-
Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.
Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:- Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
- Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
- Access to private conversations with other members.
We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!
A worldwide community called “the Baha’i Faith”
- Thread starter Jim
- Start date
According to google maps, it's still there.It did indeed have an address in 2014, but it's not shown now on the current list of Bahai world addresses on the BIC website. I don't know why.......
On the side, what an unfortunate title for a Bahai meeting..... Women's Rights.
Jim
Nets of Wonder
Before I continue to discuss the training curriculum, the collaboration with others in economic and social development, and the participation in public discussions about current issues, I want address a possible question in people’s minds about religious indoctrination as part of the training. In my understanding, part of the purpose of all the activities of Baha’i communities around the world in response to what their Universal House of Justice is promoting, is for people to learn to trust and follow Bahá’u’lláh.
Bahá’u’lláh says
Bahá’u’lláh says
I see that purpose at the heart and center of everything that the Baha’i Universal House of Justice is promoting, and of the activities of many thousands of Baha’i communities all around the world.
Last edited:
This is what I strongly object to. There are thousands of non-religious NGOs like Amnesty International, Doctors without Borders, the Red Cross, UNICEF, that have no religious affiliation. There are also thousands of charitable groups who are affiliated with a religion that leave religion behind while doing charity. Do you think that a group providing safe drinking water in some remote village in a third world country should see that as an opportunity to proselytise? Or should they just give the water, no strings attached? Obviously, I'm of the latter view.
Then there are those that lie about it, or are deceptive about it. They say it's charity alone, promote it that way, but in reality it's an opportunity to evangelize. Look up Samaritan's Purse if you want an example of that.
Jim
Nets of Wonder
Thank you. I’d like for there to be some discussion about this, before I discuss the activities that I want to discuss. Are you opposed to any kind of spiritual development being combined with any kind of economic or social development?
Not opposed if it's within the same religion. Teaching yoga to Hindus, doing cooking classes within a culture, that sort of thing. I just have difficulty when it's seizing an opportunity. I think hospital chaplaincy is a good way to illustrate my thoughts. In the old days, (50 years ago, and older) ministers had free roam in hostitals. My father, and atheist more than once had to tell some guy off to get out ... . But within your own faith, or if requested, it's not a problem at all. Baptists should be free to minister to Baptists within secular hospitals, but not free to go door to door. These days, in most developed nations, there are laws in place.
Baha'is having classes for Baha'is is fine, but disguised as 'ethics' classes when the people being ministered to already have a code of ethics,well, then, yes, I have a problem.
I've seen all the harm proselytising can do first hand. it's a subtler form of violence, splits up families, pits kids against parents, destroys existing peaceful cultures, and more. I think it should be banned outright, with the support of the UN.
oldbadger
Skanky Old Mongrel!
Thankyou for that.
Google maps are just so amazing.
oldbadger
Skanky Old Mongrel!
We have debated door knocking so hard before this. !!
I don't like soup kitchens that make visitors listen to religious sells, that kind of thing. I certainly don't like religions and cults that operate under the guise of wanting to help children whilst stuffing ideas in their heads.
But I don't mind door knockers because I think that they are honest. The 'We would all be bound for the fires of eternal hell but for the love of Zog' or whatever.... I find such rare visits to be interesting enough to offer tea, a biscuit and conversation, but that's just me..... Baha'i don't door knock but if they did I would treat them with absolute courtesy and contention-free conversation because it's all about hospitality.
You must allow me my foibles!
We have debated door knocking so hard before this. !!
I don't like soup kitchens that make visitors listen to religious sells, that kind of thing. I certainly don't like religions and cults that operate under the guise of wanting to help children whilst stuffing ideas in their heads.
But I don't mind door knockers because I think that they are honest. The 'We would all be bound for the fires of eternal hell but for the love of Zog' or whatever.... I find such rare visits to be interesting enough to offer tea, a biscuit and conversation, but that's just me..... Baha'i don't door knock but if they did I would treat them with absolute courtesy and contention-free conversation because it's all about hospitality.
You must allow me my foibles!
I could change my views now, but back in the days when we were raising kids, no way. Boss would be nursing, or cooking, or changing a diaper, and they'd knock. It was just so inconveniencing.
oldbadger
Skanky Old Mongrel!
Jim
Nets of Wonder
Thank you. This is the kind of discussion that I was hoping to have with someone, and I’m glad to be having it with you.
Can you imagine some kind of training for spiritual growth and community service sponsored by a Hindu community or association? Would you object to that? What about virtues training or character education for children?
Jim
Nets of Wonder
I want to say some more about the religious content of the training that I think is happening in thousands of Baha’i communities around the world. In one of my current ways of thinking, part of it is about learning to follow Bahá’u’lláh as a master teacher. Another part of it is that most of the sections in some of the workbooks, maybe most of them, contain quotations from Baha’i writings. Another part of it is that it sometimes includes memorizing some of those quotations. One entire book is devoted to learning to tell the stories of the Baha’i prophets. Another is devoted to teaching children’s classes. Another is devoted to turning everyday conversations into conversations about Baha’i teachings. In the first seven courses of the main sequence, most of the training in community service is about expanding the training to include more children, junior youth and adults.
Jim
Nets of Wonder
I think that thousands of Baha’i communities around the world are continually training new trainers for their training programs, I see that we are not the only ones:
Training-of-trainers: A strategy to build country capacity for SLMTA expansion and sustainability
Understanding the Training of Trainers Model
I think that the number of Baha’i communities that are doing that is steadily increasing.
Training-of-trainers: A strategy to build country capacity for SLMTA expansion and sustainability
Understanding the Training of Trainers Model
I think that the number of Baha’i communities that are doing that is steadily increasing.
Last edited:
Jim
Nets of Wonder
I’ll review what I’ve said about the parts of Baha’i training that people might object to the most, in a training program that is being offered to members and non-members:
- Training people to follow Bahá’u’lláh.
- Continually using quotations from Baha’i writings.
- Memorizing quotations from Baha’i writings.
- Training people to tell the stories that the Baha’i Faith tells about its prophets.
- Training people to turn everyday conversations into conversations about Baha’i teachings which might lead to inviting people into the training.
- In the beginning, training in community service is mostly about training new trainers for the program.
- Training people to follow Bahá’u’lláh.
- Continually using quotations from Baha’i writings.
- Memorizing quotations from Baha’i writings.
- Training people to tell the stories that the Baha’i Faith tells about its prophets.
- Training people to turn everyday conversations into conversations about Baha’i teachings which might lead to inviting people into the training.
- In the beginning, training in community service is mostly about training new trainers for the program.