Receptivity

We are told that receptivity to the Faith is demonstrated in a willingness to participate in community building. This community building is set in motion by the core activities. A Bahai from Idaho shares how Seth demonstrated this receptivity for years and recently enrolled online.

Seth has been working with the Baha’i community for at least 5 years. He has attended study circles on Reflections on the Life of the Spirit, Arising to Serve and Twin Manifestations. Seth has been taking his children to children’s classes which they’ve very much enjoyed. In college Seth explored many religions and heard about the Faith but didn’t pay much attention then. He has since read many of the Writings and other Baha’i books, has an awareness of the administrative order, and has spent a lot of time talking about the teachings. He found himself attracted to the Faith’s concept of God as an unknowable essence. He likes that Baha’is believe that we can’t know God, but can know of His attributes and qualities through His Manifestations.

Another demonstration of receptivity came from Katie of Missouri.

Katie saw a picture of the House of Worship on TV. She Goggled the Baha'i Faith, found the website, and requested information through the Seeker Response System. Local Baha’is could not visit Katie immediately since she indicated she would be out of town. In the interim, Katie declared online. Immediate contact was made with Katie to congratulate her and welcome her to her Bahai family. Local Baha’is scheduled a home visit where Katie was presented with a prayer book. She indicated she would cherish it. Because she had grown up going to church weekly, Katie expressed her desire to learn more about the Writings of Baha'u'llah and the Teachings of the Faith. Her visiting team invited her to participate in the core activities including a devotional gathering and a Book One study circle. Katie enthusiastically expressed her desire to participate in these and other community based activities.