I received an invitation this week for the grand opening of the new Dallas Baha’i Center at 9400 Plano, just south of Walnut Hill. From the website, it appears the building is already very much in use. Their former location was at 4235 W. Northwest Highway, and it looks like the spiritual assembly (as it is called on the invitation) grew and needed a bigger location.
I heard about the Baha’i faith two years ago when editing a book on religious pluralism. My first impression when reading about its tenets was that it’s a very peaceful religion. Here’s a synopsis of what they believe from the website: “We are united by our belief in the oneness of God and the unity of all humankind. We believe the world’s major religions emerged from a common, divine foundation and that all the Prophets of God have been the agents of a single unfolding Plan.”
The ideology of religious pluralism starts with the basic reality of multiple religions in the world (nearly 1 million in fact) and takes it a step further, stating, essentially, that no religion can be said to be "higher" or "more true" than another, and so all religions should be equally respected. The belief that the world’s major religions are all related is one branch of this ideology, and it seems to me that this is the underlying basis of the Baha’i faith. (Though I haven’t done extensive study and could be way off.)
For anyone who does want to know more, the center holds an open house every Friday night. There’s also a once-a-month Starlight Cafe, a poetry and performance venue that claims to be non-religious in nature and is looking for acts.
