Baha'i Membership Status

[Awaiting_the_fifth]

I have noticed on a number of threads in this section, references to central baha'i membership lists and membership cards and the like. I am wondering, why is it necessary to be officially accepted as a 'member' of the faith in order to share these beliefs and call onesself a baha'i?

Is it possible to be a baha'i without being accepted by the Universal House of Justice or National Assemblies?

 

[smkolins]

You are probably comparing being a Baha'i with being a Christian or most other religions. One simply believes.

But if one investigates the Baha'i scripture it is more than moral guidance. It speaks of institutions, voting, decision making and so on. This provides for membership - we cannot know when we have a majority decision until we can count and measure when a majority is reached for example.

And as may be surmised from other posts, there are those who don't accept aspects of the Baha'i Faith - their presense in decision making meetings are inherently disruptive as they question first principles while we're trying to decide how much rent to pay or whether we can marshal the resources for a class to teach children, and so on.

Additionally just as most religions there are contributing to the Funds of the religion. But only Baha'is can contribute to Baha'i Funds - we cannot accept money from governmental or personal or company sources. Thus the buildings we build, the books we print, and so on, are paid for by our own contributions. If a non-Baha'i wishes to give money we may accept but have to keep track of the money specifically and send it to some neutral humanitarian cause.

Generally these are all requirements in our Scripture. So a full implimentation of our Scripture requires some measure of identifying who is and is not a Baha'i.

One could ascribe to one or another moral teaching or other issue as taught in the Baha'i Faith, but that's not the same thing.

 

[arthra]

I have noticed on a number of threads in this section, references to central baha'i membership lists and membership cards and the like. I am wondering, why is it necessary to be officially accepted as a 'member' of the faith in order to share these beliefs and call onesself a baha'i?

Is it possible to be a baha'i without being accepted by the Universal House of Justice or National Assemblies?

Our administration is a part of our Faith... similar in some ways to the "church" or "meeting" for Christians but maybe in a more defined way.

I think historically if you consider the Baha'i Faith and how it evolved it is based on recognition of the Manifestation of God for this age Who for us is Baha'u'llah... this recognition implies that we also accept there are certain laws to be obeyed and institutions that are to be accepted.

We also acknowledge all the interpretations and principles that were set down by Abdul-Baha and the Guardian before Him and all these are based on the revelation of Baha'u'llah.

In it's history there were those who attempted to attack our Faith from the outside as well as those who wanted to subvert it from the inside...They attacked the Faith by trying to set up their own "authority" or organization.

The Institutions such as the Local Spiritual Assembly, the National Spiritual Assembly and the Universal House of Justice are elective and established bodies foreseen during the Ministry of Abdul-Baha and established later by His grandson Shoghi Effendi and form the character and direction of our Faith.

At each juncture of our history such as at the passing of Baha'u'llah there were those who attacked the Faith by rejecting Abdul-Baha... later after the passing of Abdul-Baha there were those who rejected the appointed Guardian of our Faith Shoghi Effendi and after the passing of the Guardian there were those who attempted to assume Guardianship for themselves and make their claims. The Universal House of Justice was elected in 1963 and has administered the Faith since that time and Baha'is accept this body as having authority for us. There are those who oppose our administrative order and would rather have the Faith on their own terms but they are not recognized by the vast majority of Baha'is.

 

[BruceDLimber]

I am wondering, why is it necessary to be officially accepted as a 'member' of the faith in order to share these beliefs and call onesself a baha'i?

Is it possible to be a baha'i without being accepted by the Universal House of Justice or National Assemblies?

It is theoretically possible to be a Baha'i without becoming a member, yes, but it is also in part pointless.

The reason for this is that the Baha'i community is a vital part of being a Baha'i, and cutting oneself off from it serves no useful purpose.

Further, if one is not an enrolled member of the Faith, much more is lost: Only a registered Baha'i can:
- attend the Nineteen-day Feast, the most important regular meeting held by Baha'is,
- attend Convention and certain other special meetings,
- vote in Baha'i elections,
- be elected to the various Baha'i administrative bodies,
- contribute to the Baha'i Funds (contributions from non-member are neither solicited nor accepted).

