Bahai Faith

First off I will say I know little to nothing on this religion. I just ask for patience. Clearly my old faith was shaken after I joined ATS not right away though- just in the last day or so. I still believe in the One God the creater.

But once Kacen showed me the link I didn't have time at first but I did save the link to my favorites. (Been so busy helping my aunt clean up for company tommorrow)

The part that I'm so proud of is people coming together without hatred.

The Bahá'í Faith is a religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in 19th-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind. There are around six million Bahá'ís in more than 200 countries and territories around the world.

Having trouble with the link
Look up Bahai faith





[edit on 10/10/2007 by Leyla]

Wow, I am impressed.. what can I say?

A religion that recognizes all the prophets of God, emphasizes the unity of God and man as well as man with himself, and stems from Esoteric Sufism/Shia Islam. I particularly like the "Seven Valleys", it is so true in the journey. I'd say I've just left the Valley of Search and am entering the Valley of Love pretty hardcore.

The Seven Valleys was written around 1860 in Baghdad after Bahá'u'lláh had returned from the Sulaymaniyah region in Kurdistan. The work was written in response to questions posed by Shaykh Muhyi'd-Din , a judge, who was a follower of the Qádiríyyih Order of Sufism.[1] About the time of writing to Bahá'u'lláh, he quit his job, and spent the rest of his life wandering around Iraqi Kurdistan.[2]

This work has been called by Shoghi Effendi his "greatest mystical composition",[3] and in the West was one of the earliest available books of Bahá'u'lláh, first translated directly to French in 1905, and English in 1906.[4]

In its introductory section Bahá'u'lláh refers to new age beginning with a cycle of time beginning called a Kull-i-Shay' using metaphors of the Hindu end times expectations of a Golden Age arising from age of darkness: the creation of all things (lit. Kull-i Shay') in this black and ruinous age. It is also used in the Will and Testament of the Báb as well as in other Bábí contexts[1]

The Valley of Search

The valley of search is described as the first step that a seeker must take in his path. Bahá'u'lláh states that the seeker must cleanse his heart, and not follow the paths of his forefathers. It is explained that ardour, and patience are required to traverse this valley.

The Valley of Love

The next valley is the "Valley of Love" and in this valley the seeker is compared to a moth who has found a flame. Bahá'u'lláh writes that the heart of the seeker is touched, and the seeker has fallen in love with God.

The Valley of Knowledge

The knowledge referred to in this valley is the knowledge of God, and not one based on learning; it is explained that pride in one's knowledge and accomplishments often disallows one to reach true understanding, which is the knowledge of God. It is explained that the seeker, when in this valley, begins to understand the mysteries contained within God's revelation, and finds wisdom in all things including when faced with pain and hardship, which he understands to be God's mercy and blessing. This valley is called the last limited valley.

The Valley of Unity

The next stage is the valley of unity, and it is explained that the seeker now sees creation not by its limitations, but sees the attributes of God in all created things. The seeker, it is written, is detached from earthly things, is not concerned with his own self and has no ego; instead he praises God for all of creation.

The Valley of Contentment

The next valley for the seeker is the valley of contentment, where it is explained, that the seeker becomes independent from all things, and even though he may look poor or is subjected to suffering, he will be endowed with wealth and power from the spiritual worlds and will inwardly be happy. Happiness is explained to be the attribute of the true believer, and it cannot be achieved by obtaining material things, since material things are transitory.

The Valley of Wonderment

In the valley of wonderment the seeker, it is written, is struck dumb by the beauty of God; the seeker becomes conscious of the vastness and enormity of creation, and discovers the inner mysteries of God's revelation. Being led from one mystery of creation to the next, it is explained that the seeker continues to be astonished by the works of God.

The Valley of True Poverty and Absolute Nothingness

The final valley is the valley of true poverty and absolute nothingness and it is the furthermost state that the mystic can reach. The seeker, it is explained is poor of all material things, and is rich in spiritual attributes. It is explained that it is the state of annihilation of self in God, but not an existential union: the essences of God's self and the mystic's self remain distinct, in contrast to what appears to be a complete union in other traditions.

I am ordering this book asap!

[edit on 10/11/2007 by runetang]

It's such a wonderful religion.

And in Iran they are persecuted and killed because Islam doesn't know how to handle a post-Islamic religion; they hate them for the same reason Sunnis and Shiites hate each other.

So sad...the world would be a better place if this replaced Islam, really.

So true, I wish Baha'i replaced Islam as well.

Unfortunately, I think Islam is a part of God's plan.

It all started when Abraham had a son through one of his maids, Hagar an Egyptian women, and she bore his firstborn son with his wife's approval since she didnt think she could get pregnant.

Then once Hagar had the baby, Abe's wife got very jealous, and attacked Hagar. Abraham intervened, and his wife told him to exile Hagar and the firstborn son, Ishmael.

