I figured something out.

[Mick]

Originally Posted by Postmaster

My name is Peter. I must admit I was quite wary with the Baha'i faith at first, I was quite critical with Baha'is and even the founders of the faith. Like I said I was only drawn in by my post on the Christian forum and then followed some dreams (which made me rationally question myself). I don't think its part of a Zionist plot and I can't say the Baha'i faith is a cult, although doesn't mean cult like behaviour doesn't happen. I'm quite pleased on the high level of morality too. Has definitely changed my view on certain parts of my life, but I don't want to sound like a religous nut saying its made my life complete and full, I'm not regarding it for kicks. Like niranjan said, very noble, positive. I say let it flourish.

Hello Peter,

My name is Mick. I am happy for you that your search has taken you down this path. I knew of the Baha'i Faith my whole life as my Mother and Grandmother were Baha'is, but I was 32 before I declared my belief in Baha'u'llah and the accepance of His writings. The Baha'i Faith truly influenced my early life in the late 50's and early 60's as a developing teenager that was intolerant of racial intolerance. It also allowed me to look at women as an equal and not an object. It influenced my longing for education and my drive to assure my children were educated and all of this before I ever studied the writings as a Baha'i. Because of friends and family members being members of the Baha'i Faith, I was influenced by their kindness, sincerity and generosity of nature. It was one day when I was talking about the Baha'i Faith to somebody and they asked me how long I had been a Baha'i, and I said, "Actually, I'm not a Baha'i." and they asked, "Why not?" and I couldn't answer them, that I realized that I couldn't deny the station of Baha'u'llah and once I recognized His station of the most recent Manifestation, I wanted to know more what God expected of us. I declared the next day.

Similar stories are told by other Baha'is. An awareness of the Faith and then an awareness of the Writings and then an awareness of the Station of Baha'u'llah and a recognition of the inability to deny God's Will. And then, of course, an acceptance of our own journey and a tearful, prayerful, thankful, accepting of the Baha'i Faith as the most recent arbiter of God as told to us by Baha'u'llah.

I welcome you to share our journey. Walk beside us. Become influenced as we were. Say this prayer:

"I bear witness, O my God, that Thou hast created me to know Thee and to worship Thee. I testify, at this moment, to my powerlessness and to Thy might, to my poverty and to Thy wealth.

There is none other God but Thee, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting."

Baha'u'llah

warmly,

Mick

[BruceDLimber]

Greetings, Peter!

Originally Posted by Postmaster

I must admit I was quite wary with the Baha'i faith at first, I was quite critical with Baha'is and even the founders of the faith. . . . I'm quite pleased on the high level of morality too. Has definitely changed my view on certain parts of my life, but I don't want to sound like a religous nut saying its made my life complete and full, I'm not regarding it for kicks. Like niranjan said, very noble, positive. I say let it flourish.

In fact, we'd view the fact that you started out skeptical about us as an excellent sign! Far better that than some sort of blind acceptance!

And we don't argue the "let it flourish" part, of course, but I do want to assure you that you needn't worry about sounding like a religious nut even if you do say such things! Such transformations do happen (I won't presume to say how frequent or rare they are), but this certainly needn't make you into a religious fanatic of any sort!

Indeed, the Baha'i Faith generally teaches moderation as the proper path, and as I'm sure your'e aware, we Baha'is are explicitly forbidden from trying to "convert" people or otherwise presuming to tell them what path they should follow. What you do or don't decide to do with and about the Faith is strictly your business, not ours!

Originally Posted by Peter

I can't say the Baha'i faith is a cult, although doesn't mean cult like behaviour doesn't happen.

I won't say it can't happen, but I assure you it's firmly stopped (and the perpetrator counseled) if and when it does!

And as to cults and the Baha'i Faith generally, I offer you the article below for your consideration.

Best regards, :-)

Bruce
_ _ _ _ _

Based on Combating Cult Mind Control" by Steven Hassan, here are the criteria for determining "cults":

1. How new members are found.

Dangerous Cults: With many cults, you don't get to know what you are getting into until after you have made a commitment.

Baha'i Faith: What you see is what you get: there are no secrets.


2. How funding is obtained.

Dangerous Cults: Commercial operations and/or mandatory donations (often large percentages) by members.

Baha'i Faith: Has no commercial businesses, collection plates are never passed, and donations are completely voluntary and accepted from enrolled members only.


3. Charismatic central figure.

Dangerous Cults: Cults usually have a central living figure who often lives on income from adherents.

Baha'i Faith: There is no living central figure in the Baha'i Faith (and there has been none since 1957); government is by bodies freely elected from the membership. There is no clergy, paid or unpaid.


4. Investigation of truth.

Dangerous Cults: Members are often told that it is dangerous to investigate other religions.

Baha'i Faith: Baha'is are encouraged to investigate all religions, and to appreciate truth no matter where it is found.


5. Behavior control, as defined by Hassan. *

Dangerous Cults: Persons may be told where to live, what to wear, or what (and how much) to eat. Sleep and freedom to travel or move about may be limited.

Baha'i Faith: Baha'is do not live in communes, but in the world as normal individuals and families. They wear no special or required clothing. The religion has no food requirements other than abstaining from alcohol, and the annual nineteen-day fast during which food and drink is not consumed during daylight hours only. Baha'is may get as much sleep as they want, eat whatever they want, work and live where they want.


6. Thought control as defined by Hassan. *

Dangerous Cults: There is often use of "thought-stopping" techniques such as chanting or speaking in tongues for long periods of time, setting up a type of hypnotic atmosphere.

Baha'i Faith: Chanting and prayer are not prolonged, nor is their intent to block thought. There is no speaking in tongues. Thought and investigation are encouraged.


7. Emotional control, as defined by Hassan. *

Dangerous Cults: Guilt and fear are often used to control members, including alternating praise and public humiliation or forced confession, and indoctrination against leaving the group.

Baha'i Faith: Confession to and humiliation of others are forbidden. Members are free to leave the Faith at any time if they so choose, without stigma.


8. What happens when people leave the religion.

Dangerous Cults: People who leave cults are often considered to be dangerous and are usually shunned.

Baha'i Faith: Baha'is are generally permitted and encouraged to remain friends with people who leave. The only exception is in the case of a person declared to be a "Covenant breaker" by the Universal House of Justice due to an attempt to split the Baha'i Faith. There is no condemnation of those who voluntarily choose to leave.

o O o

* Hassan, Steven, Combating Cult Mind Control, Park Street Press, One Park Street, Rochester, Vermont 05767, 1988, ISBN 0-89281-311-3. "The Four Components of Mind Control", pages 59-67.

[smkolins]

Originally Posted by Postmaster

Do you think that it was just mere coincidence that without any knowledge of the Baha'i faith at the time I suggested the return of Christ would return in Iran?

Consider...

The Valley/City of Search
(Seven Valleys)
"At every step, aid from the Invisible Realm will attend him and the heat of his search will grow."
(Gems of Divine Mysteries)
"God may guide him in the paths of His favour and the ways of His mercy...He beholdeth the wonders of Divinity in the mysteries of creation and discovereth the paths of guidance and the ways of His Lord."


Those mysterious alignments - "there are no accidents", coincidences that seem too meaningful to be coincidences.

[Dah-veeth]

Originally Posted by niranjan

The Bahai religion is definetely a very noble and good religion,perhaps the noblest on earth, and it has the potential to be the panacea for the present evils of the world like religious fundamentalism, because it unites both the east and the west.

The Bahai religion indeed should prosper, as it is vital for the worlds spiritual health.

Thanks!

You reminded me of what Gandhi said... he called the Baha'i Faith "a solace to mankind."