Briefly, the Baha'i Faith is a joint, unific process, and there is no virtue in wilfully isolating oneself from the life and functionings of the Faith and not participating in this fostering of unity and mutual spiritual aid.

Peace,

Bruce

 

[diamondsouled]

Howdy,

Baha'u'llah had this to say about being a person of Baha':

Every receptive soul who hath in this Day inhaled the fragrance of His garment and hath, with a pure heart, set his face towards the all-glorious Horizon is reckoned among the people of Baha in the Crimson Book. Grasp ye, in My Name, the chalice of My loving-kindness, drink then your fill in My glorious and wondrous remembrance.

(Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 220)

There is no mention here of a administerial body that a person of Baha' needs turn their face to.

As Shoghi Effendi clearly spelt out the administration of the Baha'i Faith is to be conceived of as an instrument, a tool , a means, not an end in itself:

"I need not dwell upon what I have already reiterated and emphasized that the administration of the Cause is to be conceived as an instrument and not a substitute for the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh, that it should be regarded as a channel through which His promised blessings may flow, that it should guard against such rigidity as would clog and fetter the liberating forces released by His Revelation."

(Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha'u'llah, p. 9)

"It is surely for those to whose hands so priceless a heritage has been committed to prayerfully watch lest the tool should supersede the Faith itself, lest undue concern for the minute details arising from the administration of the Cause obscure the vision of its promoters, lest partiality, ambition, and worldliness tend in the course of time to becloud the radiance, stain the purity, and impair the effectiveness of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh."

(Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha'u'llah, p. 9)

Abdu'l-Baha' often spoke of the fact that a person could be a Baha'i and have not even heard of Baha'u'llah. In doing this I believe He was pointing to the spiritual reality of being a Baha'i. Being a Baha'i at heart is more than putting one's thumb print or signature on a piece of paper.

If a person truly regards all of humanity as being 'as soul' with themselves, if you are a Buddhist and regard all of humanity as one, even if the soul aspect is not a part of it, then I would say that under Baha'u'llah's understanding you have fulfilled the purpose for all scripture, the purpose for all religion. This identity transcends Baha'iness or Buddhistness, it transcends all names.

As I stated in another post the Baha'i Administrative Order has rendered Baha'i membership meaningless. Howso? Through counting over two million individuals in India who still consider themselves to be Hindu as Baha'is, through counting hundreds of thousands of individuals in the West as Baha'i even though they have had no active addresses for those individuals for several years and those individuals would be unlikely to answer that they are Baha'i on a census.

Abdu'l-Baha' well understood the spiritual reality of Baha'i identity:

"Know this; the Kingdom of God is not in any Society; some seekers go through many Societies as a traveller goes through many cities till he reach his destination. If you belong to a Society already do not forsake your brothers. You can be a Bahá'í-Christian, a Bahá'í-Freemason, a Bahá'í-Jew, a Bahá'í-Muhammadan. The number nine contains eight, and seven, and all the other numbers, and does not deny any of them. Do not distress or deny anyone by saying 'He is not a Bahá'í!' He will be known by his deeds. There are no secrets among Bahá'ís; a Bahá'í does not hide anything."

(Abdu'l-Baha, Abdu'l-Baha in London, p. 97)

" He will be known by his deeds. "

It is through a persons character and behavior that their spiritual identity can be seen. A persons professed beliefs do not distinguish them spiritually what does distinguish them are their actions, their words, their deeds.

If a person accepts the reality of the oneness of humanity and lives in a manner befitting that truth they are of the people of Baha' in both Baha'u'llah's and Abdu'l-Baha's eyes.

The inclusivity of belief in the oneness of humanity makes all distinctions drawn through race, ethnicity, gender, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, as well as religious or philosophical interpretation, fall away. This is the most great unity. That unity which transcends all lesser unities of self interests, even the lesser unity of the self interests of the Baha'i Faith.

This is the spiritual reality of Baha'i identity.

