One thousand years should not be taken literally.

"...as to the meaning of the passage in the 'Íqán' in which Bahá'u'lláh refers to the renewal of the 'City of God' once in about a thousand years: this, as the word about implies, is simply an approximate date, and should not therefore be taken literally." (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, October 29, 1938:...

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Teach that person carefully until he becomes a Baha'i.

Never must they let a day pass, without teaching some soul, hoping that Bahá’u’lláh will cause each seed to grow. The Friends should seek pure souls, gain their confidence and then teach that person carefully until he becomes a Bahá’í — and then nurture him until he becomes a firm and active supporter of the Faith. http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/se/MC/mc-251.html...

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UHJ appeals Baha'is to convert more people.

We especially appeal to our fellow Bahá’ís everywhere to mount a mightier effort than ever before in offering the Message of Bahá’u’lláh to increasing numbers of their compatriots, and in inviting them to investigate and embrace His Cause. - The Universal House of Justicehttps://bahai-library.com/uhj_28_november_2004...

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Meat-eating in the writings of Baha'u'llah and Abdu'l-Baha

By Sen McGlinn There is quite a lot on meat-eating in the writings of Baha'u'llah and Abdu'l-Baha, beginning with the Aqdas: "If ye should hunt with beasts or birds of prey, invoke ye the Name of God when ye send them to pursue their quarry; for then whatever they catch shall be lawful unto you, even should ye find it to have died." This is expanded...

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The world is but one country and mankind its citizens.

This statement is the plagiarized version of a line of poetry from the 13th century Persian Poet called Saadi: Human beings are members of a whole, In creation of one essence and soul. Baha’u’llah the founder of Baha’ism simply repeated this statement using other words and attributed it to himself.The statement is simply “stating the obvious”, yes...

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Abdul Baha went to the baths with the entire party.

On September 27, 1912, during his tour of North America, Mahmud's Diary relates that 'Abdu’l-Bahá availed himself of the resort amenities in Glenwood Springs, Colorado where he "strolled in the spacious garden and boulevard adjacent to the hotel until He reached the river where there were bath houses and hot springs...the Master went to the baths with...

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You should go to Spiritual Assemblies as a child would to its parents.

"...These bodies have the sacred obligation to help, advise, protect and guide the believers in every way within their power when appealed to--indeed they were established just for the purpose of keeping order and unity and obedience to the law of God amongst the believers. "You should go to them as a child would to its parents...." (From a letter...

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The Tablets of the Divine Plan, by Abdu'l-Bahá are the Charter for the teaching of the Faith.

"As you are no doubt aware, the Tablets of the Divine Plan, which were revealed by Abdu'l-Bahá during the First World War, are the Charter for the teaching of the Faith. All the teaching plans launched by the beloved Guardian, as well as those subsequently directed by the Universal House of Justice, are stages in the implementation of this master plan...

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Your generation must provide the saints, heroes, martyrs and administrators of future years.

On October 2, 1951, Shoghi Effendi urged Bahá'í Youth "to make up your minds to do great, great deeds for the Faith; the condition of the world is steadily growing worse, and your generation must provide the saints, heroes, martyrs and administrators of future years." http://bahai-library.com/hornby_lights_guidance_2.html&chapter=5#n2128...

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Queen Marie's daughter : It is quite incorrect to say that my mother was a member of the Baha'i Faith.

On October 3, 1939, Shoghi Effendi posthumously appointed Martha Root as a Hand of the Cause of God. Martha Root had eight meetings with Queen Marie of Romania, which occurred from January 1926 through February 1936. Although Bahá'ís frequently refer to her as "the first member of a royal family to embrace the Bahá’í Faith," Queen Marie's daughter...

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'Abdu'l-Baha goes aboard the warship HMS Marlborough.

On October 4, 1919, on the invitation of Major Williamson, the acting Military Governor of Haifa, 'Abdu'l-Bahá goes aboard the warship HMS Marlborough....

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Why Baha'is are 'persecuted' in Iran?