They went eastward into Arabia, and just when Hagar thought they were going to die from lack of water, she went ahead and placed the boy a distance away so she would not have to see him die, and a well magically sprung up right there where they were. It is there to this day, its called the zamzam well. Thus obviously Ishmael's descendants were in God's direct plan and if they were not God may not have intervened. Who knows. God said something to the effect of, "I will save the boy, and make of him a great nation. He shall set himself against all men." And tradition is that Ishmael grew up to be an accomplished hunter and father of the Arab people.

Abe's wife has a second son, Isaac, and its a big miracle from God because his wife supposedly couldnt bare children. Isaac goes on to be the Father of the Jewish people through his descendants.

So even Arab Muslims are Semites, they're Semitic, and hating Arabs based on their race is also anti-Semitism. But hating them based on their religion is not. I personally feel that God saved Ishmael and his descendants and made the Arab peoples who fathered the Islam religion to be the army which attacks Israel from all sides as written in the Apocalypse of John, or Revelation as its known. Well I gotta leave it there I gotta run for now, talk to you later!

Originally posted by runetang
So even Arab Muslims are Semites, they're Semitic, and hating Arabs based on their race is also anti-Semitism. But hating them based on their religion is not. I personally feel that God saved Ishmael and his descendants and made the Arab peoples who fathered the Islam religion to be the army which attacks Israel from all sides as written in the Apocalypse of John, or Revelation as its known. Well I gotta leave it there I gotta run for now, talk to you later!

Yeah, Jewish people are genetically the same as Arabs they just have light skin because they've been in Europe for so long.

*sigh*

Sorry I would have posted this email I got earlier but I had company.

The email-

"Your message to "The Baha'is" Web site was received and forwarded from our International Office of Public Information to our National office. We are delighted to hear from you and thank you for your inquiry.

Your desire to "see people coming together without fear and have peace in their hearts" is indeed like a dream, but one which Baha'is believe is within humanity's reach. Unity is the pivot round which all the teachings of the Baha'i Faith revolve, and since its founding in 1844, more than five million people of virtually every background and country have been united in their belief in the oneness of God, the oneness of the human family, and of all religions as having one divine source. The Baha'i Faith is recognized as the second most geographically widespread religion in the world, and for the first time ever in religious history, has been protected from being divided into various sects and schisms by clear guidance given in the pen of the Founder Himself, Baha'u'llah.

There are numerous passages in the Baha'i Writings glorifying Jesus, such as the following:
"Jesus Christ established the religion of God through love. His sovereignty is everlasting. Christ was a Savior."

Baha'is believe that Baha'u'llah (1817-1892) fulfils the paradoxical promises of Christ's return "in the Glory of the Father" and as a "thief in the night." This is a grand claim, and one which Baha'u'llah appeals to individuals to investigate with a searching heart and mind. The Bible warned against false Prophets, and also advised: "Ye shall know them by their fruits."

That the Faith was founded in 1844 relates to numerous Christian prophecies. Baha'is note, for example, that central Africa was finally opened to Christianity in the 1840s, and that event was widely seen as fulfilling the promise that Christ would return after "the Gospel had been preached 'to all nations.'" In Baha'u'llah's teachings Baha'is see fulfillment of Christ's promise to bring all people together so that "there shall be one fold, and one shepherd."

To read more about the Baha'i view regarding Jesus Christ, we encourage you to visit

www.bahai.us...

To learn more about the Baha'i Faith in general, we encourage you to visit our national website at

www.bahai.us...

and our international website at

www.bahai.org...

periodically, as they are frequently updated. For information on general and specialized Bahá'í publications, Baha'i Sacred Writings, and music, you may contact

www.bahaibookstore.com...

Thank you for your inquiry. We welcome you to explore the Baha'i Faith and join our worldwide community in worship and service to God and a united humanity.

Warmest regards,

Office of Baha'i Information


(I didn't include the numbers you can find them on the site nor did I include my real name.)

Hello? (echo's) lol

Come on is that it? No one cares to add to this? You can add your imput as long as you don't derail the thread.

Jesus is acknowledged, hailed, but the followers of Bahai are not told that they must accept him as their personal savior. Jesus said this. We must personally accept him, and acknowledge him as the son of God, to receive the keys to the gates.

I believe this is deceitful.

Originally posted by depth om
Jesus is acknowledged, hailed, but the followers of Bahai are not told that they must accept him as their personal savior. Jesus said this. We must personally accept him, and acknowledge him as the son of God, to receive the keys to the gates.

I believe this is deceitful.

...maybe Jesus was uh wrong?

If I get any deeper I will insult all religions. I hate religious debates so much yet at the same time I sinfully crave conflict. I'm defending an unrealistic thing against an equally unrealistic thing since one unrealistic thing is better for the world than the other unrealistic thing and annoys me far less, yet both unrealistic things contradict each other in one slight way oh what a dilemma. *sigh*

[edit on 10/12/2007 by Kacen]

Originally posted by depth om
Jesus is acknowledged, hailed, but the followers of Bahai are not told that they must accept him as their personal savior. Jesus said this. We must personally accept him, and acknowledge him as the son of God, to receive the keys to the gates.

I believe this is deceitful.

