AN EXAMINATION OF BAHA'I MORALS

The Baha'i faith is a relatively new world religion. It claims to be revealed by Jesus and Muhammad and Moses and Krishna and other alleged manifestations of God. Its addition to these figures is Baha’u’llah. Abdu'l-Bahá his son was his successor. The faith regards their religious teachings as infallible and from God.

Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era: An Introduction to the Bahá'í Faith is the book we are consulting. It is written by J. E. Esslemont.

Meat-eating is permitted (page 98) even though it is plainly evil when it concerns the higher animals except for a grave reason. At least it is not commanded as it is in the Bible by God which is worse!

Enjoyment is allowed (page 98). This is for a bait for since we are to love God alone it is a sin to take pleasure in anything for it is not embracing God alone.

Gambling is contrary to the Baha’i religion because of the bad consequences it can have (page 99). Bad consequences were not worried about when the religion advocated martyrdom and absolute truthfulness.

Baha’u’llah and Abdul’s powers were probably natural enough when they could heal a person in the next continent by praying for them (page 104). You could say your prayers were responsible for healing cured people you never cured or met or prayed for at all.

Abdu’l encouraged his followers to go to the worship services of other religions. That is good for God not Satan is worshipped (page 115). But this is assisting something that promotes heresy. And the fact remains that Jews and Christians adore a God of blood and core sacrifices who wanted innocent girls stoned for adultery. Adulteresses are innocent for they did not deserve that. And what about the falsely accused girls? Satan is not the point! Worshipping a bad God is worse than honouring the Devil.

What is held in common cannot justify overlooking what is not held in common. The other religion has some truth and one would be supporting that truth better by treating it as a heretical religion reminding it that you don’t agree with everything it says rather than be doing nothing even for a day. Islam and Christianity both believe that idolatry is devil-worship though it is not meant to be – meaning that God deliberately lets the Devil get the worship and answer the prayers to idols instead of simply making nothing hear or answer the prayers. God is a devil-worshipper when he does that for his so-called nemesis.

The religion says that certain truths are unchangeable and that others which deal with practical life change for different eras need different things (page 117). Abdu’l said that Jesus abrogated the Mosiac Law of cutting a person's hand off for stealing for it was not useful in his day. That is not a believable assertion. Jesus’ world was not different from Joshua’s when such savage laws were practiced. It reduces morality to whatever most people think is right.

He said that what you have has to be shared and you may have to give your life for others but you should not be made to do any of this (page 135). But he agrees with the law of the land compelling so why does he not agree with the law forcing you to die for others when it is best, when it is your duty?

Abdul asserted that vengeance is bad for it is returning wrong for wrong (page 145). He said that the only difference between one doing wrong and you getting your own back is that the first act happens before the other. This is rubbish for it merely assumes and does not prove that revenge would be wrong. The second act is different for it seeks to pay the person for harming you which is not the same as harming somebody who has not harmed you.

The Baha’i religion permits people to die for their faith and commends them in doing so (page 158). Faith does not come before life. A Baha’i is more sure that a bullet in the head will kill him than he is that his religion is true. The religion is murderous and is characterised by a gross fanaticism.

Monasticism is forbidden for people should busy themselves in doing good work for society according to Baha’u’llah (page 164). But if God exists and prayer works they are doing good work. And what an extraordinary statement from a religion that says Buddha was a manifestation of God for Buddha founded a strict monastic philosophical system.

“We will all, verily, abide by the Will of God”, is a poor marriage vow and that is what a Baha’i wedding essentially consists of (page 165). Parents have to consent to a marriage no matter what age the couple are (page 164). There are thousands of parents who would wreck a son or daughter’s life by withholding consent out of selfishness or spite. It is good if the practice prevents bad relations between in-laws but the couple’s will comes first. The families don’t have to get on but just be civil. Disputes will be somebody’s fault, and Baha’u’llah had a nerve to punish the couple for the trouble that some stubborn person will cause.