In a message from the Universal House of Justice (13 July 1964) they wrote "The declarants need not know all the proofs, history, laws, and principles of the Faith, but in the process of declaring themselves they must, in addition to catching the spark of faith, become basically informed about the Central Figures of the Faith, as well as the existence of laws they must follow and an administration they must obey".
In other words, everything you need to know to become a Bahá'í is on the introduction page. Becoming a Bahá'í is not the end of a journey but rather a beginning. The Bahá'í standard is a lofty one - none of us who have declared our belief in Bahá'u'lláh are now or ever will be perfect. Think of God as the Perfect Physician. He has His Finger on the pulse of mankind. He diagnosis the illness and prescribes the remedy. He sends His Messenger to humanity with this remedy, i.e. in this Day, He has sent Bahá'u'lláh. The remedy has components directed towards curing the ills of society and other components directed towards the spiritual regeneration of each and every individual. You do not wait until you are well before you take the remedy. Likewise, you do not wait until you are perfect in order to become a Bahá'í, rather you become a Bahá'í so that you can benefit from the Divine Guidance intended to help you at this stage of human development and become more like that which God intended you to be.
Do you have social problems like alcoholism or drug addiction? This does not mean you cannot be Bahá'í. In becoming Bahá'í, you commit yourself to conforming to Bahá'í principles. You work towards that standard. This does not mean you must attain that standard before you enroll any more than, say, a student enrolling in a course is expected to know everything in that course. The student is committed to learning the lessons the course has to offer.
We are created in God's image. This does not mean God has arms
and legs like we do. It means that we possess spiritual qualities
like God possesses, albeit lesser in degree. We are given a
chance to develop those spiritual qualities in this life. These
same qualities are the important attributes we take with us to
the life beyond this one. Becoming a Bahá'í makes clear your
purpose in life, how you can contribute to society and the
purpose and role of religion in your life and in the affairs of
society (among many other things).
Becoming a Bahá'í is simple. You declare your belief in Bahá'u'lláh as the Messenger of God for today. In many countries including the United States and Canada, you complete an enrollment form which asks for your full legal name, complete mailing address, birth date, telephone numbers, nation of birth, and if you have ever enrolled in the Bahá'í Faith before. The enrollment form typically includes a statement like this:
In signing this card, I declare my belief in Bahá'u'lláh, the Promised One of God. I also recognize the Báb, His Forerunner, and 'Abdu'l-Bahá, the Center of His Covenant. I request enrollment in the Bahá'í Community with the understanding that Bahá'u'lláh has established sacred principles, laws and institutions which I must obey. ....your signature and date...
If you do not have an enrollment form and no-one can get one for you, just print this and fill it out. Bring your enrollment form to your nearest Bahá'í community. The Bahá'ís would love to meet you. If you are not near a Bahá'í community, mail your form to the National Spiritual Assembly in your country. In the United States the address is:
Bahá'í National Center
112 Linden Avenue
Wilmette, IL 60091
Then as Bahá'ís, we commit to living a Bahá'í life...
There is a world-wide community of some five million Bahá'ís
trying to do the same thing - progress as individuals and create
a united world in which all citizens of the earth can prosper.
There is no clergy, but as you have read, there are
administrative bodies everywhere that assist the Bahá'ís. You
can find a Bahá'í community nearby virtually anywhere in the
world that you travel. In remote areas, Bahá'ís are just an
internet session away.
If you live in Boise and are interested in becoming a Bahá'í, please contact us. We will assist in any way that we can.
