Bahai 4
eventually disappeared from the scene.
In the early 20th century Baha’i missionary efforts began to take hold in Western lands. Abdul Baha himself was able to personally promote the Baha’i Faith in Egypt, Europe, England and America after the Turkish revolution of 1908 made Akka’s political prisoners free. Abdul was especially successful in the United States, where he received a warm reception and good press coverage in 1912. He was invited by Mrs. Hearst of the publishing family, which assured heavy and favorable coverage. Abdul traveled the United States for 7 months.
SHOGHI EFFENDI
Abdul Baha died in 1921 and, by a directive in his will, was succeeded by his grandson, Shoghi Effendi, who ruled until his death in 1957. Abdul Baha had appointed his grandson to be the first Guardian of the cause of God, and Shoghi Effendi made full use of the authority vested in him, demanding absolute obedience and excommunicating all who, in any manner, questioned him. Virtually all of Abdul Baha’s family, including his wife and Shoghi Effendi’s own parents and brothers and sisters, were eventually counted among the excommunicants. It must be noted that loving one’s own family is depicted in the Bible as one of the most basic commands of God. The consistent inability of Baha’u’llah and his descendants to love members of their own family when conflicts of ambition arose hardly confirms the reliability of the exalted claims they made and make for themselves.
Shoghi Effendi’s leadership was characterized by an organization emphasis. He worked at establishing the local and national spiritual assemblies. He also appointed Twenty Seven Hands of the Cause, out of which was to be formed the House of Justice; this in accordance to a stipulation in Abdul Baha’s will, would be headed by the Guardian of the cause or someone appointed by him. The Guardianship was to be passed on from father to firstborn son, or to another son if the firstborn was not worthy. These were to be appointed in the Guardian’s will.
However, Shoghi Effendi died childless and never wrote a will. As a result, confusion reigned among the Hands of the Cause as to who would succeed the Guardian until they finally determined that there would be no Guardian. Instead, the movement would be democratically ruled by the nine member House of Justice, the members of which they appointed at that time. This decision was accompanied by the (now traditional) internal conflict, and a splinter group was formed which appointed its own Guardian.
The “Hands'” ignoring of Abdul Baha’s injunction concerning the Guardianship was only one in a series of violations of previous injunctions which began with Baha’u’llah himself. Baha’u’llah claimed to be a Manifestation, thus violating the Bab’s appointment of Subh-i-Azal. In turn, Abdul Baha violated provisions in Baha’u’llah’s will that Abdul’s brother Mizra Muhammad Ali should succeed him when he appointed his grandson Shoghi Effendi, instead. Shoghi Effendi ignored the command of Baha’u’llah that a will must be written in order to avoid squabbles over leadership, and he also violated Abdul Baha’s provision that he should appoint a successor in his own lifetime “that differences may not arise after his passing.” Since appointments and wills were supposedly inspired by God, Baha’i history is filled with “inspired” violations of “inspired” injunctions.
MAJOR TENETS
The doctrine of Divine Manifestations is the central plank of Baha’i theology. Through this doctrine Baha’is are able to take seemingly amiable positions toward members of the major world religions, for each of their founders were manifestations of God and thus each religion has a measure of truth. On the same premise Baha’is draw converts from other religions, for, they insist, the other religions were for other ages while the religion of Baha’u’llah is for today. To follow it in no way will conflict with one’s native faith, for there is truly only one faith in mankind’s history, best represented now by the Baha’is.
Though the recognized Divine Manifestations represent just about every conceivable world view (Monotheism through Moses and Jesus, polytheism through Krisna, Agnosticism through Buddah, and dualism through Zoroaster), Baha’is insist that they are actually united in purpose and teaching. The spiritually initiated see beyond the apparent differences. In fact, Baha’u’llah warned that anyone who saw even the slightest possible difference between their words and messages would be guilty of disbelieving and repudiating God.
Among world religions, probably only Buddahism (in its ORIGINAL form) and Confucianism are less concerned with man’s relationship to God than Baha’ism. The Baha’is are concerned chiefly with man’s relationship to man, as evidenced by the Baha’i thirteen “principles” which denote social and political concerns rather than religious. In volume 13 of “THE BAHA’I WORLD”, we read: “It is the avowed faith of Baha’is that this Revelation has established upon earth the spiritual impulse and the definite principles necessary for social regeneration and the attainment of one true religion and social order throughout the world.”
This understanding that the purpose of the current revelation is SOCIAL regeneration is the reason Baha’is brush aside the Christian emphasis upon PERSONAL regeneration as being irrelevant to the present age.
Baha’is follow a number of religious laws and observances. Included among these are daily prayer, an annual period of fasting, monogamy, and marriage only by consent of all living parents. Divorce is permitted after a one year waiting period. Parents are under religious obligation to educate their children, education being a KEY WORD to Baha’i. Use of alcohol and narcotics is forbidden, as is cremation.
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