Відео

The Bahai faith and homosexuality Through Baha'u'llah, God's infinite wisdom has transmitted to us the religious perfection that must renovate humanity from top to bottom. The ancient revelations gradually led humanity towards this path. In these revelations, divine laws or advice on sexual orientation have always been clear. In God's eyes, sexuality has always been a means of reproduction, not a means of obtaining pleasure. Animals reproduce according to their sexual urges, which are programmed at regular intervals, not according to their sudden desires. As human beings, we are not sexually constrained, but free. It's this freedom that has to be controlled by our spirit. Our animal nature must be submitted to our divine nature, and that's where the difficulty lies. Our mind must control our body, not the other way around. We must try to turn our minds solely to the spiritual realm. Homosexuality has always existed, and so have the uncontrolled sexual impulses of heterosexuals. In divine wisdom, the law of marriage was established to regulate and provide a suitable framework for the natural sexual desires of human beings to express themselves. Unfortunately, it only concerns the heterosexual gender, since this is the natural order of reproduction. If the natural order had been homosexuality, humanity would not have existed or been able to reproduce over time. So homosexuality is a minority inclination, just as it is in the animal kingdom. Bahais teachings recommend safeguarding the rights of racial, political and religious minorities. Unfortunately, this does not apply to the sexual minority. In God's eyes, the uncontrollable impulses of our lower nature are reprehensible. Rape, regular masturbation, pleasure through drugs, homosexual or transgender inclinations, pedophilia, are of the same order. Having said that, let's turn now to the subject of the relationship between Bahais institutions and homosexuality. I believe, and this is my personal opinion, that sexual orientation should remain a private matter. It should be a matter for the individual and his or her conscience. Every human being is confronted with his or her own sins, backbiting, stealing, adultery, etc... and these bad attitudes are generally only of a private nature and should not concern the community of believers, unless the acts committed cause damage to the community's image. Since the Bahai community must be the model for the future civilization that must emerge from religious, social and political chaos. In my opinion, the mistake made by homosexual Bahai believers is to have announced their natural inclination within the community. If I practice daily masturbation, that's my own business and I don't talk about it within the community, or even to those around me. It's a private and personal matter, and talking about one's own shortcomings to others is a double-edged sword, since human beings by nature are imperfect. In Christianity, there is an institution called the priesthood. Christian believers can confess their sins to the priest, and this is covered by confidentiality and secrecy. This does not exist in the Bahai faith. That's why the writings ask institutions to study these questions with wisdom. The problem today is that Baha'i institutions are made up of spiritually imperfect human beings. Does this mean that their decisions are imperfect? The question remains. Personally, I believe that the decisions taken by the assemblies can be prone to error. Although it is said in the scriptures that the assemblies are guided in their decisions by the kingdom above.I think this is mainly so that their decisions are respected by believers. Such an influence is beyond our perception and cannot be categorically affirmed or invalidated, as this is a matter of belief. Institutions are set up to ensure that Baha'i laws are respected. In the writings of the Guardian, it is mentioned that the believer recognized as being homosexual must be excluded from using his right to vote within the community. Does this mean definitive exclusion from the community? Not at all. This extract from the Guardian's writings bears witness to this: “I feel I must reaffirm the vital importance and necessity of the right to vote - a sacred responsibility of which no recognized adult believer should be deprived, unless he or she is a member of a community which has not yet been able to establish a Local Assembly. This distinct right possessed by the believer, however, does not imply an obligation to vote, if he himself feels that the circumstances in which he lives do not justify or enable him to exercise this right with intelligence and knowledge. This is a matter that should be left to the discretion of the believer, so that he himself may decide in his soul and conscience.” (Shoghi Effendi) What's important in this extract is that it's “a matter that should be left to the discretion of the believer”. Since, according to Baha'i law, homosexual believers must be excluded from the right to vote, it is up to them, in their soul and conscience, to decide for themselves not to exercise this right. The mistake made is to consider that this prohibition necessarily implies cutting oneself off from the joy of being part of Baha'i activities, and excluding oneself from the community altogether. The main problem is that our decadent world advocates absolute freedom, which is contrary to Baha'i teachings. The freedom to openly display one's sexual convictions, to promote unisex marriage and transgenderism, to allow homosexuals to adopt children, to organize public parades in which the acts committed and the way they are dressed are all part of human depravity. Let me remind you that the Baha'i teachings advocate moderation in all things. And on the subject of freedom, Baha'u'llah declares: “Consider, for example, freedom, civilization and other similar goods. However favorable they may appear to men of understanding, if pushed to excess, their influence becomes harmful.” As Bahais, we are spiritually imperfect beings, subject to the harmful influence of this decadent world. So our personal judgments are unconsciously influenced by our environment. And can often contradict the teachings of our faith. In conclusion, I believe that being homosexual and bahai is not incompatible, it's just a personal matter of conscience towards one's faith, which must respect the purpose, aspirations and duties of our community.

