Converts to Bahai Faith: Why did you convert?

[Sirona]

Dear members of the Bahai Faith,

I am interested in reading stories of why you converted to your faith. Maybe you would like to share your stories with me or give me the links of websites containing such content. While I acknowledge the potential for "preaching" here, I am more interested in the reasons why you converted, about the things you couldn't find in your former religion, philosophy or world-view that made you change your belief.

Thanks,

Sirona

 

[arthra]

I was raised in a Baptist church as a child and read the Bible. In the early fifties I was in Virginia and witnessed racial segregation in nearby Washington D.C. I recall going to a ticket window to buy a train ticket and the ticket master informed me I had walked through the "wrong" door. Looking back where I came from I noted it was the "colored" door. I asked him... Do you mean you want me to walk outside and come in again through the "white" door? He said "awe forget it!" and allowed me to buy the ticket.. But "D.C." had colored and white drinking fountains... colored and white bathrooms as well as segregated schools. It really "hit home" to me that racial segregation was wrong.

Reflecting back on my life my father and uncles were in the military during WWII and so there was WWII, Korea and later Vietnam... At seventeen my father wanted me to join the USMCR. It was too much. I lost a dear cousin on the Mekong delta.

In my early teens I was interested in studying various religions and had read "The Song Celestial" and "The Light of Asia" by Edwin Arnold.. Later my friends and I studied and practiced Yoga. I reached the conclusion at the time that I could not be a Christian and reject Krishna or the Buddha.

It was in 1965 that I found two books in my town library on the Baha'i Faith. Both of them are online:

Baha'u'llah and the New Era

Bahá'í World Faith

After reading these two books I was convinced that should I ever meet a Baha'i I would have to declare my faith in Baha'u'llah. Baha'is have worked against wars and religious and racial prejudice from the beginning. I soon found some Baha'is in my town and joined the Faith.

 

[loverofhumanity]

Dear members of the Bahai Faith,

I am interested in reading stories of why you converted to your faith. Maybe you would like to share your stories with me or give me the links of websites containing such content. While I acknowledge the potential for "preaching" here, I am more interested in the reasons why you converted, about the things you couldn't find in your former religion, philosophy or world-view that made you change your belief.

Thanks,

Sirona

Hi Sirona. I was born into a catholic family and was a very devout Catholic. When I used to read in the newspapers about the end of the world I would panic and go into hysterics out of fear. But I loved Jesus and His teachings of love & compassion so, so much. As I grew up I drifted away. One day in school assembly the priest condemned the Jews as evil and said we should not be friends with them. That made me leave Catholicism eventually. I believe in love above everything. Then I ceased to believe in God as there was no love in the world anymore. I didn’t want to live and tried to commit suicide 6 times. One time 50 sleeping tablets. I visited different religions and asked why they didn’t join together instead of the hate. The doctors knew no cure so gave me 6 courses of electric shock treatment (ECT) to try and make me forget about my distress that there was no love in the world.

I eventually came across the Baha’i Faith and after investigating it found all my dreams, hopes and wishes come true with Baha’u’llah. In Him I discovered that Jesus, my childhood love had returned and He was also the Promised One foretold in all religions.

Then because Baha’u’llah teaches to love all people and religions I soon fell in love with Krishna, Buddha, Muhammad, Zoroaster and all the Great Educators and my life changed from the depths of despair and hopelessness to bliss, contentment and inner peace. Now I am free. I can love all religionists equally, I can love atheists and all humanity and I am no longer tied down by prejudices. I don’t have to say my religion is superior. I can celebrate all religions as equal and don’t have to put down any person or belief. No more inner conflict.

The two books which greatly assisted me were Thief in the Night and Baha’u’llah’s Book of Certitude.

Now the entire world is my friend and my brothers and sisters, my family and I can be a universal unrestrained and unrestricted human being and can show boundless, unconditioned love to all and I don’t have to say i am better because we are not. All religionists believe in truth. . And I’m not special or saved or chosen or anything like that just a normal equal person.

Since 5 years old the burning fire in my heart was to love all humanity and that dream came true when I was released from my strait jacket of exclusiveness and now I am nothing special but all humanity is very special to me.

I thank Baha’u’llah for teaching me not to cling to a personal selfish love of my religion, or race, or nation but to have a beautiful world embracing love for all humankind.

 

[Dawnofhope]

Dear members of the Bahai Faith,

I am interested in reading stories of why you converted to your faith. Maybe you would like to share your stories with me or give me the links of websites containing such content. While I acknowledge the potential for "preaching" here, I am more interested in the reasons why you converted, about the things you couldn't find in your former religion, philosophy or world-view that made you change your belief.

Thanks,

Sirona

Hi Sirona,

I became a Baha'i in my mid 20s. I grew up with Christianity but found that many of the Christians I associated with at that time believed Christianity was the only true religion. Growing up and through my studies in medicine I met many wonderful people who were not Christian and from other faiths. I discovered my spirituality and wisdom in Hindu and Buddhist teachings. For me the Baha'i Faith brought together what I had grown up with in Christianity as well as what I had learnt through the Dharmic faiths.

Best Wishes
Adrian