Baha’is of Chatham County and Savannah

In Bahá’í communities around the world local and National Spiritual Assemblies are being elected during the most holy period for members of the Bahá’í Faith, the Festival of Ridván, celebrated from April 21 to May 2nd. With no clergy the Bahá’ís of both Chatham County and the city of Savannah gather to elect their respective local Spiritual Assemblies (LSA). These LSAs administer to affairs of the Bahá’í community. They are charged with providing spiritual and moral education to all children and youth in their area. They provide for the spiritual development, and strengthening of the fabric of the whole society.

Bahá’í elections are very different from those in traditional politics. There are no nominations, parties, debates, or campaigns. All adults in a community have the obligation to consider, in a prayerful manner, which adults in that community can best serve the needs and promote the spiritual development of that area. But unlike our traditional government, no individual elected has rank or power. As a body of nine, the assembly members serves the community and through consultation, to arrive at a group decision. The Festival of Ridván, while beginning with elections of the Assemblies, continues for 12 days celebrating the time in 1863 when Bahá’u’lláh, Prophet-Founder of the Bahá’í Faith, resided in the “Garden of Ridván” (Bagdad) and publicly proclaimed His mission as God’s Messenger for this Age.

Exiled from Persia because of His teachings He would spend 40 years suffering torture and imprisonment finally ending His days in Akka. Today across the bay from Akka on Mount Carmel the Bahá’í World Center (Haifa, Israel) glows as a beacon of hope to mankind. In his writings, Bahá’u’lláh promulgates the equality of men and women, the essential harmony of science and religion, the independent investigation of truth, economic justice based upon spiritual principles, the urgent need for the elimination of all forms of prejudice, universal compulsory education, an international auxiliary language, and a cooperative world alliance for the maintenance of a lasting peace. www.bahai.org/

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