well, the answer is the Baha'i 'faith' is just garbage. move on, you don't need it and you never did.

This video made me very sad. The problem is: if we abrogate something that one of our Central Figures proclaimed, where would it stop? Wouldn't it open the door to changing *anything* that doesn't suit us, that makes life hard, that presents unbearable challenges? And yet, what about the sacrifices of those Central Figures, and so many others who suffered and who still suffer torture, martyrdom, ostracizing and persecution for their faith? Truly, for you to remain a Bahá'í and face the daily struggle between your nature and the Bahá'í laws, would unquestionably be a Living Sacrifice for you.

Ah, Diversity. It's a false idol. A demon actually. Destroying Europe and North America (And ONLY Europe and North America....but that's the point.)

What a breath of fresh air. Thank goodness you are speaking these truths. They must be addressed or this beautiful faith will not be the answer or a way forward for humanity. And great that l found this through the established forum of Baha'i Blog. Gives me hope

Another video with misstatements. 1. Baha'u'llah forbade sexual acts outside of marriage and limited marriage to between a man and woman. 2. The Baha'i community was explicitly told not to associate with the anti-homosexual groups in Uganda and to not treat or regard persons who are homosexual as subject to such misstreatment. (There is a letter from the Universal House of Justice on this.): "Ye are forbidden to commit adultery, sodomy and lechery. Avoid them, O concourse of the faithful. By the righteousness of God! Ye have been called into being to purge the world from the defilement of evil passions. This is what the Lord of all mankind hath enjoined upon you, could ye but perceive it. He who relateth himself to the All-Merciful and committeth satanic deeds, verily he is not of Me. Unto this beareth witness every atom, pebble, tree and fruit, and beyond them this ever-proclaiming, truthful and trustworthy Tongue. (Bahá’u’lláh, from a Tablet-translated from the Arabic)" That is from Baha'u'llah. The original Arabic terms for forbidden behavior included "zina" and "lavit" (acts of the people of Lot or sexual perversion). There are other passages.

The famous painter, Mark Tobey, of whom Bahá'ís are so proud and some of whose works adorn the Seat of the Universal House of Justice in Haifa, was well-known to be gay. He was also known to live with a man and was, in fact, admired for the manner in which he cared for him. It seems the man suffered from some sort of serious disability, though whether he was gay or not I don't know. Mark Tobey lived and died a devout and outspoken Bahá'í and was so regarded by his co-religionists who, it seems, never questioned his adherance to Bahá'í standards of sexual conduct. The philosopher Alain Locke was another famous Bahá'í who was also homosexual. He was extremely devoted to Shoghi Effendi who, for his part, took great pride in Mr. Locke as a member of the Bahá'í community. Admitedly, Alain Locke didn't embrace a gay lifestyle but instead, regarded his homsexuality as a challenge. As a Bahá'í, I'm somewhat perple xed by many questions regarding sex, basic human needs, and interpersonal relations. Most religions direct homosexuals to resign themselves to a lifetime of nonfulfillment of their sexual desires, but, for that matter, so do they also direct many, if not most heterosexuals. What of the many individuals who abandon hope of finding "love" because they are unattractive, physically deformed, emotionally unstable, or otherwise disqualified from marriage? What of married people whose spouses, for one reason or another, fail to satisfy their sexual needs? What of those whose sexual needs are so "exotic" as to be categorically condemned even by extremely tolerant societies? My long years of living have taught me to live with unanswered questions.

