"The Baha'i Faith"

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mateo
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
If five people meet together to seek for truth,
they must begin by cutting themselves free
from all their own special conditions
and renouncing all preconceived ideas.
In order to find truth we must give up our prejudices,
our own small trivial notions; an open receptive mind is essential.
If our chalice is full of self, there is no room in it for the water of life.
The fact that we imagine ourselves to be right and everybody else wrong
is the greatest of all obstacles in the path towards unity,
and unity is necessary if we would reach truth, for truth is one.
(Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 136)
 
I’m in the Bahai Faith and there is no Jewish lobby.
You may have us confused with the US government.
I mean, we’re growing in influence, but not that fast!
 
Yesterday was Bahas birthday…
Baha is so gorgeous!!
Friends, have you seen his picture.
You can google ‘Bahaullah’ and see the beautiful pictures of Baha.
Happy feast to Baha’is!!
 
Mickey said:
The Baha’is do not believe that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, the Son of the Living God. They are an almalgamation of Christianity mixed with buddhism, Islam, hinduism, etc…a universilist melting pot of truth mixed with lies.
In my opinion…they are a cult.
Click to expand...
Mickey seems unaware that Baha’is prove the Crucifixion of Christ from Daniel’s “70 weeks” prophecy in 9:24-26. 70 X 7 = 490
456 BC + 490 = 33 AD

Here is a list of attributes of cults:
25 ATTRIBUTES OF A CULT:
This list is taken from a college course called “The Psychology of Fundamentalism” offered by the University of Texas
  1. the leader is charismatic and often militaristically demanding
  2. the leader is always right
  3. elitism, the leaders treated as royalty or a sense of awe, hierarchical, authoritarian power structure
  4. lower members get no respect, or get abused
  5. leader is not held accountable for his actions or the actions of his authority structure
  6. leader will not tolerate or receive criticism, but leader criticizes all others
  7. there is no exit (There is always an exit – it’s the same doors you came in!!)
  8. if members exit they are considered rebellious, out of the will of a higher power or the leader
  9. members do not have any association with members that have left the group
  10. there are no graduates from the “program” or group, just deserters or evil people
  11. there is cult speak (a language many others can not understand)
  12. personal attacks on critics or those who are not in the group
  13. solidarity within themselves, no outside allegiance or association
  14. use of guilt to manipulate members
  15. the leaders of group are self absorbed
  16. instant community
  17. members unable to tell the truth
  18. money grubbing
  19. newcomers don’t “think right” and need to be trained
  20. system of punishment and reward
  21. intrusiveness
  22. sense of powerless, dependency, covert fear, guilt
  23. members and leaders are imbalanced or mentally ill
  24. thought stopping language, clichés, or slogans
  25. demands of ultra loyalty or ultra trust in the groups process and others
These do not apply to Bahá’u’lláh, Who used attraction and not threat to build His community. He abrogated military jíhad and physical contention among persons, taught that the individual should investigate truth for themselvs, does not accept contributions from anyone except enrolled members, and advised telling the truth –even when it hurts. He taught several things that strengthen family unity, such as obtaining the consent of all living parents before marrying. Elsewhere, He said:
Should anyone give you a choice between the opportunity to render a service to Me and a service to them, choose ye to serve them, and let such service be a path leading you to Me. This is My exhortation and command unto thee. Observe therefore that which thy Lord, the Mighty, the Gracious, hath prescribed unto thee. (Lights of Guidance, p. 229)
 
Badi1919 said:
Yesterday was Bahas birthday…
Baha is so gorgeous!!
Friends, have you seen his picture.
You can google ‘Bahaullah’ and see the beautiful pictures of Baha.
Happy feast to Baha’is!!
Click to expand...
That’s not what you said before about His picture. Your opinions are really useless, just like you promised in the beginning.
 
What makes this cult group specially dangerous is its subtle form of pluralism.
 
The Baha’i Faith is an extension of the Cause of Christ, as He was the promise of Moses.
There needs to be divine guidance from God to resolve the deep differences between the great Faiths, and Bahá’u’lláh has brought this. When God sends a Revelation, whoever turns to it will be blessed, and whoever turns away from it --well, you can imagine.

In 70 AD Titus destroyed Jerusalem and exiled the Jews.

What if someone you told that you loved sent you a love letter, and you mistakenly threw it in the trash. What will the beloved think? And if you don’t recognize the beloved the next time you meet, what then? That’s what happens to Jews and Christians and Muslims who say they love God and oppose Bahá’u’lláh.

