Today we celebrated Naw Ruz, the Baha’i New Year and the end of the Nineteen Day Fast.

We were guests of the West Vancouver Baha’i Community, who were incredibly friendly and receptive. It was a formal, catered dinner that felt closer to a wedding reception than something religious. It was like an extended family getting together, full of love and people who were happy to see each other. I felt out of place at first, but as I discussed the project and chatted with people about Baha’i I began to feel at ease.

I learned that one of the central aspects of Baha’i is the renewal of religion, that most religions have lost the proper way, confused in old rituals and superstitions. Baha’i seeks to renew our connection with God, realizing that religion must change to keep up with the needs of society. Baha’i is the latest method of revelation, God’s next attempt to get us to listen to him and be good to one another. Though we can never hope to understand God, His love for us in limitless, so long as we learn to love Him.

I am having troubles with monotheism, especially this kind of knowledge cap that denies me the ability to know or question the Supreme Being. But I will get to this in detail later on, when I have a better grasp of Baha’i.

The couple that organized the community were very helpful and generous, and I hope I get a chance to talk to them without the intervening mambo music (there was a live band, I danced).  Hopefully we will be able to get involved with a study circle to learn more about the faith from fellow adherents.

This was the first time we were able to interact with a religious community, and it was a very rewarding experience.  The Baha’i are certainly all about family and community.

And now, I am off to dream of lunch and midday snacks.