This page lists frequently asked questions and provide brief answers. The answers are meant to stimulate conversation rather than be exhaustive. If you are interested in discussion any of these topics, please contact us.
What is God?
The supreme being, creator and sustainer of all things. The essence of God is unknowable to us but we get to know Him (no gender implied) by observing and acquiring His attributes such as love, generosity, knowledge, wisdom, compassion, etc.
How can there be a God when everywhere there is injustice and pointless human suffering?
The short answer is that we humans have free will. We shouldn't blame God for humans acting in disobedience to His guidance. Also, there are forces of nature that seem to act with great injustice with no regard for the innocent. We are assured that God's mercy will compensate for any injustice many times over. Seen in the eternal picture, God's bounty showers upon us. He is the most Merciful.
What is religion?
Religion is the teachings from God as given to us through one of the Manifestations of God. If you look at the evolving Wikipedia article on religion, it basically suggests that anything that people come up with is a religious belief. This is unhelpful and confusing to people. The sad fact is that the pure teachings of the Manifestations of God, like old clothing, eventually get worn out by humanity which injects its own ideas and eventually the original teachings are hard to find. In due time, the guidance is renewed, not by a human reformer (although well meaning people try), but by a new Manifestation of God. Baha'u'llah is the latest One and brings the timely guidance that the world needs today. He explains that there is One Cause of God, eternally in the past, eternal in the future. Religions, as we call them, are as chapters in one great book of God. Shouldn't we read the latest chapter of the book?
Why should I follow a religion when religion seems to cause so much war, hate and disunity?
There is no question that followers of some Faith's denominations have repurposed it for their own selfish ends. There is a terrible history of wars and injustices. Consider however that religion is the chief civilizing force of humanity. Humanity has never been without the guidance of God. We see many examples of the transformation of civilization directly traced to a Manifestation of God's healing remedy. We would have no civilization without this guidance. The Good comes from God. The disappointing actions are man's vain imaginings. The benefit to us as individuals and as society comes from abiding by the true, pure teachings from the Manifestations of God.
Do you seriously think people will achieve peace?
Yes. It is God's will for us. We are on the path towards it but it will take all of us. It will grow slowly rather than spectacularly appear all of a sudden. First we must establish justice universally and not just for the lucky few. True justice is based on recognition that all humans are created equal. It requires education for all; alleviation of poverty; abandonment of deeply rooted prejudices. The rest will follow from universal justice. The real question we can all ask is: will I, personally, spend my limited time on earth working for justice, equity, equality, unity and peace, or will I preoccupy myself with selfish undertakings? We have good reason to have hope and to strive for the betterment of the world.
Every religion has splintered and it seems like religion is incapable of creating unity. Why do you think the Bahá’í Faith will succeed in unifying the world when religion can't maintain its own unity?
It is true that all the past world religions have fractured. Most have split into about 100 sects/denominations. Christianity has split, according to some religious scholars, into over 45,000 denominations, each with different views and interpretations of the Message. Your comment is obviously valid and implies an important observation. Whatever is aiming to create unity must itself be unified. Splits occur because people inject their own variations onto the original pure teachings. Once this happens, no human-led reform movement will restore the pure teachings, and so God sends a Manifestation of God to us with a greater measure of truth and the guidance needed specifically for the healing of our individual and collective ills and for the transformation of society that it might achieve the next level of civilization. The Bahá’í Faith is protected from splintering by the Covenant of Bahá'u'lláh. He explicitly appointed a Center to whom all Bahá’ís should turn in case of needing further explanation, who in turn appointed successors to carry on in a unified direction: the twin successors of the Guardian (Shoghi Effendi, d.1957) and the Universal House of Justice. Individual Bahá’ís are free to develop their own views and interpretations, and share them, but cannot insist on them. The only authority in the Bahá’í Faith is Bahá'u'lláh, by His writings, and in writing that authority is extended, as explained. Individuals have no authority. This explains why the Bahá’í Faith cannot split. This does not mean people can't try to cause a split, but based on the sacred writings it is easily seen as vain human imaginings and destined to die out quickly. Although Bahá’ís have their own personal views, the Universal House of Justice provides direction for the Bahá’ís of the World toward the vital work needed for the healing of the ills of our world and the betterment of society.
Why should I look at the Bahá’í Faith when I have already accepted Jesus Christ and he said no-one comes to the Father except through me (Jesus)?
