Asked some of my very studied and historically knowledgeable friends about their thoughts on the faith. For one, they alleged that it was propagated by the British empire to establish a “pet religion” to advance their interests in the Middle East and Asia. He also added that there are weird connections between the faith and the theosophical movement.
Regardless of if it’s true or not that there is dark motive in the establishment of this faith (I think that’s nearly impossible to tell), is there any truth too these ideas that the British propped up this religion to further their interest? And what do some of you think about the connections between the Baha’i and theosophy?
For note Jewish populatyion shall remain effectively the same (however slight growth with migration.) and Bahai has slowed in the west, and is still growing in the east (non-west particularly central africa).
I have read a lot of testimonials from ex-baha'is in other sources such as personal pages, Quora and websites in general and it attracted my attention to the fact that the vast majority of them became atheists after leave the bahá'í faith. In a small number some ex-baha'is became spiritualists with no religious affiliation and just a few became christian or buddhist.
I have the impression the progressive teachings of the Faith (auxiliary universal language, global perspective of unity, ponderation over many subjects etc) brings modernity to this religion more than the groups of the past (hinduism, christian, islam etc.) but when you start to discover the macabre actions in the history and in the administration of the bahá'í faith and how noxious is a life dedicated to the bahá'í community, you realize the concept of "divinely guided" is quickly dissolved.
After that, you can't conceive that any religion with more retrograde laws and practices could be divine and the acceptance of nonexistence of any "message from God" to humanity starts to be the most logical.
Any thoughts on this subject?
1- The Bab revealed a series of bizarre laws in the Bayan: The rich should live in a 9 sided house; It's forbidden to read books without permission; reprinting of books after 37 and 200 years; never tear up letters; prohibition on the study of dead languages etc.
2- Many writings of The Bab are crystal clear that his dispensation was expected to last a long time (he reveals laws to sultans and kings who would embrace his faith) as well as he says that the next manifestation only will come after the complete fulfillment of his revelation and laws. Nonetheless, he was killed in the 6th year of his dispensation and Mirza Husayn Ali declared himself "Bahá'u'lláh" 3 years later.
3- The Bab appointed explicitly Subh-i-Azal as his successor and wrote him many tablets blessing his authority and explaining that whosoever opposes him, this would be opposing God.
4- It's no coincidence that none of these tablets (not even the Bayan) were officially translated to English (the translation by scholars are not officially approved) and all that have been published and came up to the public are only the "Selection from the writings of The Bab" and the notes from Shoghi Effendi (that are totally incompatible with the expected in Bab's writings).
5- The Bab allowed his followers to marry a maximum of 2 wives but Bahá'u'lláh disrespected this and married 3 women. Later, his 2nd and 3rd wives and all her sons and relatives were abruptly excommunicated.
6- In the Kitab-i-Aqdas Bahá'u'lláh prescribed death penalty, specially death by burning: "Should anyone intentionally destroy a house by fire, him also shall ye burn."; and ordained to mark the thieves on the forehead: "on the third offence, place ye a mark upon his brow so that, thus identified, he may not be accepted in the cities of God and His countries. Beware lest, through compassion, ye neglect to carry out the statutes of the religion of God" .
7- 'Abdul-Bahá was initially worshiped by bahá'ís as if he was a sort of divinity. This is often seen in the pictures of the first Bahá'í communities where the frame of the Maximum Name is sided with a frame written "Ya 'Abdul-Bahá" in Persian style calligraphy. Due this omission from 'Abdul-Bahá' over the cult of personality of himself practiced by many believers, his brother, Muhammad Ali, started to contest him firmly.
8- Before the passing of Shoghi Effendi, in 1957, the continuity of the Guardianship was totally expected and Shoghi Effendi was often ref
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