Ritual minimized if the Baha'i Faith:
Postmaster said:
The Baha'i faith doesn't have any ritual practises? This is ancient and not valid for today’s society in your view? I gather that salvation from intellect and reading the holy scriptures of the Baha'i faith is the one of the most important parts of the faith. Since probably salvation comes through reason in your view. Whereas in my religion, Greek orthodoxy as you know rituals is a big part of the faith, we even kiss our Icons, Cross ourselves etc. My concern with the Baha'i faith is people with learning difficulties or a handicap, or people not being able to read at all wouldn't be able to really find salvation through the Baha'i as easily as they would with Christianity, since a big part of our salvation comes from our rituals. As this is a universal expression of love, devotion and faith that God understands.
Greetings Postmaster!
It's been awhile since we've "talked"... I recall your interest in our Faith from a year or so ago.
I think there are a lot of people who feel conforted by the rituals they feel comfortable with. You may know also I'm sure that rituals are one of the things that seem to separate many people from each other....
Years ago I was visiting the Cathedral of Mexico City with some other touristas and there was quite a scene because one of them refused to have anything pit her head to visit the various Saint shrines along the inside of the walls. Well she happened to be Jewish and refused to abide with this "ritual".
There are many other examples that I'm sure you are aware of...such as different ways children are baptized in different churches and whether we kiss the ring of a potentate or whether we kneel to a passing cross or whether the host is raised and what place this occurs facing the congregation or away from it. I could go on as you know...
But in the Baha'i Faith, ritual has been reduced to a minimum anbd we have no professional priests or mullas who have an interest many times in guarding these rituals and how they're performed. My view is that rituals are kept to a minimum so that we can not be distracted by petty issues about rituals and which ones are correct or which are the most sanctimonious and so on. Unity is the keynote of our Faith and since ritual is one of the things that seem to have divided people this is probably why it is minimized in our Faith.
In the same regard though Baha'is are not insisting that Greek Orthodox Churches destroy their ikons or not observe their ceremonies...that is we are not iconoclasts. But once someone becomes a Baha'i it is expected that they will eventually adopt a Baha'i style of worship or prayer...
You might yourself want to visit a Baha'i Centre someday and see how Baha'is worship and pray.
You asked about people with learning difficulties and handicaps in the Faith and I can assure you that of those people I've met with handicaps are most certainly accepted as Baha'is and valued. They don't have to kneel or stand nor are they asked to do anything physically in our Faith... They can just be who they are and we see the soul of the believer before God regardless of how defective or limited the physical body is. A few years ago I personally knew a blind lady who was secretary of her community and did a very commendable job...She used braille also to take notes and translate them.
Baha'is in our gatherings can be handicapped and say "Allah'u'Abha" and give praise and worship along with any of the most physically fit and be considered for the highest elected positions in our Faith or appointive ones! Everyone has capacities in the New Day to respond to the Revelation.
- Art
