The Baha’i Faith and Modernity
Baha’ism says “it has God’s newest revelations and is appropriate for today’s world”. Therefor, all Bahá’i commandments and teachings should be “appropriate for the people living in today’s world” and should be “accepted by the mainstream of people” since it is “a school of thought that believes in harmony of science and religion”.
Bahá’is interaction with some of its followers
Good sums of people have been shunned in the past 50 years in the Bahá’i community.
Ostracism (ex-communication) punishments have no compatibility with modernity; the essence of modernism is based on human freedom, emphasizing on plurality and diversity, and utilizing tools of science, experience and technology to facilitate life and securing human rights.
Division of businesses and specialization of methods and social institutions are to solve the problems of life as well as economic and civil developments thus punishments such as ostracism (ex-communication) does not comply with the meaning of modernity, because it forcedly deprives a man of his (her) spouse, children and/or friends with whom he/she have lived for a long time, just because of his/her thoughts.
Some other Bahá’i commandments
Further exploring into some other Bahá’i commandments such as
- not to shave the hair,
- not to have long hair,
- stigmatizing the thief,
- burning arsonist,
- setting gold cash penalty for the adulterous,
- travelling to Israel only with the permission of the House of Justice,
and other commandments in Bahá’i organization, show that Bahá’i commandments hardly adapt to today’s world necessities.
In the modern world, interfering with the people personal or social affairs is not acceptable because it restricts their freedom.
Bahá’i literature
The main context of Bahá’i book’s literature and language hardly comply with today’s literature. Even for a fluent Persian spoken one, it is still very hard to understand Bahá’i texts [1]. It would be even harder for a foreigner to understand.
Some other Bábi-Bahá’i commandments
Bábi:[1]
- Except The Book of Bayán written by Mirzá `Ali Muhammad Shirázi, no other books should be taught.
- Other than Bábi books, all books should be effaced and burned.
- Usage of drugs is unlawful and prohibited.
- Marriage with other than Bábis is prohibited.
- The necessity of having children by Bábis, even illegally!
- Other than Bábi people, no one has the right of ownership.
- All worshiping and sacred places, except that of Bábis should be destroyed.
Bahá’i:[2]
- All people other than Bahá’is are animals and are not human.
- People who are opposing Bahá’u’lláh and Baha’ism are bastards.
- Bahá’i women cannot be the member of House of Justice.
- Everyone opposing the House of Justice is punished by ostracism (ex-communication) and will therefore be prohibited to communicate with his family (after already being shunned by the Bahá’i society) and is also deprived from his/her right to vote.
- All Shi’a Muslims are polytheist and are subject to polytheist verdicts.
- Avoidance of scholars who are opposed to Baha’ism.
- Every arson, should be burned as well.
- Bahá’is do not have the right to bring their litigation to the court, they should propound it inside their organization.
So let us know what do you think about ‘Baha’ism and the new modern world’?
[1]. An example of a Bahá’i written by `Abdu’l-Bahá:
جزئیّات این کیفیّات تمدّنیّه در ممالک سائره مراراً و کراراً تجربه گشته و فوائدش درجهء وضوح یافته که هر اعمای غبیّ ادراک نموده . حال چشم اعتساف را بسته بنظر عدل و انصاف باید ملاحظه نمود که کدام یک از این اساس محکم متین و بنیان حصین رزین مباین مقتضیات حسنهء حالیّه و منافی لوازم خیریّهء سیاسیّهء ایران و مخالف صوالح مستحسنه و منافع عمومیّهء جمهور است ؟ آیا توسیع دائرهء معارف و تشیید ارکان فنون و علوم نافعه و ترویج صنایع کامله از امور مضرّه است زیرا که افراد هیئت اجتماعیّه را از حیّز اسفل جهل باعلی افق دانش و فضل.