...technically speaking, the Islamic Republic of Iran, while it does not constitutionally recognize or accord legitimacy to Bahaism as a creed, has no state sponsored policy of persecuting Bahaism either. Baha’is as Iranian citizens are legally accorded full citizenship rights under the law in Iran. It is their creed (together with its organization...

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Baha'is believe all non-Baha'is are astray.

"The first duty prescribed by God for His servants is the recognition of Him Who is the Dayspring of His Revelation and the Fountain of His laws, Who representeth the Godhead in both the Kingdom of His Cause and the world of creation. Whoso achieveth this duty hath attained unto all good; and whoso is deprived thereof hath gone astray, though...

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Dr Sa'eed Khan about Baha'is

Dr Sa'eed Khan [was] a highly-respected physician...who had as a doctor treated the second widow of the Bab, and had for a lifetime known intimately both Babis [i.e. Bayanis] and Baha'is in Tehran and Hamadan. He says: "...There is no conscience with them [ i.e. the Baha'is], they keep to no principle, they tell you what is untrue, ignoring or...

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There is no way to appoint.. a second Guardian to succeed Shoghi Effendi.

On October 6, 1963, the UHJ sent a message to all NSAs stating that "the Universal House of Justice finds that there is no way to appoint or to legislate to make it possible to appoint a second Guardian to succeed Shoghi Effendi." http://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/the-universal-house-of-justice/messages/19631006_001/19631006_001.pdf...

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The implementation of Bayan and non-implementation of Aqdas !?

The Bayan advocates death, violence, and war against non-Babis and since it was meant to be implemented that is exactly what the followers of the Bab did and created havoc and mayhem in Iran. If the laws of the Bayan were not meant to be implemented then there would be no need for Babis to cast aside their previous beliefs (mostly Islamic) and perform...

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UHJ gives guidance on how to Pray and Meditate !

On October 11, 1978, the Universal House of Justice sent a letter to Bahá’í Friend regarding his "appeal for guidance" telling him to "Pray and meditate about it. Use the prayers of the Manifestations, as they have the greatest power. Learn to remain in the silence of contemplation for a few moments. During this deepest communion take the next step. ...

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Perhaps Shoghi Effendi writes about himself...

So many misunderstandings arise from the passionate attachment of the friends to the Faith and also their immaturity. We must therefore be very patient and loving with each other and try to establish unity in the Bahá'í family. The differences ... which you describe in your letter he feels are caused by the above and not by enmity to the Faith or insincerity....

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World Religion Day.. was not meant primarily to provide a platform for all religions...

On October 22, 1968, the UHJ wrote, "World Religion Day, which is a celebration of the need for and the coming of a world religion for mankind, the Bahá'í Faith itself...the Day was not meant primarily to provide a platform for all religions and their emergent ecumenical ideas."http://bahai-library.com/hornby_lights_guidance_2.html&chapter=4#n1710...

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Shoghi Effendi suggests Baha'i pilgrims to record their notes

"It is very important that the Bahá'ís should accurately record their experiences with the Master and events in the Cause's progress for these things form data for future histories of the Cause. They have not, however, the authority of the revealed Word of the Tablets,..." (From a letter written on behalf of the Guardian to an individual believer,...

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Membership on the Universal House of Justice is confined to men.

On October 27, 1986, the UHJ stated that "it is an incontrovertible fact that all Manifestations of God known to us have been men. Moreover, it is a clear provision in Bahá’í administration that the Guardians were to be men and that membership on the Universal House of Justice is confined to men." http://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/the-universal-house-of-justice/messages/19861027_001/19861027_001.pdf...

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Materials about the Faith authored by Baha’is must be reviewed by Baha’i institutions before publication.

On October 28, 1991, the Universal House of Justice addressed a letter to an individual believer, an academic, regarding the "requirement that materials about the Faith authored by Bahá’ís must be reviewed by Bahá’í institutions before publication." http://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/the-universal-house-of-justice/messages/19911028_001/19911028_001.pdf...

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Personal relations with Covenant-breakers... is strictly forbidden.

