newbie baha'i questions

[tigel]

Hey everyone , my name is Joshua, I’m 20 years old and I’ve been spiritual for almost a year (a year this September). I lived nineteen years of being an agnostic, slightly atheist, and just an un-educated, stubborn person. A friend of mine shared the word of God to me through the bible last September in a effort to help me with the worst sin I have ever done in my life. Long story short, I couldn’t forgive myself like I could so easily growing up and I realized only God could. Not only that, but I truly felt God touching my soul.

That December I went to a Christian convention called DCC. The speakers there were incredible and opened my mind to new ideas, but the greatest gift I received was when God broke my heart for the first time. As in, I physically and emotionally felt that. It was honestly the greatest feeling I have ever felt.

I’m trying my best to keep it short and sweet but this past year has been the greatest journey I have ever experienced and I’m excited to continue that journey the rest of my life. I’ve also been baptized in an act of obedience to God, not in any means to get “saved”. I go to a non-denominational church downtown who rents out a ballroom every Sunday. We have currently 150-200 people on a “busy” day. It’s really laid back and we’re all about the belief that “it’s the relationship, not a religion”.

As much as I adore the Christian faith, I have always had doubt. Heck, it’s only made me stronger figuring them out. I haven’t finished the bible, but I keep up on scripture and prayer every chance I get. Since the beginning I have always just focused on my relationship with God. Whether my prayers are to Jesus, or God, or the Father, I have always had the since all were the same through the trinity.

Another “doubt” you would say is I’ve always been open to the idea of One God. What makes me believe this is through spreading the word I just have never understood telling a Buddhist, or Muslim, or Jew, or whatever they’re wrong and I’m right. I just never could, and boy have I been prayed to about this…You could say through my friends and pastor (my pastor is 30 and one of my best friends) I’ve felt guilt because this isn’t what the Christian faith believes in, as far as my church goes.

Anyways, that’s basically everything in the smallest nut shell on the planet. Haha. I say all this, and I’m posting on this very forum because the attraction I feel for the baha’I faith is overwhelming. Last week I just came back from a missions trip in Mexico. We helped around an orphanage and it was a great experience for me. Although I spent most of the day digging a hole for them in 115 degree heat, my heart was always positive and willing. Back at the campus we were staying at we would have chapel, prayer time, quiet time, one-on-one time etc etc. I like to journal a lot and just pray through my words. I also like to meditate in a way? I don’t know, just deep concentration stuff. I wont lie, the only thing on my mind was this concept of One God. When during the day I would be facing so much more “deep” stuff I could have easily been praying, or writing about.. It was always about this idea.

This idea to me, where everyone black or white, male or female, Buddhist or Muslim, whatever it may be, can be united in such love…. Oh man, it’s just beautiful to me J This…amazing.. Truth.. It just fills my heart with joy. If you haven’t noticed, I’m really a big fan of the baha’I faith and everyday I learn more, and read more of Baha’u’llah’s writings that love just gets stronger. This is something new to me. I respect the Christian faith, and it will always be close to my heart because it ultimately is what lead me to God. I have so many question though. I’ve taken some religion classes and we have gone over briefly about the baha’I faith, we even had a speaker come in. So I know some history. I’m also reading the book Gleanings - The writings of Baha’u’llah, so I’m trying my best to educate myself the best I can.

I guess some of the questions on my mind are the “beginner” stuff. I’ve done some research so I know some of the basics, just some things aren’t as clear for me and I guess that’s why I’m here! J

Is there an official religious text? I know there are multiple books on the tablets of Baha’u’llah but I’m just wondering if there’s an “official” book. Kind of like there’s the bible, and there’s books with scripture in it. If that makes sense.

In the above paragraphs where I have done my best to explain WHY I’m attracted to the baha’I faith (unity, One God, etc) are these legitimate reasons? As in, as much as these reasons are on my heart, I don’t want to be…doing it for the wrong reasons you know?

