Other expressions are neither valid nor to be encouraged. The moral and sexual education of children cannot be taken separately, and must be based upon heterosexuality, fidelity, and the family unit. 4 Any Baha'i member in good standing can be elected to any office within the Faith, regardless of their sexual orientation. However, gays and lesbians might be declared to be not in good standing if they flagrantly display their homosexuality. A fundamental belief of the Baha'i Faith is that true science and religion cannot be in conflict.
Sexual orientation continues to be studied by human sexuality researchers.
In the West, a social and scientific consensus is being developed that homosexuality is a natural and acceptable variation of human sexuality for a minority of adults, and a person's sexual orientation is unchangeable. We expect that the Baha'i Faith will experience increasing conflicts over homosexuality and bisexuality in the West. Some will be internal dissension, driven by Baha'i gays and lesbians who want the Faith to change and who believe that their sexual orientation is natural and God-given. There will also be external pressure from a society which accepts recent scientific findings. Potential converts will be less likely to join a religion that treats minority sexual orientations as disorders.