"Personal relations with Covenant-breakers, however, such as personal contact or entering into correspondence with one is strictly forbidden."http://bahai-library.com/hornby_lights_guidance&chapter=2#n611...

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About the Bab's writings

Shírází was a man obsessed: obsessed by all things religious and esoteric, by the untapped possibilities inherent in Shi‘ite theology and philosophy, by words and concepts he had never fully understood, by his own personality and the parts he could play. He was an autodidact in a world that idolized a sometimes precious and affected learning. Words...

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Bab's books

"whole sections of the Bab's later books don't in fact mean anything very much, but are elaborate exercises in interesting things you can do with Arabic roots." - Denis MacEoin...

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Baha'u'llah's source of knowledge

"We purposed to read some of his works. Although We never felt disposed to peruse other peoples’ writings, yet as some had questioned Us concerning him, We felt it necessary to refer to his books, in order that We might answer Our questioners with knowledge and understanding. His works, in the Arabic tongue, were, however, not available . . . We sent...

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Love thy enemies - contradiction !

Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 320. "O ye beloved of the Lord! The Kingdom of God is founded upon equity and justice, and also upon mercy, compassion, and kindness to every living soul. Strive ye then with all your heart to treat compassionately all humankind—except for those who have some selfish, private motive, or...

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Baha'u'llah and Polytheists

“O group of polytheists (deniers of Baha’ism), if you take pride in your name remaining amongst the animals or being mentioned amongst the livestock, then take pride in that for you are worthy of it.” (Baha’u’llah, Athar-i Qalam-i A`la, vol. 2, no. 81, p. 452)“From this day, any individual that mentions as human [or humanness] a single person from...

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Baha'i Faith and Dissimulation

"In Istanbul, every day at noon Bahá'u'lláh would go to the Mosque of Sultán Muhammad and there recite the prayer in the manner of Islam" (Ustád Muhammad-`Alíy-i Salmání, MY MEMORIES OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH, pp. 38-39)"Thereupon, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá sought water to perform His ablution. With the utmost deliberation, He completed His ablution and then commenced to...

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Be thou as a flame of fire to My enemies

Be thou as a flame of fire to My enemies and a river of life eternal to My loved ones...http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/c/BP/bp-173.h...

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Waging a war for righteous purpose can be a praiseworthy thing!

Abdul Baha says : “A conquest can be a praiseworthy thing, and there are times when war becomes the powerful basis of peace, and ruin the very means of reconstruction. If, for example, a high-minded sovereign marshals his troops to block the onset of the insurgent and the aggressor, or again, if he takes the field and distinguishes himself in a struggle...

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Purging mankind from the defilement of the outcast and the ungodly!

"God will soon take out from the sleeves of power the hands of strength and dominance and will make the Servant (Bahā’u’llāh) victorious and will cleanse the earth from the filth of every rejected polytheist (deniers of Baha’ism). And they will stand by the cause and will conquer the lands using my mighty eternal name and will enter the lands and they...

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One who accepts Baha'u'llah will never die!

"Whoso hath been re-born in this Day, shall never die; whoso remaineth dead, shall never live."http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/b/GWB/gwb-106.h...

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Baha'i Scholarship !

On October 19, 1993, the Universal House of Justice addressed a letter to an individual believer "inquiring about the term 'Bahá’í scholarship.'" The Universal House of Justice states that "In the simultaneous endeavor to pursue their studies and to delve deeply into the Bahá’í Teachings, believers are enjoined to maintain a keen awareness that the...

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Baha'u'llah strictly forbade association with the Covenant-breakers, and even warned the friends against entering if possible a city where Covenant-breakers resided...

On October 15, 1960, the Hands of the Cause of God in the Holy Land sent a letter to all the National Spiritual Assemblies refuting Mason Remey's claim of being the second Guardian, noting that "The glorious Báb forbade association with Covenant-breakers. Bahá'u'lláh strictly forbade association with the Covenant-breakers, and even warned the friends...

