Baha'i Faith & Freemasonry...

[Ziriel]

For my first post, I'd like to ask something that I've been wondering the answer to for some time now...

As far as I've read, the Baha'i Faith seems like the most "open" religion of all, in my opinion. On the other hand, I've also read that one of the prerequisites for joining the fraternal organization of the Masons is for the applicant to be a believer in "a Supreme Being."

As the Baha'i's believe in a Progressive Revelation, the Freemasons believe that all of man's deities is one and the same, despite the fact that they do not label their organization as a religion.

Christianity and Islam alike have scorned their followers over the years for joining the ranks of the Freemasons, with the Catholic Church once (or until now) banning Masons from receiving Communion.

My question is, what is the Baha'i viewpoint on this fraternal organization? Has anyone in the Baha'i Faith's leadership ever brushed on this topic?

[Postmaster]

But saying that, there was a religion before even the freemasons came around known as Manichaeism, for some reason I always keep referring back to this faith, but Manichaeism which is only 200 - 300 years younger then Christianity believed that all religions come from the same source and Mani there prophet was a Persian too.

[Popeyesays]

The Free Masons are a 'secret society'. Baha`i's are not allowed to be members of secret societies.

"(2) The friends should not become members of secret societies.
"Your Assembly is advised to carefully inform the friends of these principles and to deepen them in their understanding and appreciation of them. Having made certain that all friends, especially those directly concerned, have been so deepened, your Assembly should then set a time limit by which the friends must obey your directive to withdraw their membership in the organizations. Each case will have to be considered on its own merits. Some of the friends may have to fulfill certain commitments as officers before they can withdraw with honor. The time limit should make allowance in such cases. "Whereas persistence in membership in these and in similar organization is ample ground for deprivation of voting rights, your Assembly is advised to give sufficient time for each of the friends to be throughout deepened, and to comply with the principles before any disciplinary action is taken."
(The Universal House of Justice From a letter to the National Spiritual Assembly of Colombia, December 26, 1963)
(Compilations, Lights of Guidance, p. 54)

""Therefore, all the Bahá'ís everywhere have been urged to give up their old affiliations and withdraw from membership in the Masonic and other secret Societies in order to be entirely free to serve the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh as a united Body. Such groups as Masonry, however high the local standard may be, are in other countries gradually being influenced by the issues sundering the nations at present.
"The Guardian wants the Bahá'ís to disentangle themselves from anything that 422 may in any way now or in the future, compromise their independent status as Bahá'ís and the supra- national nature of their Faith."
(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, February 17, 1956)
(Compilations, Lights of Guidance, p. 421)

""The reasons why the Guardian feels that it is imperative for the Bahá'ís to be dissociated from masonry at this time, and I might add, other secret associations, is that we are the building blocks of Bahá'u'lláh's New World Order... the Bahá'ís should be absolutely independent, and stand identified only with their own teachings. That is why they are requested to withdraw from membership in the church, the synagogue, or whatever other previous religious organization they may have affiliated with, to have nothing whatsoever to do with secret societies, or with political movements etc. It protects the Cause; to reinforces the Cause, and it asserts before all the world its independent character."
(Compilations, Lights of Guidance, p. 422)

"1390. Resignation from the Masonic Order
"As regards your question about the Masonic Order, he considers that the honest and courageous thing for you to do is to inform your lodge that you no longer consider yourself, purely personal reasons, a Mason; and would like to have your name taken off their list. If they should press you for an explanation, which he imagines is unlikely, everybody being free to do as they please in the world, you can explain to them that in the present chaotic period the world is passing through, with so many streams and counterstreams of political thoughts and prejudices of all kinds, racial, religious etc., storming the minds of men, that you wish to disentangle yourself from all association with the past and to stand alone, free in your own ideas.
"He does not think that such an explanation will prejudice the Masons or their 423 friends, or arouse in them a feeling of anger against the Faith, or indeed been involve the Faith at all."
(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, March 26, 1956)
1391. The Believers should Dissociate Themselves from Secret Organizations
"...Generally speaking the friends should not enter secret societies. It is certainly much better for the believers to dissociate themselves from such organizations..."
(Compilations, Lights of Guidance)

Regards,
Scott

[Postmaster]

I must admit I have looked into too and found some curious similarities, not only in the ideas of both freemasons and Baha'i. The freemasons were by FACT the fathers of the modern United States of America, they were an elite group of thinkers with ancient knowledge (something to do with king solomon). Some of the historical buildings in WashingtonDC have long been subject of conspiracy theories regarding the Freemasons because they were actually built by them. In the Baha'i world centre and even the house of the Bab look curiously similar to these buildings. The Freemasons society originally started in Europe within the builders of cathedrals and crafters.

Conspiracies of the Freemasons include Satan worship and world domination and power, the US dollars contains by fact many freemason symbols as it was designed by freemanons, even the US seal was created by them. Many people in England and Europe are not really aware of the freemasons, not sure if people in the US are well informed about them.

[Mick]

Originally Posted by Ziriel

For my first post, I'd like to ask something that I've been wondering the answer to for some time now...

As far as I've read, the Baha'i Faith seems like the most "open" religion of all, in my opinion. On the other hand, I've also read that one of the prerequisites for joining the fraternal organization of the Masons is for the applicant to be a believer in "a Supreme Being."

As the Baha'i's believe in a Progressive Revelation, the Freemasons believe that all of man's deities is one and the same, despite the fact that they do not label their organization as a religion.

Christianity and Islam alike have scorned their followers over the years for joining the ranks of the Freemasons, with the Catholic Church once (or until now) banning Masons from receiving Communion.

My question is, what is the Baha'i viewpoint on this fraternal organization? Has anyone in the Baha'i Faith's leadership ever brushed on this topic?

