Baha'i encourages cooperation between religions

By: TREVOR WILLIAMS For The Red & Black

Posted: 5/1/07

Throughout history, conflicts about religion often have scarred the world, but one on-campus organization promises unity in an arena where dissension often has reigned.

The Baha'i Association at the University is dedicated to fostering community among members of the Baha'i faith and those who want to learn more about this relatively new world religion, its members said.

Baha'i faith originated in modern-day Iran in 1844, when a man who became known as the Bab began proclaiming that a prophet was to come who would give the world its newest revelation from God.

"(Baha'is) believe that all religions come from the same source," said Sohayl Moshtael, an employee in the office of the University's chief information office and faculty adviser for the association.

Baha'i believes these other religions arose when God the Creator, who promised he would never leave humanity without guidance, sent messengers into the world to proclaim truth throughout the generations.

The messengers, called "manifestations of God" by Baha'is, dispensed wisdom in accordance with humanity's spiritual maturity at their respective points in history.

"Looking at God is like the sun in the sky. These manifestations, these messengers, are like the mirrors that you put in front of the sun. And when you look in the mirror, you see a reflection of God," said Moshtael, who has been affiliated with the Baha'i Association since he came to the University 22 years ago.

Although the group has remained small, it has managed to survive all these years despite the fact that attendance has dwindled to a handful of people at times, Moshtael said.

This semester, attendance at the meetings averaged about eight or nine people, said Caleb Gilleland, a fourth-year international affairs major from Cumming who serves as the vice president of the association.

The 14 or 15 Baha'is associated with the University supplement the 40 or so Baha'is in the Athens area, Moshtael said.

Being small, the association's schedule varies by semester based on the whims of the group members. This spring, it held weekly meetings, usually on Sundays in the Student Learning Center or in one of the members' homes.

A typical meeting begins with prayer followed by a presentation focusing on some topic of faith. Then the group reads some writings from one of the accepted religious traditions and closes with another prayer, usually taken straight from a Baha'i prayer book.

Gilleland stressed Baha'i faith's ability to reconcile these seemingly conflicting religious ideologies attracted him to Baha'i faith when he was 16 years old.

"The way we look at it is that different religions are like different grades in a school," Gilleland said, noting that as societies develop, religious institutions must evolve in order to remain relevant.

With Baha'i faith, Gilleland maintains his baptist-bred respect for the Bible without disregarding what he now sees as God's more contemporary revelations.

This syncretism, though it may sound problematic to strict adherents of other faiths, creates a safe atmosphere for non-religious people looking for a spiritual connection.

Both Baha'is and non-Baha'is play an active role in the meetings, and about one-third of the association's members are non-Baha'i, Gilleland said.

"The Baha'i Association is a very open group. It's very accepting of all kinds of faiths," said Jack Purvis, a senior agribusiness major from Blairsville. "It would seem that it wouldn't matter if you're an atheist; you're welcome."

Purvis heard about the Baha'is from a group member he met at the dining hall, and although he is a self-described agnostic, he has been significantly involved in the association's meetings this year.

Purvis's involvement is a testament to the association's openness, which stems from an important Baha'i belief.

"Religion is a choice," Moshtael said. "Through a process of independent investigation of truth, every individual needs to study for themselves and decide for themselves whether they want to follow any religious beliefs."

For more information about the Baha'i Association of the University, visit www.uga.edu/bahai.