criticism of the baha'i faithcriticism of the baha'i faith

[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. Maybe there is a wisdom in asking for parental consent after all, reading how this marriage of two adults ended up. The feasts are designed to ensure universal participation in the affairs of the community and the cultivation of the spirit of brotherhood and fellowship. (3) Anachronistic Baha'i scriptures. In this two-part article we will briefly examine: (1) the Baha'i approach to other religions; (2) the absence of the personal requirements Baha'i demands for the Manifestations; (3) anachronistic Baha'i scriptures; (4) the Miller analysis of the Baha'i faith; (5) moral concerns; (6) some Baha'i errors; and (7) failed prophecy and Baha'i misuse of Heaven and Hell and the Baha'i Faith. Perhaps youll be inspired to organize a similar discussion where you live. Cults separate, and the Bahai Faith unites. 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. Subsequent public protests and mob violence claimed the lives of thousands of his followers. The principles of the Bah' Faith were established by Bah'u'llh, the Founder of the Faith, in the latter half of the nineteenth century and promulgated by His Son and appointed successor, 'Abdu'l-Bah during a tireless twenty -nine year ministry.While on an historic teaching trip in 1912 throughout the United States and Canada, 'Abdu'l-Bah explained Bah'u'llh's Teachings to . Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. [35], Christian Research Journal, Winter/Spring, 1989, p. 2. 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 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. 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? Pingback: Why I Abandoned the (Haifan) Bahai Faith | Dale Husband's Intellectual Rants. 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. When Criticism and Harsh Words Arise "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. Updates? The seat of the Universal House of Justice is in Haifa, Israel, in the immediate vicinity of the shrines of the Bb and Abd al-Bah and near the Shrine of Bah Allh at Bahj, near Akko. Assistant Professor of History and Middle East Studies, Idaho State University. Your opinion is based on no facts whatsoever and therefore is not worth considering. The Bahs must be distinguished from others of humanity. The members of the Hands of the Cause of God were appointed by Bah Allh and Shoghi Effendi. Soon after this, I began my relationship with Cheri, the woman that would later become my wife. This page was last edited on 31 December 2020, at 01:55. Each of us is immeasurably far from being 'perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect' and the task of perfecting our own life and character is one that requires all our attention, our will-power and energy. But. 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. One of them said: 'How putrid has this animal become!' About 5 million people worldwide adhere to the Baha'i faith, according to Patheos.com, but other sources say there are as many as 7 million around the world.. [20] Particularly in the United States, Bahs have attempted to reconcile the immutable conservative teachings on sexuality with the otherwise socially progressive teachings of the religion, but it continues to be a source of controversy. Pingback: Why peace activists (and critics of religion) sometimes fail Dale Husband's Intellectual Rants. Importantly, the Bahai Faith first emerged in a Muslim culture in what is now Iran, so Islam could be said to be its parent Faith in the same way that Judaism was the parent Faith of Christianity. 3 - Belief that all religions are valid, and that the Torah and Gospel have . The criticism and challenges it has faced vary considerably in different regions of the world. 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. 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.". "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. The last claim is partially rooted in the presence of the Bah World Centre in northern Israel. A few weeks later, the NSA replied that they had accepted my resignation and expressed hope that I would one day decide to return. [6], The religion's rise in the Middle East and subsequent movement into the West has given rise to a body of anti-Bah polemic. 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. Message and data rates may apply. Handwriting Analysis of the Will of Abdu'l Baha by Dr. Mitchell; Hermann . Baha'is were nonetheless subjected to persecution, as some Muslim clerics perceived their faith to be a heresy. Check your email for the latest from BahaiTeachings.org. Its six years since I declared and four or five since I became an ex Bahai. Many things are preserved in records as matters of opinion; no one has given a verdict on this matter! IV. Thanks for the post. Today, Baha'u'llahs shrine, now in Israel, is an important pilgrimage site. [27][31], Denis MacEoin, a scholar who had previously been a Bah, criticized what he saw as a threat to the impartiality of the academic field of Bb and Bah studies due to the dominance of practising Bahs in the field. 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. 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. https://bahai.works/index.php?title=Lights_of_Guidance/Backbiting,_Criticism,_Faultfinding,_Gossip,_Lies,_Slander_Etc.&oldid=121304. 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. Selfless Service to Humanity, In fact, Bahaullah mandated that his followers involve themselves in social action when he said, Be anxiously concerned with the needs of the age ye live in, and center your deliberations on its exigencies and requirements.. Baha'is, for example, embrace interracial marriage and education for girls. All done! When this is done, one can be a friend to the whole human race. Browne wrote that while he found them admirable, in his view they are inferior to the simplicity and beauty of the teachings of Christ. Normally, it is possible to describe the situation surrounding a problem and seek help and advice in resolving it, without necessarily mentioning names. Extract from Dale Husbands blog. "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. Regretfully, Dale Husband I composed that letter on my computer and mailed it in January of 2005. They also. A primary theme of Baha'u'llahs teachings is achieving world peace through the establishment of unity, justice and equality. He teaches that God is a loving Parent who never uses threats or fear or guilt or shame in relating to Her/His children. 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. I, too, am considering resigning my membership. AJs concepts are not a religion or a cult. ", "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. Parental consent should only be an issue if the married partners are still minors. 9 Politics: Here a number of criticisms about the Bahai faith aligning itself with different historical superpowers are listed. 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 . That Baha'u'llah was the Manifestation of God for this day and be obedient to the covenant. Bah Allhs peculiar function was to overcome the disunity of religions and establish a universal faith. 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. Backbiting, Criticism, Faultfinding, Gossip, Lies, Slander Etc. Extract from Dale Husbands blog. ", " Vicious criticism is indeed a calamity. 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 (Bnai Brith means children of the covenant.). 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. 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. ", "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. BAHA'IS AND THE NATURE OF GOD 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. 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. "Thou hast written regarding aims. I stayed silent about my defection from the Bahai Faith untilOctober 19, 2007, when I posted my first blog entry attacking it. Without the support of the UUs at First Jefferson Church, I might have never had the courage to do battle against the corrupt, idiotic Haifan Bahai Administrative Order as I have done. 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. These are worded in a way to seem like crazy conspiracies. There are no initiation ceremonies, no sacraments, and no clergy. "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. tht ws qck. 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. Partners are still minors the Bah world Centre in northern Israel are worded in a way to seem crazy. The whole human race x27 ; l Baha by Dr. Mitchell ; Hermann a cult Bahai untilOctober. `` Vicious criticism is indeed a calamity, and that the Torah and Gospel have Gossip. 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