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Organizational Aspect

Organizational Aspect. of Baha'i Faith and Comparison with Maitreya's Plan Presented at the Feast of Tabernacles 2000 On the Fifth Seal, Universalism By Radah (With the Help of God). Introduction. Maitreya's Plan : The way to manifest the system

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Organizational Aspect

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  1. Organizational Aspect of Baha'i Faith and Comparison with Maitreya's Plan Presented at the Feast of Tabernacles 2000 On the Fifth Seal, Universalism By Radah (With the Help of God)

  2. Introduction • Maitreya's Plan: • The way to manifest the system • The starting point of the process by which the ultimate Hierarchy will be manifested on earth • The MAP • The LIGHT

  3. Some points about the Baha'i Faith • An independent religion based entirely on Baha'u'llah teachings • Baha'is think that Baha'u'llah is a descendant from Abraham, by his 3rd wife, Keturah (Gen 25:1) (?) • Baha'is consider the Bab as the Forerunner of Baha'u'llah • Baha'is do not believe in reincarnation

  4. Some points about the Baha'i Faith • Baha'is think that God continually sent Great Messengers to the earth • But those Messengers were different entities (not only in their bodies but also in their souls) • Baha'is call the Messengers "Manifestations of God"

  5. Some points about the Baha'i Faith • Baha’u’llah is the most recent Messenger in this line • Baha’u’llah is the last Messenger for a very long period of time (1000 years) • Baha’u’llah has brought a teaching that address the moral and spiritual challenges of the modern world

  6. The Bab • At the end of the day of May 23rd, 1844, a young man (24 years old) named Siyyid Ali-Muhammad, said that he was the Promised One • To Mulla Husayn (a believer of the coming back of Imam Mahdi, the successor of Prophet Muhammad) • The same day, the young Siyyid wrote down his revelation in the Qay-yumu'l-Asma, the base of the Faith

  7. The Bab • To the 18 first believers, the Bab wrote letters and called those believers "Letters of the Living" • Among the 18 Letters of the Living, one woman, Tahirih, a great poet in Persia • Later, the Bab wrote a system of laws…

  8. The Bab • Baha'is say that the Bab Himself proclaimed that the goal of His mission was to prepare the coming of a universal Manifestation of God: "The One Who will be manifested by God" • They understood that it was Baha'u'llah

  9. The Shrine of the Báb Mount Carmel, Haifa, Israel

  10. Baha'u'llah • 19 years after the Declaration of the Bab and 13 years after His death, in 1863, Baha'u'llah declared officially His mission • And finished a document, the Kitab-I-Aqdas (The Holiest Book)

  11. Baha'u'llah • The establishment of the Kingdom of God on earth will be done by 2 ways: • 1- Establishment of laws to transform individual souls and to guide humanity collectively • 2- Creation of institutions to direct the community

  12. Baha'i Organizational Structure • A Covenant: • Established by Baha'u'llah with his disciples • Dealing with social laws & institutions based on spiritual principles which are linked as well to the current affairs of humanity

  13. Maitreya's Plan • The Plan will manifest the Hierarchy on earth, from the bottom to the top • By the creation of Communities Of Light (COL) • When established, the KOHOE • will facilitate the greater progress of humanity • and will bring the Spirit (Will of God) into all levels of human existence

  14. Maitreya's Plan The Levels of the Hierarchy • The Eldest • The 3 Guardians • World Government • 12 Regions • 144 Subregions • States or countries • Counties • Districts • Communities of Light: ~ 2000 persons • 144 persons: Second level of the COL • 12 persons: Basic Unit of the COL

  15. Baha'i Administrative Order vs. World Order • The World Order is the vision of Baha’u’llah of the future of mankind • The future World Order will be the full manifestation of the teachings of the founder of the Faith in a world government, lasting peace and united civilization

  16. Future Baha'i World Order • Universal Legislative Body • World Executive Body • World Judicial Court • Universal literature • Universal writing • One system of money • One system of weights and measures

  17. Baha'i Administrative Order • For the present time, the Covenant of Baha’u’llah with mankind is working through the system called Administrative Order • The Administrative Order, created by Baha’u’llah and built up by His successors, Abdu’l-Baha and Shoghi Effendi, is based on 2 themes:

  18. Baha'i Administrative Order • 1-Laws & rules (institutional mechanisms to ensure the realization of justice in human affairs) • 2-Institutions of the community where the 2 pillars are: • A Universal House of Justice (the supreme legislative body) • The Guardianship

