|
The Baha'i Family |
||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1. What is the purpose of
the Baha'i Family? 2. What is the role/responsibility of the mother in the Baha'i family? 3. What is the role/responsibility of the father in the Baha'i Family? 4. What is the role/responsibility of the child in the Baha'i Family? 5. How does the Baha'i community treat children? 6. How does the Baha'i community treat teenagers and young people? 7. How does the Baha'i community treat families? 8. What is the Baha'i attitude to orphans and adopting children? 9. What is the Baha'i attitude towards the elderly? 10. How do Baha'is discipline their children? 11. How do Baha'is teacher their children about religion? 12. How do Baha'is raise their children? 13. What is the Baha'i attitude toward marriage? 14. How do Baha'is get married? 1. What is the purpose of the Baha'i Family?
There are two purposes for the Baha'i family. The first of these is to have and raise children who will love and worship God. Taking care of the children's spiritual and intellectual education does this. The second purpose is to create a "fortress for well being" for the two parents. This means that the husband and wife work together so that their marriage is a source of shelter, protection and support for them during their lives. They need to build a level of relationship that allows them to stay friends, confidants and advocates for each other. Top
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
2. What is the role/responsibility of the mother in the Baha'i family?
The mother has a special responsibility to her children because she is the first educator, and the primary care giver to the child early in his or her life. Baha'is believe that it is the mother's job to ensure that the child gets a spiritual education. This does not mean that the mother must stay home to raise the children, though this is an obvious option. Because Baha'is believe in equality, we believe that women have the right to work outside the home if they wish. But their responsibility is to ensure that somehow their children are spiritually educated. Top
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
3. What is the role/responsibility of the father in the Baha'i Family?
The father's role in the Baha'i family is to ensure that his children get a traditional education. He must be able to provide for the family so it can afford to send the children to school. This does not mean that he has to work it means that he has to make sure that someone is working and providing for the family. In the eyes of God, this is his responsibility, and if no one else is doing it, he must do it. Top
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
4. What is the role/responsibility of the child in the Baha'i Family?
The Baha'i child is expected to be entirely obedient and respectful to his or her parents. We must all spend our lives striving to be obedient to God's laws, and to worship him. The first example that children have of this is in their relationship to their parents. If a child is unable to be obedient and respectful to his or her parents, then it is unlikely that he or she will manage it with God either. Top
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
5. How does the Baha'i community treat children?
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
6. How does the Baha'i community treat teenagers and young people?
Baha'i Youth are those young Baha'is who fall between the ages of 15 and 25. Youth hold a special place in the Baha'i community because we recognize that they have an incredible amount of enthusiasm, good will and energy. Many of the important historical figures in Baha'i history were youth, and we inspirited by them and their youthful spirit of joy, and idealism and transformation. Youth are encouraged to offer their talents and energy to Baha'i projects around the world. This is called the "Youth Year of Service," and involves youth taking a year off from their school to volunteer somewhere around the Baha'i world. It puts into practice the Baha'i Belief that "youth can move the world. Top
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
7. How does the Baha'i community treat families?
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
8. What is the Baha'i attitude to orphans and adopting children?
Baha'is put a great deal of importance on raising children to know and worship God. Children who are orphaned are no exception. Baha'u'llah, the Baha'i prophet, explains that anyone who raises and educates a child is really raising and educating His child, and He is grateful for that service. Thus Baha'is consider adopting an orphan to be the same as adopting the child of Baha'u'llah - an incredible honor and responsibility. Top
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
9. What is the Baha'i attitude towards the elderly?
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
10. How do Baha'is discipline their children?
The parent-child relationship doesn't alter just because the children have grown into adults. Just as Baha'i children are expected to respect and obey their parents, so must Baha'i adults respect their parents, although the relationship changes into a relationship of equals. With age and experience often come wisdom, and the aged have a special role to play in the education of community, family and grandchildren. Baha'is therefore believe in giving the elderly the utmost care and respect, and integrating them wherever possible, into community life. Top
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
11. How do Baha'is teach their children about religion?
Baha'is believe that all people have the responsibility to decide what they believe by systematically investigating the real world and the different religions. We believe that a person has the spiritual maturity to make such a decision at the age of 15. Baha'is also believe that parents have the responsibility to educate their children, both spiritually and intellectually. Consequently Baha'i parents raise their children as Baha'is, participating fully in community activities and doing extra teaching at home. Part of this education means learning about the other major world religions, and understanding what other people believe. After the age of 15, however, the child is considered able to make his or her own decision, and the parent's responsibility to teach is reduced, as their child is now considered a "youth." In their youth years, Baha'i children can make the decision to continue living a Baha'i life, or to move in other directions. Top
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
12. How do Baha'is raise their children?
Baha'is believe that one of the important purposes of life is to acquire spiritual virtues. Virtues are one of the ways that we can emulate God - have a character that is truthful, helpful, kind, patient, etc is an example of use the virtues of God to improve our own lives and the world around us. A lot of the work of raising children is seen by Baha'is to be the work of teaching them virtues. With a strong foundation of spiritual virtues, children will behave properly and succeed in life. Of course, and important part of life involves dealing with wrongs, injustice and unfortunate things. Thus, Baha'is try to raise their children to live in the real world, but not give in to it. We hope that our children's lives and behavior can act as examples of the high standard of beliefs that we hold. Top
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
13. What is the Baha'i attitude toward marriage?
Baha'is see marriage as a source of strength and support for our spiritual growth. An analogy given in the Baha'i Holy Writings talks about marriage allowing you and your partner to grow intertwined, like two young trees growing towards the sun. Marriage is encouraged so that you and your spouse can create a "fortress for well being," or a relationship that gives you support and comfort. Another important aspect of marriage is that it enables you to have and raise children, which is another important purpose of life. Top
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
14. How do Baha'is get married?
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
