in different regions of the world. Out of the frying pan and into the fire, so to speak. Targeting the faith's followers is a longstanding feature of the Islamic Republic but has been escalating of late. In brief, you must become distinguished in all the virtues of the human world; for faithfulness and steadfastness; for philanthropic deeds and service to the human world; for love toward every human being; for unity and accord with all people; for removing prejudices and promoting international peace. 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. 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. And actually the Bahais are far more interested in growing their numbers than spending time and money on charitable work. "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. ", "I desire distinction for you. 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