Thu 1 Apr 2010
Problems with Baha’i
Posted by Michael under Baha'i
[4] Comments
I think that I’ve mentioned a few times now that there are some problems with this faith, some issues I have with a couple of things that Baha’is have said and that I have seen in their sacred writings. Because of the nature of the Baha’i faith, the stress it puts on the individuals independent search for truth, progressive revelation, and the need to be in line with scientific discovery, I don’t feel that these are real deal-breakers. At no point did these problems I have make me want to stop practicing, or make me respect Baha’is any less. I will stress this again once I write my final summary on my time with Baha’i, but the overall feeling I got was that the Baha’i faith is concerned for the continued flourishing and spiritual development of humanity. Period. Anything else is window dressing, and anything that gets in the way of this needs to be reflected on and revised. These are some things that, in my opinion, can and do get in the way of that goal:
Discrimination Against Homosexuality
I have no idea why this is even here. Honestly, the last time I investigated the Baha’i faith this threw me for a spin and I’m still not used to it. But it’s here, a blemish on an otherwise beautiful countenance, and so it deserves some words. The fact of the matter is that the Baha’i faith does not recognize same-sex marriage, and actually harbours a fair bit of bias against homosexuality in general. It all stems from a few passages from Baha’u'llah:
It is forbidden you to wed your fathers’ wives. We shrink, for very shame, from treating of the subject of boys. Fear ye the Merciful, O peoples of the world! Commit not that which is forbidden you in Our Holy Tablet, and be not of those who rove distractedly in the wilderness of their desires.1
Ye are forbidden to commit adultery, sodomy and lechery. Avoid them, O concourse of the faithful. By the righteousness of God! Ye have been called into being to purge the world from the defilement of evil passions. This is what the Lord of all mankind hath enjoined upon you, could ye but perceive it. He who relateth himself to the All-Merciful and committeth satanic deeds, verily he is not of Me. Unto this beareth witness every atom, pebble, tree and fruit, and beyond them this ever-proclaiming, truthful and trustworthy Tongue.2
Shoghi Effendi has interpreted this to mean that Baha’u'llah was ordering injunctions against homosexual activities and therefore unions that would endorse such activities.
Bahá’u'lláh has spoken very strongly against this shameful sexual aberration, as He has against adultery and immoral conduct in general. We must try and help the soul to overcome them.
No matter how devoted and fine the love may be between people of the same sex, to let it find expression in sexual acts is wrong. To say that it is ideal is no excuse. Immorality of every sort is really forbidden by Bahá’u'lláh, and homosexual relationships He looks upon as such, besides being against nature.
To be afflicted this way is a great burden to a conscientious soul. But through the advice and help of doctors, through a strong and determined effort, and through prayer, a soul can overcome this handicap.3
From a religion that purports to be dedicated to erasing the boundaries between people as well as bias and prejudice from the individual’s spirit, this is really, really weird. I see no connection between what Baha’u'llah has said in the above passages and what Shoghi Effendi infers. I don’t see how they can get out of this, either. The Universal House of Justice, the head of the Baha’i faith, is unable to change any legislation that it has not enacted, which is to say it cannot go back on anything that was laid down by Baha’u'llah, Shoghi Effendi, or Abdul Baha- the last two being the only ones permitted to interpret Baha’u'llah’s writings. But if Baha’is want to be taken seriously there is no way they can carry on with this kind of doctrine, especially if they wish to jive with science and reunite humanity.
I didn’t bring this up with many of the Baha’is I met because I was scared of what would happen, and that is what is happening right now- I’m getting frustrated and angry, and I really didn’t want that to spoil what have otherwise been amazing interactions with amazing people. This kind of thing- needless and irrational bigotry, really stirs me up.
I mentioned before that I didn’t think that these problems were deal breakers. When I have brought up this issue, the Baha’is I talked to understood that it was a problem, a contradiction, and seemed genuinely flummoxed over how to solve it. They were open to it though, they were not stubbornly holding on to this idea, which tells me that their beliefs in tearing down divisions between us is higher than being fickle over who gets to tie the knot. This is a good sign, a sign that they will not be holding onto this position forever.
Still, it’s just so weird to even see it.
Disrespect to Unbelievers
There is a lot of language in Baha’i writings which suggests or outright states that all good and moral things come from God and God alone, even advances in science and technology are considered to be attained only through the spiritual advancement given to us by God through His manifestations.
The first duty prescribed by God for His servants is the recognition of Him Who is the Daypsring of His Revelation and the Fountain of His laws… Whoso achieveth this duty hath attained unto all good; and whoso is deprived thereof hath gone astray, though he be author of every righteous deed.4
You can see how this has left the unbeliever in the lurch, without God in their life or on their mind, how are they supposed to get about with their day? How are they supposed to navigate history if everything that is good is Godly? Again, we are in weird territory for a religion doing its utmost to bring the world together.
I haven’t had any Baha’is overtly say that atheists are bad people- even though the Baha’i writings tend to communicate that. There is however this sentiment that God is what keeps us in line, His teachings are what helps us to ignore and overcome our animal instincts and behaviors and realize our more spiritual aspects. This is especially true when we are “tested”, when we are presented with moral quandaries or particularly trying periods. Without God or the guidance of His manifestations we may just act on the will of our egos and other selfish desires.
