Rich, At 08:47 PM 9/3/2005, you wrote: >>For Baha'is, Covenant Breakers are not sects, they stop being Baha'is.<<
As a sociologist (and also as an individual), I would consider them to be Baha'is based on self-definition, and I also would regard their organizations, where they exist, to be branches of the Baha'i Faith. (The word 'sect" has a precise usage in the sociology of religion, and none of the organizations which call themselves "Baha'i," our own included, would qualify for that term.) I would also note the views of the leaderships of the different Baha'i groups regarding those Baha'is who are not members of their own groups. That would include the fact that the Universal House of Justice restricts the term to those who are formally members of the organization under its administration. Via moderna, Mark A. Foster . http://markfoster.net ... since [a] word is said to be common, it can be called a universal. - Wm. of Ockham, Summa Logicae, part I Structurization Tech: http://tech.structurization.com The information contained in this e-mail and any attachments thereto ("e-mail") is sent by the Johnson County Community College ("JCCC") and is intended to be confidential and for the use of only the individual or entity named above. The information may be protected by federal and state privacy and disclosures acts or other legal rules. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are notified that retention, dissemination, distribution or copying of this e-mail is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error please immediately notify JCCC by email reply and immediately and permanently delete this e-mail message and any attachments thereto. Thank you. __________________________________________________ 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:[email protected] 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/[email protected] New Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]