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Polygamy and Tact and Wisdom

This principle (of tact and prudence) has been applied by 'Abdu'l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi in the case of Bahá'í teachings on monogamy. The Kitab-i Aqdas appears to allow bigamy when it states: "Beware that ye take not unto yourselves more wives than two."[33] In an untranslated letter 'Abdu'l-Bahá gave a believer permission to take a second wife....

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We are seeking to build up a New World Order

We Bahá'ís are one the world-over, we are seeking to build up a New World Order, Divine in origin.(Shoghi Effendi, The Light of Divine Guidance, Vol. 1, p. 1...

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Baha'i participation in public demonstrations involving controversial issues

The Universal House of Justice, Department of the Secretariat: …You state that there are large-scale demonstrations…and you inquire about the appropriateness of Bahá'ís participating in demonstrations for peace.…while these activities are generally carried out in the name of peace, such occasions are motivated by highly political and controversial...

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To remain a member of the Church is not proper for us

… we, as Baha'is, must not have any affiliations with churches or political parties. ... We, as Baha'is, can never be known as hypocrites or as people insincere in their protestations and because of this we cannot subscribe to both the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh and ordinary church dogma. The churches are waiting for the coming of Jesus Christ; we believe...

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UHJ lied about the meaning of "proselytizing"

It is true that Bahá'u'lláh lays on every Bahá'í the duty to teach His Faith. At the same time, however, we are forbidden to proselytize, so it is important for all believers to understand the difference between teaching and proselytizing. It is a significant difference and, in some countries where teaching a religion is permitted, but proselytizing...

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Best way to serve ones country is to convert it to Baha'ism.

The best way for a Bahá'í to serve his country and the world is to work for the establishment of Bahá'u'lláh's World Order, which will gradually unite all men and do away with divisive political systems and religious creeds. (Shoghi Effendi, The Light of Divine Guidance, Vol. 1, p. 1...

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We must build up our Baha'i system, and leave the faulty systems of the world to go their own way.

Because love for our fellowmen and anguish at their plight are essential parts of a true Bahá'í's life, we are continually drawn to do what we can to help them. It is vitally important that we do so whenever the occasion presents itself, for our actions must say the same thing as our words -- but this compassion for our fellows must not be allowed...

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The solution given to the world's problems by Baha'u'llah

...the solution given to the world's problems by Bahá'u'lláh is the only solution -- being Divine in origin -- and most desperately needed; therefore we, the few who have caught the vision, should not waste our energies beating up and down the paths pursued by humanity, and which are not solving its ghastly present-day problems. We should concentrate...

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All men will adhere to one religion, will have one common faith.

One of the great events which is to occur in the Day of the manifestation of that Incomparable Branch is the hoisting of the Standard of God among all nations. By this is meant that all nations and kindreds will be gathered together under the shadow of this Divine Banner, which is no other than the Lordly Branch itself, and will become a single nation....

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Baha'i faith will embrace both religious and political issues.

Regarding the question raised in your letter, Shoghi Effendi believes that for the present the Movement, whether in the East or the West, should be dissociated entirely from politics. This was the explicit injunction of `Abdu'l-Bahá... Eventually, however, as you have rightly conceived it, the Movement will, as soon as it is fully developed and recognized,...

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Establishment of a Baha'i State

The Bahá'ís must remain non-partisan in all political affairs. In the distant future, however, when the majority of a country have become Bahá'ís then it will lead to the establishment of a Bahá'í State.(Letter written on behalf of the Guardian in response to queries from individual believers, 19 April 19...

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Baha'i Faith is the sole panacea for the innumerable ills afflicting our present-day world.

“In connection with your teaching work: What the Guardian wishes you to particularly emphasize in all your talks is the supreme necessity for all individuals and nations in this day to adopt in its entirety the social program given by Bahá’u’lláh for the reconstruction of the religious, economic and political life of mankind. He wishes you to explain...

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Fundamentalism in the Baha'i Faith

We are accustomed to religious fundamentalists saying, incessantly and even stridently, that the only solution to the problems that the individual person will encounter, or, for that matter, that the family, the neighborhood and municipality, the province, the nation, the world will face, can only be solved by God, and by a particular faith tradition...

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