criticism of the baha'i faith

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. 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. It doesnt matter if you didnt formally withdraw because in practice you would have lost your administrative rights anyway, and since that is the only thing that a formal declaration providesadministrative rightsit really makes no difference anyway. The Baha'i Faith, the world's newest independent global belief system, teaches the oneness of God, the unity of humanity , and the essential harmony of religion. The religion officially formed in 1863, but a Shiite Muslim man in Iran began paving the way in 1844 by announcing a new prophet was to come - after Muhammad. ", "One must see in every human being only that which is worthy of praise. The problem is that everything you hear in the news is about the superficiality, immorality, and degradation of Hollywood. The Bb was arrested and, after several years of incarceration, was executed in 1850. 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. Bah Allh was subsequently confined by the Ottomans in Adrianople (now Edirne, Turkey) and then in Acre in Palestine (now Akko, Israel). 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. 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. I am totally convinced that the Bahai 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. This is the conduct and the manner of the real Bahais (Bahs). Marrying that mentally immature woman was perhaps the biggest mistake of my life, and joining the Bahai Faith was the second biggest. "You also ask what one should do to 'handle depression and anger with someone' one feels 'very positively about'. He was asked 'How shall I overcome seeing the faults of othersrecognizing the wrong in others? [1] 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. The Baha'i Faith is a dynamic world religion with several million adherents from a variety of different religious and cultural backgrounds. 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. Instead, he joined a new religious movement, started by a young Iranian, known as the Bab. Man must be a lover of the light, no matter from what dayspring it may appear. Corrections? 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. Do it yourself clergy aka the horrible administrative order, no politics allowed aka also another side effect of the administrative order as a model for the world at large, no alcohol drugs gambling gossip sex outside of heterosexual monogamy aka loads and loads of rules, etc are all drawbacks of being a Bahai. My family, like many Wilmette residents, witnessed its decades-long construction. One of them said: 'How putrid has this animal become!' The great bulk of Bah teachings is concerned with social ethics. I am closer to God than I have ever been, and less confused than I have ever been. How can they best reach you? Targeting the faith's followers is a longstanding feature of the Islamic Republic but has been escalating of late. Parental consent should only be an issue if the married partners are still minors. 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? It is the world's second-most widespread religion after Christianity, spanning the globe and working to unite it. In a letter written to an individual believer on behalf of the Guardian it is stated: 'If we are better, if we show love, patience, and understanding of the weakness of others, if we seek to never criticize but rather encourage, others will do likewise, and we can really help the Cause through our example and spiritual strength. Perhaps youll be inspired to organize a similar discussion where you live. If some means were devised so that the doors of backbiting were shut eternally and each one of the believers unsealed his lips in praise of others, then the teachings of His Holiness Bahullh would spread, the hearts be illumined, the spirits glorified, and the human world would attain to everlasting felicity.' "You ask in your letter for guidance on the implications of the prohibition on backbiting and more specifically whether, in moments of anger or depression, the believer is permitted to turn to his friends to unburden his soul and discuss his problem in human relations. 6. For many, the Baha'i faith is one of the most universal religions. 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? However, from a Bahai perspective if your relationship to God has not been directed by the revelation of Bahaullah than we are really talking more about ones own vain imaginings as opposed to reality. 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!". There are more than 100,000 local Baha'i communities in places as diverse as Chile, Cambodia and the United States. Knowing you seem similar to my mindset from a brief review of your site, I might be more inclined to try the UU route. The stupidity of that idea should be obvious. Handwriting Analysis of the Will of Abdu'l Baha by Dr. Mitchell; Hermann . While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. 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. Author Lil Abdo says that the Bah understanding of sexual equality is different from that of secular feminists. 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. The friends must overlook their shortcomings and faults and speak only of their virtues and not their defects. 