The Baha’i Faith is a new religion founded by Bahá’u’lláh in the late 19th century. It promotes worldwide unity and focuses on social and ethical issues. Baha’is believe in one God and all major religions are one faith. They elect their own Spiritual Assemblies and are persecuted in some countries.
The Baha’i Faith is a relatively new religion. It was founded by Bahá’u’lláh, a self-styled prophet, in the late 19th century. The current governing body of the Baha’i Faith is in Haifa, Israel. Fewer than six million people worldwide practice Baha’i, with the largest concentrations of followers in India (19 million) and Iran (2.2).
The fundamental belief of the Baha’i teachings is worldwide unity, which includes the harmony of religions, society and humanity itself. Baha’is believe in one all-powerful God, who has many manifestations that translate into the many religions established around the world. While each religion has a different concept of God, the Baha’i faith argues that this has mostly to do with cultural differences. For Baha’is, God is one and all major world religions are one faith.
The Baha’i Faith focuses on social and ethical issues, such as gender equality, the elimination of all forms of prejudice, the need for universal compulsory education, and the elimination of extremes of wealth and poverty. The mystical teachings of the Baha’i faith are based on the acquisition of useful virtues and spiritual development, which in turn aids the advancement of civilization. While textual study and prayer are part of the Baha’i faith, doing useful work in everyday life is considered a higher form of worship.
According to Baha’i teachings, begging and asceticism are prohibited. Gambling, drinking and gossip should also be avoided. While the Baha’i faith teaches that sexual expression is only acceptable within the marriage of a man and a woman, openly homosexual people are not barred from entering the religion. As a general rule, Baha’is do not get involved in the private lives of other members and privacy is highly respected. While there are no designated clergy in the Baha’i faith, practitioners elect their own nine-person Spiritual Assemblies to manage the affairs of the faith at the local and national levels. Baha’is are persecuted in Islamic-ruled countries, particularly Iran, prompting the United Nations Commission on Human Rights to issue a statement expressing concern for the safety of members of the Baha’i faith throughout the world.
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