Since then, the Bahai International Community, as a non-governmental organization with a permanent seat at the United Nations, has consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council. Bah World News Service Bah' International Community, has confiscated properties from Baha'i families. 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? But. p. 192) Bahullh says in the Hidden Words: 'Breathe not the sins of others so long as thou art a sinner. Message and data rates may apply. 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 concluded from this that the Bah' World Faith must be God's religion. My future wife was a member of First Baptist Church of Dallas, a stronghold of fundamentalism. Shouldst thou transgress this command, accursed wouldst thou be, and to this I bear witness. 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. Still, when I left the Administration I formally withdrew but this had more to do with the sanctity of the rites of initiation in the Christain Church than it did with the Administration of the Bahai faith. 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. At the time, I didnt care. promoting the Baha'i Faith for twenty years. 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. Assistant Professor of History and Middle East Studies, Idaho State University. You must become distinguished for loving humanity; for unity and accord; for love and justice. Thank you so much! The Nineteen Day Feast, originally instituted by the Bb, brings together the Bahs of a given locality for prayer, the reading of scriptures, the discussion of community activities, and the enjoyment of one anothers company. There is, of course the right of appeal from the Local to the National Assembly, and from that to Shoghi Effendi,* but the matter ought to be dealt with, in the first instance, by the Local Spiritual Assembly. He was released in 1853 and exiled to Baghdad, where his leadership revived the Bb community. My family, like many Wilmette residents, witnessed its decades-long construction. Throughout his life, Bah'u'llah penned over 100 volumes in Arabic and Persian. BAHA'IS AND THE NATURE OF GOD [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. Yes, the Road to Serfdom is Indeed Paved by Conservatives, you Libertarian Idiot! Author Lil Abdo says that the Bah understanding of sexual equality is different from that of secular feminists. The religion's governing institution is the elected Universal House of Justice, whose membership is male-only. 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. The Baha'is are among the most persecuted religious minorities in the world. Oral reports, although they exist, are considered too unreliable to be fully authoritative and are to . [1] "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. [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. Religion: Kashmir Shaivism (Trika) I've always found some issues with the main idea of the Baha'i faith, for a few different reasons. One of them said: 'How putrid has this animal become!' 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, Yet Baha'is in Iran, who are the largest non-Muslim religious community, continue to face persecution. If we think we can help matters by a frank and friendly talk with the individual concerned, refraining from judging or condemning, but pointing out in as kind a manner as possible the way in which, as it seems to us, the sort of conduct in question is harmful to the Cause or of a nature forbidden by the teachings, then it seems well to try that method before resorting to the more formidable method of bringing the matter before the Spiritual Assembly. Dale's Declarations. The stupidity of that idea should be obvious. [19] Abdu'l-Bah said that it would become clear in the future why the restriction was in place. The Christian Bible clearly displays this concept, as it includes the Old Testament prophets Moses and Abraham, along with the New Testament prophet Jesus Christ, all of whom Bahais revere and consider divine messengers. Again, it doesnt really matter. The great bulk of Bah teachings is concerned with social ethics. RELATED: What Happens When You Become a Bahai? In this two-part article we will briefly examine: (1) The Baha'i approach to other religions. There is no way Im going to use a strangers personal home as a house of worship. The Baha'i Faith is not just a collection of philosophical principles or an attempt to combine or conflate religions. Eventually, what started as a compromise between us grew into a case of full blown allegiance to the UU church for both of us. It is not an ordinary distinction I desire: not scientific, commercial, industrial distinction. Historical context. The governance of the Bah community begins on the local level with the election of a local spiritual assembly. In the summer and fall of 2004, I gradually came to the conviction that the Bahai Faith was no longer worthy of my allegiance. Bahu'llh's claim of divine revelation is in direct conflict with this common interpretation of Islam. 