JULIET DENNIS reports on
a faith that has peace in mind
THOSE of us seeking ways
to offload the pressures of life may have heard
of them. But not many will know of the Bahá'í
Faith which quietly goes about organising Tranquillity
sessions in Swindon.
The Tranquillity Zones –
unique to Swindon – were set up to mark
the Bahá'ís 100th anniversary in
this country. The candlelit sessions, which include
meditation, music and aromatherapy, have been
organised everywhere in the town, from building
societies to mental health centres. This month
Swindon’s dignitaries will be invited to
a special anniversary Tranquillity Zone at the
Wyvern Theatre. The anniversary comes as the Bahá'ís
continue their search for a permanent spiritual
centre in the town to host their Tranquillity
sessions. "Because the response has been
so good we are now trying to find premises where
we can have a permanent Tranquillity Centre,"
says Fidelma Meehan, spokeswoman for the Swindon
Bahá'ís. She interprets the popularity
of the Tranquillity Zones as a wider sense of
disillusionment in the community – a spiritual
yearning, or a hunger for the soul, as the end
of the millennium approaches.
The Bahá'ís
have been in Swindon for the past 15 to 20 years.
Then there was only one family in the town –
but now there are at least 40 or 50. The growth
reflects the worldwide movement. In just over
100 years, the Bahá'í Faith has
grown from an obscure movement in the Middle East
to the second most widespread of the independent
world religions after Christianity. It has six
million followers. In Swindon there are former
Catholics and Church of England believers among
its members. Worldwide there are Buddhists, Hindus,
Muslims and Jews. Bahá'ís believe
their founder, Bahá'u'lláh, is the
latest in a line of messengers from God, including
Moses, Buddha, Christ and Muhammad. He was a Persian
nobleman who suffered 40 years of imprisonment
and exile. His message is unity – the belief
that there is only one God and all the world’s
religions represent one eternal faith, and that
all humanity is one race, designed to live in
peace and harmony. The Faith is in its 156th year
worldwide, and is now celebrating its centenary
in this country.
But there is no church in
the town. No religious posters can be seen advertising
their beliefs. They have supported the Ocotal
appeal and last year set up a book of condolences
in Swindon town centre for victims of the Omagh
bombing. But Bahá'ís are not in
the habit of advertising themselves. "People
say they have not heard of the Bahá'ís.
One reason is that we do not go out and preach
on the streets. We believe in the sacred right
of choosing for yourself," adds Fidelma.
The Bahá'ís
follow a set of laws set out in their Holy Book.
While the equality of men and women and the elimination
of prejudice, wealth and poverty is emphasised,
it forbids alcohol, drug abuse, killing, stealing,
lying, promiscuity, gossip and backbiting. Sex
is seen in the context of marriage between a man
and a woman, hence homosexuality is forbidden
under Bahá'í law. Similarly, living
together before marriage would be advised against.
The Bahá'ís also believe that wars
will eventually cease and that a temporary peace
will reign before the end of this century. "The
ultimate goal of the Bahá'ís is
peace. Kosovo is a troubled area and nations banding
together to take collective action reflects Bahá'í
writings," says Princess Margaret Hospital
doctor Farzin Rahmani, who has been a Bahá'í
all his life.
He was born in Persia (now
Iran), the birthplace of the Faith. There the
Bahá'í Faith is the largest minority
religion. Ironically it is not recognised there
as a religion. "A great many Bahá'ís
had to run away from the country because there
was so much oppression," explains Mr Rahmani.
The father-of-four said: "Being a Bahá'í
is a very important part of my life. It is a very
social set-up in Swindon. Everyone is treated
as equals. There are no class or colour barriers
to my faith."
Children only become Bahá'ís
as adults if they choose to. Mum-of-four Janet
Justnes, 46, of Parklands, Swindon, has been a
Bahá'í for the past 21 years. Her
20-year-old daughter has already decided she does
not want to be a Bahá'í, while her
21-year old son does. "It is up to them,"
says Janet, who moved to Swindon last year after
living in Norway for 22 years. "She is still
my daughter. I am sure that one day she will find
her own path."
Bringing a message from God.
The founder of the Bahá'í Faith
was Bahá'u'lláh (1817-1892). Bahá'ís
believe he was the latest in a line of messengers
from God. A simple nine-pointed star is generally
used by Bahá'ís as a symbol of their
Faith. Among the principles emphasised by Bahá'u'lláh
are: