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. The feasts are designed to ensure universal participation in the affairs of the community and the cultivation of the spirit of brotherhood and fellowship. 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. "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.". That relationship ended long ago and now I am Orthodox, but this post kind of brought up some old memories. [3][9], Christian author and missiologist Ed Stetzer rejects the Bah Faith as a syncretic combination of faiths,[10] while Christian author John Ankerberg points to discrepancies between faiths to contradict the idea of unity of religion.[8]. Baha'u'llahs followers disseminated his teachings in the Middle East and beyond. I understand that I can withdraw my consent at any time. At the time, I didnt care. (6) Some Baha'i errors. The electoral process excludes parties or factions, nominations, and campaigning for office. 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. Extract from Dale Husbands blog. [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. 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 letters or contact of why you are withdrawing are also another reason why not to do so. 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? ThenI cut completely all personal ties to the Bahais in the Fort Worth area. The primary functions of both groups are to propagate the Bah Faith and protect the community. Hi, exmuslim atheist here. The views expressed in our content reflect individual perspectives and do not represent the official views of the Baha'i Faith. In 1852, two years after the execution of the Bb, a fringe element in the . Historical context. read more. After Islamic fundamentalists came to power in Iran in 1979, the 300,000 Bahs there were persecuted by the government. It really doesnt matter what one calls oneself, it only matters what ones relationship is to God in reality. In any case, good luck to you and God Bless. I composed that letter on my computer and mailed it in January of 2005. 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. 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. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 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. 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. But its root is lack of faith in the system of Bahullh, i.e., the Administrative Orderand lack of obedience to Himfor He has forbidden it! [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. For many, the Baha'i faith is one of the most universal religions. Once they are ADULTS, they should be treated like adults, period. He concluded from this that the Bah' World Faith must be God's religion. Heaven and Hell and the Baha'i Faith. Though new, these beliefs originated in Twelver Shii Islam, which asserts a belief in the forthcoming return of the 12th imam (successor of Muhammad), who will renew religion and guide the faithful. In the temples there is no preaching; services consist of recitation of the scriptures of all religions. I cant remember if it was one year or two years, but it was probably closer to one year. The Christian Grace Network on YouTube November 23, 2022. This page was last edited on 31 December 2020, at 01:55. 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. 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. The followers of such sects are labeled Covenant-breakers, shunned, and viewed as enemies of the faith. Omissions? A Unitarian Bahai comes across as an idiot, again! Im lazy. 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. She agreed! If, however, we look at people from the standpoint of their faults, then being a friend to them is a formidable task. The ineligibility of women has caused discontent among small but vocal groups of western Bah intellectuals,[5][1] and criticism from others. 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. Maybe there is a wisdom in asking for parental consent after all, reading how this marriage of two adults ended up. 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. "[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. Here are the misconceptions I addressed: People often ask where Bahais worship, which perhaps indicates anassumption more than a misconception. How blessed are these aims, especially the prevention of backbiting! When this is done, one can be a friend to the whole human race. Ive never been into having to jump through hurdles to withdraw. [24] The religion has seen a few attempts at splintering, but they have remained extremely small and declined over time. Despite their apparent differences, the worlds great religions, according to the Bahs, teach an identical truth. Bah's recognize the coming of Bah'u'llh as the latest expression of God's guidance . Targeting the faith's followers is a longstanding feature of the Islamic Republic but has been escalating of late. In such cases, of course, the name of the person or persons involved will have to be mentioned. There also exist in the Bah Faith appointive institutions, such as the Hands of the Cause of God and the continental counselors. 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. The belief in fulfilled prophecies is presented by Bah' authors to demonstrate the validity of Bah'u'llh 's claim to divinity. The views expressed in our content reflect individual perspectives and do not represent the official views of the Baha'i Faith. I was recently invited to participate on an interfaith panel where we all responded to this question: What are the truths and misconceptions about your Faith? Browne wrote that while he found them admirable, in his view they are inferior to the simplicity and beauty of the teachings of Christ. Ive never officially withdrawn or resigned, but stopped being a Bahai either one or two years after declaration. ". 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. Bahs believe in the oneness of humanity and devote themselves to the abolition of racial, class, and religious prejudices. The Quran puts forth the same idea, because along with Muhammad it includes the Old Testament prophets and also Christ. As a member of Irans nobility, Baha'u'llah was offered a government position. 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. 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. Soon the Bbs teachings spread throughout Iran, provoking strong opposition from both the Shii Muslim clergy and the government. in practice you would have lost your administrative rights anyway,. 6. The Bah' Faith is a world religion based on the teachings of Bah'u'llh. You don't need to belong to a religion to be of service to others and do good in the world. Baha'is are followers of the teachings of Baha'u'llah, who brought an entirely new, worldwide Faith to humanity. For backbiting is divisive, it is the leading cause among the friends of a disposition to withdraw. In a Tablet to an American friend the Master wrote: 'The worst human quality and the most great sin is backbiting, more especially when it emanates from the tongues of the believers of God. 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. Its six years since I declared and four or five since I became an ex Bahai. ", "One must see in every human being only that which is worthy of praise. Religion: Kashmir Shaivism (Trika) I've always found some issues with the main idea of the Baha'i faith, for a few different reasons. 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. Thanks! The Bah Faith is a relatively new religion teaching the essential worth of all religions and the unity of all people. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Christian and Islamic authors (e.g. 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. 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 On the 200th anniversary of the birth of Baha'u'llah, the founder of the Baha'i faith, the question remains: What is the reason for their persecution? 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? Thanks for the post. Pingback: Why I Rejected the Bahai Faith, 4th Edition | Dale Husband's Intellectual Rants, Your email address will not be published. A Question About Translating the Baha'i Writings December 11, 2022. Even if what is said against another person be true, the mentioning of his faults to others still comes under the category of backbiting, and is forbidden.". Others step inside, behold its beauty, but do not penetrate far. (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. Goodbye. 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. 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. Someone from the Bahai community will contact you shortly. His son and successor, Abdu'l-Baha, traveled to Europe and the United States to spread the faith. If manifestations are allowed to contradict one another, then there is no way to separate false manifestations from true ones or to discover if any of them really speak for the true and living God. A comparative analysis of the Baha'i and Christian views of heaven and hell. That looked like denial to me, so I dismissed it and threw away the letter. Pingback: Why peace activists (and critics of religion) sometimes fail Dale Husband's Intellectual Rants. Your email address will not be published. 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. 1852, two years after the execution of the most universal religions it! Clergy and the continental counselors have to be mentioned in our content reflect individual and. 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