In 1844, Jews started coming back, as prophesied, and the time of the Gentiles is over.
But spiritual blindness is deep and dark and cannot be penetrated, even with the true facts. Only a spiritual remedy can cure spiritual illness. Pray that all are healed like this.
 
jen_fla said:
…i was trying to demonstrate a key fault to the baha’i faith in that they gloss over/deny/reinterpret 🤷 mohammed’s cruelty to justify him as being a supposed messenger of God.
Click to expand...
i think it is kinda cute you tried to disparage Muhammad 1500 years after He suffered the savagery and idolotry of the Arab tribes. He is a greater order of being than us. Why don’t you complain about the Quraysh Muhammad appeared among? Go back, in your mind’s eye, to those times, and witness the cruelties of those who buried their daughters alive in the sand, and worshipped the things they made, and you might get a feeling for Muhammad’s concern for the people He educated …or continue rejecting the Qur’an’s place in history and refuse to capitalize the Prophet’s Names and get what you give.

Baha’u’llah’s Word about war and peace should be studied. He ‘breaketh the bow’ and His Word will not remain unfulfilled. I defend the Prophets of God, and Muhammad is one of Them. His times were much like those of Moses, even tho’ He was 600 years after Jesus, and His laws were like those of Moses. Moses had to fight. They were to destroy the Canaanites and take their Land because Yahweh told them to.
Muhammad had to do much the same thing when Medina was attacked. What’s the difference between that and the defense Saladin made against the Crusades brought against Jerusalem by the Popes? Did the Christians go because Yahweh told them to?
No, He told them to put the sword up. etc.
Muhammad trained a people to accept the Jesus and the Prophets, and now is He ridiculed by people like you because His own Prophethood was added to it?

Also, God is not just merciful and meek. He is Just and well able to destroy when He wants to. These two aspects were demonstrated by the Prophets in various ways. I don’t say God is cruel when He floods or burns or buries whole cities.
 
jen_fla said:
… they gloss over/deny/reinterpret 🤷 mohammed’s cruelty to justify him as being a supposed messenger of God.
Click to expand...
I don’t think that reputation for cruelty is justified. The only occassion I can think of, that you might be referring to, is the massacre of the Banu Qurayzah, but in that case, Muhammad was the executioner, not the judge. Jesus is said to have been a carpenter, Paul a tentmaker; Muhammad was first a merchant and later the sherif of Medina
tinyurl.com/Sherif-of-medina
Ask a cop: it’s a tough job, but someone has to do it. It’s honourable work if it’s done honourably.
 
Jesus said “If you do not believe me, at least believe the things that I do” (referring to His great miracles of raising the dead, making the blind see, the lame, walk etc).

Notice that even Jesus who, being the ONLY man (besides Moses) in the history of mankind to have performed such great miracles amongst a multitude of witnesses declares that if a person is sent by God, that person should be able to perform miracles & wonders (although these things by themselves do not equal to anointment).

Now who is Bab??? Unknown, Un-heard of, Un-accepted. Who is he to declare himself as the final prophet like what many like David Koresh and Muhammad had done in the past?

If anyone is to declare himself/herself as a prophet, let him/her be aware that Jesus already disqualified anymore prophets after John the Baptist in Luke 16:16. If anyone is to delcare himself/herself as the Son of Man, let him/her be aware that Jesus already said in the Bible that He will return FROM THE SKIES (where everyone can see).

Now, can Bab/Bab’whateverllah be a prophet? According to Luke 16:16, its a NO. Did he come down from the skies through the clouds? NO. So, can the man even be God sent? A BIG NO.

muslimsopenyoureyes.blogspot.com

.
 
Mosacked said:
Jesus said “If you do not believe me, at least believe the things that I do” (referring to His great miracles of raising the dead, making the blind see, the lame, walk etc).

Notice that even Jesus who, being the ONLY man (besides Moses) in the history of mankind to have performed such great miracles amongst a multitude of witnesses declares that if a person is sent by God, that person should be able to perform miracles & wonders (although these things by themselves do not equal to anointment).

Now who is Bab??? Unknown, Un-heard of, Un-accepted. Who is he to declare himself as the final prophet like what many like David Koresh and Muhammad had done in the past?
If anyone is to declare himself/herself as a prophet, let him/her be aware that Jesus already disqualified anymore prophets after John the Baptist in Luke 16:16. If anyone is to delcare himself/herself as the Son of Man, let him/her be aware that Jesus already said in the Bible that He will return FROM THE SKIES (where everyone can see).