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. A few weeks later, the NSA replied that they had accepted my resignation and expressed hope that I would one day decide to return. Thanks! [23], The Bah teachings emphasize the need for unity, and have an official line of succession of leadership to prevent schism. AJs concepts are not a religion or a cult. Its first leader, the Bb, was imprisoned and executed for heresy in 1850, and Bahu'llh, another central figure, was exiled from Iran and both the Ottoman and Persian Empires tried to destroy his movement. Bahais have no clergy. 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. Do this whenever you are tried through the words or deeds of others. (4) The Miller analysis of the Baha'i Faith. "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. In any case, good luck to you and God Bless. "[25] Excommunication among Bahs is rare and reserved for those actively promoting schism. The last claim is partially rooted in the presence of the Bah World Centre in northern Israel. Still others encircle this garden inhaling the fragrance of the flowers, having enjoyed its full beauty, pass out again by the same gate. This is the conduct and the manner of the real Bahais (Bahs). Soon after this, I began my relationship with Cheri, the woman that would later become my wife. The Bahs use a calendar, established by the Bb and confirmed by Bah Allh, in which the year is divided into 19 months of 19 days each, with the addition of 4 intercalary days (5 in leap years). 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 question of dealing with those who call themselves Bahs but who act in ways which we believe to be detrimental to the interests of the Cause is a very difficult one. 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. "When a difficulty is brought out into the daylight and freely discussed by a duly authorized and responsible group of people who are sincerely desirous of finding the best solution and are free from prejudice or personal motive, then there is a good chance of overcoming it, but discussion of the faults of others behind their backs by unauthorized people who have no authority to take action in the matter, is surely one of the most fertile causesprobably THE most fertile causeof disunity, and the importance of putting an end to this practice should be impressed on all Bahs.". Pingback: Why peace activists (and critics of religion) sometimes fail Dale Husband's Intellectual Rants. Select search scope, currently: articles+ all catalog, articles, website, & more in one search; catalog books, media & more in the Stanford Libraries' collections; articles+ journal articles & other e-resources Large-scale persecutions of his adherents, the Bbs, followed. The continental counselors are appointed by the Universal House of Justice. [21], In the Kitb-i-Aqdas, Bahu'llh prescribed the death penalty both for intentional arson and murder. The faith has no priesthood and does not observe ritual forms in its worship. ", "One must see in every human being only that which is worthy of praise. [27] Central to Cole's complaints is the Bah review process, which requires Bah authors to gain approval before publishing on the religion. 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. The primary functions of both groups are to propagate the Bah Faith and protect the community. 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. 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. Despite their apparent differences, the worlds great religions, according to the Bahs, teach an identical truth. They also. opinion. If some Islamic countries were confused about how to classify the Bahai Faith, why have many of them officially recognized it as an independent religion distinct from Islam since early in the 20th century? All done! 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. Message and data rates may apply. Helen Hornby, "Breathe not the sins of others so long as thou art thyself a sinner. When people say that the Bahai Faith has something to do with Judaism, its often a result of confusing the word Bahai with Bnai Brith, a service organization dedicated to the social and educational betterment of Jews. 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. The belief in fulfilled prophecies is presented by Bah' authors to demonstrate the validity of Bah'u'llh 's claim to divinity. Baha'u'llah's writings form the foundation of the Baha'i faith. Christian apologist Francis J. Beckwith wrote of the Bah teachings: The fact that the various alleged manifestations of God represented God in contradictory ways implies either that manifestations of God can contradict one another or that God's own nature is contradictory. Pawel Szul heterodoxy religion of Bayan, Unitarian Baha'i Discussion Forum Yahoo. This must be the point of distinction among you. The year begins on the first day of spring, March 21, which is one of several holy days in the Bah calendar. ", "I desire distinction for you. The Bahs must be distinguished from others of humanity. Regretfully, Dale Husband I composed that letter on my computer and mailed it in January of 2005. He teaches that God is a loving Parent who never uses threats or fear or guilt or shame in relating to Her/His children. 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