I will look deeper into this. But perhaps the Bahai members did this already but taking it a step further in unity. They know that Jesus died for their sins. Maybe this is the next level.. I'm pacing myself in learning this so I won't be overwhemed. Believe me I don't want to get snagged by a false doctrine.

Even the divorce can't take place until a year is up and the couple couldn't resolve their differences.


[edit on 10/12/2007 by Leyla]

Originally posted by Kacen

...maybe Jesus was uh wrong?

Hehe. I prefer to say maybe Jesus got mistranslated or his words got a lil twisted through the grapevine you know what I'm sayin'

Gotta keep that Church off your shoulders, I mean dirt.

Originally posted by runetang

Originally posted by Kacen

...maybe Jesus was uh wrong?

Hehe. I prefer to say maybe Jesus got mistranslated or his words got a lil twisted through the grapevine you know what I'm sayin'

Gotta keep that Church off your shoulders, I mean dirt.

Yeah thats what I meant. .__.;

Gotta be careful.

my thing is with Baha'i,

if Baha'i ullah claimed to be the second coming of Jesus literally, then I couldn't obviously swing with that. But, if the Baha'i just think he was a symbolic representation, the wording from that email is a bit cloudy in that respect, then I am amazingly close to already and unknowing being an adherant.

I didn't read anywhere that they made that claim.

And wow, look at this. The son of the founder of the Bahai Faith seems to have predicted the sinking of the Titanic!

In the following year, he undertook a much more extensive journey to the United States and Canada to once again spread his father's teachings. He arrived in New York City on April 11, 1912, after declining an offer of passage on the RMS Titanic, telling the Bahá'í believers, instead, to "Donate this to charity." He instead travelled on a slower craft, the S.S. Cedric, and cited preference of a longer sea journey as the reason (Balyuzi p. 171). Upon arriving in New York, he arranged a private meeting with the survivors of the ill-fated Titanic, who asked him if he knew the Titanic's ultimate destruction would occur, to which, 'Abdu'l-Baha replied, "God gives man feelings of intuition".

en.wikipedia.org...

I get little weird intuitions all the time -- I always follow them.

Often but not always they end up being good.

[edit on 10/12/2007 by runetang]

Originally posted by runetang

It all started when Abraham had a son through one of his maids, Hagar an Egyptian women, and she bore his firstborn son with his wife's approval since she didnt think she could get pregnant.

so wrong, so very very wrong....

Abraham was the third son of Terah

According to the Genesis 11, Terah was the son of Nahor, who was the son of Serug, who was the son of Reu, who was the son of Peleg, who was the son of Eber, who was the son of Shelah, who was the son of Arpachshad, who was the son of Shem, who was the son of Noah.

now…..if you look at the Epic of Gilgamesh 2600 BC, it is the same basic story as Noah and so the entire life of Noah is BS, in which means, and proves Noah never existed, check and mate…..



also….The Hidden Empire…..links, very revealing…..

youtube.com... pat 1

youtube.com... part 2

youtube.com... part 3

youtube.com... part 4

youtube.com... part 5

youtube.com... part 6




[edit on 16-10-2007 by andre18]

Originally posted by andre18
so wrong, so very very wrong....

Abraham was the third son of Terah

According to the Genesis 11, Terah was the son of Nahor, who was the son of Serug, who was the son of Reu, who was the son of Peleg, who was the son of Eber, who was the son of Shelah, who was the son of Arpachshad, who was the son of Shem, who was the son of Noah.

Lol. How am I wrong? You just corroborated EXACTLY what I said. All you did was fill in the pointless family history stuff that goes back beyond Abraham. Clearly even you state Abraham was Terah's son, which was so n so, and so n so's son, etc.

The point is, when Abraham becomes relevant in Genesis, his two sons are Ishmael and Isaac. And what I said is exactly what is written in Genesis. Ishamel's mother was named Hagar. Isaac's was named Sarah, Matriarch of all Jews. Hagar was indeed exiled with her young son Ishmael while he was just a boy BY Sarah, before she birthed Isaac, out of jealousy. It is written, go double check it man.

now…..if you look at the Epic of Gilgamesh 2600 BC, it is the same basic story as Noah and so the entire life of Noah is BS, in which means, and proves Noah never existed, check and mate…..

Right, most Biblical stories not involving practicing jews pre-date the Jews. They picked up these Babylonian stories, these Sumerian stories, during the Exile to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar, and when released, brought the stories back to Jerusalem and kicked out the Samaritans. 666 even comes from Babylonian "Divine Mathematics" where the numbers 6, 60, and 600 were the three most important, and used to make all calculations of the skies.

also….The Hidden Empire…..links, very revealing…..

Don't believe every conspiracy you hear or read, you'll get a parking violation and a maggot on your sleeve. So shave your face with some mace in the dark, spending all your food stamps and burning down the trailer park.

Originally posted by runetang

Don't believe every conspiracy you hear or read,

dude...........how can you tell me you've watched it... and still don't believe it......it makes complete and utter sense.