"Am I racist for being 'alarmed' at this?"

[conuly]

Seriously, be racist. See if I care. Nobody cares. But stop whining and acting like you're not! Just go whole hog and be a fucking racist and fess up to it like you're not ashamed to be a throwback in this day and age.

Or, since you *are* ashamed (and really should be) try not being a racist. Or just think once in a while, all right? And by think, I mean something deeper than "Oh, there's baby boys named Mohamed in England! It's so scaaaaaaary, those babies might cry on a plane, and it'd all be a plot. Ooooooooh!"

Comments

[elenbarathi.livejournal.com]

I must admit, I have never known anyone of the Bahá'í faith, and haven't read any Bahá'í texts or teachings, so I'm not in a position to hold an opinion on it. What do the Bahá'í consider themselves to be?

[conuly]

Well, they don't proselytize. That wins them a zillion points in MY book.

[elenbarathi.livejournal.com]

I have to agree, Not Proselytizing is a big point in their favor. Other points I would wonder about are: what's the status of women in that faith? How are people who choose to leave it regarded, or who marry someone of another faith - are they still family or friends, or are they shunned? What about those who are gay, or who have children outside marriage? What's the prevailing attitude toward the rearing of children - kind and patient, or strict and punitive?

Surely, there are good people of every faith, and the fact that I oppose the power-agenda-based premises of the Abrahamic religions doesn't mean I hate or dislike the people who practice them. Sheesh, that would mean hating over half the world, millions of people! No indeed, I look on the Abrahamic religions as being like alcohol or tobacco in a whole lot of ways; just because I think they're bad for people doesn't mean I think people are bad for doing them. Nor do I think that my opinion that something is bad for people is a justification for trying to take it away from them. They have brains of their own; they can decide for themselves what's good or not good for them.

[conuly]

I'm not Baha'i, of course - however, I've looked them up on Wikipedia a few times, intrigued by this younger stepchild of the Abrahamic faiths. Not many people know much about their beliefs, or even that they *exist*. It's my understanding that in most respects they're fairly liberal as a general rule... except on the issue of homosexuality, which has apparently caused some internal problems recently. However, even there, it seems less a "You're going to Hell!" than a "Now, this isn't exactly the way it should be" sort of thing. Baby steps. (Also, according to Wikipedia, as a faith they're deeply against gossip and backbiting. I can respect that. I *do* respect that, in fact.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homosexuality_and_the_Bah%C3%A1%27%C3%AD_Faith
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahai
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bah%C3%A1%27%C3%AD_laws

Truthfully, I find that their official attitudes have much to recommend them, although I doubt anybody will change their religious beliefs just to suit me (and I wouldn't want them to either).