There is only us, we are them, 'as one soul'

Yours

Larry Rowe

 

[smkolins]

Howdy,

Baha'u'llah had this to say about being a person of Baha':

Every receptive soul who hath in this Day inhaled the fragrance of His garment and hath, with a pure heart, set his face towards the all-glorious Horizon is reckoned among the people of Baha in the Crimson Book. Grasp ye, in My Name, the chalice of My loving-kindness, drink then your fill in My glorious and wondrous remembrance.

(Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 220)

Indeed.

"The first duty prescribed by God for His servants is the recognition of Him Who is the Dayspring of His Revelation and the Fountain of His laws, Who representeth the Godhead in both the Kingdom of His Cause and the world of creation. Whoso achieveth this duty hath attained unto all good; and whoso is deprived thereof hath gone astray, though he be the author of every righteous deed. It behoveth every one who reacheth this most sublime station, this summit of transcendent glory, to observe every ordinance of Him Who is the Desire of the world. These twin duties are inseparable. Neither is acceptable without the other. Thus hath it been decreed by Him Who is the Source of Divine inspiration."

"My supreme obligation, however, of necessity, prompteth me to guard and preserve the Cause of God.... Unto the Most Holy Book every one must turn and all that is not expressly recorded therein must be referred to the Universal House of Justice. That which this body, whether unanimously or by a majority doth carry, that is verily the Truth and the Purpose of God himself. Whoso doth deviate therefrom is verily of them that love discord, hath shown forth malice and turned away from the Lord of the Covenant. By this House is meant that Universal House of Justice which is to be elected from all countries, that is, from those parts in the East and West where the loved ones are to be found, after the manner of the customary elections in Western countries such as those of England."

So as I said - being a Baha'i means more than just following moral exhortations or delving into one's heart to find peace and holiness, however much the world needs these and other things. The mechanism crafted for the work needs structure and protection from confusion and enimical ideas that might be fashionable or just self-serving.

 

[diamondsouled]

Howdy Steve,

My beliefs to do with the "superstructures" of religions in relationship to the spirit or "original intention" of religion come from the Words of Abdu'l-Baha'.

As Abdu'l-Baha' states, in His quotes which follow, in order for religion to be a cause of friendship, in order for religion to illume humanity: "we must investigate the original intention". As well He makes it clear in the following quote that it is not the lesser unity of self interests which will be productive of unlimited results but adherance to the most great unity, that unity which transcends all such self interests, even the self interests of the Baha'i Faith.

It is only adherence to the most great unity, that unity which transcends all self interests that will be productive of unlimited results, that will usher in the Most Great Peace. His continues to explain why lesser unities have had no great results.

The degree of inclusiveness that is implied by Abdu'l-Baha's concept of the most great unity transcends any exclusivity that lesser unities have used in the past as an excuse for the division of humanity. As Baha'u'llah said we are all "as one soul". Until we accord ourselves in a manner that is befitting of this truth both the most great unity as well as The Most Great Peace will remain only lofty ideals. This stands as true for all Baha'is, as well as their institutions, as it does for every other human being on this planet.

There is only us, we are them, 'as one soul'.

Yours

Larry Rowe

"Thus religion which was destined to become the cause of friendship has become the cause of enmity. Religion, which was meant to be sweet honey, is changed into bitter poison. Religion, the function of which was to illumine humanity, has become the factor of obscuration and gloom. Religion, which was to confer the consciousness of everlasting life, has become the fiendish instrument of death. As long as these superstitions are in the hands and these nets of dissimulation and hypocrisy in the fingers, religion will be the most harmful agency on this planet. These superannuated traditions, which are inherited unto the present day, must be abandoned, and thus free from past superstitions we must investigate the original intention. The basis on which they have fabricated the superstructures will be seen to be one, and that one, absolute reality; and as reality is indivisible, complete unity and amity will be instituted and the true religion of God will become unveiled in all its beauty and sublimity in the assemblage of the world."
(Abdu'l-Baha, Divine Philosophy, p. 161)

