CULTS Bahai Doctrines

1. He doesn’t compare well with Jesus

a. He claimed to be a supreme manifestation of God but his life shows none of the qualities that made Jesus who He was: no miracles, no healings, no love, no gentle compassion, no life sacrifice. b. Biblical prophecies cited are either vague or inaccurately interpreted.

2. His family was a mess!

a. He was a polygamist with four wives (don’t forget Jamaliyya, the one he married in his old age) b. He had at least six children die in early childhood (WWJD? Heal them?)

Luke 18.16 “But Jesus called for them, saying, “Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”

c. He abandoned his family in Baghdad and his son died because of no medical care (ie: neglect) d. His sons couldn’t get along well enough to fulfill his covenant e. His descendants were thrown out of the main sect of the religion (excessive family disunity)

3. His writings are questionable

a. There are many talented speakers and writers who could produce similar books (Joseph Smith, for example, with his “Book of Mormon” – or Mary Baker Eddy with her “Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures” and many other writings; the idea that only Baha’u’llah could do this is just ludicrous) b. He focused on his own problems calling himself “wounded one” over 170 times c. No gospel of salvation similar to what’s found in the Bible d. Laws – the legalism of the Baha’i Faith is outstanding. Christ came to set us free from legalism so why should we go back to it? The Bible says: “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. . . . you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.” Galatians 5:1,4 … Excessive legalism is a sign of a false religion. Cults are controlling. e. Hypocrisy – write one thing and do another; not a good sign f. World government is a bad idea g. Works more important than grace h. Prayerbooks interfere with directly talking to God (ie: prayer) i. Inequality of men and women despite saying otherwise j. He said God was unknowable and denied any relationship to God (first section of Gleanings)

Page 9 Say: He it is Who is the Manifestation of Him Who is the Unknowable, the Invisible of theInvisibles, could ye but perceive it.

Exodus 34.6-7 “Then Yahweh passed by in front of him and called out, “Yahweh, Yahweh God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression, and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.””

k. Some laws are irrational and some cause extreme emotional pain to those trying to follow them l. Threatening people who leave the religion (see the last page of the Kitab-i-Iqan)

4. The cultish religion

a. Hypocrisy & members in denial about that b. Marketing strategies c. Exclusion methods are cultish d. Difficulty with withdrawal e. Overemphasis on administration f. Deceptive numbers … membership statistics g. Spy tactics h. Requests for money i. Attempts to make other religions fit the Baha’i paradigm j. Information control (publishing) k. Information control (re: covenant breaking) l. Excessive paranoia about “protection of the Faith” m. Treating members like they’re not able to make up their own minds n. Little teaching about spiritual concepts (Baha’i life is mostly admin work) o. Possibly fixed elections since admin people stay the same year after year p. Tracking people by number q. Keeping files on members r. The Archives building is a replica of the Parthenon, a temple to a mythological goddess s. No tolerance for dissenting opinions t. Tearing families apart in the name of the Almighty Protection obsession u. Shaming people who make mistakes v. Proselytizing while claiming they don’t proselytize

5. Personal

This section is about how the religion affected me.

a. No love b. Judgement and accusations c. Caused feelings of inadequacy d. Caused depression e. Exclusion f. Guilt trips g. Failed promises h. Isolation i. Loneliness j. Cognitive dissonance k. I ask myself: “Would a religion that treats me this way be from God?”