Baha’i Faith
By Reeves
Brief Introduction
The youngest world religion, Baha’i, Originated in 19th century as an offshoot of Shi’ite Islam. Baha’i is a movement started by an Iranian wool merchant and a Shi’ite Muslim aimed to reform Islam.
On May 23, 1844, in Shiraz, Persia, a young man, Mizra Ali Muhammed, known as the Bab, said that God’s messenger was about to appear.
Babs work was to prepare a way for this messenger, he would be the living door or “the gate.” Bab’s teaching became widely known throughout Iran, but provoked opposition
He finally died by execution. One of Bab’s earliest disciples was Mizra Husain Ali, who was assumed the name of Baha’u'llah whan he renounced his social standing and joined the Babis.
He self-proclaimed that he was the long-awaited prophet. Baha’u'llah began organizing and composed many of the now known Baha’i scriptures for the movement, which became known as Baha’i.
Baha’u'llah died at Bahji and was succeeded by his eldest son Abd ul-Baha to be the leader.
Baha’i's Holy Book
One of the most important scripture is The Most Holy Book containing the laws governing Baha’i. The writings and spoken words of the Babs (or Bobs), Baha’u'llah, and Abd ul-Baha form the sacred literature of the Baha’i Faith. Some of the most notable of the one hundred volumes of the Baha’i scripture are:
1. Selections from the writings of the Bab.
2. Tablets of Baha’u'llah, Kitab-i-Aqdes (considered to be the most holy).
3. Book of Certitude (kitab-i-iqan).
4. Baha’i Prayers.
Baha’i Beliefs
The basic Principles of the Baha’i Faith includes the oneness of the world of humanity; the foundation of all religions as one; the religion must be the cause of unity. This is so because according the Baha’i people,”all faith is unified in the eyes of God,” and that there are certain principles under which God intended us to live.” The laws and obligations of the Baha’i Faith are:
1. Pray daily
2. Read the holy writings from various religions
3. Fasting from sunrise to sunset
4. Contribute to Baha’i financial fund
5. Abstain from drugs and alcohol
5. Avoid gossip etc
Least we forget, Baha’i Faith is a monotheistic religion such Judaism and Christianity. Baha’u'llah taught that there is one God, the eternal Creator, who is essentially unknowable.
Baha’i is syncretistic, claiming that the world’s major religions are not contradictory or even competitive but equally true. Baha’i also teaches that Abraham, Moses, Zoroaster, Buddha, Jesus and Muhammad all of whom were valid manifestations of God. Yet Baha’u'llah claimed to be more of significance than all previous manifestations including Jesus.
The key of Baha’i beliefs must be highlighted, thus the following are:
- The Primacy of Love
- New Role for Humanity
- The Twelve Principles
- Oneness of God
- Foundation Beliefs
- Successive Revelations
- Basic Unity of All religions
- Religious Dialogue
- Prejudice
- Racial Unity
- Equality for Women
- Economic Justice
- Universal Education
- World Federal System
- Science
Baha’i Worship
Baha’i have no clergy, sacraments or rituals. Baha’i as such is pretty much individualistic; that is they are responsible for his or her own spiritual growth.
Baha’i Faith and Christianity
It is said that Baha’i people are committed follower of Jesus Christ, but denies what the New Testament declares as truth in the same process. Basic Baha’i faith are diametrically opposed to biblical Christianity. The Baha’i also rejects the fundamental teachings of the New Testament such as:
- The Trinity
- The Deity of Christ
- Virgin Birth of Christ
- The physical Resurrection of Christ
- Christ’s Atonement (the doctrine concerning the reconciliation of God and humankind,)
- Salvation by Faith In Christ Alone
- The Holy Scripture as Final Authority
- The Second Coming of Christ
This shows that what Baha’i faith followers follows in Jesus and embrace are only those they consider authentic teachings of Christ that are in accord with their principles. This means to say is they “pick out” the ones that agrees the teaching of Baha’u'llah.
This also means that only some part of the Bible is from God but this is contrary to what the Scripture says, “All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16).
Baha’i in its relativistic system teaches that all religions are valid way to God. Again, this goes against to what Jesus said namely that He is, “The Way, The Truth, The Life” (Jn. 14:6). As you can clearly see, Baha’i Faith is irreconcilable with Christianity. As Dr. Walter Martin said,
There is very little indeed that a true Christian can have in common with the faith of Baha’i. There is simply no common ground on which to meet…The Baha’i Faith is at its very core anti-Christian theology [The Kingdom of The Cult].
28 May 2010 at 4:37 pm
These are my personal thoughts as a single Baha’i. I am only speaking on my own behalf.
Your introduction to the Bahá’í Faith is informative, but not entirely accurate.
1 – “The youngest world religion, Baha’i, Originated in 19th century as an offshoot of Shi’ite Islam.”
It is important to mention that the Bahá’í Faith is not an “offshoot of Shi’ite Islam” and that in fact it’s an independent religion. In other words, Christianity is as much an offshoot of Judaism as Bahá’í Faith is of Islam.
