In seasonal fast, Baha’i members pray for prisoners

As Christians fast and pray during the 40 days of Lent, members of Atlanta’s Baha’i Faith community are also observing their annual 19-day period of fasting through March 20.

This year, their thoughts and prayers are focused on Iran, where seven Baha’i religious leaders have been imprisoned for a year awaiting trial. Iranian media announced recently that the group is charged with espionage. Iran is home of the monotheistic religion founded in the 19th century as an outgrowth of Islam, said William Allison, a long-time member of the Atlanta faith community.

“Baha’i has the relationship to Islam, as Christianity has to Judaism,” Allison said. Members of the Atlanta Baha’i community met recently to better understand the situation facing the Iranian Baha’i, he said. While Atlanta’s Baha’i faith community is small, it is estimated that there are about 300,000 who follow Baha’i in Iran, and more than 5 million in the world, he said.

The seven arrested were ad-hoc committee members who came together to try to handle the spiritual affairs of the Baha’i in their country, Allison said.

“The Iranians want to suggest that we are spying in the affairs of state in Iran, but the Baha’i are nonpolitical. We are a minority religion, and early believers have been persecuted since the religion began in 1844.”

Since the arrest, Baha’is around the United States have held hundreds of vigils and prayer gatherings in support of the imprisoned Baha’is.

Anyone interested in learning more can contact the Baha’i Unity Center, 2370 Wesley Chapel Road, Decatur, or Sarah Strife, at 770-987-8917. Or go to www.atlantabahai.org. The group meets at 11 a.m. Sundays.

Gippy highlights conservation, green efforts

The nonprofit organization Georgia Interfaith Power and Light recently recognized several congregations for their energy conservation efforts during the annual Gippy awards at The Temple in Atlanta.

Those receiving awards included Antioch Baptist Church North, where members of the church’s men’s prayer breakfast changed out 3,500 light bulbs to CFLs at Herndon Homes; Temple Sinai,for the efforts of its creation care team, Shomrei Adamah; Haygood Memorial United Methodist Church for its community-wide recycling drives and films highlighting environmental concerns; Northwest Unitarian Universalist Church, Sandy Springs, for many projects, including the installation of solar photovoltaic panels on the sanctuary roof; and Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church for its “green” education efforts and a Festival of God’s Creation with booths and exhibits from many environmental organizations.