I’m struggling thinking ahead so to speak. I do go to church, and its hard to explain but in my head I’ve gone for that relationship with God, and not the Christian faith. I’ve made some amazing friends of God through church and I’m not sure if me going is acceptable anymore in the baha’I faith . I guess I’m just trying to do it right? I feel I can go to any religious building, worship God, and there’s nothing wrong with that. It doesn’t matter in my eyes if I go to church if ultimately there is One God. At the same time I’m aware of reading the writings of Baha’u’llah is the core scripture to follow. It’s more just recognizing the other faiths than following all of them.. That would get confusing. I more just want all of your opinions on this. It would be greatly appreciated. Also there is NO baha’I center in my area. From networking sites I’m also having trouble finding other baha’I’s in my area. I’m still looking but honestly, I live in the BIBLE belt of the united states so my odds aren’t that great.

Doing missions work is something I cherish in my life. However, I’m curious if there are baha’I missions groups I can be a part of? Possibly 1+year stints… or even short term trips. Better yet, is it even called Missions work? Is it something else? Is it even part of the faith… I honestly have no idea on this topic. Also I should re-phrase what I’m talking about. Not spreading the word type stuff, but more serving and helping others.

I think that’s it for now haha. I have so much more to ask and talk about but I can’t seem to remember the rest right now. That might be a good thing though. I hope I haven’t written too much for you all

[BritishBahai]

welcome

im rushed for time (as usual!) but when i read this part...

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I’m struggling thinking ahead so to speak. I do go to church, and its hard to explain but in my head I’ve gone for that relationship with God, and not the Christian faith. I’ve made some amazing friends of God through church and I’m not sure if me going is acceptable anymore in the baha’I faith . I guess I’m just trying to do it right? I feel I can go to any religious building, worship God, and there’s nothing wrong with that. It doesn’t matter in my eyes if I go to church if ultimately there is One God. At the same time I’m aware of reading the writings of Baha’u’llah is the core scripture to follow. It’s more just recognizing the other faiths than following all of them.. That would get confusing. I more just want all of your opinions on this. It would be greatly appreciated. Also there is NO baha’I center in my area. From networking sites I’m also having trouble finding other baha’I’s in my area. I’m still looking but honestly, I live in the BIBLE belt of the united states so my odds aren’t that great.
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... I immediately thought of the following quote:

All must abandon prejudices and must even go into each others churches and mosques, for in all worshipping places, the Name of God is mentioned. Since all gather to worship God, what difference is there?
('Abdu'l-Báha, Star of the West vol ix, no.3, p.37)

Also, the holy book for Bahais is called the Kitab-Aqdas (pronounced, "ketaab agh-dass") which means 'The Most Holy Book' in Persian

[AdibM]

Hello Joshua! You've had quite a journey! I am elated to know that the fundamental verities of the Baha'i Faith have touched you so deeply. I will do my best to answer your questions.

Is there an official religious text? I know there are multiple books on the tablets of Baha’u’llah but I’m just wondering if there’s an “official” book. Kind of like there’s the bible, and there’s books with scripture in it. If that makes sense.

As BritishBahai said, there is the Kitab-i-Aqdas, which is essentially our book of laws. You can read it online here:

http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/b/KA/

(For future reference, you can read a lot of the works of the Bab, Baha'u'llah, `Abdu'l-Baha, and Shoghi Effendi on that website)

There is also the Kitab-i-Iqan, which Baha'u'llah wrote prior to declaring himself a Manifestation of God in the Garden of Ridvan. It was written in response to questions posed by one of the Bab's uncles, who later converted to the Baha'i Faith. The book's purpose is manifold: it is an apologia for the Babi religion (founded by the Bab); a treatise on theodicy; the formation of Baha'i hermeneutics through allegorical (rather than literal) interpretation of certain verses and images found in holy texts (such as "the stars falling from heaven"); and many other things. It naturally dabbles in Muslim elements, given its background, but it also touches on Christianity as well. You can read it here:

http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/b/KI/

Those two works are, undoubtedly, the most seminal in Baha'i literature.

