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Above: Baha'i Gardens, Haifa, Israel

The Baha'i Faith is an independent World Religion with about 5 million to 6 million followers: mostly in India, Africa, and North America. It is governed by a committee of nine elected MALES (no females) called the "Universal House of Justice" which reside at the Baha'i World Centre in Haifa, Israel.

The Baha'i Faith was founded by a Persian nobleman in 1863, by the name of Mirza Husein-Ali Nari, the son of the governor of the province of Nur (just north of Tehran). He himself as at one time a disciple of another Persian Prophet: Siyyid Muhammad Ali Shirazi: known today as "The Bab". The Bab (bawb) means "Gate".

Muslims reject the concept of any Prophet or Messenger of God arising anywhere after the death of Muhammad in 670 A.D. Muhammad is seen as the Seal/Final/Last of the Messengers and Prophets of God, and the Quran as God's final Revelation to humanity.

Baha'is reject the concept of "Seal of the Prophets" and believe it must be interpreted non-literally (i.e. Muhammad was Seal of the Prophets for his Revelation, not for all time). Baha'is see Messengers of God/Prophets arising about every 1000 years, for as long as humanity exists. They see Baha'u'llah as the most recent, but not last, Messenger of God for human kind.

Baha'is are not Muslims, because they believe the Revelation of Muhammad ended with The Bab, and the Revelation of The Bab ended with Baha'u'llah.

Baha'is refer to Major Prophets as "Manifestations of God" because they "manifest" or "reflect" God's names and attributes.

****THE MANIFESTATIONS OF GOD

Among the Manifestations of God that Baha'is accept as true are:

Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Joseph son of Jacob, John the Baptist, Jesus, Muhammad, The Bab, and Baha'u'llah ( i.e. the Abrahamic Prophets)

The Baha'i Faith recognizes the existence of Prophets before Adam, but they start with Adam since Adam was the first Prophet in a new Prophetic Cycle.

Baha'is also accept the Krishna and Buddhas as Manifestations of God (i.e. the non-Abrahamic Prophets).

****'ABDU'L-BAHA ( NOT A PROPHET)

The Baha'i Faith is based upon the Holy Texts of The Bab, Baha'u'llah, and 'Abdu'l-Baha: the "Central Figures" of the Baha'i Faith: even though 'Abdu'l-Baha (ab-dell baw-haw) is not seen as a Prophet, but something lesser than a Prophet who has a "unique station" that has no name. Baha'is refer to 'Abdu'l-Baha as "The Master" and they keep photos of him in their living rooms.

'Abdu'l-Baha (ab-dell baw-haw) visited France, England, the U.S. and Canada in 1911-1912. He visited Salt Lake City for three days in late September 1912. He tried to enter the Salt Lake Temple but was stopped by guards.

****SHOGHI EFFENDI (THE GUARDIAN OF THE FAITH)

'Abdu'l-Baha appointed his eldest grandson Shoghi Effendi (d. 1957) to be the "Guardian of the Baha'i Faith": sort of like the Baha'i Pope. This line of Baha'i "Guardians" was supposed to continue until about the year 2863 A.D. However, this was not to be, since Shoghi Effendi, although married, had no children. Nor did the couple adopt any. Also, Shoghi Effendi excommunicated the entire family of Baha'u'llah, for various reasons, so no other Guardian could be chosen. Shoghi Effendi was the first and last Gurdian of the Baha'i Faith. He left thousands of signed letters called "Directives".

Shoghi Effendi was NOT a Prophet, but probably a "Seer" because he prophesied of the Holocaust, the State of Israel, and the Internet long before these things became realitties.

****UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE

The "head" of the Baha'i Faith is an elected council of 9 men called "The Universal House of Justice" who are elected by Baha'i Delegates every 5 years. They live and work at the Baha'i World Centre in Haifa, Israel. They are the Governing Body of the Baha'i World worldwide. "THE HOUSE" is not a building but a council of nine men. They are not prophets, not seers, not revelators. They are simply highly educated Baha'i males who are dedicated to serving God and the Baha'i Faith.

