Homosexuality and the Baháʼí Faith  For members of the Baháʼí Faith permissible sexual relations are limited to those between a man and a woman in marriage. Adherents are expected to abstain from sex outside of matrimony, thus premarital, extramarital, or homosexual intimacy are excluded from allowable Baháʼí practices. Baháʼí institutions have taken no position on the sexual practices of those who are not adherents. The scriptural basis for Baháʼí practices comes from the writings of Baháʼu'lláh (1817-1892), the faith's founder, who forbade fornication, adultery, and sodomy. The Baháʼí position towards homosexuality was elaborated on by Shoghi Effendi, Baháʼu'lláh's great grandson and appointed head of the religion from 1921 to 1957. He answered specific questions and described homosexuality as an affliction that should be overcome, while leaving Baháʼí membership open to anyone regardless of sexual orientation. This position leaves Baháʼís with a same-sex orientation under the same guidance as a heterosexual person, that is, if they find themselves unable to contract a marriage with someone of the opposite sex, they should remain celibate. The supreme governing institution of the Baháʼí Faith is the Universal House of Justice, first elected in 1963, which has written more extensively on the subject of homosexuality. For example, they have clarified that Baháʼís should not single out homosexuality over other transgressions of Baháʼí conduct, should not treat those with a homosexual orientation with disdain or prejudice, should not expect that non-Baháʼís follow Baháʼí standards, and should neither promote nor necessarily oppose efforts to legalize same-sex marriage. Baháʼí teachings stress the importance of absolute chastity for any unmarried person, and focus on personal restraint. The Baháʼí Faith, however, leaves the application of laws of social conduct largely up to the individual, and Baháʼís do not advocate for or discriminate against homosexual people. While in authoritative teachings homosexuality is described as a condition that an individual should control and overcome, Baháʼís are left to apply the teachings at their own discretion, and are discouraged from singling out homosexuality over other transgressions, such as the consumption of alcohol, or heterosexual promiscuity. Membership in the Baháʼí community is therefore open to lesbian and gay adherents. The Baháʼí Faith has been described as a religion "ambiguous or contested on the issue of LGBT inclusion".