The charismatic new guy was voted to be the cult leader instead of me

I am on the 9 person council for my religion (Bahai) for my city, and I am probably the most important member in my city. I host a series of talks which I cater with food, which I pay for from my own pocket. This gives a speaker the opportunity to speak to the community, with a guaranteed audience (which the food guarantees). It is the only regular, catered Bahai event in my city, and it is the only gathering where community members have the opportunity to give a talk/presentation, and speak what is on their mind.

I thought my efforts would be recognized and I would be elected chair of the 9-person council. Instead, they voted me vice-chair, and elected this new guy who converted less than a year ago to be the chair. He is charismatic and has a deep forceful voice. His car has a bunch of pro-LGBTQ bumper stickers on it, indicating he is a liberal.

This is fucking bullshit. I should have been elected chair, due to my lifetime of study of this religion, and my financial sacrifice of hundreds of dollars per month for it. Not this charismatic liberal scumbag, who just converted, and supports political causes that are contrary to the Bahai writings. I wouldn't have minded if someone worthy had been elected chair instead of me, but in my opinion this guy isn't worthy.

I am going to try to not let this effect me too much. In practice, being the chair doesn't hold any real power. Though symbolically it indicates the council of 9 views this charismatic scumbag as being a more adept leader than me. The council of 9 are mostly stupid people, so I guess this only makes sense.

My gathering I host is a different crowd, so I will just focus on them, and try not to care too much about this stupid council of 9. Maybe someday I will form my own council of 9.

If you are displeased with the liberal religion, why are you still in it? If you are banking on hope that things will somehow change, you are wasting your time

Because I have no other identity and women do not want a man with no identity.

I have no idea what you mean.

But I tell you now it’s the same thing with me and my martial arts teacher and community and i experienced the decline of our style, I tried to practice what he preach (even though he doesn’t) and I was banking on hope that he would one day change and see what I’m trying to promote)

Banking on the hope that other people will one day change is baseless wishful thinking.

I left the style and I am on my own now because of it. I only regret I didn’t do it sooner