IU Bahá'í club grows, fosters student beliefs

Peace and serenity share the tiny basement with a Bahá'í mother, her two children and a college student, as they meditate on Bahá'í contentment and prayers.\nThe quiet hum of the washing machine provided a calming effect on the room as the mother reads teachings from Baha'u'llah, the prophet of the Bahá'í faith, while a student quietly sings a Bahá'í hymn. It is a tranquil scene, mirroring the beliefs and teachings of followers of the Bahá'í faith.\nThe Bahá'í faith is gaining exposure with IU students through the IU Bahá'í Association and the Bloomington Bahá'í community. Senior Sacha Stephens-Avery, returning member of the IU Bahá'í Association, said the Bahá'í faith is an independent religion, similar to Christianity, Islam or Judaism, but with an individual approach to its beliefs.\n"All major religions are from the same God," Stephens-Avery said. "All serve a different purpose but believe in one God."\nThe faith projects the existence of one spiritual leader among all religions, and the underlying principles of these religions "share the same spiritual truth," according to the IU Bahá'í Association's Web site. \nNaomi Komoda, a member of the Bloomington Bahá'í community who works closely with the club, said the group works to explain and share its message rather than push it upon others.\n"The most distinguishing thing about the Bahá'í faith is that we are all over the world, but in small groups," Komoda said. "We share our message, not push it."\nThe Bahá'í faith is often viewed as a sect of Islam, but Stephens-Avery said though the two religions are similar, Bahá'í is an independent faith. \n"Bahá'í is to Islam as Christianity is to Judaism," Stephens-Avery said, \nThis relatively new religion has made its way to IU and the Bloomington community, with the IU Bahá'í Association. Comprised of only seven members, the Bahá'í club is hoping to gain ground and spread its message of peace and equality across the Bloomington campus and community. \n"There has been evidence of Bahá'í involvement at IU since around the 1950s," Stephens-Avery said. "Membership fluctuates every year, but this year we hope to gain more members and get more student involvement."\nLast year, study groups on spiritual development, talks and informational meetings, and regular prayer meetings helped the Bahá'í club spread its message, and increase membership from three students to seven. Additionally, last spring, the Bahá'í club distributed 200 roses for its holy day, Ridvan, commemorating the beginning of the Bahá'í faith with the announcement of Baha'u'llah as its prophet. Stephens-Avery hopes to repeat this event with more success. \n"Some people wouldn't take the roses because they were afraid of what the catch was," Stephens-Avery said. "We hope this year it will help provide information to identify who the Bahá'ís are."\nFirst-year graduate student Neka Hafezzadeh said she looks forward to her involvement in the Bahá'í club, as well as getting to know more Bahá'ís in Bloomington.\n"When I first moved here, the Bloomington Bahá'í community was very welcoming, and made me feel at home," Hafezzadeh said. "It was a great feeling, and I am looking forward to getting to know everyone here better over the next few years."\nThough the Bahá'í club is still in the process of organization, prayer meetings will be held Wednesday nights in the homes of different members. More information about the IU Bahá'í Association can be found at www.indiana.edu/~bahai/. Additionally, students can contact the Bahá'í Center of Bloomington at 331-1863.