But I also notice that you are after a very close relationship with God and are also interested more or less in the mystical side of religion, such as meditation. In that case, you will probably enjoy reading what is often considered Baha'u'llah's most mystical work, The Seven Valleys. This is usually coupled with a smaller work called The Four Valleys. They are available together here:

http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/b/SVFV/

In the above paragraphs where I have done my best to explain WHY I’m attracted to the baha’I faith (unity, One God, etc) are these legitimate reasons? As in, as much as these reasons are on my heart, I don’t want to be…doing it for the wrong reasons you know?

I think they are perfectly legitimate reasons. There are so many in the world who feel compelled to be divided from others when they say "your God is false" or "only my God can save you" when they don't realize that this isn't a polytheistic setup - there is only one God. But it's such an elusive truth! I'm sure you know better than I about how many people are inclined to say that there are different gods for different religions.

I don't think there are any wrong reason to join the Baha'i Faith, unless you wanted it for personal gain or to further your own ends or something like that. If it's for spiritual growth and the desire to help mankind, you can't go wrong as long as you steer clear of your ego.

I do go to church, and its hard to explain but in my head I’ve gone for that relationship with God, and not the Christian faith. I’ve made some amazing friends of God through church and I’m not sure if me going is acceptable anymore in the baha’I faith . I guess I’m just trying to do it right? I feel I can go to any religious building, worship God, and there’s nothing wrong with that. It doesn’t matter in my eyes if I go to church if ultimately there is One God. At the same time I’m aware of reading the writings of Baha’u’llah is the core scripture to follow. It’s more just recognizing the other faiths than following all of them.. That would get confusing. I more just want all of your opinions on this. It would be greatly appreciated.

I think BritishBahai hit the nail on the head. We're encouraged to go to other places of worship - go by all means! Just don't participate in any activities which would give the impression that you are a Christian (the Eucharist perhaps?) while you're there. But my family and I have visited all kinds of places - churches of several denominations, a Buddhist temple, and a very large Hindu temple.

Also there is NO baha’I center in my area. From networking sites I’m also having trouble finding other baha’I’s in my area. I’m still looking but honestly, I live in the BIBLE belt of the united states so my odds aren’t that great.

You can try to find some Baha'is in your area through this contact form:

http://contact.bahai.us/SeekerResidency.aspx

Or you can call this number: 1-800-22UNITE (1-800-228-6483)

Doing missions work is something I cherish in my life. However, I’m curious if there are baha’I missions groups I can be a part of? Possibly 1+year stints… or even short term trips. Better yet, is it even called Missions work? Is it something else? Is it even part of the faith… I honestly have no idea on this topic. Also I should re-phrase what I’m talking about. Not spreading the word type stuff, but more serving and helping others.

Yes, there is a word for this in Baha'i terminology: pioneering. You move elsewhere on your own accord, either temporarily or indefinitely, to teach the Baha'i Faith and help out in other ways. It can be more defined than that, though. A friend of mine recently returned from pioneering in Swaziland for about a year; he was helping out with a Baha'i school there. I also know another pioneer who went to China and has been there for 3 years; she is currently teaching English.

You could probably also get a job at the Baha'i World Centre in Haifa, Israel. They do have 1 or 2-year stints called a "Year of Service," where you do various different jobs around the centre. I intend to do mine after I'm done with my undergraduate studies (19 in about a month). Here's a relevant webpage on this:

https://bahai.bwc.org/service/

I hope you find what you're looking for, Joshua! Godspeed.

Adib

[tigel]

Dang BritishBaha you're good

Thanks so much for that. Something I have noticed with the bahai faith compared to christianity is how specific baha'u'llah's writings are to MY life. Where as when I read the bible, verses were more general and vauge. Which isn't a bad thing by any means, some scripture speaks to me in ways I can't put into words. I just REALLY, really like how detailed baha'u'llah is. I don't know, just something on my mind

Again, thanks so much.

