From: Clint O'Dell (clintodell@hotmail.com)
Date: Sun Aug 29 1999 - 18:38:00 MDT
>Baha'i started as an offshoot of Islam, not of Christianity. It is now
>considered
>a distinct religion, not a sect. There are two things I love about the
>Baha'i that are
>largely absent from other religions.
>
>First, they believe that God has appeared to Man many times. Each time, he
>appears
>with a message appropriate to the time and place. Naturally, they think he
>most
>recently appeared to their founder. But they are very tolerant of other
>religions, since
>they believe that Islam, Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism, etc. all are
>following the Word
>of God -- just an outdated version. None of the all-too-common "kill the
>infidel" or "you
>will burn in hell if you don't believe what we do" that you see in other
>groups.
>
>Second -- perhaps because it was formed during the Age of Science -- they
>believe
>that when scientific discoveries conflict with religious teachings, the
>teachings should
>be discarded in favor of what science has found. Where some religions feel
>that
>their holy books are the literal word of God, they believe that their books
>are a fallible
>human's best attempt to write down what God said. But science is observing
>God's
>work directly.
>
>Add that their religion was founded a few decades after The Origin of
>Species
>was published. It seems a safe guess that the Baha'i are emphatically
>pro-evolution.
>
>
>-- David Lubkin.
Do you know anything about Unitarianism? I met a woman last night who
claimed to be one. It was the first I've ever heard of it. Apparently they
believe that people can believe what ever they want. The have a church,
minister, everything. What I can't understand is if you can believe
whatever you want then what are they worshipping? I understand there are
atheists as well as theists in this religion, if you can even call it that.
Also is this related in any way to Baha'i?
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