Hi I-are-sceptical;
Not sure if you are still checking this thread but I just discovered it and thought I'd try to answer. I've read the thread, but it's still not clear to me exactly what your questions are. If it is: "What is the proof that the Baha'i Faith is false?" then I can't really help you. I don't think this whole thing is about proofs, empirical or otherwise, but others may view this differently. You claim that you have found rational, logical proof that Baha'u'llah's claim is true. If this is so then I don't understand why you need to come here to ask anything else, unless there is something that you are still unsure of. I too was attracted to the Baha'i Faith by its beautiful principles and what appeared to be logic and reason, but then eventually logic and reason lead me right back out. The same beautiful principles, I discovered, are also found in Christianity.
A few other Christians I have encountered have been Baha'is, but their grasp of Baha'i teaching seems to be nonexistant. So I am interested in your viewpoints.
I was a Baha'i for almost five years. I was very active during that time, and read quite a lot. I don't dare say I was deepened, as that kind of maturity takes much longer than five years, but I was serious and committed to the Faith.
At what point did you decide that Baha'u'llah was not a Manifestation of God, and His teachings are not God's Word?
Before deciding that Baha'u'llah was not a Manifestation of God, I first got to a point of doubt, a wedge if you will, that grew larger and larger the more I contemplated it. The point of the wedge was over the loss of admin rights for homosexual Baha'is in relationships. I knew that homosexuality was considered a dis-order by Baha'is but it did not really sink in for a long time that gay Baha'is would actually face sanctions and not be allowed to attend Feast etc. if they obtained a civil union. In itself I might have been able to say, well, that's just how Baha'is do things and no one is forcing anyone to be a Baha'i etc. etc., so what's the big deal. But, the Baha'i Faith does not consider itself just a religion, but the government of God, destined (I know, long long term) to be the state religion for nations and eventually the world. It claims to be the literal Kingdom of God.
Bear with me as I explain. It came to bother me more and more that the government of God is comprised of laws that govern things like personal chastity and clothing and inheritance and the like. And it really bothered me that when it came to things like, why no women on the Universal House of Justice, and why no marriages between people of the same gender, the only answer was "because this is what Baha'u'llah decreed." That was inconsistent with the idea of independent investigation and these are obviously purely faith-based beliefs and practices.
Likewise the election and authority of the Administrative Order. Yes, there is a system of election, but with the prohibition on campaiging, and various other limitations on the method of election, and with the fact that the assemblies and houses of justice are not accountable to the rest of the community, and that there is one single line of authority leading to the UHJ (no real checks and balances), that in actuality the entire system is based upon faith. Now, for Baha'is this may work well, or not, or may for the time being, but to think that it would work for the whole world is not rational and is accepted based upon faith, rather than what logic and experience would dictate.
Finally this lead me to ask what is the Kingdom of God supposed to be all about. I know the Baha'i Faith says that it is building the KOG. So I returned to learning about the Bible and Christianity. Granted, by this time the wedge had penetrated quite deep and I was in strong doubt about Baha'u'llah's claim. Would Christ really return to give us a new book of laws about inheritance and marriage, and would He return to set up a government with a Shariah type system of law? I just could not accept that God would even suggest that burning an arsonist is an acceptable punishment. Could God really say that? If the Kitabi-Aqdas had said it was OK to stone adulterers, would we accept that as the word of God for this day?
And, not only what Baha'u'llah said, but everything written by Abdul Baha, Shoghi Effendi, and now the UHJ...all of it infallible? As an instrument of unity...sure, but infallibe? I could not accept that. Shoghi Effendi could never be more than a man doing his best to guide the faith...he could make mistakes. But if he did those mistakes are there for another 850 years because the line of the Guardians is broken and there will be no living Guardian for at least that length of time.
Yet, the Covenant dictates...if you believe Baha'u'llah is the Return of Christ, then you must also accept, without question, every word of guidance from the Guardian. For me, by this logic, I had to reject Baha'u'llah. It did not make sense that in a religion that espouses independent investigation of truth we must accept as infallible the interpretations of one man, without question, even when it conflicts with reason and compassion.
The KOG is not about a new set of laws. It is not something that can be built. It is something we can enter into now while at the same time looking forward to its fullfillment when Christ returns. Christ was the fulfillment of the Law, Christ is Love. Not a new set of laws, but the commandment to love one another. How could it be anything but to go backwards, to a less mature relationship with God, to have a whole new set of laws binding us? The Bible came out of that early tradition that understands Christ's sacrifice for us, yet Baha'is keep the Bible while rejecting the meaning of the sacrifice. In fact, you really need to completely reject Christianity to accept the Baha'i teachings, in spite of what Baha'is might say.
So, this is getting long, but to sum up I will say that I started to find too many inconsistencies within the Bahai Faith, and all of those answers you find compelling, I found to be too much, too lacking in humility, claiming to know too much and eventually in conflict with each other. It's not that I could say the Baha'i Faith is false, it contains a lot of what I call the "Christ Spirit," a lot of love, and a lot of great people. But, I came to conclude that while it is an instrument of God, it is not the best, it is missing some things, and it does not proclaim the same gospel as Christianity.
Well, should I post this? It took some time to write so I guess I will. I submit this in all humility, not to convince you at all, just to order some of my thinking by answering your question.
Peace,
luna