  19. The Universal House of Justice • At 3 levels: local, national (or secondary) and international • Those Houses of Justice are viewed as instruments for ensuring human well-being • The decisions taken by the Universal House of Justice are uniquely inspired and authoritative

  20. The Seat of the Universal House of Justice in Haifa

  21. The Universal House of Justice • Members are elected for 5 years, between Baha'is of the world • During an international congress, where all national Spiritual Assemblies are represented • Delegates have previously been elected in their local communities • Their number depends of the number of Baha'is in a region • The first election took place in 1963

  22. The Universal House of Justice • Election by secret ballot • All adults believers are equally eligible • Each voter writes down 9 names on a ballot • The 9 persons with the highest number of votes are elected • Electioneering is forbidden • Minorities are favored

  23. The Guardianship • The first Guardian was the son of Baha'u'llah (1817-1892), Abdu'l-Baha (until 1921) • The second, and the last one, was Shoghi Effendi (until 1957), Abdu'l-Baha's eldest grandson • The Guardian is the only authorized person to interpret spiritual Baha'i teaching • After him, no one was named to succeed as the Guardian

  24. The Guardianship • Today, the Universal House of Justice takes the decisions & plays the role of Guardian • Hands of the Cause of God : Counselors and Protectors of the Faith • After the death of Shoghi Effendi, no more "Hands" were named

  25. The Guardianship • So, Baha'is created a Counselors Body of 7 to 13 members, named for 5 years, at the international level • On each continent, the Counselors named Auxiliary Bodies (or secondary bodies) • Those ones can name Assistants to help them at a local level • But none of those persons can take decisions neither interpret Baha'i Scripture

  26. The Guardianship • In 1973, the "Hands" still alive, the Counselors and the members of Auxiliary Bodies were placed under • An international institution called International Teaching Center, in Israel • The Guardianship works also at 3 levels: continental, regional and local

  27. Other Baha'i Institutions • Local Spiritual Assemblies: 9 or more Baha'i adults, in any town or village • National Spiritual Assembly: when there is a sufficient number of local Spiritual Assemblies • Elections take place in the same manner as for the Universal House of Justice

  28. Other Baha'i institutions • Houses of Worship, open to all people • Simple devotional programs : prayers, meditations, reading of selections from Baha'i and other religions Scriptures, music… • Schools • Administrative centers • Community centers

  29. House of WorshipNew Delhi, India

  30. Baha'i Calendar, Feasts and Fasting • The Bab set up a Calendar • 19 months of 19 days = 361 days • The 4 (or 5) days missing are added at the beginning of the last month of the year = Days of feast • The last month, from March 2 to March 21 is a month of fasting • New year : March 22 • Feast of Ridvan, the most important Baha'i Feast = 12 days

  31. Some Principles of Baha'i Faith • Truthfulness of all religions of the world • Need to shatter racial prejudice • Equality of man and woman • Universal education • Justice in social and economical systems • Etc.

  32. Baha'i Financial System, Clergy, … • Finances : Voluntary contributions from the members • No Clergy • No Politics • Role of North America : The East replaced by the West, spreading the light of the divine direction… Now Maitreya is here!

  33. "For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord." (Bible, Matthew 23:39)

  34. Guardian of the Faith and Hierarchy Maitreya's Plan A Practical Process to Manifest The Plan • 1st step: Initial Elder Body • To facilitate to manifest the COL • 11 members: • The Eldest • 2 Direct Reporters to the Eldest • 4 Judiciary (Ethical) Directors • 4 Administrative Directors

  35. Maitreya's Plan A Practical Process to Manifest The Plan • 2nd Step: Initial AdministrativeBody • 19 members: • 1 as the Head • 2 Direct Reporters to the Head • 4 Assistants to the Direct Reporters • 12, each Responsible for 1 region

  36. Maitreya's Plan A Practical Process to Manifest The Plan • 2nd Step : Initial Judiciary Body • 19 members: • 1 as the Head • 2 Direct Reporters to the Head • 4 Assistants to the Direct Reporter • 12, each Responsible for 1 region

  37. Maitreya's Plan A Practical Process to Manifest The Plan • 3rd Step : Initial Legislative Body • 29 members: • 1 as Speaker of the House • 4 Direct Reporters to the Speaker of the House • 24, two Representatives for each region

  38. One form of the ultimate manifestation of The Plan Maitreya's Plan • The Vision • The Facilitators

  39. Praise be to the Lord for sending us His Great Messengers! Sal-Ôm!

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