Author Topic: Response to questions about the Baha'i Faith  (Read 9625 times)

Offline misfitguy

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Response to questions about the Baha'i Faith
« on: January 13, 2013, 02:16:46 PM »
I am a registered member of the website All Experts found at http://www.allexperts.com/  I was asked to respond to the following questions concerning the Baha'i Faith. I have included the original questions in Italic and my response below these questions

Sir,
I am a Naive to Bahai faith and want to learn it. So, please answer this question...

1> I have heard that Baha'u'llah was influenced from Islam and he made certain modification to it. For example, he changed Islamic belief of "punishing unbelievers" to the belief of "loving all". While, some say that it came from Zoroastrianism which was Iranian (Persian) most ancient religion. So, what's the truth?

2) I have also heard that other than Moses, Abraham, Adam, Jesus etc.; Bahai people also respect Parsi Prophet Zoroaster, Hindu GODs like Krishna, Ram, Shiv etc. and Buddha. Is that true? Elaborate...

3) What is Bahai holy scripture?

4) How do Bahai treat non Bahai ?

5) What is Bahai perception of life here?

Thanks...


My response:

Dear asker,

Baha'i's love to answer questions.  In fact, we are told not to proselytize so answering questions is the way we get to discuss the Baha'i Faith with others.

Your first question is: (1> I have heard that Baha'u'llah was influenced from Islam and he made certain modification to it. For example, he changed Islamic belief of "punishing unbelievers" to the belief of "loving all". While, some say that it came from Zoroastrianism which was Iranian (Persian) most ancient religion. So, what's the truth?)

Baha'u'llah, which is a title meaning "Glory of God, was born, "Mírzá Husayn-`Alí Núrí".  He was born in Persia (Iran today), which was a Muslim country and He was a follower of the Prophet Mohammed.  In 1844, The Bab,a title meaning "The Gate", told of a Promised One, or has he stated "He who would make Himself manifest".  Baha'u'llah became a follower of the Bab and a believer of His message and in 1863, in the garden of Ridvan, declared his own mission as the most recent Manifestation of God.  Historically, the world changed with that declaration.  

Baha'u'llah was a Muslim, that became a follower of the Bab and then the Prophet founder of the Baha'i Faith in the same sort as Jesus the Christ was a Jew that became the Prophet founder of the Christian religion and the Gautama Buddha was a Hindu that became the Prophet founder of Buddhism.  Baha'u'llah gave us a message of unity telling us of the oneness of Mankind, the oneness of religion (there is only one God), the equality of men and women, and many more principles that are changing the worlds perception daily.  Baha'u'llah told us of the nine Manifestations of God, which include Abraham, Moses, Krishna, the Buddha, Zoroaster, Jesus of Nazareth, Mohammed, the Bab and Baha'u'llah.  Many Baha'i's wear a nine pointed star representing the nine Manifestations and all the Baha'i Houses of Worship are nine sided.

Question #2.  ( I have also heard that other than Moses, Abraham, Adam, Jesus etc.; Bahai people also respect Parsi Prophet Zoroaster, Hindu GODs like Krishna, Ram, Shiv etc. and Buddha. Is that true? Elaborate...)

See my answer for #1  Let me add that Baha'u'llah told us that God has never left us alone but has imbued His spirit in an individual, periodically, whom we then call a Manifestation, to reiterate the messages of the past and then give the new message that will help society to continue to advance. What, in a cursory evaluation, could seem contradictory, is simply God's message growing.  

Question #3.  (What is Bahai holy scripture?)

Baha'u'llah wrote over 200 volumes, many still not translated from their original Farsi or Arabic.  I think the most read are Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, A Collection of Baha'i Prayers, Hidden Words and the "Most Holy Book", the Kitabi Aqdas.  We also accept all the writings from all the Manifestations as directions from God and reference them to the time and place they were revealed.  For example, in the Old Testament there is an entry that says, "an eye for an eye"... and in the New Testament Jesus taught to "...turn thy other cheek..." which is contradictory but we understand that time and place were different for both directions with thousands of years separating them.

Question #4.  ( How do Bahai treat non Bahai ?)

We are taught the greatest prayer we can achieve is to treat one of God's creatures in a kind fashion.  I know of no kinder individuals than Baha'is.  I know of no individuals with more love for all humanity than Baha'is.  Even as Baha'is were being martyred in Iran, even in recent times, simply for being Baha'is, I never read or heard any disparaging remarks concerning Iranis or others that have caused such grief to the Baha'i community.

Question #5.  ( What is Bahai perception of life here?)

I thought this was an interesting question.  It really is the topic of a very long and windy essay, but I will try to share this Baha'i's thoughts on life here.  Baha'u'llah told us we are on an eternal journey, which this leg is only a part.  As we learn to nourish our soul with prayer, recognition of God and good acts, we continue our spiritual journey towards perfection.  Life here is a place we can advance our station by learning to live the life.  It is through our actions here that we will continue to attain glory in the next lives.  I think I will end it here and await any more questions you may have.

warmly,

Mick Zellar
« Last Edit: January 13, 2013, 02:18:54 PM by misfitguy »
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