Guest Author - Sandy Mullins
As you might know by now Baha’is do not have ministers, priests, rabbis, or mullahs. This is due to the fact that it is important for each Baha’i to investigate reality and to learn about the Baha’i Faith and other religions.
With this comes a very important part of the Baha’i Faith and its administrative order.
With the beginning of the new year (Naw Ruz) Baha’is all over the world have elected Local Spiritual Assemblies and have sent delegates to the National Baha’i Convention where the nine people are elected for the National Spiritual Assembles for each country is elected. The delegates sent are chosen again by whom the local Baha’is believe will be the best man or woman to lead the Baha’i national community. There is no politics no campaigning involved, purely a spiritual vote.
In the United States, there is usually more than one town voting for their delegate. When I lived Phoenix Arizona area, it was divided into three different areas. So any state could be divided up into any number of different units, depending on the size of the communities or LSA’s (Local Spiritual Assemblies). Towns with no active LSA’s usually are added with larger communities to make the elective units more balanced.
The officers were elected at the first meeting on April 30 for the Baha’i year running 2005-2006.
The National Spiritual Assemblies guide the LSA’s for their respective countries. They lead us in teaching the Baha’i Faith to the masses, both Baha’is and non Baha’is. The NSA’s have numerous other duties depending on the country, whether or not there is a Baha’i House of Worship or not.
Here in the U.S. we have the Baha’i House of Worship in Wilmette, Illinois (just out a side of Chicago). We also have the American Baha’i newspaper that is sent out to Baha’is 19 times a year (once every Baha’i month). It’s a relatively large newspaper that is sent to us free of charge that covers thing going on all over the U.S. and the world. We also have the Baha’i Distribution Service that is a large distributor of spiritual books, music etc. These are just a few things that the NSA handles for Baha’is here.
So, just like any major religion it has a lot to manage and it is important that we have the right people in the position. So, before we cast our private vote, with no politics, we pray and ask for guidance and cast our vote.
For more information on the Baha’i Faith:Baha'i Links
