Bahai Religion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Bahai Religion - Essay Example Bahà ¡Ã¢â‚¬â„¢Ãƒ ­ is second to Christianity in its geographical distribution (Ibid.), however, unlike Christianity, Bahà ¡Ã¢â‚¬â„¢Ãƒ ­ does not view itself as an independent religion or a static belief system. In order to understanding the Bahà ¡Ã¢â‚¬â„¢Ãƒ ­ Faith it is important to understand the principle of â€Å"progressive revelation,† which is a common principal throughout Bahà ¡Ã¢â‚¬â„¢Ãƒ ­Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s beliefs, ethics, and practices. It is the idea that the spiritual development of human civilization is constantly advancing and that the central beliefs of any given religion were based on Messages brought by a prophet (Adam, Buddah, Jesus, Mohammed, etc.) that were appropriate to the spiritual needs of the people in that place and time (Kourosh 445). This paper will provide an overview of the general tenets of the Bahà ¡Ã¢â‚¬â„¢Ãƒ ­ belief system, its ethics, and its ritual practices. Bahà ¡Ã¢â‚¬â„¢Ãƒ ­ beliefs revolve around the teachings of Bahà ¡Ã¢â‚¬â„¢u’llà ¡h. His teachings exist in the form of written manuscripts, known as the Sacred Texts to Bahà ¡Ã¢â‚¬â„¢Ãƒ ­s. The three central teachings of the Faith include the Oneness of God, Oneness of Religion, and Oneness of Mankind (Kourosh 445). These teachings each exhibit the principle of â€Å"progressive revelation,† mentioned above. Bahà ¡Ã¢â‚¬â„¢u’llà ¡h taught that despite the diversity of religions and ways of calling God around the world, that there is only one Supreme Being in the world, worshipped by all who worship one God (Kourosh 445). They view God as an elevated being who can never be fully grasped by humans, because he is elevated above creation (Ibid.). Bahà ¡Ã¢â‚¬â„¢Ãƒ ­Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s devote themselves to a never-ending quest for spiritual discovery and growth (BIC). They believe that humans have an immortal soul that is born at conception and that physical death does not indicate the end of individual life, because the soul continues in the spiritual world (Kourosh 446). The Bahà ¡Ã¢â‚¬â„¢Ãƒ ­ Faith views physical life as a sort of training ground to prepare the soul for