(5) Moral concerns. She agreed! Here are the misconceptions I addressed: People often ask where Bahais worship, which perhaps indicates anassumption more than a misconception. 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. ", "One must see in every human being only that which is worthy of praise. Selfless Service to Humanity, Eco-Caskets: The Spiritual How - and Why - of Green Burials, Dr. Anthony Lee and the Excavation of Buried Racial Narratives. 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. I should update this by noting that I separated from Cheri in December of 2011 and filed for divorce from her on May 7, 2012, finally getting the divorce granted on August 15, 2012. My life has changed in ways that I had hoped the Bahai Faith would help me do, but in 35 years has not. Also, tons of conservative, orthodox, even fundamentalist traditional morality in Bahai law. 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. Abd al-Bah actively administered the movements affairs and spread the faith to North America, Europe, and other continents. Maybe there is a wisdom in asking for parental consent after all, reading how this marriage of two adults ended up. Regretfully, Dale Husband I composed that letter on my computer and mailed it in January of 2005. claimed the lives of thousands of his followers. 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 Throughout his life, Bah'u'llah penned over 100 . Goodbye. in practice you would have lost your administrative rights anyway,. 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. I have been studying AJ Millers teachings for 17 months now. Once they are ADULTS, they should be treated like adults, period. We should therefore, as tactfully as possible, but yet firmly, do our utmost to prevent others from making accusations or complaints against others in our presence.". The members of the Hands of the Cause of God were appointed by Bah Allh and Shoghi Effendi. Extract from Dale Husbands blog. Baha'u'llah, whose name means Glory of God in Arabic, was born in Tehran in 1817. Would it please the Blessed Beauty, contribute to the lasting honour of the friends, promote the holy Faith, support the Covenant, or be of any possible benefit to any soul? My life and Cheris together are proof that it can work! 2,070. Message and data rates may apply. Large-scale persecutions of his adherents, the Bbs, followed. 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. 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. Yet Baha'is in Iran, who are the largest non-Muslim religious community, continue to face persecution. Assistant Professor of History and Middle East Studies, Idaho State University. ", "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. The views expressed in our content reflect individual perspectives and do not represent the official views of the Baha'i Faith. Your message was successfully sent to BahaiTeachings.org. 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. How can they best reach you? (3) Anachronistic Baha'i scriptures. The Bah Faith is a relatively new religion teaching the essential worth of all religions and the unity of all people. Browne wrote that while he found them admirable, in his view they are inferior to the simplicity and beauty of the teachings of Christ. How blessed are these aims, especially the prevention of backbiting! In such cases, of course, the name of the person or persons involved will have to be mentioned. 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. Whenever you recognize the fault of another, think of yourself! AJs concepts are not a religion or a cult. The global Baha'i community is not just a group of well-meaning people. "Abdul-Bah does not permit adverse criticism of individuals by name in discussion among the friends, even if the one criticizing believes that he is doing so to protect the interests of the Cause. There are no initiation ceremonies, no sacraments, and no clergy. [17], From 1980 onward, several well-educated Bahs left the religion and subsequently criticized it. [19] My future wife was a member of First Baptist Church of Dallas, a stronghold of fundamentalism. Most criticism has come from Iranian enemies with a reputation for deception, Christian groups intending to smear the religion, and disaffected former Baha'is who largely criticize individuals in the administration. Criticism of the Baha'i Faith I can only speak for myself, but I consider direct and detailed criticism of the Baha'i Faith to be an essential part of the recovery process involved in leaving it. You may know of some other misconceptions, and I learned on our interfaith panel that they can be a wonderful topic for public discussion. Still others encircle this garden inhaling the fragrance of the flowers, having enjoyed its full beauty, pass out again by the same gate. I would later realize how useful those books could have been as weapons against my former religion, but I also was able to find enough online resources for my purposes. The other exclaimed: 'How it is deformed!' 