AdibM, thanks for all the links. I do have a question, I've been surfing the internet and even trying to search here on this very forum; but I'm not finding anything on pioneering opportunities. I'm finding lots of information on it, just no specifics on how to apply, or sign up etc. Also from what I've read, it seems like pioneering is more for older, college graduate, possibly teaching degree'd adults? Am I wrong? I'm looking for a possible way of dedicating my time to a community and also to God at a personal level to ultimately improve my relationship with Him. Is Pioneering what I'm looking for? I just can't say seeing I'm 20, a junior in college, and also extremely new to the baha'i faith.

As for the world centre, oh my gosh, that sounds just wonderful. I think when I clicked that link I got goose bumps thinking about it. I honestly would LOVE to do something like that. My only concern is, it doesn't say it's a "requirement" but should I have X amount of years as a baha'i before I even think about doing this? I know the earliest I could go (assuming I applied today, which I'm not hehe) would be a year from now. Even then, is that long enough to be "qualified" to go? I don't plan on going until I have a better understanding of the bahai faith, I don't know when that will be but I'm not going to rush it by any means. I'm more just curious.

I was also thinking, what are some recommendations on getting into the baha'i faith? As in, where should I start, what should I do etc etc. I must say, this is very overwhelming for me, and I know taking it slowly is best. However, having something like a check list to go by would help me I think. I don't want to just jump right in, or maybe I should, I dont know

Anyways, thanks you two for the responses. Thanks for all your help thus far.

[BruceDLimber]

Hi, Joshua, and welcome; it's great to have you here!

I see you've already gotten some good answers so just add a few things more:

There is no single book that's "the Baha'i scripture." Our central figures wrote fully 200 volumes of what is now our scripture (Baha'u'llah wrote about half of these), so we are truly blessed with lots and lots of scripture! The originals were in Persian and Arabic and not everything has been translated into English yet, but the major works are available in English and you can find them both online and at the Baha'i Distribution Service's website.

Gleanings is an excellent place to start, and two other books you might find especially helpful are the aforementioned Kitab-i-Iqan (aka The Book of Certitude), our primary theological work, and Some Answered Questions, which addresses a whole bunch of topics in modern English. (If you're into mysticism, I agree The Seven Valleys will doubtless prove most interesting to you, too.) Again, you can find these online.

You're not only welcome to visit other churches, but encouraged! The Baha'i scriptures say "Consort with the followers of all religions with joy and fragrance!"

I, too, recommend you phone 1-800-22-UNITE to find out where the nearest Baha'is are to you. (There may be some closer than you think!) The folks there can also send you free information if you like.

You don't mention whether you've been on any of the major Baha'i sites or not, but I'll name a bunch more of them below.

A Baha'i of pretty much any age (15 and up) can pioneer! Indeed, I have a good friend who pioneered to Mongolia from the US during summers while she was still in high school! And I know of no particular time requirement or prerequisites for Baha'is who'd like to work at the Baha'i World Center, though you can get a better idea about this by contacting them at: secretariat@bwc.org

Finally, I wish you good hunting, and do keep in touch!

Best regards,

Bruce

- - - - -

For general information about the Baha’i Faith, you can check

• www.bahai.org
• www.usbnc.org
• www.bahai.us
• www.info.bahai.org

To see our scriptures and related materials, including our Peace Statement, Prosperity Statement, Race Unity Statement, and Destiny of America Statement:
• www.ibiblio.org/Bahai (This site has includes a search engine.)
• www.bahai-library.org (Click "Baha'i Writings" for our scriptures.)
• www.reference.bahai.org (This site is multi-lingual.)
• www.bahaistudy.org (This also has videos and talking books.)

To use OCEAN, an online collection of the scriptures of many religions, with a searchable concordance:

www.BahaiResearch.com

There's an excellent group of informal discussion areas about the Baha'i Faith at:

www.planetbahai.org (click "Messages").