See Scott's answer above.

I will add that we do not scorn the Freemasons or their good works. It is a secret society, though, by their own definition and so we are told, as Baha'is, not to join it or any other "secret" society. The Baha'i Faith, through the teachings of Baha'u'llah, teaches Unity. A "secret" society simply is divisive by nature. When we are given guidelines as to how we should live, these are for the Baha'is and anyone else that can see the worth of following these guidelines. These are not similar to anything that has ever existed in the history of man. In the past, people and organizations took stands on issues and were willing to fight and die for their beliefs. Baha'is use "consultation" rather than adversarial negotiation to arrive at a conclusion and then, we recognize that we are responsible for our own life and how we live it and not for others. We truly believe that each of us have a journey we are on and we, each of us individually, must chose every minute of every day the direction this journey will take us. There is no safety net (confession) or vocal guides (ministry) or promises of reward vs punishment (heaven and hell), but simply the writings of The Bab and Baha'u'llah, the explanations of 'Abdu'l-Baha and the translations of Shoghi Effendi to guide us to live the life.

What does this have to do with Free Masonry? It is a secret society and the writings tell us to do nothing that will cause divisiveness so we, Baha'is, don't join it.

Mick

[Popeyesays]

Hey, Mick!

Happy 12th Day of Ridvan.

Regards,
Scott

[Postmaster]

I think anyone that brings up Baha'i and freemasons together is trying to imply a conspiracy between the 2.... I guess it would be more appropriate for you guys to show there is no connection and I have tried to do this by showing the ideology of unity in religion which was considered truth by the freemasons before the Baha'is was also considered truth even before the freemason by Mani.

[Mick]

Originally Posted by Popeyesays

Hey, Mick!

Happy 12th Day of Ridvan.

Regards,
Scott

Thank you, Scott. Happy 12th day of Ridvan to you.

Mick

[Mick]

Originally Posted by Postmaster

I think anyone that brings up Baha'i and freemasons together is trying to imply a conspiracy between the 2.... I guess it would be more appropriate for you guys to show there is no connection and I have tried to do this by showing the ideology of unity in religion which was considered truth by the freemasons before the Baha'is was also considered truth even before the freemason by Mani.

Thank you for your concern, Postmaster. You, though, have answered it well. Freemasonry is an "ideology". The Baha'i Faith is the result of God's most recent message to mankind. Ideology vs God's will. Really there isn't anything else that needs to be said.

Mick

[arthra]

There's no connection between freemasonry and the Baha'i Faith.

As above Baha'is cannot be Masons primarily due to the secrecy involved.

There is also no historical connection between the Baha'i Faith and Manichaenism.

- Art

[Postmaster]

Baha'is can not be freemasons but it still doesn't mean the Baha'i faith is not the brainchild of the freemasons. And although there might not be any historical connection between the Baha'i faith and Manichaeism its a possibility that Baha'u'llah found inspiration from the religion as he was well aware of various philosophers and prophets of all backgrounds.

[Postmaster]

I think there is a big likelihood that Baha'u'llah new about Mani, yet he didn’t mention him in any of his writings. But other Baha'i authors after Baha'u'llah have mentioned Mani as being the first attempt of establishing a global religion. When I see an anomaly I can't let go of it. Also he claimed to be the seal of the prophets, does that sound familiar? Infact he was the origin of that phase. Mohammed ignored him in the Quran too. People try to view religion romantically instead of realistically, I can't see how it would effect the exsistence of God if people just keep it real. I think Mani was a threat because he wasnt a monotheist. Mani contributed alot to mankind in terms of his views yet was left ignored by the later prophets.

[Popeyesays]

Originally Posted by Postmaster

I think there is a big likelihood that Baha'u'llah new about Mani, yet he didn’t mention him in any of his writings. But other Baha'i authors after Baha'u'llah have mentioned Mani as being the first attempt of establishing a global religion. When I see an anomaly I can't let go of it. Also he claimed to be the seal of the prophets, does that sound familiar? Infact he was the origin of that phase. Mohammed ignored him in the Quran too. People try to view religion romantically instead of realistically, I can't see how it would effect the exsistence of God if people just keep it real. I think Mani was a threat because he wasnt a monotheist. Mani contributed alot to mankind in terms of his views yet was left ignored by the later prophets.

I think Mani was the center of a man-made religious movement rather than a Manifestation of God. The best proof of this to me is that the religion of Mani did not survive the death of Mani. It is a good example of a failed religion.

Neither Muhammad nor the Bab and Baha`u'llah acknowledge it because according to their revelation Manichaenism is not part of the Abrahamic progression of revelation. Both Muhammad and Baha`u'llah acknowledge openly that there have been Manifestations of God whose revelations have faded away into history and that does not affect their validity. The religion of Mani did not fade into history, it simply failed and the reason for that failure is that the founder was not a Manifestation of God.

Regards,
Scott

[Postmaster]

Mani influenced Islam, possibly Christinity before and even the Baha'i faith but he isn't recognised the slightest by either Islam or Baha'i faith. Buddha doesn't follow the Abrahamic progression of revelation either yet is included as a prophet. Are you saying that history can forget an influencial figure if they die and there religion does not survive? His influence is still alive in the works of religion today of what are considered divine faiths, I think my problem is the failer to recognise this. I think if we view religious history more truthfully we can unlock more of it's secretes that are left for us to discover.

[Postmaster]

A reason why Manichaeism didn't remain mainstream for so long was not only because of dualism, probably because Mani rejected the Old Testament in a pretty anti-semitic way, people accept something more if it has antiquity, Christianity was quikly dominating Europe also with within politics. There was plans by the early Christians of Rome to completely do away with the old testament too but they New that couldn't so eventually they embraced it, it's possible that could have adversely effected Christianity.