On the contrary, it would make the dust to settle so thickly on the heart that the ears would hear no more, and the eyes would no longer behold the light of truth. 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. For backbiting is divisive, it is the leading cause among the friends of a disposition to withdraw. (Bnai Brith means children of the covenant.). 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. The followers of such sects are labeled Covenant-breakers, shunned, and viewed as enemies of the faith. The first is that they equate Krishna to many other prophets, as if somehow Krishna in either case is the main god or spokesperson or prophet of Hinduism as a monolithic religion. The Bab and Bah'u'llh are believed to have been messengers from God and they told people that God has had many prophets and that God has had many names, but there is only one God. "[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. Its interesting how much confusion this lack of a fixed building in many Bahai communities can create for members of other Faiths who feel connected to their places of worship. 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. I resigned myself on 07/07/07. If the Bahs would follow the Bah laws in voting, in electing, in serving and in abiding by Assembly decisions, all this waste of strength through criticising others could be diverted into cooperation and achieving the Plan. 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. Its like Scientology in trying to manage apostasy in this way. Oral reports, although they exist, are considered too unreliable to be fully authoritative and are to . One must expose the praiseworthy qualities of the souls and not their evil attributes. Again, it doesnt really matter. Maybe there is a wisdom in asking for parental consent after all, reading how this marriage of two adults ended up. 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. Mrz Al Moammad first proclaimed his beliefs in 1844 and assumed the title of the Bb. Dale's Declarations. Deborah Clark Vance earned a Ph.D. from Howard University in Intercultural Communication and served as Assoc Prof. and Chair of the Dept of Comm & Cinema at McDaniel College. 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. Baha'is are followers of the teachings of Baha'u'llah, who brought an entirely new, worldwide Faith to humanity. AJs concepts are not a religion or a cult. John Ankerberg) have attacked its history and founders, institutions, teachings, and use of prophecy. 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. The Baha'i Faith is not just a collection of philosophical principles or an attempt to combine or conflate religions. 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. The Bah religion originally grew out of the Bb faith, or sect, which was founded in 1844 by Mrz Al Moammad of Shrz in Iran. Abd al-Bah actively administered the movements affairs and spread the faith to North America, Europe, and other continents. Mirza Ahmad Sohrab; Lady Ruth White. (3) Anachronistic Baha'i scriptures. But His Holiness Christ said: 'Look at its teeth! Extract from Dale Husbands blog. In the temples there is no preaching; services consist of recitation of the scriptures of all religions. ", "I desire distinction for you. The Bahi Faith underwent a rapid expansion beginning in the 1960s, and by the early 21st century it had more than 180 national spiritual assemblies (national governing bodies) and several thousand local spiritual assemblies. claimed the lives of thousands of his followers. Christian and Islamic authors (e.g. [24] The religion has seen a few attempts at splintering, but they have remained extremely small and declined over time. 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. Baha'is believe that God has . 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. 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. "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. Many things are preserved in records as matters of opinion; no one has given a verdict on this matter! 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. The religion began with considerable controversy. Membership in the Bah community is open to all who profess faith in Bah Allh and accept his teachings. [19] Abdu'l-Bah said that it would become clear in the future why the restriction was in place. For many, the Baha'i faith is one of the most universal religions. Thanks! Soon the Bbs teachings spread throughout Iran, provoking strong opposition from both the Shii Muslim clergy and the government. 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. Every attempted Bah schism has failed to attract more than a few hundred individuals and declined over time. The year begins on the first day of spring, March 21, which is one of several holy days in the Bah calendar. The great bulk of Bah teachings is concerned with social ethics. 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. Consider, that He did not look at all at the defects of that animal; nay, rather, He searched well until He found the beautiful white teeth. People who leave the religion, transgress community standards, or attack it externally are not considered Covenant-breakers. Bahu'llh's claim of divine revelation is in direct conflict with this common interpretation of Islam. [35] By contrast, MacEoin generally praised the work in Bah studies of Bah historian Peter Smith and non-Bah sociologist Margit Warburg. It is not an ordinary distinction I desire: not scientific, commercial, industrial distinction. The Earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens, Committee Member - MNF Research Advisory Committee, PhD Scholarship - Uncle Isaac Brown Indigenous Scholarship. 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. Over 20,000 unique works by Baha'u'llah have been identified at the Baha'i World Centre, comprising just under seven million words. Goodbye. "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. I desire this distinction for you. ", "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. Updates? gss t ws mr lk prf tht yr prblms l lss n pltcs nd rlgn nd mre n mntal hlth sss? 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. "[25] Excommunication among Bahs is rare and reserved for those actively promoting schism. It is one of the functions of the older and the more mature Bahs to help the weaker ones to iron out their difficulties and learn to really function and live like true believers!". Cults separate, and the Bahai Faith unites. 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 . 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. 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. 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. It really doesnt matter what one calls oneself, it only matters what ones relationship is to God in reality. There are more than 100,000 local Baha'i communities in places as diverse as Chile, Cambodia and the United States. 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. The belief in fulfilled prophecies is presented by Bah' authors to demonstrate the validity of Bah'u'llh 's claim to divinity. Marrying that mentally immature woman was perhaps the biggest mistake of my life, and joining the Bahai Faith was the second biggest. He was kept in an underground prison in Tehran, which Baha'u'llah describes in his writings as filthy, dark and foul beyond comparison.. [15], Islamic theology regards Muhammad as the Khatam an-Nabiyyin, the last prophet whom God has sent and Islam as the final religion for all humankind. The Bah' Faith is a world religion based on the teachings of Bah'u'llh. 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. Velma A Good Reason to NEVER Subscribe to HBO Max! RELATED: What Happens When You Become a Bahai? 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. Im glad to know that you have found a better life after moving on, as have I. A Statement About Mental Disorders and Domestic Abuse. I hope that all the believers will attain to this lofty station. 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