The Baha'i Faith

[Mudhammam]

What do we practice? If I understand the question correctly (I may be confused. This is a normal state of mind for me at any moment before 0800 hours), we practice service. Service to the Faith, service to our community, service to mankind as a whole when possible. Service is such a big deal for us that it is considered identical with the worship of God.

Service to people is wonderful and I admire that. Service to faith? Sounds potentially dangerous (not in your case but) for others who interpret "faith" to mean something entirely different and abhorrent--which is so easily accomplished when you're not basing your ideas in rational thought informed by empirical evidence.

Our rituals, meditations, and prayers? Well, we're not really ritual heavy. Our personal daily practice (ooooh, was this what you were asking?) is just at least one prayer in the morning accompanied by at least one reading from the Writings, a daily recitation of Allah'u'Abha 95 times (that would be our meditation), at least one of the three Obligatory Prayers (there's a short one, that is to be said at noon, a long one, that can be said at any point in a 24 hour period, and a medium length one to be said three times a day, morning, noon, and evening. We get to choose which we use), and at least one prayer and reading from the Writings in the evening. As a community, we have a gathering every 19 days called a Feast (and yes, in case you're wondering, there is food), we have several Holy Days, and we'll often gather for devotional and prayer meetings. At all of these prayers are said and the Writings read. Um. Ritual, ritual. Well, there's the wedding ceremony, which is pretty simple. All that's required is a) permission of both sets of parents, b) witness appointed by LSA (Local Spiritual Assembly), and c) the couple says the wedding vow: "We will all, verily, abide by the Will of God." There's also the burial, which is a little more complex. We cannot be cremated, frozen, launched into space (I've considered it in the past), or anything like that. We must be buried, preferably without being embalmed. Donating our organs for medical use is encouraged. Um, what else. Oh yes, the body should be wrapped in either clean silk or clean cotton. There is also a prayer for the dead said during funerals, which is the only congregational prayer in the Baha'i Faith.

I think that's it for rituals and such.

Thank you. That is very informative.

As for the difference between secluding yourself from the rest of mankind and contemplating the individual's relationship with humanity and what we advocate: Big difference. For one, we're not allowed to seclude ourselves from the world. We must be out and about serving, not hidden up in some monastery somewhere. So yeah. There's a difference.

Whoa, you're "not allowed"? You mean "it's discouraged"? You "choose not to"? Not allowed? What happens if you do? Do you not think there can be great personal benefits in secluding yourself from others every now and then?

As I told the others, because I feel it is true.

This can't seriously be your standard for evaluating claims to truth, can it?

Baha'u'llah's teachings aren't just about morality, although many of them are, or social change, although many of them are. It's a way of life, a way of belief, that just makes sense to me.

As for why we use the word "God." Well, I guess because that's what Baha'u'llah used? And because it's the closest concept to what we believe about God.
And whether the question matters or not... It does to me. It affects how I live my life, and it affects what I think will happen after I die.

What happens after you die is irrelevant while you're alive. it's like worrying about what I'm going to eat for dinner on New Year's when I'm 65. Or do you think rewards and punishments are going to be distributed to you depending upon your actions now? What do you think happens to those outside of your faith, such as me?

"If you read any of the holy books..." LOL! I'm sorry, I just find that amusing. I've read -most- of the Holy Books that are readily available to me.

I didn't mean that in a condescending manner. I didn't mean like if YOU would only read them, zan! I meant like, if anyone reads them...

And while I do see some surface differences, the underlying reality seems pretty much the same to me. I started figuring that out even before I left Christianity.

Since they're all written by humans, they share the same general insecurities, hopes, dreams...but when it comes to the points that matter, the specifics, they couldn't be more different. I don't think you could disagree unless you a prior feel the need to justify the creed that all religions are One. Clearly, according to the books themselves and the majority of adherents who study them and take them seriously... they're just not.

As for "all Gods were originally revealed to mankind", that sentence makes it appear that you didn't understand my original statement about the Baha'i beliefs regarding God and past religions. So, I'll repeat, and try to be clearer this time (since I'm pretty sure it was an error on my part): Baha'is don't believe in "Gods" but One God.

Yes but there polytheists and various monotheists who would quote their "revelation" to demonstrate your "blasphemy" in confusing the various identities of their respective Gods.

We believe that in every religion God has revealed Himself in a way that was suitable for that time and that place. So, if God appears to be one way in one religion, and another in a different religion, it is because God revealed Himself in a way that those people could grasp. These differences are then exaggerated by later errors made by believers in that religion, and they continue to be exaggerated over time.

There is absolutely no reason to think this. If there is, please tell.

I think I managed to answer your questions? If I wasn't clear somewhere, or didn't seem to really answer your questions, let me know and I'll try to figure out where I screwed up. So yeah, sorry if anything's unclear or unanswered. I didn't end up sleeping at all last night, and I haven't had breakfast yet. Not even my cupa Earl Grey. So I might not be playing with a full deck for a few more hours (or the rest of the day, depending on how it goes).

Yes, thank you, zan. I hope you will not take offense at my questions. I'm just trying to figure out how you think this makes much sense.