Finding one faith in all faiths with the Baha’is

by Elaine Klaassen

My first awareness of the Baha'i faith came in 1967 when I was living in Chicago for the summer. On Lake Michigan stands a very beautiful Baha'i temple. You couldn't possibly see such a distinctive building and not wonder what it is. I learned it represented a religious group who believed in the unity of world religions--who believed that all religions are right. In light of the many historically violent conflicts between religious groups, it sounded like a really good idea to me.
Several years ago Southside Pride started getting news releases about Baha'i meetings at the Hosmer library. The latest newsflash, in January, was that they had just bought a building at 37th and Chicago.
On February 25 the Baha'is invited me to a big party celebrating the festival of Ayyam-i-ha, a special time of year for hospitality, service and giving gifts. The Baha'i calendar year is organized into 19 months of 19 days each. The four days of the Ayyam-i-ha are the extra days (a gift of extra time) that are left over when you divide 365 by 19.
Although not a structure like the classical Baha'i domed temples with nine sides and nine entrances (found on seven continents), the building on Chicago Avenue conforms, in my opinion, to the Baha'i interest in beauty. It is plain, elegant and lovely with two-story white columns across the front. Inside, the arched windows of the white-walled, spacious meeting room let in the southern light.
For the party, everything was decorated with bright colored garlands, balloons and twinkling lights. My guide, Rhonda Richardson, showed me the education rooms and the prayer room. The latter especially called to mind the Middle Eastern origins of the Baha'i faith. Wall plaques display words of the founder, Baha'u'llah, written in Farsi (Persian) gold letters. The brown walls are dappled with gold sponge paint, creating a luxurious bronzed effect. Prayer is an important part of being a Baha'i and the prayer room is used frequently.
Richardson first heard about the Baha'i faith from the librarian in her northern Minnesota high school. The idea that "all Gods were right" as well as "the equality between men and women" especially appealed to her. Later she studied the teachings and history of the 150-year-old religion and six years ago signed the official card that made her one of the religion's nearly 6 million members.
Jim Borland remembers his first contact with Baha'is very well. It was February 12, 1963, during a time when "blatant racism and nationalism were everywhere--the Italians versus the Scandinavians, etc.--all groups at war and all uncomfortable with each other." A fellow engineering student in Milwaukee took him to a meeting, what the Baha'is call a "fireside," where he said, as a person of color, he felt totally comfortable. "Color was not important." His first point of attraction was the Baha'i position on racial equality and the oneness, or unity, of humanity.
Linda Ingham became a Baha'i about thirty years ago as a college student at Carleton College in Northfield. She was impressed with a third generation Baha'i man she met there because "He was so different in his attitudes about women." Apparently he took the teachings about the equality of women seriously. He was also unpolitical. I was surprised to hear her describe the reaction of the Baha'is when the U.S. invaded Cambodia. She said they established a safe lounge at Carleton where no one spoke about politics. "It was very healing," she reported.
From some other comments I heard, I got the impression that the Baha'i position was to shy away from activism and speaking out on social justice or political issues.
But my impression was not exactly correct. Borland clarified that Baha'is definitely do not get involved in the divisiveness of partisan politics; while Baha'is vote, there are no Democrat or Republican Baha'is. Instead of activism, Baha'is will write letters and talk with legislators--they work behind the scenes to effect peaceful solutions to problems.
From their literature it appears that their approach is generally preventive whenever possible. For example, they work worldwide in areas of education, development and conservation. Their own governance system is a unique and positive model for group decision making. In the 1920s, the Baha'i community of the United States sponsored a series of "Race Amity" conferences. In 1948 the Baha'i International Community was registered as a non-governmental organization at the United Nations where they maintain a strong presence. In 1970 the Baha'i International Community was granted consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations. They believe that, "World peace is not only possible but inevitable," according to a document drafted in 1985 and widely disseminated since then.
The Baha'i faith started in the mid-1800s in Iran (then Persia). Its founder Baha'u'llah was, at first, a follower of the Babi movement, so threatening to Islam that its leader was executed. Baha'u'llah was spared because he was of noble birth. Later, while sentenced to four months in a dungeon, he received dramatic revelations. For the rest of his life he was banished from Iran and sent, as a prisoner, to Baghdad, Constantinople, Adrianople (now Edirne) and to Acre, a penal colony in Ottoman Palestine.
The worldview and beliefs of Baha'is are expressed in a holy book known by its Persian name, the Kitab-i-Aqdas. Written down by Baha'u'llah, it outlines his vision of God's will for humanity. Baha'i literature describes the fundamental principles for world harmony (God's will for humanity) as: "the elimination of all forms of prejudice; full equality between the sexes,; recognition of the essential oneness of the world's great religions; the elimination of extremes of poverty and wealth; universal education; the harmony of science and religion; a sustainable balance between nature and technology; and the establishment of a world federal system, based on collective security and the oneness of humanity."
Baha'is believe Baha'u'llah was the latest revelation of God to humans, in a line with Abraham, Krishna, Moses, Zoroaster, Buddha, Christ and Muhammed.
Because of their faith in other religions, Baha'is do not proselytize. In talking with them, the lack of tension is very noticeable. It's obvious they believe they have something good to share but they do not try to persuade you. Their dynamic is distinctive.