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Bahai's treasure unity, equality, peace
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Burgel Mertens and husband Peter, who came from Bonn, Germany have lived in Canada since 1980.
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Theresa Seraphim
For Spotlight
For Tim Locke and Cindy Snedden, the Baha’i faith has been an all-encompassing way of life.
Locke’s journey to becoming a Baha’i began when a brother and a sister joined.
“I started to investigate the Baha’i faith for a lack of anything better to do,” he noted.
“The more I read, the more I thought, ‘This sounds interesting.’”
Snedden and her husband became Baha’is in 1992.
“I came in contact with the Baha’is when I was in university. It’s a time in a person’s life when they’re searching,” she explained.
Although the duo took different paths, each of them made a formal declaration of faith – which is done orally in some places but in writing in most locales and involved signing a card declaring they agree that Baha’u’llah is the Manifestation of God for this day..
The basic principle is monotheism.
“There is just one God, we believe,” said Locke.
Bahai’s believe God has guided humanity in the past and continues to do so by sending certain people as prophets, including Mohammed, Zoroaster, and Christ. The latest messenger in this progressive series of revelations was Baha’u’llah, a Persian man born Mirza Husayn Ali in 1817.
Baha’u’llah’s message stressed the unity of mankind, which is important in this day and age, said Snedden.
“This is a time when prejudices are going to make or break us,” she noted, adding that means prejudices due to creed, race, gender or any other reason.
Baha’is have no clergy. Rather, a group called a spiritual assembly – nine Baha’is in good standing – is elected at the local, national and international level to guide the community’s affairs.
In keeping with the unity principle, such elections are nonpartisan, involving no campaigning or nominations. Each Baha’i writes down the names of nine other Baha’is in good standing, and the nine people with the most votes are declared elected.
In Slave Lake, the local spiritual assembly oversees a group of 11 adults and 12 to 14 children and youth.
The assembly – at whatever level – will try to reach consensus on decisions but if that doesn’t happen, it will go with the majority.
Baha’is not on the assembly do not just sit back, said Snedden.
“They have a responsibility to make suggestions to the local assembly,” she stressed, adding that Baha’i writings about the process of consultation set out ways of expressing views in an honest and loving way while listening to others’ opinions and suggestions.
“Everyone's view carries equal weight,” said Snedden.
Individuals are also charged with doing the things that will deepen their spiritual lives, such as praying (using one of Baha’u’llah’s prayers or praying spontaneously at least every morning or evening) and studying Baha’u’llah’s writings in small groups.
“There’s no minister – you have to be your own minister,” Snedden pointed out.
Bahai’s gather every 19 days – or once every month on the Baha’i calendar – on a rotating basis in private homes.
As Muslims are encouraged to go to Mecca at least once in their lives if possible, Bahai’s are encouraged to visit Haifa, Israel, where Baha’u’llah’s shrine and the International House of Justice (the international spiritual assembly) are located.
“You’re made to feel quite at home,” said Snedden, who went with her husband in 1994 and saw the results of the efforts of Canadian architects in the buildings.
Baha’u’llah (the name means “glory of God” in Arabic) dictated volumes of works as given to Him by God.
Snedden said Baha’u’llah sensed his calling early in his life, describing it as akin to the biblical story of Moses and the burning bush. Although he did not declare himself as God’s messenger until 1863 (he died in 1892), he had followers before that – even as a prisoner.
“Everywhere he went, his prison guards became devoted, so the authorities would move him,” Snedden remarked.
But, said Locke, Baha’u’llah did not ask for his role.
“He always said if he had a choice, he would never have chosen to do this.”
Baha’is believe since each prophet is God’s messenger, all are equal, said Locke.
“You can’t make any distinction between (them) on their status or importance.”
That also means God will send another messenger in future, said Snedden.
“When the next one comes, the Baha’is will be equally challenged in recognizing the manifestation,” she commented.
The current age is an important time in history, when humanity is just learning the lessons of world-wide peace and unity, said Locke.
“It equates to the adolescence of mankind, if you will,” he stated.
One thing Baha’is feel would help, but has not yet come to be, is the implementation of a universal auxiliary language. Locke said this would mean everyone would keep his or her mother tongue but all people should, at some point, adopt a universal language, either by choosing one of the current ones or by forming a new one.
Again in keeping with the stress on unity, Baha’is reach out to those outside of their faith.
“In larger centres, Bahai’s are often active in interfaith activities,” Snedden noted.
More information is available at or in Slave Lake by calling 780-849-5828.
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