A long conversation made short: because He said to be watchful for another. "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come." John 16;12-13. Baha'u'llah is the Spirit of Truth and says to us those things that Jesus longed to share but had to hold back because we were not ready. Today, we are ready. Shall we ignore Him or recognize Him and respond to His additional measure of Truth? In John 14:28 is written " I go away, and come again unto you". He has come again. A similar saying can be found in all the world religions, e.g. in Buddhism: "I am not the first Buddha who came upon Earth, nor shall I be the last. In due time, another Buddha will arise in the world - a Holy One, a supremely enlightened One, endowed with wisdom in conduct, auspicious, knowing the universe, an incomparable leader of men, a master of angels and mortals." Baha'u'llah is the fulfillment of the mesianic expectations of all the world religions.
What can we do to overcome racism?
A very long conversation made short: we need to start by recognizing the oneness of humanity. All are created by God as equals no matter the color, physical characteristics, gender, place of birth, lineage, social status, wealth, etc. We must eliminate any prejudices within ourselves. We must keep the oneness of humanity in mind with every thing we do, every word we say, every decision we make. Act with justice. Be fair. Be the promoters and well-wishers of people who are different. This is just a start, but a good one. Another is to be real friends with people who do not look like you. Lots more actions beyond these.
How do we bring the full equality of women and men into reality?
Another very long conversation made short: we need first to recognize that women and men are, and always have been, equal in the sight of God. We must teach our children this at an early age. Within the family, the children should see this truth in action, that one parent is not domineering another, that all voices are heard fairly, that no-one is treated as inferior, and most certainly that violence has no place. What we learn in the family setting carries over to other settings, eventually to the workplace and to world affairs. Behaving this way in the home should be mirrored outside the home. We can't live a lie but must act coherently with our beliefs. This is a start.
How do you hold elections?
Bahá’í elections are amazing. It is by secret ballot and plurality of votes. Electors are Bahá’ís in good standing age 18 and up. Campaigning or any form of electioneering or nominations is not permitted, not even discussing who you voted for afterwards. Elections are conducted by Institutions of the Faith. People vote for whichever people possess the qualities needed for the position, which means, there is an obligation to get to know the people in your community. The elected members are responsible to God for how they carry out the role, not to the electors. The role is not a position of power but of service to the community and is a labor of love. Local elections: 9 Bahá’ís are chosen, age 21+ to serve on the Local Spiritual Assembly (LSA), annually. Unit convention: a number set by the National Spiritual Assembly are chosen, age 21+ to serve as (a) delegate(s) to the National Convention and becomes part of the body which elects the National Spiritual Assembly (NSA) and consults on national issues, annually. LSAs and NSAs are typically elected during Ridvan, end of April. Once every five years, members of the National Spiritual Assemblies convene in Haifa to elect the membership of the Universal House of Justice from male Bahá’ís in good standing, age 21+. It is not yet known why this is limited only to men but it is made clear that women and men are equal, and so it is due to other factors which will become obvious in time and is the only such instance in the Bahá’í world. This election of the Universal House of Justice is the first truly global and democratic election, and free of all the despicable practices which have become part of the elections of the world. There are also elections for the Regional Bahá’í Councils in those countries which have them. The numbers vary and in USA the election is held so that results can be announced on the Day of the Covenant.
How can I become a Bahá’í?
Becoming a Bahá’í is a personal decision between you and God. When the intellect is satisfied and the heart is moved, becoming a Bahá’í is simple. There is no ritual. You can just say you want to be Bahá’í, that you understand at least somewhat Who is Baha'u'llah, that He has brought guidance and laws for how we should live coherent lives, etc. By becoming a Bahá’í you are joining a worldwide community of people working towards making the world a far better place and it is a privilege to work with all these conscientious souls. The efforts of one person is like adding a drop. Millions of Bahá’ís working together in every part of the world combine drops into streams, and rivers. These are amplified by Bahá'u'lláh to become much more than what we bring individually. We would all love to have you join us. In Boise to become a Bahá’í, simply contact us. Elsewhere in USA become a Bahá’í. Elsewhere in the world, go to the national website for your country or to the International Bahá’í website on the resources page.
