The Baha'is of Sonoma County are part of a worldwide religious Baha'i community, united by the belief that there is one God, one human race, and one evolving religion. Baha'is are focused on building a just, peaceful and sustainable world—one neighborhood at a time.
We invite you to learn more about:
• The oneness of humanity
• Raising children to be free of prejudice
• Principles that promote prosperity, peace and the
unity of the human race
• Becoming part of a dynamic spiritual community
• Spiritual concepts, such as the life of the soul, prayer and meditation, death and the afterlife,
justice, equality, and service
• Sonoma County Baha'i events and activities
“The tabernacle of unity hath been raised; regard ye not one another as strangers. Ye are the fruits of one tree, and the leaves of one branch.” - Bahá’u'lláh, Founder of the Baha'i Faith
For more information, contact us at RPBahais@gmail.com
For other web resources: http://www.bahai.us/
Discover the Baha'i Faith
'Be worthy of the trust of thy neighbor and look upon him with a bright and friendly face.' — Bahá’u'lláh
The Baha'i Faith, the youngest of the world's religions, is based on the teachings of Bahá’u'lláh (1817-1892). The Baha'i Faith teaches that there is only one God, and that all the Messengers sent from God teach the same religious faith-each adapted to the time and needs of the people among whom they appear. More than five million people who are Baha'is throughout the world, from all national, ethnic and religious backgrounds, are working towards creating a world based on unity and harmony.
Baha'is believe in the spiritual oneness of humanity and that we are guided by a loving God. The purpose of our life is to know and love God, learning and growing spiritually through service and worship. The Baha'i teachings revolve around the principles of unity and harmony for the individual, family and society, providing spiritual guidance to help us thrive in the global society in which we now find ourselves.
Core beliefs
The central theme of Bahá’u'lláh’s message is that humanity is one single race and that the day has come for humanity’s unification into one global society. Bahá'ís believe in:
• The oneness of humanity
• The common origin and unity of purpose of all world religions
• The harmony of science and religion
• Equality of women and men
• The elimination of all forms of prejudice
• A spiritual solution to economic problems
• The coming of age of humanity when a global and just world order can be realized.
• The establishment of a world commonwealth of nations
Education for all people.
For more information, http://www.bahai.us/welcome/principles-and-practices/
Spiritual Concepts
• Unity of spirit: Bahá’í teachings focus on unity – the oneness of God, the oneness of religion, and the oneness of the human race.
• Oneness of religion: The Founders of all the great religions have come from God, and all of the religious systems established by Them are part of a single divine plan directed by God.
• Life of the soul: The evolution or development of the soul and its capacities is the basic purpose of human existence.
• Human nature: Unlike contemporary prevailing views that assume human beings are innately self-interested, competitive, and conflict-based, the Bahá’í Faith has a positive conception of human nature. The Faith’s founder, Bahá’u’lláh, stated that human beings are born noble. He refers to each person as a “mine rich in gems of inestimable value” and these “gems” or qualities can be developed through education and when an individual turns to God.
• Justice and truth: Justice is a capacity of the human soul. It enables each of us to see the world through our own eyes and protects us from the blind imitation of tradition, religious prejudice and intolerance.
• Death and the afterlife: “Know thou of a truth that the soul, after its separation from the body, will continue to progress until it attaineth the presence of God…” — Bahá’u'lláh
For more information, http://www.bahai.us/welcome/spiritual-concepts/
History
The Bahá’í Faith is the youngest of the world’s independent monotheistic religions. Founded in Iran in 1844, it now has more than five million adherents in 236 countries and territories. Bahá’ís come from nearly every national, ethnic and religious background, making the Bahá’í Faith the second-most-widespread religion in the world.
Bahá’ís view the world’s major religions as a part of a single, progressive process through which God reveals His will to humanity. Bahá’u’lláh (1817-1892), the Founder of the Bahá’í Faith, is recognized as the most recent in a line of Divine Messengers that includes Abraham, Krishna, Moses, Buddha, Zoroaster, Christ and Muhammad.
For more information, http://www.bahai.us/welcome/founders-and-history/