NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Right now bringing people together with different understandings of the world may be tougher than ever.
However, some folks in Nashville are about to celebrate the unifying message of a religion you may not know much about.
Thursday is Bahá’í New Year's Day.
A celebration in honor of the occasion is set for Thursday evening.
These days, it seems like the world is more divided than ever, it's an experience Carol Mansour has lived through.
“I was born into a congregation that taught me that it was the only way to heaven and that everyone else was condemned, and it just seemed unfair to me,” said Carol Mansour, a member of the Bahá’í Community of Middle Tennessee.
Since then a lot has changed, Mansour left that faith group she was born into and has now been active in the Middle Tennessee Bahá’í community for more than 30 years.
The religion began in the 1800s in the area now known as Iran.
It focuses on the teachings of a central figure known as Baháʼu'lláh.
“We believe that the Promised One of all religions has come and has come with a message that all humanity can now hear, that we have the spiritual maturity and the technological capacity to share the message with everyone all over the world,” Mansour said.
Thursday night leaders in the Bahá’í community of Nashville will be sharing that message with anyone who wants to attend their New Year's celebration.
"This is where we'll have our Naw-Ruz celebration. So I imagine the seats will get filled up and you'll see a good group of people here celebrating," said Aaron Crossley, a member of the Bahá’í community of Nashville.
Unlike Mansour, who joined the movement later in life, Crossley was born into it.
He said part of the reason he's continued to practice, is that the message of the faith is meant to change with the times.
It applies to some of the biggest issues many people face today.
"God sent a manifestation, a healing message for that time. Be anxiously concerned with racism, class prejudice, look at all of the things going on around you and that's what you should be anxious about," Crossley said. "That's what you should center your conversations around, and that's the part that gave me such a clear mission for what I'm supposed to be doing with my life."
Here in our area, more than 650 people are practicing Bahá’í in Nashville, and even more throughout middle Tennessee.
Click here for information about Bahá’í of Nashville's New Year's Celebration.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at robb.coles@newschannel5.com.
Fundraising efforts are underway in Brownsville and Nutbush, TN to build a statue for a major superstar who was raised there, Anna Mae Bullock. You probably know her by her stage name, Tina Turner. I was a huge fan of Tina and glad to see efforts are underway to showcase more of her ties to West Tennessee.
-Lelan Statom
