The Little Religion that Persists: The Baha'i in Israel

[High_Gravity]

The Little Religion that Persists: The Baha'i in Israel

Stepping into the gardens of the Shrine of Bab is like entering a hallucination. They rise in steps all the way up the mountainside above Haifa's downtown, and at the midway point, at mid-morning, the clear light off the Mediterranean combines with the precise efforts of 150 gardeners to achieve a combination of lucid depth and dazzling color that may be what they were going for in the Johnny Depp Alice in Wonderland, though without the dark undertow. Halfway is where the glittering gold dome of the shrine itself stands, in an immaculate park that seems to hang suspended in the sky like an infinity pool. "It's kind of like a theme park, where they're keeping everything 'just so,''' says Jonas Mejer, 20, a student visiting from Copenhagen. "But it's a holy place. Entirely different story."

The story is of the Baha'i faith, which started in Iran in the early 1800s and ended up with its spiritual locus, by an accident of empire, here in what is today Israel. The shrine in Haifa marks the resting place of the "Bab," or "Gate," the name given to Siyyid Ali-Muhammad in his role as prophet. Born in the garden-rich city of Shiraz, in southwestern Iran, he both announced that a greater messenger was coming after him and laid down some of the precepts of the new faith, such as equality for women and renouncing violence. Executed by Iranian clerics as a heretic, his remains were recovered by followers and moved covertly from place to place for decades.

Their final resting place was decided by the messenger he heralded, Mizra Hussein Ali, known as Baha'u'llah, or "Glory of God." Being the son of a nobleman, he was spared execution and sent into exile that finally brought him to an Ottoman prison in Acre, across the bay from Haifa. He picked out the hillside where the Bab's remains are buried, though his own grave in Acre (which Israelis call Akko) is the one Baha'is face during prayers.

"When you explain the Baha'i faith, people say: 'Well, that's just common sense,'" says Rob Weinberg, communications director at the Baha'i World Centre, as the Haifa complex is known. It's a monotheism that embraces all of the major religions, updating for the modern age the core values they share. The idea is that the Creator has enlightened mankind over the ages by sending prophets — from Abraham and Zoroaster to Jesus and Mohammed, and including Krishna and Buddha. Baha'is believe the Bab and Baha'u'llah brought the latest version. "The Baha'i belief is as long as there are human beings there are enlightened ones among them who guide human beings to the next stage of development," Weinberg says.

The pillars of the faith include equality, universal education, social justice and closing the gap between rich and poor. Baha'is revere monogamy, marriage, family, public service and both science and religion, since both seek truth. There is no priesthood; every person is responsible for his or her own spiritual development. When the perhaps six million faithful organize themselves into local and national boards, it's by secret ballot without candidate lists or nominations. You write the name of who you think would be best.

Read more: The Little Religion that Persists: The Baha'i in Israel - TIME

 

[LumpyPostage]

They've got a good beat and you can dance to it.

The first paragraph in that article looks like it was written by a liberal arts college dropout.

 

[Ropey]

I'm still not clear why they chose Iran to begin this belief. It's not been a progressive country with regards to personal freedoms.

So many Baha'i have perished in Iran.

 

[High_Gravity]

I'm still not clear why they chose Iran to begin this belief. It's not been a progressive country with regards to personal freedoms.

So many Baha'i have perished in Iran.

I am glad Israel is a welcoming country for this tiny religion, otherwise they would all be wiped out by now or spread out in other countries in the West.

 

[Ropey]

I'm still not clear why they chose Iran to begin this belief. It's not been a progressive country with regards to personal freedoms.

So many Baha'i have perished in Iran.

I am glad Israel is a welcoming country for this tiny religion, otherwise they would all be wiped out by now or spread out in other countries in the West.

Indeed. There was no Israel when Baha'i was formed. But Israel protects them as well as the Gays, and all the other refugees from those who kill them in the arena as well.

 

[High_Gravity]

I'm still not clear why they chose Iran to begin this belief. It's not been a progressive country with regards to personal freedoms.

So many Baha'i have perished in Iran.

I am glad Israel is a welcoming country for this tiny religion, otherwise they would all be wiped out by now or spread out in other countries in the West.

Indeed. There was no Israel when Baha'i was formed. But Israel protects them as well as the Gays, and all the other refugees from those who kill them in the arena as well.

See thats what I don't understand, Israel takes in people from Middle Eastern countries that they do not want, people from other faiths, gays, etc I know Israel has even taken in refugees from Darfur, the Arab countries do not want anything to do with the people in Darfur. But yet, alot of people continue to chastise Israel and not want it to exist, boggles my mind.

 

[Warrior102]

I have been to Haifa, Israel. One of THE BEST liberty ports ever experienced in my 20+ Navy career. Great people. LOVE America!