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. In 'Star of the West', Volume 8, No. A Unitarian Bahai comes across as an idiot, again! The religion began with considerable controversy. The last claim is partially rooted in the presence of the Bah World Centre in northern Israel. Ottoman officials later moved Baha'u'llah to the prison city of Akka in Palestine. The Baha'i Faith is not just a collection of philosophical principles or an attempt to combine or conflate religions. The feasts are designed to ensure universal participation in the affairs of the community and the cultivation of the spirit of brotherhood and fellowship. Dale's Declarations. Normally, it is possible to describe the situation surrounding a problem and seek help and advice in resolving it, without necessarily mentioning names. I do not desire for you financial distinction. His son and successor, Abdu'l-Baha, traveled to Europe and the United States to spread the faith. But this distinction must not depend upon wealththat they should become more affluent than other people. Baha'u'llahs writings form the foundation of the Baha'i faith. How white they are!' Its six years since I declared and four or five since I became an ex Bahai. [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 Orthodox Bah Faith is an extremely small Bah sect that was formed in 1960 by Mason Remey, and subsequently was the name used by one of his disputed successors, Joel Marangella.The sect is defined by a belief that the Guardianship of Shoghi Effendi (1921-1957) continued with further appointees, whereas the mainstream Bahs follow a line of leadership that transitioned to . Cults have charismatic leaders, and Bahais have no clergy or leaders at all. [14] For example, the perspectives of Subh-i-Azal, Mrz Muhammad Al, and Mason Remey, the most prominent covenant-breakers of the religion, were all upheld by Miller in an attempt to show its adherents as deceived, its teachings superficial or irrelevant, and its administration "a dictatorship". Helen Hornby, "Breathe not the sins of others so long as thou art thyself a sinner. 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. It is free information and it is offered without any coercion on your free will about what to do with it. 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. ', and He replied: 'I will tell you. [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. Origin of the Baha'i Religion. If the situation is of such gravity as to endanger the interests of the Faith, the complaint, as your National Spiritual Assembly has indicated, should be submitted to the Local Spiritual Assembly, or as you state to a representative of the institution of the Counsellors, for consideration and action. I declared back in 2008 when I was a naive open eyed idealist about the principles without knowing about all the contradictions and stuff. Thanks! In any case, good luck to you and God Bless. 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. ", " If any soul speak ill of an absent one, the only result will clearly be this: he will dampen the zeal of the friends and tend to make them indifferent. The Cause of God is endowed with tremendous powers, and the reason the believers do not gain more from it is because they have not learned to draw fully on these mighty forces of love and strength and harmony generated by the Faith. Baha'u'llah's writings form the foundation of the Baha'i faith. The electoral process excludes parties or factions, nominations, and campaigning for office. Dale Husbands Sound-Bites for an Idiotic Age, Reliable sources of science news and data, Why peace activists (and critics of religion) sometimes fail Dale Husband's Intellectual Rants, Why I Abandoned the (Haifan) Bahai Faith | Dale Husband's Intellectual Rants, Why I Abandoned the (Haifan) Bahai Faith? It is not an ordinary distinction I desire: not scientific, commercial, industrial distinction. Your details have now been sent. Therefore, Baha'u'llahs teachings specifically advocate for racial unity, gender equality, universal education, and harmony of science and religion. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Thornton Chase was the most prominent among the first American Baha'is and made important contributions to early activities. The Quran puts forth the same idea, because along with Muhammad it includes the Old Testament prophets and also Christ. 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. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Heaven and Hell and the Baha'i Faith. You don't need to belong to a religion to be of service to others and do good in the world. Deeds not words are what they demand, and no amount of fervor in the use of expressions of loyalty and adulation will compensate for failure to live in the spirit of the teachings.". More than one person has said Bahais arent involved in social action. Nothing could be further from the truth. ", "I desire distinction for you. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). But there are always some who enter and, becoming intoxicated with the splendor of what they behold, remain for life to tend the garden.. 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. If, however, we look at people from the standpoint of their faults, then being a friend to them is a formidable task. I stayed silent about my defection from the Bahai Faith untilOctober 19, 2007, when I posted my first blog entry attacking it. One person has said Bahais arent involved in social action form the foundation of the Baha i! I desire: not scientific, commercial, industrial distinction has changed in ways that had... Charismatic leaders, and harmony of science and religion community, continue to persecution. 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