Now, can Bab/Bab’whateverllah be a prophet? According to Luke 16:16, its a NO. Did he come down from the skies through the clouds? NO. So, can the man even be God sent? A BIG NO…
Click to expand...
Hi Mosacked.
Jesus came down from Heaven, but also from Saint Mary, not the sky.
The earth is round. Clouds go up, not down. His body was like a cloud to people who thought He was just from Nazareth.
All the divine Manifestations are accompanied by miracles. The most famous one of the Báb is that it required two volleys of bullets to kill Him, and between them, He was found, back in the cell, finishing His Mission. The first commander resigned his post and would not repeat the execution; and another commander and regiment had to be brought it. Did Jesus come down off the cross like that? But this is not a proof to anyone except the believers. Millions do accept Him… and the number will grow to overshadow the entire species. People want to see something in their own lives. To deny the Gate that Jesus promised, is to deny Jesus.

On that day, the Creator summoned posterity out of the loins of Adam and said to the generations unborn, “Am I not your Lord?” Whereupon they answered, “Yea, verily, Thou art.” Cf. Qur’án 7:171.]
 
DavidMark said:
Hi Mosacked.
Jesus came down from Heaven, but also from Saint Mary, not the sky.
The earth is round. Clouds go up, not down. His body was like a cloud to people who thought He was just from Nazareth.
All the divine Manifestations are accompanied by miracles. The most famous one of the Báb is that it required two volleys of bullets to kill Him, and between them, He was found, back in the cell, finishing His Mission. The first commander resigned his post and would not repeat the execution; and another commander and regiment had to be brought it. Did Jesus come down off the cross like that? But this is not a proof to anyone except the believers. Millions do accept Him… and the number will grow to overshadow the entire species. People want to see something in their own lives. To deny the Gate that Jesus promised, is to deny Jesus.

On that day, the Creator summoned posterity out of the loins of Adam and said to the generations unborn, “Am I not your Lord?” Whereupon they answered, “Yea, verily, Thou art.” Cf. Qur’án 7:171.]
Click to expand...
Davidmark,

We are not here to argue on your supposed interpretation of the Bible. Certainly not to affirm that those are mere figurative meanings because if we cannot even accept such clear instructions from Jesus, how can we even claim to be believers of Jesus Christ?

Jesus said matter-of-factly that He will return from the skies where everyone can see Him. And He also said there are NO MORE prophets after John the Baptist in Luke 16:16.

God does not need to show Himself to be God by manifesting Himself to be impenetrable by mere bullets. That can be easily left to the magicians and conmen.

All who believe in Jesus and accepts Jesus’ teachings know that all these so-called “prophets” are DISQUALIFIED by Jesus.
 
Mateo said:
I pray this email finds you all in good health.

I was wondering if anyone has had any encounters with a non-catholic religion called the “Baha’i Faith”? I am currently a student at a university and have encountered and dialogued with many different types of religions. This one in particular has given me a little more of a headache and is tougher to break down due to my lack of biblical and doctrinal knowledge within the Catholic Chruch. They claim to have 6.5 million members and say they have been growing fast. I was just wondering if anyone else has had encounters with this “Baha’i Faith” and if so how has it gone?

Paz de Christo,

Mateo
Click to expand...
Tom NOssor is one of my favorite posters on this o other forums whee I all-too-rarely encounter him. His astute observation about ‘holy envy’ is one I would second. I find the poetic language of much of the writings of Baha’u’llah very appealing, even if sometimes rather obscure.

Baha’is are an engaging lot, frequently very well read and thoughtful. Often they have arrived at the Baha’i Faith after having sampled any number of other traditions. A sigificant number seem to have artistic leanings, musical or visual arts from my experience. (Don’t know of many of note in the literary field, but that could be my own ignorance). They appear to have a disproportionate amount of influence in some areas of endeavor, especially at the United Nations.

The Baha’i Faith itself I find rather pedestrian and not as engaging as one approaches as one might be led to expect upon first espying it from afar. It is rather a mishmosh of various rules of abstinence (no alcohol or tobacco, for example) and somewhat eccentric cycles of meetings–once every nine days as I recall. It strikes me mainly as Islam-lite; and in fact the Baha’i Faith is generally outlawed and heavily persecuted as a heretical Muslim sect in many Islamic countries. In Christian cultures they frequently take on more of a Christian coloration, often basing their apologetic and evangelistic efforts on Christian scripture and/or Christian tradition.

All-in-all I like Baha’is and the Baha’i Faith, though I have never seriously considered joining it.