ua-cam.com/video/RsVY8VyprGE/v-deo.html&pp=ygUoYmFoYWkgaW5kZXBlbmRlbnQgaW52ZXN0aWdhdGlvbiBvZiB0cnV0aA%3D%3D ua-cam.com/video/t_ZKQNSj-Dw/v-deo.html&pp=ygUoYmFoYWkgaW5kZXBlbmRlbnQgaW52ZXN0aWdhdGlvbiBvZiB0cnV0aA%3D%3D

This video was uploaded 5 years ago. Have you abandoned the documentary? I am fully supportive of what you are doing. I, like you, 3rd generation Bahai and grew up a Bahai child - and gay. Unfortunately, i was pressured to get married to a woman in 1992 when I was 19. I divorced her and left the faith when i was 23. I knew I could never return to the Bahai Faith and it saddens me deeply. I felt ashamed. I was a complete mess and it has taken me almost 30 years of therapy, prayer and soul searching to come to terms with it. Love and peace ❤

Thank you for being so enlightening. And for shedding light through your personal testimonies on this question of the prospect of the realization of the promise of Baha'u llah if a part of the human community is ostracized.

I think you need to look at the bigger picture. Not just yourself ♥️

A religion should not be involved in politics, and in people’s bedroom behavior. I’m sorry this person had such a negative experience. We should pick from the religion the good stuff and throw away what doesn’t work for us. No one can be a perfect Baha’i. Or a perfect this or that. Also, A lot of gays are part of the Baha’i community; they just don’t talk about it, or expect themselves not to be gays and then beat themselves up that they aren’t full Baha’is. They just mingle and others accept them. In fact talking about sexuality is a private matter. Also, who said that to be a full Baha’i, you have to be heterosexually married and have children. No one said that. Who cares. Baha’is are getting divorced left and right. Be light and take what you can. That’s it.

It’s strange that the faith is still kinda clinging to such outdated beliefs about LBGTQ issues.

Allah'u'abha - it is hard to leave 'world unity'... -BUPC (Neal Chase) has sent a letter called Seven Candles of Unity to the government of Israel 🌴🌴

Thank you for your story, Daniel🫂

will always be Baha'i in my heart

I'm also a gay Baha'i walking the path alone... I experienced the same thing you did when I connected to the Baha'i here in the Philippines. I'm doing my obligatory prayers everyday, and my connection with God is strong, despite how our own faith feels about us. Yes we will take back our spirituality ... walk the path together as a chosen family. Thank you for sharing your light with me.

thank you for sahring.

You’re right Daniel Clark Orey, God’s laws should bend to all mankind desires, even sodomy! Just because mankind are like beasts who can’t control themselves 😂😂😂😂

It is good to see a religious community who does not prescribe to the postmodernist sexual notions and debaucheries and also does not ‚throw them off a high place and stone them‘. Just losing one’s administrative rights seems rather benign. It leaves everything within one’s own responsibilities. Sex is one of the cornerstones of a healthy marriage and healthy marriages are the nuclear units of society. As Prof. Unwin described in his amazingly detailed monography ‚Sex and Culture‘ in 1936 societies take three generations to fail after socially disconnecting sex from marriage. And that is exactly what we are seeing right now. As always, children suffer most from the failure of marriage and society. ‚Just following ones lust’ makes one personally responsible for the general suffering following the societal breakdown. There is a direct vector from one to the other. Blaming someone else for losing your status and position because you do not subscribe to the norms and mores of the organization you are working for reminds me of Oliver Hardy‘s ‚Look what you made me do again!‘ Try coming out as conservative in any number of today‘s ventures and you will realize how benign the Baha’i-Faith actually is. This whole video seems more like critical theory grievance pandering than anything else.