"The unity which is productive of unlimited results is first a unity of mankind which recognizes that all are sheltered beneath the overshadowing glory of the All-Glorious; that all are servants of one God; for all breathe the same atmosphere, live upon the same earth, move beneath the same heavens, receive effulgence from the same sun and are under the protection of one God. This is the most great unity, and its results are lasting if humanity adheres to it; but mankind has hitherto violated it, adhering to sectarian or other limited unities such as racial, patriotic or unity of self-interests; therefore no great results have been forthcoming. Nevertheless it is certain that the radiance and favors of God are encompassing, minds have developed, perceptions have become acute, sciences and arts are widespread and capacity exists for the proclamation and promulgation of the real and ultimate unity of mankind which will bring forth marvelous results. It will reconcile all religions, make warring nations loving, cause hostile kings to become friendly and bring peace and happiness to the human world. It will cement together the Orient and Occident, remove forever the foundations of war and upraise the ensign of the Most Great Peace. These limited unities are therefore signs of that great unity which will make all the human family one by being productive of the attractions of conscience in mankind."
(Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'i World Faith - Abdu'l-Baha Section, p. 257)

 

[smkolins]

I do not dispute 'Abdu'l-Baha, but no quote exists in isolation. These quotes must exist in harmony with other quotes and taking any quote to extremes will derange the point for which it was made.

"O ye beloved of the Lord! The Kingdom of God is founded upon equity and justice, and also upon mercy, compassion, and kindness to every living soul. Strive ye then with all your heart to treat compassionately all humankind—except for those who have some selfish, private motive, or some disease of the soul. Kindness cannot be shown the tyrant, the deceiver, or the thief, because, far from awakening them to the error of their ways, it maketh them to continue in their perversity as before. No matter how much kindliness ye may expend upon the liar, he will but lie the more, for he believeth you to be deceived, while ye understand him but too well, and only remain silent out of your extreme compassion."

 

[diamondsouled]

Hello Steve,

It is true that no quote exists in isolation. It is as well true that Baha'is are encouraged to quote the Teachings when discussing their personal interpretations, beliefs and views.

I completely agree with Abdu'l-Baha' that:

" in the world of existence two persons unanimous in all grades [of thought] and all beliefs cannot be found. 'The ways unto God are as the number of the breaths of [His] creatures' is a mysterious truth, and 'To every [people] We have appointed a [separate] rite'* is one of the subtleties of the Qur'án."

(Abdu'l-Baha, A Traveller's Narrative, p. 91)

The diversity implied in what Abdu'l-Baha' has alluded to in the above should not be seen or used as a barrier to unity.

The diversity of belief within the Baha'i Faith should not be seen or treated as a threat, but as the Divine asset it is. An asset which if honored will foster the reconciliation of all religions.

The fact that the Universal House of Justice has not only treated the diversity of belief of Baha'is with suspicion but out right hostility shows that they are out of tune with the spiritual reality which Abdu'l-Baha' alludes to in the above quote.

There is only us, we are them , 'as one soul'.

Yours Larry

 

[smkolins]

Hello Steve,

Trivial thing that it is, I do actually prefer Steven.

The diversity of belief within the Baha'i Faith should not be seen or treated as a threat, but as the Divine asset it is. An asset which if honored will foster the reconciliation of all religions.

"Thus, for that they move on these three differing planes, the understanding and the words of the wayfarers have differed; and hence the sign of conflict doth continually appear on earth."

It shouldn't be counted on, but neither should it be ignored. People get hurt and people do the hurting. We need more than good thoughts.

The fact that the Universal House of Justice has not only treated the diversity of belief of Baha'is with suspicion but out right hostility shows that they are out of tune with the spiritual reality which Abdu'l-Baha' alludes to in the above quote.

You can have no (infintismal) grasp of the general diversity the House has overseen in the community. Few people really can be. Glaring possibilites with half told stories cannot be a basis of even handed examination, and you cannot have one. You could have, but you've left this Faith instead. It would have been a hard road to walk, and asked much of you in the realm of respect and care. But you chose another path. There is no reason now the records would be available to you if you made a sound case to see them.