• Do not deny the existence of God (Alaha) or His Oneness.
• Do not equate God with creation; we believe God is outside time and creation.
• Do not worship idols.
• Do not deny that the soul is a spark of the Divine Light.
• Do not neglect the practice of the Twelve Virtues.
• Do not use unnecessary force against any person.
• Do not deny that all men, women, all races, nationalities and sexual orientations are deserving of equality.
• Do not neglect the practice of protecting all life, including animal life.
• Do not deny the divine prophethood of Mar Mani and the fact that he is the Apostle of Light.
• Do not mix magic and false religious beliefs with that of the Prophet Mani.
• Do not neglect the weekly observance of Shabta, which begins at sundown on Friday and concludes at sundown on Saturday.
• Do not reject the divine position of the nation of Israel (that it was chosen by God).
• Do not attempt to interpret the Holy Gospel or any of the teachings given to us by Mar Mani without his teachings in front of you.
• Do not teach anything contrary to the teachings of the Gospel and do not change their words to mean something than was originally meant.
• Do not teach that divine revelation is only for one race or ethnic group or nation.
• Do not elevate one race or ethnicity above that of another.
• Do not elevate one gender above that of another.
• Do not abort children, as this is equal to infanticide/murder.
• Do not sexually abuse children or vulnerable adults; do not withhold information regarding the sin of sexual abuse. If you know of someone who has been or is being sexually abused, it is your duty to report such sin to the proper authorities.
• Do not reject the practice of alms-giving, for it is a means of salvation for our souls.
• Do not deny your responsibility to assist your fellow brothers and sisters in the Faith, including widows and orphans, by way of food, shelter or finances, when such assistance is clearly within your means.
• Do not handle the Gospel, any of the texts sacred to our faith or images of the various Divine Messengers inappropriately; even if it is by mistake, one should repent.
• Do not neglect the practice of praying at least five times daily.
• Do not neglect the practice of daily reading of the Holy Book.
• Do not neglect the regular study of the Holy Book.
• Do not neglect the practice of fasting as prescribed in our Faith.
• Do not lie or spread rumors about others.
• Do not cause a brother or sister to stumble because of your actions or speech.
• Do not falsely claim to be among the Elect when you are not.
• Do not steal from others.
• Do not cause serious harm to the earth.
• Do not marry or become unevenly yoked with one who questions or denies the existence of God or who has no genuine respect for the Prophet, our Faith or the tenets of our Faith.
• Do not bully others. Do not make fun of others because of their personal appearance or because of physical handicaps or lack of clothing or funds.

Our Beliefs

This is a basic outline of our beliefs. To gain a more comprehensive understanding of the Manichaean Faith, everyone is encouraged to study the Gospel of the Prophet Mani.

• There is one true God. God is not creation itself but His presence (Light) can be found within it.
• There is a Messenger, called the Third Messenger of Light, to be sent by God; the Messenger is not God.
• Mar Mani is a living Messenger of Light sent by God and was a Prophet and Teacher of humanity.
• The Gospel of Mani is a living entity, imbued with the Spirit of Truth and Light, and it serves those who respect it and live by its precepts, as a sure guide to eternal happiness in the Kingdom of Light.
• Personal interpretation can never be elevated above the clear teaching of the Prophet Mar Mani.
• All physical matter is deemed illusion in that it is not permanent. All that is Light is deemed real because it is eternal.
• The soul is a spark of the eternal Light trapped in the illusion of matter.
• All suffering in the world is rooted in our ignorance of our true nature and distraction from our real purpose in life.
• True religion is sent into the world to awaken humanity to its true nature and serves as a means to return to its true home beyond the physical universe.
• All true religion comes through divine revelation.
• The worship of and prayer to God is the natural state of the soul.
• Cultivation of virtue and the rejection of vice are methods in which one refines the soul.
• Alms-giving is a method in which we find atonement for our sins. Alms-giving is practiced by presenting food offerings to the Elect among the Manichaeans. This is not a symbolic offering, but rather, we present, each week (or monthly), as much as we are able, to the Elect real food (vegetarian) and in return, as is the practice of Manichaeans, ask for intercessory prayers for the salvation of our souls. When there are no Elect in one’s reasonable distance, the Hearer should give food or a contribution to a food bank or a homeless shelter.
• Laying aside of attachments eases the soul’s ascension and return to the eternal Kingdom of Light.
• All unnecessary use of force is contrary to the soul’s development.
• All obsessions and addictions are manifestations of attachment.
• All men, women, all races, nationalities and sexual orientations are viewed equally; we do not judge anyone for any condition in which they were born.
• All life, which includes animal life, deserves to be protected.
• The love of God is experienced by humanity through the love, compassion, kindness and selfless service of the faithful.
• The peace of God is reflected in this world through the actions of the faithful, and through them the world experiences a taste of the peace that awaits them in the eternal Kingdom of Light.