The bible is the standard which we have to live up to/ it clearly say a man should not lie with another man it is clear in the bible/ being gay is not a good idea/ because it is conden in scriptures

The book of the bible is not you final final judge) / you are so weong

remember folks. choosing to be a Baha'i or any religion does not mean finding the religion that conforms to your beliefs. the intention is to submit our weakness to God and have faith that God has the growth of our soul in His best interest, and thus requires us making sacrifices and letting go of our own personal desires, making every effort to align ourselves with His Will and His Teachings for our own spiritual growth...it's clear these are all tests in life, it's very sad to hear though and it's a sign of the strength of Faith when a soul succumbs to the tests and leaves the Faith because they choose to attach to their own personal desires rather than make every effort to turn towards God and strive to align to the Teachings and Will of God

remember folks. choosing to be a Baha'i or any religion does not mean finding the religion that conforms to your beliefs. the intention is to submit our weakness to God and have faith that God has the growth of our soul in His best interest, and thus requires us making sacrifices and letting go of our own personal desires, making every effort to align ourselves with His Will and His Teachings for our own spiritual growth...it's clear these are all tests in life, it's very sad to hear though and it's a sign of the strength of Faith when a soul succumbs to the tests and leaves the Faith because they choose to attach to their own personal desires rather than make every effort to turn towards God and strive to align to the Teachings and Will of God

remember folks. choosing to be a Baha'i or any religion does not mean finding the religion that conforms to your beliefs. the intention is to submit our weakness to God and have faith that God has the growth of our soul in His best interest, and thus requires us making sacrifices and letting go of our own personal desires, making every effort to align ourselves with His Will and His Teachings for our own spiritual growth...it's clear these are all tests in life, it's very sad to hear though and it's a sign of the strength of Faith when a soul succumbs to the tests and leaves the Faith because they choose to attach to their own personal desires rather than make every effort to turn towards God and strive to align to the Teachings and Will of God

remember folks. choosing to be a Baha'i or any religion does not mean finding the religion that conforms to your beliefs. the intention is to submit our weakness to God and have faith that God has the growth of our soul in His best interest, and thus requires us making sacrifices and letting go of our own personal desires, making every effort to align ourselves with His Will and His Teachings for our own spiritual growth...it's clear these are all tests in life, it's very sad to hear though and it's a sign of the strength of Faith when a soul succumbs to the tests and leaves the Faith because they choose to attach to their own personal desires rather than make every effort to turn towards God and strive to align to the Teachings and Will of God

Ah. You're a pioneer now...

BUPC -

Where specifically do the authoritative Writings say there will be punishment specifically for this? I believe laws of the Kitab-i-Aqdas, which are for the most part not applicable at this time, have a fine for adultery. Baha’is strive to follow Baha’i laws for love of God and because we believe they are the choicest fruit for us. We don’t impose our views on anyone else. That’s the situation. Everything else is filtered through biases and selfish motives.

I understand if someone may not be a perfect Baha'i. But if someone leaves the faith because it does not suit your wants and desires shows the magnitude of the faith was not understood. And I see more and more the idea of homosexuality is being pushed as a choice from younger age! Sorry if not eloquent!

God tells Man what to do, Not the other way around.

I believe the facts on the gay lifestyle speak for themselves: from the article “psychological and spiritual aspects of male homosexuality” by Hosein Danes, MD - Once a member of the Canadian NSA. 1. Alcoholism rate for gay men is much greater than the general population. 2. The gay population is 2% and this small number has 50% of the venereal disease.3. Promiscuity by age 30-26% of all gay men have over 1000 partners.4. Only 10% of gay men claim to be faithful to one partner. 5. Often the name of the sex partner is not even known. 6. Casual, impersonal sex with frequent change of partners is the norm. 7. Homosexuals choose a partner by age, body type, genital size, and ignoring character, intelligence, and wisdom. 8. There is sexual cruising from gay bar to gay bar to find another partner which is spiritually debasing. 9. Homosexuals are contemptuous in their attitude toward anyone or anything feminine. 10. Homosexuals are afraid to be anything but homosexual do to Male Attacks if they act on repressed heterosexual wishes. Homosexual fear is greater than any other neuroses. Homosexuals have great fear of heterosexuality. Homosexuals have high rates of suicide and alcoholism.