2 – “Yet Baha’u’llah claimed to be more of significance than all previous manifestations including Jesus.”
This in fact is not a true statement. The Bahá’í claim is that “religions come from the same Source and are in essence successive chapters of one religion from God. Bahá’u’lláh, the latest of these Messengers, brought new spiritual and social teachings for our time. His essential message is of unity. He taught the oneness of God, the oneness of the human family, and the oneness of religion.”
3- The key of Baha’i beliefs must be highlighted, thus the following are:
*Prejudice – This should be elimination of all forms of “Prejudice”
*Science – This should be harmony between Religion and “Science”
4 – “Baha’i have no clergy, sacraments or rituals. Baha’i as such is pretty much individualistic; that is they are responsible for his or her own spiritual growth.”
Baha’is do not have any clergy due to the fact that humanity has reached an education and maturity level that it does not need an interpreter. On the other hand, they are not “individualistic” as we have elected Spiritual Institutions that assist and guide our communities.
5 – “…Bible is from God but this is contrary to what the Scripture says, “All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16).
In all fairness, I think many Christian researchers would agree that the Bible was written any where from 10-50 years after Christ’s ascension. It is also abundantly clear that dozens of translations over the years has at least mildly modified the exact message. I think the statement inspired by God is a true statement; however, EXACT it may not be. Never the less, as a whole it certainly conveys the Teachings of Christ believed by millions of its adherents.
6 – “Baha’i in its relativistic system teaches that all religions are valid way to God. Again, this goes against to what Jesus said namely that He is, “The Way, The Truth, The Life” (Jn. 14:6). As you can clearly see, Baha’i Faith is irreconcilable with Christianity. As Dr. Walter Martin said,
There is very little indeed that a true Christian can have in common with the faith of Baha’i. There is simply no common ground on which to meet…The Baha’i Faith is at its very core anti-Christian theology [The Kingdom of The Cult].”
If you study other world religions, you will clearly see that all of the Manifestations, Prophets, or any other names you’d like to call them claim to be “The Way, The Truth, The Life.” This is the essence of all religions as they invite humanity to adhere their Message. But clearly this is interpreted by believers different than it was intended. If Christ was the only way and his Teachings to only way, why did he adopt portions of the Old Testament? Because his Teachings are progressive to that of Moses.
Believing that “There is simply no common ground on which to meet” is very contrary to the Teachings of Christ as he embraced all people not matter what they believed. To name an independent religion with over 6 million believers and spread to all over the world, second to Christianity, “The Kingdom of The Cult” is unfortunate and very unchristian like.
I invite all your readers to investigate the Baha’i Teachings for themselves at http://www.bahai.org/ to understand that there are no conflicts between Baha’is and Christians.
Warm regards,
Sean
28 August 2010 at 2:34 am
The Guardian of the Baha’i faith wrote concerning the Baha’i understanding of Christianity:
As to the position of Christianity, let it be stated without any hesitation or equivocation that its divine origin is unconditionally acknowledged, that the Sonship and Divinity of Jesus Christ are fearlessly asserted, that the divine inspiration of the Gospel is fully recognized, that the reality of the mystery of the Immaculacy of the Virgin Mary is confessed, and the primacy of Peter, the Prince of the Apostles, is upheld and defended. The Founder of the Christian Faith is designated by Bahá’u’lláh as the “Spirit of God,” is proclaimed as the One Who “appeared out of the breath of the Holy Ghost,” and is even extolled as the “Essence of the Spirit.” His mother is described as “that veiled and immortal, that most beauteous, countenance,” and the station of her Son eulogized as a “station which hath been exalted above the imaginings 110 of all that dwell on earth,” whilst Peter is recognized as one whom God has caused “the mysteries of wisdom and of utterance to flow out of his mouth.” “Know thou,” Bahá’u’lláh has moreover testified, “that when the Son of Man yielded up His breath to God, the whole creation wept with a great weeping. By sacrificing Himself, however, a fresh capacity was infused into all created things. Its evidences, as witnessed in all the peoples of the earth, are now manifest before thee. The deepest wisdom which the sages have uttered, the profoundest learning which any mind hath unfolded, the arts which the ablest hands have produced, the influence exerted by the most potent of rulers, are but manifestations of the quickening power released by His transcendent, His all-pervasive and resplendent Spirit. We testify that when He came into the world, He shed the splendor of His glory upon all created things. Through Him the leper recovered from the leprosy of perversity and ignorance. Through Him the unchaste and wayward were healed. Through His power, born of Almighty God, the eyes of the blind were opened and the soul of the sinner sanctified…. He it is Who purified the world. Blessed is the man who, with a face beaming with light, hath turned towards Him.”
Kind regards mindful friend
04 October 2010 at 9:31 am
The Baha’is believe that all the Teachings of Christ are the same as the Teachings of Baha’u'llah. We do not reject Him and His religion.
Why do you introduce the Baha’i Faith and express your inaccurate observations about It?