Ok. fair enough. -Gilberto
On 5/6/05, Mark A. Foster <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Hi, Gilberto, > > At 05:25 PM 5/6/2005, you wrote: > >>Is that really how the Bahai faith fits into the above framework? It > seems more like a particular understanding of Bahai orthodoxy? The analogy > which comes to mind is that what you said sounds like a Christian saying "Of > course, there are many different Christianities which are possible... as > long as they accept the authority of the bishop of Rome and everything that > implies."<< > > As a Baha'i, I would say that these different Baha'i faiths need to operate > in the context of the Baha'i Covenant. However, as a sociologist of > religion, I would impose no such limitation. > > I disagree that I am proposing a Baha'i orthodoxy. It would be more accurate > to say that I am advocating Baha'i polydoxy or multidoxy. > > >>By definition that excludes Protestants. And your definition of Bahai > excludes Orthodox Bahais.<< > > My definition, as a Baha'i, would exclude Orthodox Baha'is, not my > definition as a sociologist of religion. > > >>Just in general, it seems very hard to get around the issue. Anytime you > take a religious group and you want to define it, by definition that means > setting limits as to who is in, and who is out. And unless you simply accept > everyone who self-identifies, it seems like you would invariably (even if > only implicitly) set up some criteria and draw the line in a way which > excludes at least somebody from the group.<< > > I don't think I have given any indications of excluding anyone. My messages > were written from a sociological, not a Baha'i, standpoint. > > Via moderna, Mark A. Foster • Portal: http://markfoster.net > "... since [a] word is said to be common, it can be called a > universal" - William of Ockham, Summa Logicae, Part I > > > __________________________________________________ > You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Unsubscribe: send a blank email to > mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subscribe: send subscribe bahai-st in the message body to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subscribe: > http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=bahai-st > Baha'i Studies is available through the following: > Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu > Web - http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/?forum=bahai-st > News - news://list.jccc.edu/bahai-st > Public - http://www.escribe.com/religion/bahaist > Old Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.net > New Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.edu > -- "pharaoh is just a leaf on a burning bush"