bahai-library.com/pdf/e/ekbal_women_homosexuality_aqdas.pdf?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3uxTKGmaLzzMgmr3wmGrMGytXlvGE1kdR2h6cJc0Ze2K1olKNkwVznJf4_aem_Ab0BfoTcz1EI0FzhRGHrHTMYw5zerytHHb-mVkoXmhgStqfJxgRHAzEsO16IDV6Yj7VqQ-lmsOqgmAX4xZ9qjaIU

But if u live your life congruent to your own moral compass instead of what God has to say then we can make mistakes and miss out on the benefits of listening to God. These benefits include protection for myself and my family and my children from bad things, bad people and bad situations. Bad can range from dangerous to spiritually unfulfilling.

Thank you for sharing your experience. I am so sorry you experienced heartache and discrimination. I send support and love. I was an Baha’i and also engaged to be married to a woman. I was conflicted about being in love and the prohibition against homosexuality. One day I sat down meditating, I pushed everything away except to sit with myself. I asked the question ‘is marrying Sherry my destiny?’ I got an immediate ‘no. So I broke it off, I left, and decided to trust that I would be shown the reasons why. Was compensated tremendously by making this decision. On the one hand, I lost my chance to be married to her. On the other, I experienced tremendous spiritual growth in the resulting situations, epochs and relationships. I can’t explain it but I learned the value of trusting the process of following Baha’i law. I respect and admire your truthfulness and knowing yourself. Easily, the answer to my question could have been ‘yes, marry Sherry’.

How can love be wrong?

Disobedience blinds😢

The Baha'i s need to move forward and change two important perspectives on women and the LGBTQ community. ❤

The Baha'i s need to move forward and stop being anti lgbtq and misogynistic.

The question is can they finally get on the right side of history 🙄 😊😂❤🎉

A lot of people are on the wrong side of history.

The question is can the people in the baha'i faith move forward. That's a very good question.

Do you know, what would happen to LGBTQ people if the Baha'i faith succeeded in becoming a one world religion?

Thank you so much for having this channel, platform; for doing this project. I am a queer woman, was welcomed warmly at my first open Bahá'í devotional, (I pass but don't hide tells) was invited to the soon to follow Naw-Rúz open celebration. I declared online that night. But know I'm learning about the laws, the lack of different versions of the faith (that's a new experience for me)... I feel some grief that this faith isn't a fit for me. I won't hide who i am.

These questions need to be asked be cause of anti lgbtq bigotry in the Baha'i community.

I have explored this faith with such vigor and passion, I was so excited, so inspired until the door was SHUT. The worst thing is the pure hypocrisy, SHOCKING but true and so sad, my heart and soul felt ripped apart, they lured me in and spat me out. Anyway...my heart will heal and God has never left me, His love has and Wisdom are with me, I don't need to be a member of group of people to love and serve My Lord

