Here are the misconceptions I addressed: People often ask where Bahais worship, which perhaps indicates anassumption more than a misconception. 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. But ere long this merciful door will be closed and such enemies will be attacked with a madness. I encourage you to look him up and see if it resonates with you. He was kept in an underground prison in Tehran, which Baha'u'llah describes in his writings as filthy, dark and foul beyond comparison.. Such passages as the following extract from one of the letters written on behalf of the beloved Guardian by his secretary will also be helpful: " 'Each of us is responsible for one life only, and that is our own. Your details have now been sent. 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. 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. Today, Baha'u'llahs shrine, now in Israel, is an important pilgrimage site. Check your email for the latest from BahaiTeachings.org. Man must be a lover of the light, no matter from what dayspring it may appear. tht ws qck. I cant remember if it was one year or two years, but it was probably closer to one year. Browne wrote that while he found them admirable, in his view they are inferior to the simplicity and beauty of the teachings of Christ. Omissions? 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. You will overcome self, you will not even have time to think of the faults of others'. 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. Pingback: Why I Rejected the Bahai Faith, 4th Edition | Dale Husband's Intellectual Rants, Your email address will not be published. This page was last edited on 31 December 2020, at 01:55. Some discover a hornets nest in the garden and fearing being STUNG TO DEATH, run out of the garden in horror. 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. 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. Ironic, considering that many Bahais have non-Bahai parents who may even be racist, and thus object to their children marrying members of a different race. Thus you will grow, become more perfect. The criticism and challenges it has faced vary considerably in different regions of the world. [15] Douglas Martin wrote that Miller's writings were driven by animus against what he saw as a successful rival faith that was moving into Christian lands. 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. Yet Baha'is in Iran, who are the largest non-Muslim religious community, continue to face persecution. While its true that a Bahai House of Worship exists on each continent, and several local Houses of Worship are also being built, theyre all meant as places where anyone can come to pray and meditate. We need not fear the enemies on the outside for such can be easily dealt with. But His Holiness Christ said: 'Look at its teeth! Bah Allh was subsequently confined by the Ottomans in Adrianople (now Edirne, Turkey) and then in Acre in Palestine (now Akko, Israel). [7][8], The Bah Faith has maintained its unity and avoided serious division, although several attempts have been made to create sects. Bahais believe in the agreement of science and religion; and accept that religion must have practical benefit for humanity in fact, Abdul-Baha said, otherwise it would be preferable to have no religion. 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? 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. Shouldst thou transgress this command, accursed wouldst thou be, and to this I bear witness. 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. [26], Bahs have been accused, particularly by successive Iranian governments, of being agents or spies of Russia, Britain, the Shah, the United States, and as agents of Zionismeach claim being linked to each regime's relevant enemy and justifying anti-Bah actions. I composed that letter on my computer and mailed it in January of 2005. A third cried out: 'What a stench! Handwriting Analysis of the Will of Abdu'l Baha by Dr. Mitchell; Hermann . Throughout his life, Bah'u'llah penned over 100 volumes in Arabic and Persian. [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. 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.' Now is certainly not the time for any man to think of himself, or busy himself with the weaknesses of his brother; but, rather each and every Bah must concentrate on the tasks ahead and be reborn in the service of Bahullh. The year begins on the first day of spring, March 21, which is one of several holy days in the Bah calendar. 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. Corrections? ", "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. Pingback: Why I Abandoned the (Haifan) Bahai Faith? 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. [17], From 1980 onward, several well-educated Bahs left the religion and subsequently criticized it. 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. Pingback: Why I Abandoned the (Haifan) Bahai Faith | Dale Husband's Intellectual Rants. The followers of such splinter groups are shunned and not considered Bahs by the majority. Baha'is, for example, embrace interracial marriage and education for girls. That relationship ended long ago and now I am Orthodox, but this post kind of brought up some old memories. ". "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 . ", "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. "This is the attribute of the children of the Kingdom. Targeting the faith's followers is a longstanding feature of the Islamic Republic but has been escalating of late. Religion: Kashmir Shaivism (Trika) I've always found some issues with the main idea of the Baha'i faith, for a few different reasons. 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. 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. 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. Does it really matter? The stupidity of that idea should be obvious. 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. 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. 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. And actually the Bahais are far more interested in growing their numbers than spending time and money on charitable work. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). "You are quite correct in your understanding of the importance of avoiding backbiting; such conduct strikes at the very unity of the Bah community. (2) The absence of personal requirements (Baha'i demands) for the Manifestations. Soon after, early American converts began embracing the new religion. Others step inside, behold its beauty, but do not penetrate far. [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. If some means were devised so that the doors of backbiting could be shut eternally and each one of the believers of God unsealed his tongue in the praise of the other, then the teachings of His Holiness Baha'o'llah (Bahullh) would be spread, the hearts illuminated, the spirits glorified and the human world would attain to everlasting felicity. There is no way Im going to use a strangers personal home as a house of worship. Soon after this, I began my relationship with Cheri, the woman that would later become my wife. He teaches that God is a loving Parent who never uses threats or fear or guilt or shame in relating to Her/His children. 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. Also, the lack of actual places of worship was another big shock. | 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. ", "I desire distinction for you. 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. As part of its crackdown on the followers of the Bab, the Iranian government incarcerated Baha'u'llah. The views expressed in our content reflect individual perspectives and do not represent the official views of the Baha'i Faith. 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. Actually, when I was Bahai I was dating a nominal Christian, and I had suggested the UU church as a possible place that we could go for worship together if we got married. 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 observed only the whiteness of the teeth and overlooked entirely the deformity of the body, the dissolution of its organs and the bad odour. 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. It is the world's second-most widespread religion after Christianity, spanning the globe and working to unite it. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Bahai-Faith, The British Library - An introduction to the Bahai Faith, World Religious and Spirituality Project - Bahai Faith, Bahai Faith - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), Bahai faith - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). "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. Oral reports, although they exist, are considered too unreliable to be fully authoritative and are to . 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. The Universal House of Justice suggests that you call to mind the admonitions found in our Writings on the need to overlook the shortcomings of others, to forgive and conceal their misdeeds, not to expose their bad qualities, but to search for and affirm their praiseworthy ones, and endeavour to be always forbearing, patient, and merciful. Ratings: +1,422. By clicking "Continue" "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. 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. Extract from Dale Husbands blog. Again, it doesnt really matter. 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. ", "One must see in every human being only that which is worthy of praise. promoting the Baha'i Faith for twenty years. "[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. [32][33] He specifically criticized the work of individual Bah scholars he saw as defending Bah orthodoxy at the expense of historical rigour, including William S. Hatcher,[32] Muhammad Afnan,[32] Juan Cole[33] (although Cole subsequently left the religion), Nader Saiedi,[34] and Moojan Momen. [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. [24] The religion has seen a few attempts at splintering, but they have remained extremely small and declined over time. 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