Do I really need to get into this? At this point? Really? I can’t just say the words “Catholic priest” and make all these silly notions that it’s religious study and service that make you a good person just dissolve and be swept away? I realize that I might be nitpicking, I realize that the Baha’is I’ve met wouldn’t judge me like this, but I just can’t help but wonder what they think when they see these things in their religion. It all feels so backwards.
It’s late and I have more to say, but I need to sleep, and I need to post something. I don’t want you all thinking that these are my final thoughts on the Baha’i faith because there are a lot of positive things to say, I’m just so tired.
1. The Kitab-i-Aqdas, paragraph 170.
2. “From a previously untranslated Tablet” it claims to be from the Gleanings of Baha’u'llah but I can’t find it.
4. The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p19.
4 Responses to “ Problems with Baha’i ”
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Hi there, You’ve done a fantastic job. I’ll definitely digg it and personally suggest to my friends. I am confident they will be benefited from this web site….
Your interest in the Bahá’í Faith is admirable. I would, however, encourage you to explore the websites of the Unitarian Bahá’í Association:
http://unitarianbahai.org/
http://www.uubahai.com/
The UBA offers a somewhat different perspective on the Faith than that espoused by the more conservative Baha’i International Community of Haifa and Akko (the numerically dominant form of the Faith).
May your commitment to your journey be a testimony to your life.
(I’m really sorry if the following post is too long, if so just remove it and send me an email – I can post a reduced version instead.)
Hi there, I was really happy to come across your blog, if everyone investigated religions like this I think the world would be a far far better place. Kudos.
Unfortunately I don’t have much time to write a proper reply to this but as a Baha’i I would like to suggest that the word link between the passages of Baha’u'llah above and the interpretation by Shoghi Effendi would be the word “sodomy” and the “subject of boys”, which apparently is a reference to the common practice of that time of older men having sexual relationships with younger boys. Not nice to talk about but I feel it’s necessary in order to see why Shoghi Effendi interpreted it in that way. Also, I think Baha’u'llah is very clear that marriage is between a man and a woman, and that sex is only permitted within the boundaries of marriage.
And about your statement above that the Baha’i Faith will need to accept homosexuals in order to flourish, I’ll give my personal interpretation of that in case it is useful:
I think the fact that homosexuals have been treated with such horrendous and despicable cruelty up to this point has rightly created a very strong counter-movement in society to protect their rights and to make sure they are treated with just as much respect as heterosexuals. I think this is by and large a very good thing, and there are without doubt a huge number of wonderful people who are homosexual – I know a few myself.
However, I think that this cruel oppressive behaviour on the one hand, and on the other hand the strong social reaction against it, have created a false dichotomy, an illusion that there are only two sides to the issue:
a) homosexuality is unnatural and a sin and homosexuals should be shunned and outcast from society, and
b) homosexuality is natural and proper and should be supported.
So when people investigate the Baha’i attitude to this issue, they see that Baha’i law forbids homosexuality, and therefore bundle us together with the first group. However ,the Baha’i view is in fact very different from either of these. According to our writings, Baha’is should love and respect homosexuals in just the same way as we should love all human beings, they are free to become Baha’is as they please, and we should never by any means discriminate against them, in any way.
However, this is not to say that homosexuality is any healthier than drinking alcohol. Both of these things are widely acceptable in society, and yet the Baha’i writings say that we shouldn’t do them, because in the long run, they are harmful to our spiritual health. That’s the essence of the matter I think.
In his Most Holy Book, Baha’u'llah says “think not that We have revealed unto you a mere code of laws”, and in another part says that His laws are the “the lamps of My loving providence among My servants” – they are like lights which illuminate our surroundings and enable us to see clearly, in order that we can make wise decisions which will benefit us and everybody else in the long run. He also describes them as “the keys of My mercy for My creatures”, which has similar implications.
So I don’t think they’re really like the laws of a country, they’re more like natural laws, which we are free to either learn from or ignore – no police will come and get us if we ignore them, but learning about them and working with them is really a lot more beneficial, both for us and for humanity at large.
I meant to write a short reply but I got very enthusiastic and so it’s a lot longer than I expected! Sorry about that, hope it’s not too long.
Anyway, in my experience Baha’is quite frequently get asked this question and will either be very happy to talk about it or will know someone who is. So don’t be scared to bring it up with them, in fact I encourage you to bring up any questions you have at all, I personally find that the times I learn the most about the Faith is normally when I ask the most difficult questions!
That reminds me, in regard to your thoughts on “disrespect to unbelievers”, unfortunately I don’t have time to reply to that, but do ask Baha’is about it, I know some parts of the writings, when viewed in isolation, can give this impressions, but if understood in their proper contexts the overwhelming message is that Baha’is should place themselves _below_ the rest of humanity, to strive to humbly and selflessly serve them without expecting anything in return whatsoever.
So I really wish you all the best on your search and I’m sure it will be very fruitful for you in the long run, regardless of whether you find a religion that you feel is your spiritual home.
Take care, best wishes and Allah’u'abha!
Hi, I completely agree with what Tim has said in his blog. I am a Baha’i and I still have a lot to learn. My advise is to perhaps give yourself the opportunity to do the Ruhi books and perhaps they might clear up some confliction you may have with the writings and believes of the Baha’i Faith. It is the one and only faith and we should try and stay clear of people starting their own VERSION of the Faith…as there can only be the one faith to bring the oneness of mankind together.
I sincerely hope this helps and as Tim has said, you should try and gain the support of other Baha’i in your community to clear any questions that you may have.