Dear Dan, I remember you fondly from our days spent together years ago in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. . .your lovely music, and kind spirit! You are a beautiful soul, and wonderful Baha'i, and I am so sorry you have experienced such distress because of the treatment you received from some Baha'i institutions, and individuals. I hope you can forgive them because we all our learning and growing in our understanding of the Baha'i teachings and their implementation. I am sure we all have stumbled along the way. I actually think that most people's belief about the Baha'i stance on homosexuality is due to a misunderstanding about what is really being asked of them in the Baha'i writings. Without using quotes here, the Baha'i teaching is about unity, love, justice, the oneness of human kind. All need to be included justly on this tree of humanity. . .the sinners, the homosexuals, the believers, the atheists, . .all! None should be excluded. And then 'Abdu'l-Baha goes on the say: "Beware, lest ye offend the heart of anyone. . " Our words must be "mild as milk." So Dan, you and all homosexuals, must be loved and embraced by Baha'is! Therefore, when I read over the quote from Baha'u'llah in the 'Aqdas below that relates to homosexuality, what I feel He really is saying is that people who are not in committed marriage between a man and a woman must remain celibate unless or until they engage in such a relationship. He is not faulting same sex attraction, but instead forbidding all sexual expression outside of a committed marriage between a man and a women. If one looks online, one can find all sorts of health and character development benefits from practicing celibacy. Although difficult. . .and many have fallen along the way, it has been practiced throughout the ages and continues to be practiced among different groups (e.g., Catholics) to good effect. I can see celibacy as a gift given to certain individuals to guide them in focusing their energy in other positive directions. "Ye are forbidden to commit adultery, sodomy and lechery. Avoid them, O concoursely of the faithful. By the righteousness of God! Ye have been called into being to purge the world from the defilement of evil passions. This is what the Lord of all mankind hath enjoined upon you, could ye but perceive it." Baha'u'llah In this quote from Shoghi Effendi below, he seems to be saying there is no problem with same sex love and devotion, it is just the expression of this love through sexual acts that is the problem. "No matter how devoted and fine the love may be between people of the same sex, to let it find expression in sexual acts is wrong." Shoghi Effendi I wish you well Dan. May you experience peace, love, and understanding in the rest of your life's journey!

Hey! Twisted brains! Bahaullah the Founder of the Bahai Faith never allows homosexuality.. in the Kitab-i-Aqdàs in the subject of boys, it was translated by Shogi Effindi that homosexuality, just like the rest of religions in the world,, will forever be NOT ACCEPTABLE IN THE EYES OF GOD! Do Not Twist God's Teachings for your convenience! YOU TWISTED BRAINS!!!

May you recall that the so called "evolutionary force" beneath the reality as we perceive it. It cannot be contained in words or interpretations of our limited imagination. There can come a day that institutions such as the Universal House of Justice may realize new understandings other than what it is now, or not. These institutions consists of you and I, and we come and go, we change, in long cosmic view of time. Life as we perceive it on this planet, in this dream, does not "care" if we see contradictions in it or not. And things can be experienced contradictory in one realm, and irrelevant in other realms. See the current human endeavors in realizing what life is "about" as a spectrum, sometimes we need do's and don't's, as wisdom, as compasses, to ground ourselves in the ever changing ocean of experience that we are within and without. And, other times these do's and don't's root too much into the ground that disable us to lift up and see the opening horizons. This is true in a human life span, or the generations of humans. There were times that worshiping a glowing ball in the sky, the Sun, gave humans hope and the sense of elevation and spirituality so they could carry on and make sense of their experience, of what life was about... Although their imagination of God was limited and childlike it allowed us to be here. Our ancestors limited imagination, gave them what they needed, hope, love, connection and meaning. Imagine if you took their Sun away. We wouldn't be here without them worshiping a ball of fire to carry on. The poison of our era is that they call "identification with thought/experience". It is a dream like quality. Think of your dreams, often times until you wake up, you won't realize that the realness that you experience in the dream is just a dream, a mode and realm of experience. And, things do feel real in the dreams. This is one way to know how you are "identified with experience/thought" until you wake up. The realness of any experience is the marvelous part. Wonder and ponder upon this, it's like being "lost in thought" in awake time. So, a practice is to wake up from this mode of experience in awake time. And it is true for most of us who are so identified with thought/feeling. It can solidify and turn into a beliefe about life, or if it's lost and confused, it will look outside to find teachings, beliefs and ideologies to hang on to, to make sense. It's inevitable of us humans. the so call spiritual identity, is a form of identification with thought(s). Baha'u;llah spoke about it in all his writings as "to be free of". In his words in the tablet Ettehad (unity) he says "برتری و بهتری كه بميان آمد عالم خراب شد و ويران مشاهده گشت.​ -حضرة بهاء الله, لوح اتحاد" , meaning the sense of superiority (as individuals or groups) is the recipe for darkness and human disaster. In hundreds of his prayers he encourages to shed all the veils of identification with this or that. Especially, the sense of superiority. Our path to have a more unified and diverse human societies goes through dealing with apparent contradictions. We shall embrace contradictions within and without. And we shall hold space for one another to witness each other's contradictions, in safe spaces. Life presents itself as AND-OR, not either, or. Our scientific discoveries teach us about the this underlying truth, that two or more things can be true at the same time despite our limited imagination to only see duality. I see so much unnecessary pain we cause each other because of our identification with thought. It's a new world emerging on this planet, yet we are so caught up with our identifications of all kinds. A heart that cannot embrace contradictions is doomed to torment and pain. To Dan and Alexis in the documentary, you seem like genuine souls with such valuable story to share. It is difficult to be dismissed by the community you connected to. To be in some ways exiled despite your kind intentions for the humanity. Baha'u'llah himself will relate to your experience. After all, as he mentions it in The Kitáb-i-Íqán, if it was up to him as a person, he would never bother to come back from the Sulaymaniyah mountains to unify a community who kept asking him how to marry, how to eat, what rituals to do etc... as if it was the old era. He is probably looking at you (us) now and winking, laughing and saying: aren't you people hilarious! you humans have discovered blackholes in the sky where time-space entangles, you know there are more bacteria cells than human cells in your body, you can create a single beating heart in laboratory from stem cells without a full human body, and yet you are still holding on to limited imagination of what it means to be human, like the old times. It's time to use the potentials of this so called faith I suggested to you to hold safe space for one another to connect and embrace our diverse existence together.

