The Baha'i faith has become a popular religion in an environment of ecumenism, inclusiveness and political correctness.  Embraced eagerly by the United Nations and other interfaith organizations, Baha'i is a growing humanist influence on our world.  There are currently 17,148 Local Spiritual Assemblies of the Baha'i faith in the world and 4,515 in the United States alone.  Members claim a presence in 235 countries and their literature is translated into 700 languages with a total world membership estimated at 5,000,000.  The following introduction is meant to be a brief overview Baha'i history, and is by no means an exhaustive history of Baha'i.

The popularity of Baha'i can largely be attributed to its attempts to unify all faiths, prophets and the entire human race.   It embraces the humanist philosophy that all religions should be embraced equally because they are not contradictory and are merely successively updated versions of the same basic religious beliefs.  They teach that all religions are the result of the same God and the differences stem only from the age in which they were revealed.  They promote gender, racial, and economic equality; universal education; harmony between science and religion; balance between nature and technology; and the development of a world Federal system.  Those who believe in absolute truths, such as those found in the Bible, are dismissed as intolerant and an obstacle to world peace.

Baha'i grew out of Islam, and is in fact a stepchild of the Islamic faith, albeit a despised one.  Rather than naming Muhammad as the greatest of the prophets as the Muslims do, Baha'is hold Baha'u'llah to be the greatest of the prophets. 

Baha'i was started in 1844 when Mizra Ali Muhammad ("the Bab" or gate) proclaimed he was the greatest manifestation of God yet to appear.  The Bab is purported to be a direct descendant of Muhammad and he claimed to be the fulfillment of the scriptures of all of the world's religions.  During his brief 6 year ministry, he taught of another manifestation that would follow (similar to the role of John the Baptist).  This manifestation would be even greater than he, and in 1863 Mirza Husayn Ali proclaimed that he was the Great prophet the Bab had spoken of. 

Mirza Husayn Ali took the title of "Baha'u'llah" (the Glory of God) and his followers were thereafter called Baha'is.  In addition to claiming most favored prophet status, Baha'u'llah also claimed to be the second coming of Christ and the spirit of truth recorded in John 14:16.  He viewed himself as the fulfillment of the coming of Maitreya, the Buddha from the Buddhist scripture, the Krishna for the Hindus, and a fulfillment of "the Day of God" from the Muslim Qur'an.  In fact the Baha'is believe all of the world’s religions have pointed to the coming of Baha'u'llah, and that during his era, a promised reign of peace will be established.

Thirty years after proclaiming himself to be the fulfillment of all religions, Baha'u'llah died and leadership was passed to his son Abbas Effendi (also known as Abdul-Baha and "the Master") who worked as an interpreter for his fathers many writings.  He is responsible for bringing the Baha'i faith to the U.S. 

Abbas Effendi was succeeded by his grandson, Shoghi Effendi became the “Guardian of the Cause,” and during his lifetime, Baha’is agreed there would perpetually be such a guardian.  However, Effendi died before appointing a successor.  Consequently, six years after he died, the first Baha'i Universal House of Justice was elected to serve as the Guardian.  It has since been the governing body of the Baha'i faith.  The Universal House of Justice is a nine-person board that applies the laws of Baha'u'llah and is made up of elected representatives.  The first UHJ was comprised of Baha'i who represented Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and came from 4 continents and several ethnic backgrounds.  The Baha'i temple in Wilmette, Illinois is a nine-sided building representing the world's nine living religions and is a combination of synagogue, mosque, and cathedral, symbolizing the unity of all religions.

The goal of the Baha'i faith and its leadership is for the world to become a single super-state with Baha'i as its religion.  It's no wonder Baha'i is promoted vigorously by the U.N. and plays a major part in all United Nations spiritual events.

Baha'i literature proclaims the following:

"National rivalries, hatreds, and intrigues will cease, and racial animosity and prejudice will be replaced by racial amity, understanding and cooperation.  The causes of religious strife will be permanently removed, economic barriers and restrictions will be completely abolished, and the inordinate distinction between classes will be obliterated.  Destitution on the one hand, and gross accumulation of ownership on the other, will disappear."¹

BAHA'I BELIEFS

Reasoning with the Baha'i - Part I

Baha'i Claims to be Compatible with Christianity

God is Unknowable

Jesus Christ was a "Manifestation" of God

Baha'u'llah in Biblical Prophecy

The Baha'i Influence at the United Nations

1.  The Challenge of the Cults, Ron Rhodes, page 217

2.  The Challenge of the Cults, Ron Rhodes, page 223