The Baha'i Faith
The Bahá'í Faith is the newest of the world's independent religions,
a faith focused on building a just, peaceful and sustainable world—one neighborhood at a time.
Core beliefs
The central theme of Bahá’u'lláh’s message is that humanity is one single race and that the day has come for humanity’s unification into one global society. Bahá'ís believe in:
the oneness of humanity
the common origin and unity of purpose of all world religions
the harmony of science and religion
equality of women and men
the elimination of all forms of prejudice
a spiritual solution to economic problems
the establishment of a world commonwealth of nations
Quotes from wikipedia:
The Bahá'í Faith ( /bəˈhaɪ/)[1] is a monotheistic religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in 19th-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind.[2] There are an estimated five to six million Bahá'ís around the world in more than 200 countries and territories.[3][4]
In the Bahá'í Faith, religious history is seen to have unfolded through a series of divine messengers, each of whom established a religion that was suited to the needs of the time and the capacity of the people. These messengers have included Moses, Buddha, Jesus, Muhammad, and others. For Baha'is, the most recent messengers are the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh. In Bahá'í belief, each consecutive messenger prophesied of messengers to follow, and Bahá'u'lláh's life and teachings fulfilled the end-time promises of previous scriptures. Humanity is understood to be in a process of collective evolution, and the need of the present time is for the gradual establishment of peace, justice and unity on a global scale.[5]
The Bahá'í writings describe a single, personal, inaccessible, omniscient, omnipresent, imperishable, and almighty God who is the creator of all things in the universe.[11] The existence of God and the universe is thought to be eternal, without a beginning or end.[12] Though inaccessible directly, God is nevertheless seen as conscious of creation, with a will and purpose that is expressed through messengers termed Manifestations of God.[11][13]
Bahá'í teachings state that God is too great for humans to fully comprehend, or to create a complete and accurate image of, by themselves. Therefore, human understanding of God is achieved through his revelations via his Manifestations.[14][15] In the Bahá'í religion God is often referred to by titles and attributes (for example, the All-Powerful, or the All-Loving), and there is a substantial emphasis on monotheism; such doctrines as the Trinity are seen as compromising, if not contradicting, the Bahá'í view that God is single and has no equal.[16] The Bahá'í teachings state that the attributes which are applied to God are used to translate Godliness into human terms and also to help individuals concentrate on their own attributes in worshipping God to develop their potentialities on their spiritual path.[14][15] According to the Bahá'í teachings the human purpose is to learn to know and love God through such methods as prayer, reflection, and being of service to humankind.[14]
Bahá'í notions of progressive religious revelation result in their accepting the validity of most of the world's religions, whose founders and central figures are seen as Manifestations of God. Religious history is interpreted as a series of dispensations, where each manifestation brings a somewhat broader and more advanced revelation, suited for the time and place in which it was expressed.[12] Specific religious social teachings (for example, the direction of prayer, or dietary restrictions) may be revoked by a subsequent manifestation so that a more appropriate requirement for the time and place may be established. Conversely, certain general principles (for example, neighbourliness, or charity) are seen to be universal and consistent. In Bahá'í belief, this process of progressive revelation will not end; however, it is believed to be cyclical. Bahá'ís do not expect a new manifestation of God to appear within 1000 years of Bahá'u'lláh's revelation.[17]
Bahá'í beliefs are sometimes described as syncretic combinations of earlier religious beliefs.[18] Bahá'ís, however, assert that their religion is a distinct tradition with its own scriptures, teachings, laws, and history.[12][19] While the religion was initially seen as a sect of Islam, most religious specialists now see it as an independent religion, with its religious background in Shi'a Islam being seen as brown townogous to the Jewish context in which Christianity was established.[20] Muslim institutions and clergy, both Sunni and Shia, consider Bahá'ís to be deserters or apostates from Islam, which has led to Bahá'ís being persecuted.[21][22] Bahá'ís, themselves, describe their faith as an independent world religion, differing from the other traditions in its relative age and in the appropriateness of Bahá'u'lláh's teachings to the modern context.[23] Bahá'u'lláh is believed to have fulfilled the messianic expectations of these precursor faiths.[24]
1 Thessalonians 5:2:
For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
Referenced here is Bahá'u'lláh, the prohphet in the Baha'i Religion. Basically, it is the return of Christ! For I myself am a Baha'i, and believe in it's teachings fully.
FAQ:
Who is Baha'u'llah?
Baha'u'llah is recognized by millions throughout the world as the Messenger of God for this age. The Baha'i Faith is founded on His teachings. Born in 1817 to a prominent family in Iran, Baha'u'llah showed unusual brilliance and spiritual insight from an early age although He wasn't formally schooled. He also demonstrated extreme devotion to helping the poor. Baha'u'llah's given name was Mirza Husayn Ali, but He identified Himself as Baha'u'llah, which means "Glory of God," a title bestowed by His Forerunner, the Bab. Because of His teachings, Baha'u'llah was exiled for 40 years and died in the Holy Land in 1892.
What is the Baha'i Faith?
Founded by Baha'u'llah in the mid-1800s, the Baha'i Faith is among the fastest-growing of the world's religions. With more than five million followers throughout the world, it is the second-most widespread faith, surpassing every religion but Christianity in its geographic reach. Baha'is live in more than 100,000 localities around the world, which reflects their dedication to the ideal of world citizenship.
What does 'Baha'i' mean?
Baha'i means a follower of Baha'u'llah, of or pertaining to Baha'u'llah's revelation.
What does the Baha'i Faith teach?
The Baha'i Faith teaches that there is one God, that all humanity is one family and that there is a fundamental unity underlying religion. Baha'u'llah affirms that this is the age in which world peace will be established. As anticipated in the sacred scriptures of the past, humanity will achieve its spiritual and social maturity and live as one family in a just, global society.
What are some basic teachings of the Baha'i Faith?
While retaining the basic spiritual teachings of all the Messengers of God, the Baha'i Faith brings new social principles relevant to the needs of a global society: the oneness of humanity, equality of men and women, the abolition of prejudice, the harmony of science and religion and the elimination of extremes of poverty and wealth.
Links:
http://www.bahai.org/http://www.bahai.us/So spread the word! The Baha'i faith has come!