abase /ə-bās′/ transitive verb To lower in rank, prestige, or esteem. synonym: debase. Similar: debase To lower or depress; to throw or cast down."to abase the eye" To cast down or reduce low or lower, as in rank, office, condition in life, or estimation of worthiness; to depress; to humble; to degrade. "If ye meet the abased or the down-trodden, turn not away disdainfully from them, for the King of Glory ever watcheth over them and surroundeth them with such tenderness as none can fathom except them that have suffered their wishes and desires to be merged in the Will of your Lord, the Gracious, the All-Wise. Regarding this quote and the word Abased. Then think who might be abased in the world. A lot depends upon where one falls in the pyramid of; bigotry, racism, sexism, heterosexism. Then ponder on what the Teachings say that all persons are! "those luminous Gems of Holiness to appear out of the realm of the spirit, in the noble form of the human temple, and be made manifest unto all men, that they may impart unto the world the mysteries of the unchangeable Being, and tell of the subtleties of His imperishable Essence. These sanctified Mirrors, these Day Springs of ancient glory, are, one and all, the Exponents on earth of Him Who is the central Orb of the universe, its Essence and ultimate Purpose. From Him proceed their knowledge and power; from Him is derived their sovereignty. The beauty of their countenance is but a reflection of His image, and their revelation a sign of His deathless glory. They are the Treasuries of Divine knowledge, and the Repositories of celestial wisdom. Through them is transmitted a grace that is infinite, and by them is revealed the Light that can never fade…. These Tabernacles of Holiness, these Primal Mirrors which reflect the light of unfading glory, are but expressions of Him Who is the Invisible of the Invisibles. By the revelation of these Gems of Divine virtue all the names and attributes of God, such as knowledge and power, sovereignty and dominion, mercy and wisdom, glory, bounty, and grace, are made manifest." Do not let a minority of homophobic members dissuade you. " In the Book of Certitude Bahá’u’lláh calls attention to the behavior of those who, in every age, have remained faithful to the Cause of God despite the persecutions they have been made to suffer and the antagonism of those who have rejected the Prophets. He makes it clear that the behavior of such people, on the one hand, and their persecutors on the other, lays bare the true spiritual station of both parties." Even if the persecutions come from within the faith!