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. 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. 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 views expressed in our content reflect individual perspectives and do not represent the official views of the Baha'i Faith. Thanks for the post. Abd al-Bah actively administered the movements affairs and spread the faith to North America, Europe, and other continents. Located there long before Israel became a nation, it happened because Bahaullah had been exiled to the prison city of Akka in Palestine, then part of the Ottoman Empire, about 85 years before the state of Israel was founded. Required fields are marked *. Baha'i Viewpoint Heaven and Hell are not seen as literal places that the soul of man goes after physical death but are seen as the . Another Haifan Bahai Gets Busted on Reddit, A Challenge Leads to a Peaceful Resolution, The Next UUA Presidential Election Seems to be in Trouble, An unethical teaching from the Caleb and Sophia Series, A Question About Translating the Bahai Writings. The followers of such sects are labeled Covenant-breakers, shunned, and viewed as enemies of the faith. Updates? 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 ", " Vicious criticism is indeed a calamity. 9 Politics: Here a number of criticisms about the Bahai faith aligning itself with different historical superpowers are listed. She agreed! An overwhelming majority of Bbs acknowledged his claim and thenceforth became known as Bahs. You will overcome self, you will not even have time to think of the faults of others'. Cults have charismatic leaders, and Bahais have no clergy or leaders at all. People who leave the religion, transgress community standards, or attack it externally are not considered Covenant-breakers. The local spiritual assembly has jurisdiction over all local affairs of the Bah community. Try making a comment like an adult and I will then treat you like one. December 8-10, 1995 (see list of papers from #8) The claim of the Baha'i Faith to uphold the equality of men and women as a principle attracts attention from others who would also claim to be advancing the cause of sex equality, albeit from different perspectives. The members of the Hands of the Cause of God were appointed by Bah Allh and Shoghi Effendi. tht ws qck. This is the conduct and the manner of the real Bahais (Bahs). He was kept in an underground prison in Tehran, which Baha'u'llah describes in his writings as filthy, dark and foul beyond comparison.. I composed that letter on my computer and mailed it in January of 2005. I, too, am considering resigning my membership. RELATED: What is the Best Way to Worship? 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. The electoral process excludes parties or factions, nominations, and campaigning for office. He taught there is one God and one human family, and that the great religions of the world represent successive stages in the spiritual evolution of human society. Despite their apparent differences, the worlds great religions, according to the Bahs, teach an identical truth. Pingback: Why I Rejected the Bahai Faith, 4th Edition | Dale Husband's Intellectual Rants, Your email address will not be published. A comparative analysis of the Baha'i and Christian views of heaven and hell. His son and successor, Abdu'l-Baha, traveled to Europe and the United States to spread the faith. Here are the misconceptions I addressed: People often ask where Bahais worship, which perhaps indicates anassumption more than a misconception. This page was last edited on 31 December 2020, at 01:55. 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. 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). Christian and Islamic authors (e.g. 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 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. Velma A Good Reason to NEVER Subscribe to HBO Max! "I hope that the believers of God will shun completely backbiting, each one praising the other cordially and believe that backbiting is the cause of Divine wrath, to such an extent that if a person backbites to the extent of one word, he may become dishonored among all the people, because the most hateful characteristic of man is fault-finding. Bahaullahs revelation has been recognized as an independent global Faith in most of the countries of the world. Pawel Szul heterodoxy religion of Bayan, Unitarian Baha'i Discussion Forum Yahoo. [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". Regretfully, Dale Husband I composed that letter on my computer and mailed it in January of 2005. [17], From 1980 onward, several well-educated Bahs left the religion and subsequently criticized it. 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.". He was released in 1853 and exiled to Baghdad, where his leadership revived the Bb community. ", "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. Targeting the faith's followers is a longstanding feature of the Islamic Republic but has been escalating of late. I am totally convinced that the Baha'i 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. AJs concepts are not a religion or a cult. If, on the other hand, God's own nature is said to be contradictory, that is, that God is both one God and many gods, that God is both able and not able to have a son, personal and impersonal, etc., then the Bahai concept of God is reduced to meaninglessness. It is the world's second-most widespread religion after Christianity, spanning the globe and working to unite it. Once they are ADULTS, they should be treated like adults, period. 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. read more. [12], Regarding the Bah teachings of peace and unity, E.G. 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. We were married the following year. One of the first Bah institutions in the U.S. was established in Chicago and . This body applies the laws promulgated by Bah Allh and legislates on matters not covered in the sacred texts. Therefore, Baha'u'llahs teachings specifically advocate for racial unity, gender equality, universal education, and harmony of science and religion. 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. The clear, forthright responses he gave to the criticism that "the Baha'i Faith offers nothing new," have become, during the intervening century, a classic catalog of the many unique and unprecedented aspects of the Baha'i teachings and principles. One must expose the praiseworthy qualities of the souls and not their evil attributes. Origin of the Baha'i Religion. It is not an ordinary distinction I desire: not scientific, commercial, industrial distinction. Jehovah's Witnesses and Baha'is were among the most . [27] Central to Cole's complaints is the Bah review process, which requires Bah authors to gain approval before publishing on the religion. https://bahai.works/index.php?title=Lights_of_Guidance/Backbiting,_Criticism,_Faultfinding,_Gossip,_Lies,_Slander_Etc.&oldid=121304. Ive never officially withdrawn or resigned, but stopped being a Bahai either one or two years after declaration. Thank you so much! 2 - Belief in the transmigration of souls, and that reward and punishment happen to the soul only. 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. 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 Bah Faith is a relatively new religion teaching the essential worth of all religions and the unity of all people. ", "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. Corrections? [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. Its six years since I declared and four or five since I became an ex Bahai. Pingback: Why peace activists (and critics of religion) sometimes fail Dale Husband's Intellectual Rants. [27] Soon after his resignation, Cole created an email list and website called H-Bahai, which became a repository of both primary source material and critical analysis on the religion. [27] Cole went on to criticize the Bah Faith in three articles written from 19982002,[28][29][30] describing a prominent Bah as "inquisitor" and "bigot", and describing Bah institutions as socially isolating, dictatorial, and controlling, with financial irregularities and sexual deviance. The external article completely drops any pretenses of neutrality, blaming certain events (like the attempted assassination of Iranian officials) as done by . Message and data rates may apply. I sometimes hear, from those without much knowledge of the Bahai Faith, that it is syncretic. BAHA'IS AND THE NATURE OF GOD 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. How blessed are these aims, especially the prevention of backbiting! The Bb was arrested and, after several years of incarceration, was executed in 1850. [27] For example, Juan Cole converted to the Bah Faith in 1972, but later resigned in 1996 after conflicts with members of the administration who perceived him as extreme. Pingback: Why I Abandoned the (Haifan) Bahai Faith? 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. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. 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? You may know of some other misconceptions, and I learned on our interfaith panel that they can be a wonderful topic for public discussion. 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. Judaism and Christianity are predecessors of Islam but criticism aimed directly at either of the two doesn't seem to directly affect Islam because of a belief in the Bible and Torah being corrupted or outdated versions of God's message. Parental consent should only be an issue if the married partners are still minors. 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. What are my imperfections?and try to remove them. Summed up in Baha'u'llahs words: The Earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens.. 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