How fast is bahai Growing?

Postmaster · 02-09-2005, 02:43 PM

BruceDLimber · 02-12-2005, 05:04 PM

Hi!

>How fast is the Baha'i Faith growing?

Relatively speaking, very fast!

Our numbers are still small, although increasing:

YEAR BAHA'IS
1853 0
1892 50,000
1963 400,000
1985 5,400,000
1994 6,000,000
today approaching 7,000,000

But according to the Encyclopedia Britannica, the Baha'i Faish, in terms of localities with adherents is already (and has been since 1991) the second-most widespread religion on the planet (Christianity is first). The numbers:

RELIGION LOCALITIES
Christianity 140,000
Baha'i Faith 110,000
all other religions 90,000 or fewer

And the World Christian Encyclopedia asserts that the Baha'i Faith is the fastest-growing religion among those already established in over 100 different countries!

(Please note that neither of these sources is a Baha'i one.)

Not to shabby after only 161 years! :-)

Regards,

Bruce

Postmaster · 02-13-2005, 10:58 AM

so its good to say that this faith is growing by 1 million every 10 years

Well the message is getting there, I predit this faith in the next 50 to 100 years will gain more followers then some of the big faiths out there.

smkolins · 03-18-2005, 04:28 PM

Actually I favor a higher number for current counts.

But rather than say 1 million every 10 years, I think I've seen a number or two bandied about - 2.65% growth rate across the globe since around 1990. We're about equal to Mormons - Mormon's offically automatically include their children in counting their population whereas Baha'is don't (one must officially accept the Baha'i Faith no earlier than 15 years old in order to be counted officially as a Baha'i though we have our share of youth and pre-youth efforts.) If Baha'is did automatically count their children it is my understanding that we would be the fastest growing religion with recognized membership in more than 100 countries.

In otherwords there are denominations and religions that grow much faster but never on a wide scale, where as Baha'is are growing everywhere. There have been regional growth rates among Baha'is much higher in eastern Europe and India but we are generally speaking very smoothly destributed (some time ago I did a bunch of number grinding to get a feel for my religion as a statistical animal and compared it to other religions.) If you take the membership and divide by the number of countries with an recognized membership, and normalize it becomes clear that Christianity is not smoothly destributed, though since it is the majority religion of the planet it has to be fairly well destributed. Jews stand out as far more destributed for their number. But Baha'is are even more destributed than Jews are. At the other end of the spectrum you have Hindus, Sikhs and Shinto almost all of whom are in one country or two.

So Baha'is are clearly destinguished in two ways in terms of growth - we are either first or second in percentage growth, and we are first or second in terms of presence in many many places.

In the United States in particular Islam is the fastest growing religion as I understand it. I don't know about Great Britain....

BruceDLimber · 03-19-2005, 05:26 PM

Hi, Steven; good to see you here! :-)

Here are the numbers I have:

YEAR BAHA'IS

1863 0
1921 50,000
1933 100,000
1963 400,000
1985 5,400,000
1994 6,000,000
2005 about 7,000,000

Best,

Bruce

smkolins · 03-20-2005, 12:21 AM

Adherents.com reports that 1998 Encyclopedia Britannica reported 7.67 million.

This is an admittedly high number reported, but also a reputable source...

Butthis page also reports a higher percentage rate of growth than my memory ....

Postmaster · 03-29-2005, 11:09 PM

Well I for one am a person that has been exploring religions all my life and I would never reject any of them but something really draws me to Baha’i it makes sense. I've done some good reading about it. It fits perfectly in the society we live in and truly is a great religion.

3 weird things happened to me when I was doing reading and thinking about the Baha'i faith. And one was the smell of roses when I was on an emotional high from reading about the relgion that came out of nowhere, others in my family could also smell it in our house we didn't know where it was coming from, the second was when I posted on this forum that the second coming of Christ might come from Iran because I simply felt it and that was before I even knew about the faith. Some member kindly told me about the Baha'i faith after reading my post and that's how I discovered it.

arthra · 04-02-2005, 04:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Postmaster

Well I for one am a person that has been exploring religions all my life and I would never reject any of them but something really draws me to Baha’i it makes sense. I've done some good reading about it. It fits perfectly in the society we live in and truly is a great religion.

3 weird things happened to me when I was doing reading and thinking about the Baha'i faith. And one was the smell of roses when I was on an emotional high from reading about the relgion that came out of nowhere, others in my family could also smell it in our house we didn't know where it was coming from, the second was when I posted on this forum that the second coming of Christ might come from Iran because I simply felt it and that was before I even knew about the faith. Some member kindly told me about the Baha'i faith after reading my post and that's how I discovered it.