***THE FRIENDS

The Baha'is call each other "The Friends". There are about 5 million Baha'is in the world today (2023) with about 180,000 in the U.S. and about 500 to 700 in Utah. They are "moderately" Liberal for the most part.

***BAHA'I AND LGBTQ+

Baha'u'llah forbade Baha'is from practicing LIWAT (i.e. sodomy). Shoghi Effendi said that Baha'i homosexuals needed to strive to overcome that "practice". However, Baha'is are not asked about their orientation nor their private sex life. Nobody asks. As long as one keeps one's sex life "private" there is no problem. However, Baha'is who marry in same-sex marriages will find sanctions such as a denial of Baha'i voting rights or the right to attend Baha'i Feasts and Pilgrimage.

DID JOSEPH SMITH PROPHESY OF BAHA'U'LLAH?

The Baha'i Faith does not accept Joseph Smith as a Manifestation of God (Prophet). However, Shoghi Effendi did tell several people that Joseph Smith "Was a Seer--not a Prophet lesser or otherwise" (Haifa Notes of Ramona Browne, 1954). In Mormonism a Prophet and Seer are essentially the same thing. However, in the Baha'i Faith, a Prophet is a sinless and infallible Revelator while a Seer is a ordinary sinful and fallible man or woman who has "True Visions".

The Book of Mormon is not considered Scripture in the Baha'i Faith as the Bible, Quran, and the Writings of the Central Figures (The Bab, Baha'u''llah, and 'Abdu'l-Baha) which are the Baha'i Holy Books. HOWEVER, that does not mean that The Book of Mormon cannot be viewed as "an inspired parable".

Baha'is can view Joseph Smith in one of three ways:

a) as a Seer who prophesied of Baha'u'llah in the capacity of a Seer.

b) as a fraud and false prophet

c) No opinion. Most Baha'is have "no opinion" concerning Joseph Smith other than to not see him as a Prophet (infallible Revelator)

All three views are acceptable in the Baha'i Faith as "personal belief".

Did Joseph Smith prophesy of Baha'u'llah in the capacity of a Seer? Some Baha'is will say "Yes". Others will say "No". Most will say "Who cares?"

PROPHET=sinless and infallible Revelator (Manifestation of God)

SEER=ordinary sinful and fallible human who has "True Visions" (examples: Zecharias, the father of John the Baptist, who was not a Prophet but saw and heard the Angel of the Lord in the Jewish Temple who said: "Name your son John, and he shall be a Prophet of the Most High". The Apostle Paul was also a Seer because he saw Jesus on the road to Damascus. The Apostle John was also a Seer because he was shown the Apocalype (last book of the New Testament).

JOSEPH SMITH=NOT considered to be a Prophet in the Baha'i Faith, but MAY have been a Seer who prophesied of Bahau'llah in the capacity of a Seer.

THE BOOK OF MORMON=NOT considered Scripture but MAY have been an "inspired parable" written by Joseph Smith.

BAHA'U'LLAH=The Holy Spirit incarnate (in the flesh)

JESUS CHRIST=A Prophet (Manifestation of God) born of a virgin, who worked miracles, and died on the Cross as an atonement for our sins. The Son of the Holy Spirit.

'ABDU'L-BAHA= the eldest Son of Baha'u'llah. Not a Prophet. Probably a Seer because He prophesied of World War One and the persecution of the Jews of Europe long before either happened. He is called "THE MASTER".

ALLAH=God. Not a man. Has no body. Does not beget. Is not begotten. Unknowable in His Essence. Was never a man and will never become a man.

THE GOAL OF THE BAHA'I FAITH:

To establish a one-world State called the World Order of Baha'u'llah, built upon the Baha'i Principles, with a Judicial Branch (Universal House of Justice), and an Executive Branch (World Executive). This World State would last for 1000 years, and be the "Millennial Kingdom" awaited by Christians and the "Day of God" awaited by Muslims. In the World Order the Baha'i Faith will be the State Religion, and universal peace would finally be established on Earth. A new Manifestation of God will come about the year 2863 A.D.