For information on how the Baha'i Faith has fulfilled prophecies:

http://bci.org/prophecy-fulfilled

To view the Baha'i Newsreel:

http://newsreel.bahai.us

To see an online video of the eight Baha'i temples (one per continent) around the world, including the still-under-construction Chile temple:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2FQAQBI0fg

To enjoy Baha’i-oriented music:

www.RadioNur.com

To download and view other Baha'i videos:

http://www.us.bahai.org/media/index.html

In addition to the 1-800-22-UNITE number, you may often find "Baha'i Faith" listings in the White Pages of your phone book.

[someone]

hi joshua!

you sound excited, i am so happy for you. the hunt is so exciting.

i would also suggest the titles that the others have suggested and would ad one more "the century of light" it is a very good summary of the faith written by the house of justice.

there are many more detailed accounts but this summary is excellent.

i don't have much too add but i wanted hit the thread because your search is blinding and i had to give you the thumbs up.

i would also suggest prayer and more prayer. imHo the spirit is afoot and activley inviting you. ask for some help and you will get it.

and as far a s the bible belt well that is where i am and there are plenty of Bahais down here if you know where to look.. call the unite number....

[nharandi]

Hi Joshua and welcome!

I'd like to just jump in and offer my suggestion to read or peruse "Baha'u'llah and a New Era" by J.E. Esslemont. It's a very good introduction to the Faith: its history, teachings, and more.

You can read the whole book or any chapter/section of it here:

http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/o/BNE/

When you asked, after being inspired by Baha'u'llahs teaching of universal love and unity, whether this was a right reason to look deeper into the Faith, I instantly thought of this line from page 71 of the aforementioned book:

When asked on one occasion: “What is a Bahá’í?” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá replied: “To be a Bahá’í simply means to love all the world; to love humanity and try to serve it; to work for universal peace and universal brotherhood.”

Also, Baha'is believe in the unity and progression of God and His revelation. The major world religions are fundamentally the same, while their differences are rooted in only those things that were required by a certain people at a certain time (social/spiritual context). Thus, it makes perfect sense to be excited about a Faith whose teachings feel so relevant. As Bahai's, we recognize that while scriptures of previous revelations are nothing but perfect and completely applicable in their own way, Baha'u'llah is the manifestation of God for THIS day and age, so his writings and teachings bring us what we really need.

I wish you the best on this great journey of yours

[tigel]

wow, thank you all for such a warm welcome and wonderful advice. I've been reading online a lot lately, I've almost finished gleamings. I haven't called the hotline yet because this is still pretty overwhelming. I do have a question though.

I'm getting ready to move to Minneapolis/St.paul, Minnesota area by January of 2010 for college. I'm currently looking for a place to rent out with no luck so far. I was wondering if it would be appropriate to use the hotline as a possible way of finding a home/apartment to live in next year? From friends I've heard the Twin cities has a huge following and I really think I could benefit from having that type of exposure you know? Thus being living with a baha'i family. This would help me spiritually as well. What do you guys think? I don't want to abuse the hotline, as it's a great tool, but I also don't know where else to look. Craigslist? "Inspiring baha'i looking for possible baha'i family to rent from". Sound silly to me. haha. Figured I'd ask here.

[nharandi]

Good to hear from you, Joshua

The hotline probably wouldn't be able to directly help you in that way. Instead, they can offer contact information to Baha'i(s) in the area, who you can then contact and I am sure will investigate for you and/or offer even more contact info. (I must admit, though, I have never called it myself).

Good luck!

[someone]

hey ho

in Georgia we have a list-serve for all the Bahais to use as an announcement tool. about every other month there is somebody asking the very same thing (room mate, college kid needs room)

question: have you made any contact with the Bahais in your area?

it is so hard to connect on the internet, you might find a new friend in your area that you can see, and hear which might help. if you might be able to get that person or persons to help in the your search for help in MSP.

reach out and touch someone

lol