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. In this article I will respond to these arguments as they relate to the different views held by Bah's and Christians on (1) the nature of God, (2) biblical prophecy, and (3) religious unity. In such cases, of course, the name of the person or persons involved will have to be mentioned. My life has changed in ways that I had hoped the Bahai Faith would help me do, but in 35 years has not. Soon after, early American converts began embracing the new religion. The views expressed in our content reflect individual perspectives and do not represent the official views of the Baha'i Faith. | The Bahai Insider, Dale Husband: Why I Abandoned the (Haifan) Bahai Faith Bah Censorship, Another reason to despise Michael Shermer | Dale Husband's Intellectual Rants, A Critical Analysis of the The Kitb-i-Aqdas, Part Three | Dale Husband's Intellectual Rants, A Conversion to Mormonism | Dale Husband's Intellectual Rants, Featured in a magazine critical of the Bahai Faith | Dale Husband's Intellectual Rants, Why I Rejected the Bahai Faith, 4th Edition | Dale Husband's Intellectual Rants. 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. Conservatives among Unitarian Universalists Still Feel Like Victims. We need not fear the enemies on the outside for such can be easily dealt with. The letters or contact of why you are withdrawing are also another reason why not to do so. The Baha'i Faith is a scriptural religion; the current written texts are considered fully authoritative. Bahaullahs revelation has been recognized as an independent global Faith in most of the countries of the world. https://bahai.works/index.php?title=Lights_of_Guidance/Backbiting,_Criticism,_Faultfinding,_Gossip,_Lies,_Slander_Etc.&oldid=121304. Summed up in Baha'u'llahs words: The Earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens.. Ottoman officials later moved Baha'u'llah to the prison city of Akka in Palestine. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. He further argued that in the case of "Baha'ism, with its rather vague doctrines as to the nature and destiny of the soul of man, it is a little difficult to see whence the driving force to enforce the ethical maxims can be derived. But this distinction must not depend upon wealththat they should become more affluent than other people. That looked like denial to me, so I dismissed it and threw away the letter. 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. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. They also. 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. More than one person has said Bahais arent involved in social action. Nothing could be further from the truth. A comparative analysis of the Baha'i and Christian views of heaven and hell. IV. promoting the Baha'i Faith for twenty years. Subsequent public protests and mob violence claimed the lives of thousands of his followers. 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. Shouldst thou transgress this command, accursed wouldst thou be, and to this I bear witness. I sometimes hear, from those without much knowledge of the Bahai Faith, that it is syncretic. From my understanding, Baha'i Faith is an offshoot from Islam but still believes in Muhammad. (2) The absence of personal requirements (Baha'i demands) for the Manifestations. Heaven and Hell and the Baha'i Faith. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. A "Unitarian Baha'i" comes across as an idiot, again! 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? Does it really matter? Here are the misconceptions I addressed: People often ask where Bahais worship, which perhaps indicates anassumption more than a misconception. 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! For backbiting is divisive, it is the leading cause among the friends of a disposition to withdraw. [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. And actually the Bahais are far more interested in growing their numbers than spending time and money on charitable work. Goodbye. ", "Indeed the believers have not yet fully learned to draw on each other's love for strength and consolation in time of need. Omissions? 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. The Christian Grace Network on YouTube November 23, 2022. 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. 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. An unethical teaching from the Caleb and Sophia Series December 24, 2022. Many things are preserved in records as matters of opinion; no one has given a verdict on this matter! 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 views expressed in our content reflect individual perspectives and do not represent the official views of the Baha'i Faith. This unique conception of religion which Abdul-Baha explained by saying These holy Manifestations of God are the Educators and Trainers of the world of existence, the Teachers of the world of humanity is not an artificial attempt to bring religions together, but instead a completely new way to see all Faiths as one organic whole rather than a collection of competing belief systems. Cults have charismatic leaders, and Bahais have no clergy or leaders at all. ", "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. Normally, it is possible to describe the situation surrounding a problem and seek help and advice in resolving it, without necessarily mentioning names. "As to backbiting, the House of Justice points out that learning not to concern oneself with the faults of others seems to be one of the most difficult lessons for people to master, and that failing in this is a fertile cause of disputes among Bahs as it is among men and women in general. Shoghi and the Grandsons of 'Abdu'l Baha; The Guardianship of Shoghi: Losses and Losses; Shoghi in the Will of the Master Abdu'l Baha; New History Society; Early Baha'is. 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.

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