Hope that helps!
 
Welcome flameburns! I hope you remain for a while to dialogue.

You made some astute observations. For a first-rate Baha’i author, I recommend Irish Archdeacon George Townshend, who wrote beautifully and deeply about Christ and Baha’u’llah. I will try to find links online.
We see the disproportionate influence at the UN as a sign we’re on the right track. Baha’is encouraged the League of Nations at its beginning, and it requested 'Abdu’l-Baha’s opinons which He eloquently gave. And we were at the birth of the UN in San Francisco in 1945 and at evry step since.
I know paranoid people, like a niece, who think Baha’i will help usher in a slick “anti-christ” to take control of the UN. But we are stressing the need for a world parliament, executive and judical system, similar to that which the thirteen colonies formed a federation for.

I hav never felt Baha’i was an artificial synthesis or mishmash (God forbid!) Baha’u’llah took no time to study other faiths. Being the Lord of all faiths, He knew the highest aspirations of all of them, and the weakest points as well. They all promise a Unifier.
God is one and dsires to be worshipped by people who are one.

Zechariah 14:9 And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.

Zephaniah 3:9 For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one consent.

John 10:16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
❤️
 
flameburns623 said:
Baha’is are an engaging lot, frequently very well read and thoughtful. Often they have arrived at the Baha’i Faith after having sampled any number of other traditions. A sigificant number seem to have artistic leanings, musical or visual arts from my experience. (Don’t know of many of note in the literary field, but that could be my own ignorance). They appear to have a disproportionate amount of influence in some areas of endeavor, especially at the United Nations.
All-in-all I like Baha’is and the Baha’i Faith.
Click to expand...
Dear flameburns, your screen-name has prompted me to dwell on the theme of the divine Flame burning in the Bush, and elsewhere, as in this interpretation from Baha’u’llah:

Now, when He saith: “His eyes were as a flame of fire” (Rev. 1:14-16), He alludeth but to the keenness of sight and acuteness of vision of the Promised One, Who with His eyes burneth away every veil and covering, maketh known the eternal mysteries in the contingent world, and distinguisheth the faces that are obscured with the dust of hell from those that shine with the light of paradise. Were His eyes not made of the blazing fire of God, how could He consume every veil and burn away all that the people possess?

How could He behold the signs of God in the Kingdom of His names and in the world of creation? How could He see all things with the all-perceiving eye of God?
Thus have we conferred upon Him a penetrating vision in this day.
Would that ye believe in the verses of God!
For, indeed, what fire is fiercer than this flame that shineth in the Sinai of His eyes, whereby He consumeth all that hath veiled the peoples of the world?
Immeasurably exalted shall God remain above all that hath been revealed in His unerring Tablets concerning the mysteries of the beginning and the end until that day when the Crier will cry out, the day whereon we shall all return unto Him. (Bahá’u’lláh, Gems of Divine Mysteries, p. 54)

O living flame of heavenly love! Thine heart hath been so fired with the love of God that from ten thousand leagues afar its warmth and radiance may be felt and seen.
The fire lit by mortal hand imparteth light and warmth to but a little space, whereas that sacred flame which the Hand of God hath kindled, though burning in the east, will set aflame the west and give warmth to both the north and the south; nay, it shall rise from this world to glow with the hottest flame in the realms on high, flooding with light the Kingdom of eternal glory. (‘Abdu’l-Baha, SWA, p. 205)

**May each of you be like unto a flaming torch, lighted and burning bright with the fire of the Love of God. **(Abdu’l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 74)
If you thus keep yourselves in readiness, you will become to the world of humanity a burning flame, a star of guidance, and a fruitful tree, changing all its darkness and woe into light and joy by the shining of the Sun of Mercy and the infinite blessings of the Glad Tidings. This is the meaning of the power of the Holy Spirit, which I pray may be bountifully showered upon you. (Abdu’l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 166)
 
Is it possible that Christ has returned in the “Glory of the Father” and lots of people not know about it, since “every eye” is supposed to see Him when He returns?
What about people who saw Him before, with their own eyes, and didn’t believe?
An eye is something that sees. Spiritual vision is required to believe.

If Christ wanted to turn things upside down when He came, it would be His right.
He can change water into wine; He can change the sacraments, He can establish the Kingdom on earth.

That is what happened.
Haven’t you heard about **Bahá’u’lláh **(The Glory of God)?
What expectations did the Jews have that prevented them from recognizing Him before?
What expectations do you have now that might prevent you from recognizing Him again?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top