I first heard about the Faith from Seals and Croft, the 70s duo. They talked about the Faith whenever they were on talk shows. Then, about 1982, I saw a table of information at the county fair and took some of the information and then I called the phone number on one of the pamphlets. I talked to some nice local Baha’is and went to meet them.
They gave me a copy of Bahá’u’lláh and the New Era, a standard introduction to the Faith, and a copy of Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh. I liked what I read in Bahá’u’lláh and the New Era. I liked the idea that all the religions are one religion and that the prophet-founders are human beings, separate from God. I was raised as a Catholic, but I could not get my head around the idea of a god in three pieces. I wanted to believe in one supreme being, not something sliced up like a pizza.
I was drawn to emphasis on one humanity and that we need to help each other. I was looking for a belief system where I didn’t look down on my mother for remaining a Catholic or anyone else for believing the way they did.
To be a Bahá’í simply means to love all the world; to love humanity and try to serve it; to work for universal peace and universal brotherhood.
~ ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
Hell is not a separate place where souls go after death in the Bahá’í Faith. You don’t get just one chance to get it right and go to heaven or fail and go to hell. I liked that a lot.
There was a lot more in the book that I liked, but what really convinced me about the truth of the Bahá’í Faith, was reading the word of Bahá’u’lláh. Sometimes the King James English can sound strange to our ears, but when I read His words, something inside me responded. Even if I didn’t agree or didn’t want to accept something, my heart still told me it was true for me.
When someone tries to convince me that I am wrong and that Bahá’u’lláh is wrong, it doesn’t have an affect on me because I didn’t become a follower of Bahá’u’lláh because of reasoned arguments or proofs. I started to follow Bahá’u’lláh because my heart told me to. I am crap at apologetics because I do not believe in God because of reason (see my post here) and I do not believe in Bahá’u’lláh because of reason.
I believe because I do.
Every so often I do question whether Bahá’u’lláh is who He says He is and if the Bahá’í Faith is true. I can’t find any argument against them and besides, even if they are wrong, I know that I am a better person because of my faith. I have been motivated to be nicer, to think of others, to good things for other people. I have also found great consolation in the writings and prayers. My problems may not be solved, but mind and soul are calmed.
I believe because I do.