Quite a thread!
A couple points not covered but I think still needing comment.
About the Baha'i Faith not having sufficient affinity for the belief systems of other religions, specifically
reincarnation as an example.
The Baha'i Faith accepts the divine basis/origin in the form of the Founders of these religions as well as the general thrust of the Scriptures They revealed. Some scriptures exist in highly verified form today and others have essentially disappeared leaving just pieces and bits. One thing to beware of in this venue is the Baha'i affirmation of scriptures vs the interpritations layered upon the scriptures across the years of it's presense among us.
Now to the extent that reincarnation is based in the scriptures, Baha'is have a view on the topic. To the extent reincarnation is the product of interpritation elaborating on scripture then Baha'is do not feel bound by it.
A simple way to point to how Baha'is accept the idea of something like reincarnation is what we call "return". Baha'is beleive, especially in the context of the times and circumstances of the Founders of religion but not only then, in a return of the past. People take up similar roles and are refered to as such in scripture. Situations repeat with scriptural references to times before when the same thing happened. These are not mere accidents.
A similar examination could be done for Karma.
As for the question of a
tyranny of a dominant religion and or government across the planet....
It is true that as an obscure religion the Baha'i Faith has not been in a position to wrestle with the host of society and religion uniformly has a bad track record we are at the hind end of long centuries of the history of. Additionally some beleivers in some religions see reason to fear the idea based on their understanding. Some even view the simple mechanism of such a large organization as inhernetly tyrannical.
With regard to the first - religions initially did much to bring order and harmony to groups of people previously even at war with eachother. It's hard to note that as such periods are on the far side of hundreds or thousands of years and of cultures and societies far removed from the present. That religions fell into traps of tyranny is a product of processes of history. And becoming aware of that history can form a strong influence in not repeating that history. History can be evolutionary afterall - we go from city-state, to nation-state, to empire, to federalism and similar forms as we also go from monarchy to democracy. That evolution is not done. It helps to have explicit scriptures referring to such dangers and ever more clearly holding up the values and virtues necessary for not becoming tyrranical, as well as a mechanism to keep the authority of religion becoming bent to other purposes. For reference to those values I would refer people to the history of the Baha'i Faith in matters of
racism and
sexism (for some examples.) One of the great problems in this regard was to resolve a difficulty about leadership. Religion is unquestionably about individual transformation, which means individuals achieve spiritual ascendency. And religions so admire this condition that they seek to have occurances of it become the means for it's leadership. A cult of individualism can result. Or the mechanism of choosing this leadership can be bent towards other influences than promotion of spiritual values. But attachment to these individuals is not necessary to ensure spiritual leadership - religions have never been just about individual transformation. They have all engendered a social context for it's followers. If a religion ultimately only succeeded at individual transformation then it would disappear and would never become a norm of society. However such social structures as included in religion have more or less basis on their scripture. If you review the religions, just as there is an evolution in the world's forms of government, there is an evolution of the forms of administration in the religion. Reviewing the salient features of the Baha'i Faith in this regard might be well worth the time for those who fear a theocracy.
As for the fears based on the warnings of scripture, well the Baha'i Faith variously deals with these scriptural references by pointing them mostly to history - sometimes farther back in history than some are likely to find believable but some surprisingly close to the present, widely known, but not recognized for what they were. A post about this is available in the Baha'i section and is commended to those interested. The point is that until we learn the lesson of such warnings, we are going to suffer the results of our choices not following the path of God.
As for the practical problems of running such a large scale administrative structure without inherently falling into tyranny.... Again, humanity is evolving. Here's an interesting quote to think about from 1936:
"A mechanism of world inter-communication will be devised, embracing the whole planet, freed from national hindrances and restrictions, and functioning with marvelous swiftness and perfect regularity." Shoghi Effendi -- 11 March 1936
as posted here. I suggest this is an example of how humanity is continuing to grow and change. Indeed these changes will change what we consider normal, even as we continue to struggle with human nature and human education. I wouldn't say the full form envisioned is inhand, but clearly something unthinkable, well perhaps not unthinkable for some, in 1936 has come to the fore albeit we are still trying to figure out how to use it.
All of these issues aside, we are not to suppose that the administrative order is not incapable of tyranny. There will be occurances - there almost certainly have been some as well. But rather than focusing on the exceptions which should be remedied as best as possible ( as opposed to those who take personal liberties to extremes and then claim abuse at being censured) the shear scale of the growth in addressing the issues aught to bear some respect. Consider the abuses of the past when ignorance or shear paucity of values led to wars and genocides. Then suppose that we can do not only better but *so* much better! Of all the human failings, the most grievous is apathy! Sometimes Christians note that their influence in the world is rather in the solution not tried, rather than it failed. I would suggest this is somewhat true (though also tthe depths of history lost to most these days) - and that God isn't waiting for humanity but adjusting to the chosen history, rather than only holding out for what was possible. Mankind is making progress, albiet an inch at a time. For every inch we march onward, God blesses our actions much more. But to not make a step, to refuse the guidance of the Spirit, there is reason it is the unforgivable sin which can only be surpassed by resignation or the choice of faith.
