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A worldwide community called “the Baha’i Faith”

Jim

Nets of Wonder
There is a worldwide community called “the Baha’i Faith,” with a supreme council seated on Mount Carmel in Israel. I’m planning to search on the Internet for information about its current worldwide common interests, activities and interactions with the rest of society, and post here about what I’m learning.

For anyone who would like to know, my intentions for the topic of this thread do not include its history, its possible future or the beliefs, attitudes or behavior of its members in Internet discussions. For me, the topic of this thread is the community’s current worldwide common interests, activities and interactions with the rest of society.
 
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Dawnofhope

Non-Proselytizing Baha'i
Staff member
Premium Member
Its a good topic Jim.

The goal is community building activities in neighbourhoods. Devotional meetings, study groups, children’s and youth groups open to all. Where anyone from any background can study and work together. Simple really.
 

Aupmanyav

Be your own guru
.. with a supreme council seated on Mount Carmel in Israel.
You cite Mount Caramel in Israel like Hindus cite Mount Meru or Mount Kailas. Mount Caramel is not much of a Mount - ‎525.4 m (1,724 ft). The Ahmadiyyas also have their mosque on this Mount Caramel. Heard of Ahmadiyyas? They consider Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as the Mahdi.
 

Jim

Nets of Wonder
I’ll post some examples from the Web pages of some local Baha’i communities.

Concord, Massachusetts:

CA7D1481-819F-4CA4-8631-55380F477910.png


https://www.concordbahais.org/activities
 
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Jim

Nets of Wonder
Strasbourg, France:

9A844471-4704-4CE5-940D-E7CA5938D83A.png


“Baha’is work in France and worldwide on the basis of these principles. They try modestly to participate in improving their neighborhood, their city and their country through programs aimed at developing the capacities of children, adolescents and adults. These programs will initiate a vast process of social reconstruction. With this in mind, they invite their fellow citizens, whatever their religious, ethnic, cultural or intellectual origin, to join them and engage with them. The driving force behind this global action is summed up in a quote from Bahá'u'lláh: “The betterment of the world can be accomplished through pure and goodly deeds, through commendable and seemly conduct.”

bahá'ís Strasbourg
 
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Sirona

Hindu Wannabe
Isn't it a trait of every religion to pass on the tenets of their faith to their offspring? Children's classes for the children, youth classes for the youth, et cetera.
 

Vinayaka

devotee
Premium Member
Isn't it a trait of every religion to pass on the tenets of their faith to their offspring? Children's classes for the children, youth classes for the youth, et cetera.

Indeed it is, but in the case of proselytising religions, it's seen as duty to pass it on to everyone's offspring. So the first thing to do is to build a school, and then invite all comers.
 

Jim

Nets of Wonder
I’ve been searching for websites of Baha’i communities around the world, to post examples of their common interests, activities and interactions with the rest of society, but of course most of them are in languages that I can’t read, so it will take some time. Meanwhile I’ll describe briefly what I already know about it:
- Devotional meetings.
- Study Circles.
- Children’s classes.
- Junior youth programs.
- Mentoring.
- Home visits.
- Inter-community reflection gatherings.
- Participating in public discussions about current issues.
- In a smaller number of communities, working with other people in economic and social development initiatives.

People might wonder how any of that is different from what some other religious communities do. There might be some differences, which I’ll discuss later, but in this post I’m not listing them to say that they are different. I’m listing them as some of the common interests, activities and interactions with the rest of society, of local Baha’i communities around the world.
 

Jim

Nets of Wonder
I’ve been looking for more examples of Baha’i websites around the world listing those specific activities. One problem that I’m having with that is that most of them are in languages that I can’t read. Another is that sometimes the activities are summarized in one sentence or two, and not spelled out. Later I’ll post some examples of those.
 

Jim

Nets of Wonder
I said that one of the common activities of Baha’i communities all around the world is participating in public discussions about current issues. That does not include participating in any campaigns of denunciation of any kind, for any purpose. It’s about discussing spiritual principles that need to be considered in the responses of individuals, communities and institutions, to current issues. As an example of that, there is a Baha’i office at the UN that submits statements to international conferences where representatives of governments and NGOs are discussing how to respond to the issues. Some examples of topics:
- Realizing the equality of women and men
- Human rights and the well-being of humankind
- Development and community building
- Youth as protagonists of constructive change
- Religion in the life of society
 

loverofhumanity

We are all the leaves of one tree
Premium Member
Why is this in 'interfaith'? Seems to me it belongs in the Baha'i DIR.

I fully agree. To be in interfaith it must relate to other religions other than it’s own. If the post is only confined to information about one religion then it needs to include other faiths or it should be in DIR.

Actually when I first read it I thought it was in the Baha’i DIR. This is just my personal observation but I believe you are correct.
 

Jim

Nets of Wonder
To the moderators: Maybe the Religious Q&A forum would be a better place for this thread. For whatever it might be worth, if it’s moved to the Baha’i DIR, I won’t be able to post in it.
 

loverofhumanity

We are all the leaves of one tree
Premium Member
The OP describes his religion as ‘learning to follow Baha’u’llah’ but can’t post in the Baha’i DIR??

So many threads about Baha’i and the OP can’t post in Baha’i DIR?

Very confusing.
 

Sirona

Hindu Wannabe
The OP describes his religion as ‘learning to follow Baha’u’llah’ but can’t post in the Baha’i DIR??

So many threads about Baha’i and the OP can’t post in Baha’i DIR?

Very confusing.

Its a relief that confusion cannot only be found in older religions, but also in the supposedly latest religion for all mankind.
 
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Sirona

Hindu Wannabe
Indeed it is, but in the case of proselytising religions, it's seen as duty to pass it on to everyone's offspring. So the first thing to do is to build a school, and then invite all comers.

If I had to proselytize, I would make disciples first and build the facilities later. I wouldn't build phantom temples without congregations, to which myriads of people may or may not rush to at an undefined moment somewhen in the future.
 

loverofhumanity

We are all the leaves of one tree
Premium Member
Its a relief that confusion cannot only be found in older religions, but also in the supposedly latest religion for all mankind

The confusion is not between Baha’is but those who are using the Baha’i name but are not Baha’is and misrepresenting the views of the Baha’i Faith and it’s members.
 

loverofhumanity

We are all the leaves of one tree
Premium Member
If I had to proselytize, I would make disciples first and build the facilities later. I wouldn't build phantom temples without congregations, to which myriads of people may or may not rush to at an undefined moment somewhen in the future.

It’s called planning ahead. Christ had only 12 disciples look now, it’s encompassed the world. We believe it’s just a matter of time so we are planning ahead.

With one of the Baha’i shrines the garden and flowers were all prepared first. Then when the building was complete the garden looked so beautiful and everything was completed.
 
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