There are many things that go into defining a religion. One of the biggest factors is having a belief. Yea, there could be many symbols that help you identify what you follow but the symbols are meaningless unless you have something that you believe in. The Baha'i were criticized and shunned upon because their culture was something that was different and hard to identify with but the reason why, I feel, that they are able to be recognized as a religion now is because they stuck with their belief and were able to express it in a way that stayed true to their personal beliefs.
Unity, I think is a big factor as well. There are many things that happen to new cultures just because they are different but because of their ability to believe in something uniform they are able to express their message a little bit more. There is a part in the book that says something about how they Baha'i stuck together, they suffered together and accepted their punishment. I know that makes a big statement to me and allows me to see the Baha'i as more than just 'some thing that people believe.'
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