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The Earth is but one country and mankind its citizens. Baha'u'llah
How Do You Imagine God?
God in America and USA WEEKEND Magazine are partnering to explore Americans' images of God.
How do you imagine God?
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God is an essence that permeates me and everything around me. I am receptive to this essence and call upon it for strength, wisdom, and inspiration. This essence protects and communicates with all of mankind and nature, but too few are tuned in to it. The world will change when the number of people in the world begin to tap this energy essence.
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My Beliefs
I believe ...
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God loves the entire creation, not just the people in one particular religion.
My most powerful moment of belief was ...
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When I became a member of the Baha'i Faith.
My greatest moment of doubt was ...
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When I was treated dreadfully by a mainline denomination over an incident that was not my fault, I feared that everything I had learned about God was untrue.
My spiritual life means...
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Praying for peace, contentment, and the needs of mankind to be met in this world and to pray for spiritual enlightenment for those who have passed on.
The biggest misconception about my faith/belief system is ...
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Baha'i's cannot possibly be correct because Christ has not returned. There is a great body of firsthand and documented evidence that he did. He used the name Baha'u'llah (Glory of God) just as was predicted in the book of Revelation.
My spiritual role model is ...
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Abdu'l Baha, son of Baha'u'llah.
The tenet/practice/teaching I appreciate most about my faith is ...
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There is only one true religion. God has been progressively unfolding it throughout history with Manifestations. The basis of the message for these Messengers has been the same while rules from each manifestation have been different to fit the population and time period in order to ensure the safety of the people.
My Faith History
As a child I believed ...
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Jesus was going to float down on a cloud and save me before he destroyed the earth and the sinners who would not believe in Him. I would be one of the tormented going to hell if I did not repent of my sins and declare the Jesus was Lord without question.
My spiritual journey has been ...
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My journey has been very long. I kept studying Christianity for over 45 years, trying to make it relevant to my life, but things just never fell into place. I used to pray that God would give me a new way of explaining faith that would not require me to use worn out images such a picture of a fair-skinned Jesus or phrases such as "Are you saved?"
I was raised as ...
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I was raised as a Methodist as a strict request of my grandparents (whom I loved very dearly). I am grateful they insisted. It set me in the right direction. I just had to keep traveling until I was 54 to find what I was searching for.
Are your beliefs or practices different from your parents? If so, how and why?
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My parents had differing beliefs. My Dad did not attend church regularly and was quite uncomfortable when he did have a reason to go. My Mother believes the traditions of Christianity, but has a great spiritual connection. She was open-minded when I told her I had become a Baha'i.
If you have children, did becoming a parent change your relationship to faith? If so, how?
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I spent my parenting years trying to raise my sons in Christianity. I did it with fervor. As young adults, they moved away from it. Now, I have to gain credibility as I share a more realistic view of God and spirituality in the Baha'i Faith.
How I Practice My Faith
Where and when do you practice your faith?
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Baha'i's do not have churches or clergy. We believe in independent investigation of the truth. We study in local study circles, using an internationally approved curriculum, but do not have to accept anyone's interpretation if we do not agree. The House of Worship in Wilmette, IL, is the North American site where people of all religions are welcome to come and pray, meditate, and learn of the Baha'i Faith.
Does your family practice more than one religion or faith? If so, how do you blend the traditions?
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The biggest blending problem is observing traditional Christian holidays. My sons and I have been doing this all their lives, and now as a Baha'i, I observe a different calendar. It is necessary to find ways to keep Christmas and Thanksgiving while observing the Baha'i Holy Days.
How easy or difficult is it to live your faith? Why?
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Being a Baha'i is wonderful for me. Having all the pieces fit together gives me strength, patience and insight about the world around me. I know where we are going and what is ahead. However, for Baha'i's in other parts of the world such as Iran and Egypt, members are imprisoned and killed for their faith.
In my house, the thing that most represents my faith is ...
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I have stacks and stacks of books about the Baha'i Faith and its founder.
The song/book/film that most represents my faith is ...
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The Prisoner by Seals and Crofts is a song which really chronicles the imprisonment of Baha'u'llah, founder of our Faith.
Religion & the Public Square
What should be the role of religion in politics?
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Baha'i's believe in a Universal Federation. The House of Justice has already been established in Haifa, Israel on the slope of Mt. Carmel. The House of Justice represents Baha'i's around the world, and in the future will represent mankind. They are in place to ensure human rights, fair distribution of resources, and protect the tenets of the faith to ensure that it not be corrupted by unauthorized interpretation.
Should courses about religion be taught in public schools? Why or why not?
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Students should be encouraged to explore the world religions, but the current educational system does not provide the time allotted. Local religions should be offering courses about their individual religions and students should be encouraged to explore them to further their personal worldview and spiritual development.
Should the Bible, Torah, Quran or other religious texts be taught as works of literature in public schools? Why or why not?
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I think the task of the public schools is already overwhelming. Teaching the religious texts is the responsibility of the family leaders. Students should be made aware of these religious works through samples in literature and social studies lessons, but the tenets of each faith must be separate form of study until there becomes a world of one religion at which time, the tenets of this religion can be the basis of character education and spiritual education in its curriculum.
Is interfaith dialogue important? Why or why not?
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Interfaith dialogue is important. With it, we can begin to realize the similarities in all religions. When we realize the common thread, we can become more open to the concept of One God/One Religion for all humankind.
Do you feel comfortable discussing your faith with others? Why/why not?
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Absolutely! I try to do it every chance I get. Everything in life relates to the Baha'i Faith.
Do you feel that you have a duty, because of your faith, to put your beliefs into action? What are some of those actions?
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I have a duty to Baha'u'llah and to mankind. Baha'i's believe in the harmony of science and religion, equality of men and women, elimination of prejudice of all kinds, universal compulsory education, spiritual solutions to economic problems, and universal peace upheld by a world federation. We have a lot to do. We must share the vision of Baha'u'llah, teach others, and carry out the tasks He established for us.
Are religious beliefs compromised by engaging in politics?
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After watching the recent FRONTLINE program about the government and the credit card industry, I would have to say this is currently the case. Even the legislators who wanted to oppose the banking industry were overwhelmed by the power of lobbyists, and said it was impossible to get enough support for the bills they were proposing. However, with the imposition of a spiritual democratic model, overseen by the House of Justice, it will be our duty to be involved in governing and ensuring fair laws and practices for all.
Has 9/11 had any impact on your thoughts about religion? Are you more/less interested in learning about other religions? Do you feel more/less comfortable expressing your religious beliefs?
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9/11 was a tragedy. Becoming a Baha'i has taught me a lot about the Muslim religion and their point of view. I do not have to agree with it, just understand where they are coming from. Muhammad was stoned by citizens for his message of peace and harmony.
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