So how likely is it that a fifth of the world's population is wrong about Muhammad being the last "Messenger of God"? How likely is it that a third of the world's population are wrong about Jesus being God himself incarnate? If you want to play the numbers game, approximately 99.9% of the world's population do not subscribe to Baha'i beliefs about Messengers of God generally or Baha'u'llah's status as a divine messenger specifically. How likely is it that they are all wrong?
It is highly unlikely that a fifth of the world's population are wrong about Muhammad being a Messenger of God, but they are wrong about Muhammad being the
last and final Messenger of God. It is highly unlikely that one third of the world population who believe in Jesus are wrong, although the Christians who believe that Jesus was God incarnate are wrong. It is highly likely that approximately 99.9% of the world population does not subscribe to Baha'i beliefs about Messengers of God generally or Baha'u'llah's status as a divine messenger specifically are wrong.
The fact that not many people have thus far become Baha’is is easily explainable. Many factors influence growth rate of religion and the Baha’i Faith in particular.
1. ALL religions start out small and grow slowly during the first two or more centuries.
How many Jews became Christians in the first century?
2. Not everyone knows the Baha’i Faith exists. Most Baha’is are not out there teaching the Faith. They are doing other Baha’i activities like building up their communities.
3. It is not just a matter of having the internet because the internet is just as much a hindrance as it is an aid in spreading the Baha’i Faith, given there are as many or more anti-Baha’i websites as Baha’i websites.
4. People that do know about the Baha’i Faith do not really understand its theology and teachings. Most people are not going to take the time to examine it closely unless they are a true seeker. There are not many of those. Also, there is much confirmation bias about religion in general so most people make hasty generalizations about the Baha’i Faith.
5. The Baha’i Faith is very new and different from the older religions. It is not what people are accustomed to seeing in a religion, and having a new world order puts many people off because they do not understand it or think there is a need for one. I guess they don’t watch much TV news. Also, there is a lot of prejudice among Westerners against a religion that emerged out of Islam.
6. The biggest obstacle to the growth of the Baha’i Faith is the fact that about 84% of people in the world already have a religion and they are happy with their religion. So there you have 84% of the world’s population, the vast majority of which are not even willing to
consider the Baha’i Faith in order to determine if it is true or not. Then we have the rest of the world’s population who are agnostics or atheists or people who believe in God but dislike any religion.
All that said, Baha’u’llah wrote that some people are guided, meaning that others are not. Some of why that is the case is a mystery, but there are some indications in the Writings.
“Great indeed is this Day! The allusions made to it in all the sacred Scriptures as the Day of God attest its greatness. The soul of every Prophet of God, of every Divine Messenger, hath thirsted for this wondrous Day. All the divers kindreds of the earth have, likewise, yearned to attain it. No sooner, however, had the Day Star of His Revelation manifested itself in the heaven of God’s Will, than all, except those whom the Almighty was pleased to guide, were found dumbfounded and heedless.” Gleanings, p. 11
“So blind hath become the human heart that neither the disruption of the city, nor the reduction of the mountain in dust, nor even the cleaving of the earth, can shake off its torpor. The allusions made in the Scriptures have been unfolded, and the signs recorded therein have been revealed, and the prophetic cry is continually being raised. And yet all, except such as God was pleased to guide, are bewildered in the drunkenness of their heedlessness!” Gleanings, p. 39
Baha’u’llah says that people who make efforts will be guided...
“Whoso maketh efforts for Us,” he shall enjoy the blessings conferred by the words: “In Our Ways shall We assuredly guide him.”” Gleanings, pp. 266-267
In this passage it indicates that those who rebel against God will not be guided, which makes sense because God does not override free will to MAKE the rebellious believe in Him.
"Some were guided by the Light of God, gained admittance into the court of His presence, and quaffed, from the hand of resignation, the waters of everlasting life, and were accounted of them that have truly recognized and believed in Him. Others rebelled against Him, and rejected the signs of God, the Most Powerful, the Almighty, the All-Wise.” Gleanings, p. 145