Hear Me, ye mortal birds! In the Rose Garden of changeless splendor a Flower hath begun to bloom, compared to which every other flower is but a thorn, and before the brightness of Whose glory the very essence of beauty must pale and wither. Arise, therefore, and, with the whole enthusiasm of your hearts, with all the eagerness of your souls, the full fervor of your will, and the concentrated efforts of your entire being, strive to attain the paradise of His presence, and endeavor to inhale the fragrance of the incorruptible Flower, to breathe the sweet savors of holiness, and to obtain a portion of this perfume of celestial glory. Whoso followeth this counsel will break his chains asunder, will taste the abandonment of enraptured love, will attain unto his heart's desire, and will surrender his soul into the hands of his Beloved. Bursting through his cage, he will, even as the bird of the spirit, wing his flight to his holy and everlasting nest. ....

The Flower, thus far hidden from the sight of men, is unveiled to your eyes. In the open radiance of His glory He standeth before you. His voice summoneth all the holy and sanctified beings to come and be united with Him. Happy is he that turneth thereunto; well is it with him that hath attained, and gazed on the light of so wondrous a countenance.

Source:

http://bahai-library.com/writings/ba...h/gwb/151.html

Postmaster · 04-02-2005, 02:48 PM

That is amazing... I knew it was connected

Thanks for your help.

arthra · 04-02-2005, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Postmaster

That is amazing... I knew it was connected

Thanks for your help.

It's truly amazing.

Baha'is are entering a season April 20 to May 2 known as the Twelve Days of Ridwan where Baha'u'llah declared His mission to a few followers and members of His family in 1863 outside Bagdad in a Garden Island along the Tigris. It's recounted that there were large piles of roses so high that one couldn't see over them so the fragrance of these roses must have been truly powerful!

Baha'u'llah has been associated with the rose.

O FRIEND!
In the garden of thy heart plant naught but the rose of love, and from the nightingale of affection and desire loosen not thy hold. Treasure the companionship of the righteous and eschew all fellowship with the ungodly.

BruceDLimber · 04-02-2005, 05:53 PM

Hi!

A quick correction: the twelve-day Ridvan festival is April 20-May 2. :-)

Bruce

Postmaster · 04-03-2005, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Baha'u'llah has been associated with the rose.

I'm absolutely amazed at this experience, it was truly a miracle, I remember saying that I needed to read about miracles to be convinced and it happened. This is a TRUE faith, I believe every single word. I had no idea that the faith was connected to roses in anyway what so ever.

And the day I smelt them was the day I personally realised that I should take the word of Baha'i seriously, it's almost like I set myself free because insignificant things that used to mattered do not anymore.

Quote:

Bursting through his cage, he will, even as the bird of the spirit, wing his flight to his holy and everlasting nest.

And that's exactly how I felt

Postmaster · 04-03-2005, 06:18 PM

I was searching through Google images and came across this site
http://www.louisville.edu/rso/bahai/

There is no mention of the rose in the article, however there is clearly a rose image put next to the article. I believe it was a miracle because I had no clue of any connection to the rose, the smell appeared out of nowhere which was also smelt by others in my family and it was at the time I was emotionally high from reading and being inspired about Baha'i, however I knew it was connected and that's why I mentioned it here in the first place.

And I thank those who pointed it out to me because it has made my faith stronger and I hope me mentioning it, in return has done the same.

9Harmony · 04-04-2005, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Postmaster

I'm absolutely amazed at this experience, it was truly a miracle, I remember saying that I needed to read about miracles to be convinced and it happened. This is a TRUE faith, I believe every single word. I had no idea that the faith was connected to roses in anyway what so ever.

And the day I smelt them was the day I personally realised that I should take the word of Baha'i seriously, it's almost like I set myself free because insignificant things that used to mattered do not anymore.

And that's exactly how I felt

Dear Postmaster,

What a wonderful confirmation for you.

I personally have not had the bounty of that experience myself. But a few years ago at a Regional Baha'i School, one of our participants came up to me and thanked me for putting the rose scent in her room, her son and daughter-in-law also smelled it when entering her room. I had to tell them it was not me. Nor was it any of the other committee members upon further investigation. It was just one of those little confirmations that lets us know we are not alone. God is with us at all times and under all conditions. It is up to us to be open to that fact, and once we do, we are showered with confirmations of what we need when we need it.

I am so happy for you!

Have a wonderful day!

Loving Greetings, Amy

Postmaster · 04-04-2005, 07:20 PM

Phenomenon’s like this have been happening throughout my life, one of which was the weeping Mary.

I read somewhere that Bahaullah didn't want his miracles to be documented. As such a strong Christian and coming from a highly strict Christian upbringing you can see why it took me some convincing. At first I was suspicious about it all and I was one of these people that would look down on people who converted religions if they were born into them, but with this it's an acception I'm not moving back, I'm moving forward. The people that are drawn into the Baha'i faith have both heart and self control.

If everyone practised the Baha'i faith we would be living in a greatly harmonious world. If anything it has bought me closer to Christianity infact it's bought me closer to all world religions and that's the difference with this beautiful faith. I will never be able to look at a rose in the same way again.