Here's some more questions organized thematically:
Core Beliefs & Concepts
What is the Bahá’í Faith? An independent world religion emphasizing the unity of God, religion, and humanity, teaching that all major faiths come from the same God and share the same eternal truths. The Bahá’í Faith brings guidance specific to our time period, like a divine prescription written to address the illnesses of today's humanity. Who is Baha'u'llah? The promised One for this age anticipated by all the world religions, a Manifestation of God, bringing guidance for humanity's current stage of development. Is there just one God? Yes, Bahá’ís believe in one God so great that His Essence is beyond our comprehension and thus unknowable. He is revealed to us through the Manifestations of God (like Moses, Jesus, Muhammad, Baha'u'llah) Who He sends to us from the heaven of His will. What is the purpose of Life? To know and worship God, develop spiritual qualities, and contribute to the betterment of the world. What one word comes to mind in the Bahá’í Faith? Unity. It is a central principle, aiming for unification of all people, religions, and nations, achieved through reason and shared spiritual foundations such as justice and reciprocity and the development of a shared vision for the harmonious future of life on earth.
Practices & Organization
How can you have no clergy? The Faith is guided by democratically elected bodies of nine adults (Local and National Spiritual Assemblies, Universal House of Justice) with no priests or pastors. Individuals, the community and these institutions work together for spiritual growth and health of all. How do you worship? There is individual prayer and meditation. Communal gatherings include Devotional Gatherings and a Devotional portion in the community Feast every 19 days. When conditions require, a Bahá’í center is rented or acquired for a community. Until then, individual homes are used for these gatherings. What are the Houses of Worship? Often called Temples or Houses of Worship, these are most correctly called Mashriqu'l-Adhkárs (Dawning Places of the Mention of God). They are all constructed with nine-sides, symbolizing that many paths lead to God. Nine is also the numerical value of the word Bahá' and of course the highest single decimal number. They are open to people of all faiths. The purpose is to provide a collective center for worship and service, which must operate together. What is your Holy Book? The Kitáb-i-Aqdas (Most Holy Book) is preeminant among the sacred Writings. Generally, the sacred Writings are authored by Bahá'u'lláh and His forerunner, the Báb, both of Whom are Manifestations of God. Bahá'u'lláh wrote or dictated approximately 6 million words of Revelation, about half in Arabic and half in Persian. The Bab left us with approximately 5 million words of Revelation, about 90% in Arabic and 10% in Persian. The son of Bahá'u'lláh, named 'Abdu'l-Bahá, was authorized by Him to be the interpreter of the Word (among other important things such as being the Center of the Covenant of Bahá'u'lláh to protect the Faith from schisms and to be the perfect Example of living the Bahá’í life), and so those writings are also very important, considered as having authority, but not holding the same status as the sacred Writings. Likewise, guidance written by the Guardian (Shoghi Effendi) and the Universal House of Justice is given authority by 'Abdu'l-Bahá who appointed them his twin successors. Today, the Universal House of Justice flawlessly guides the development of the Faith.
Social & Ethical Teachings
Can Science & Religion be harmonized? These are seen as two wings of one bird, complementary paths to truth, requiring harmony. Without two functional wings, how well can a bird fy? What about Faith and Reason? Both the heart and mind must be fully engaged as we practice our Faith. Logical, scientific approaches should not be discarded but embraced in all aspects. How important is equality of Women & Men? It is a core principle. It does not mean women and men have identical roles in all matters. It does mean one should in no way be regarded as inferior to the other. World peace cannot be achieved without applying this principle in human affairs. What is the attitude toward the environment? Stewardship of the Earth is a spiritual duty. Nature is the expression of the will of God. We must live harmoniously with nature. Some people act as though material prosperity is the only thing that matters. Happiness does not result from this. True prosperity is multi-faceted and must include spiritual development, not plundering the environment at grave cost to future generations.
Common Questions & Doubts
Proof of God or Bahá'u'lláh? These are addressed through rational inquiry, spiritual experience, and the transformative power of the teachings, not just physical proof. The mind and heart must both be satisfied. Although it is easy to produce many proofs of the existence of God, none of these proofs are sufficient to satisfy the doubter. It is an easier matter to prove the validity of the Manifestation of God. This is a long topic. Feel free to inquire further. But you are encouraged to look at the course called "God and His Manifestations" at BoiseLearns.org. It provides 10 hours of course study to thoroughly answer this question. What is heaven & hell? These are viewed as spiritual states of nearness vs. farness from God, rather than physical places. It is also viewed as a continuum rather than all or nothing in one state or the other. Nearness to God is being like Him, being rich in His virtues such as love, compassion, kindness, generosity, etc. Farness from God is having poorly developed virtues. In that state, what is left are the qualities of our lower animal-like selfish nature. We are all somewhere between the two extremes of zero and perfection in each of the great virtues of God.
