The Bahá'í Faith:
The second most "global" religion.
In just over 100 years, the Bahá’í Faith has grown
from an obscure movement in the Middle East to become the second-most widespread
of the independent world religions. Embracing people from more than 2,100
ethnic, racial and tribal groups, it is likely the most diverse organized body
of people on the planet. The unity it has achieved
within this great diversity challenges prevailing theories about human nature
and the prospects for our common future. It challenges the
uncritical assent given to the proposition that human beings are incorrigibly
selfish and aggressive and thus incapable of erecting a social system at once
progressive and peaceful, dynamic and harmonious, a system giving free play to
individual creativity and initiative but based on co-operation and reciprocity.
The Bahá'ís have established "significant" communities
in more countries and territories than any other independent religion with
the exception of Christianity. According to the 1992 Encyclopaedia
Britannica Book of the Year, the Bahá'í Faith
is established in 205 sovereign countries and dependent territories (see
graph below.)
This point was first made in 1982, in the World
Christian Encyclopedia. That volume reported on the work
of some 500 scholars, demographers and statisticians who conducted the
first comprehensive survey of religious believers worldwide.
Baha'i House of Worship in New Delhi, India
Another link to the Baha'i Houses
of Worship
http://www.infonet.st-johns.nf.ca/bahai/temples.html (to see all the Baha'i
Temples around the world)
Geographic Spread of the World's Independent Religions:
- Number of countries with significant communities:
Christianity - 254
Bahá'í Faith - 205
Islam - 172
Judaism - 125
Hinduism - 88
Buddhism - 86
Excerpted from "The
Bahá'ís," a publication of the Bahá'í International
Community (p. 6). Also
here.For more
information click here:
http://bahaifaith.homestead.com/BahaiFaith.pdf
A Statistical Snapshot of the Bahá’í
Community
As of 1996
Total number of Bahá’ís worldwide:
more than 6,000,000
Number of independent countries where the Faith is established:
189 *
Dependent territories or overseas departments where the Faith is
established:
46 *
Number of national or regional governing councils:
(known as National Spiritual Assemblies)
174
Number of local governing bodies (local spiritual assemblies):
17,780 *
Number of localities worldwide where Bahá’ís
reside:
more than 120,000
Tribes, races and ethnic groups where members are represented
in the Bahá’í world community:
more than 2,100
Languages into which
Bahá'u’lláh’s writings have been translated:
more than 800
Publishing Trusts:
30 *
Radio stations:
7 **
Schools:
741 **
Literacy programs (examples 1
, 2 , 3
& 4):
203 **
Other development projects:
(also see second site)
670 **
* As of 1994
** As of 1992Prayers in other languages:
http://www.bahaiprayers.org/languages.htm
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