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In spite of persecution, the Bah‡'’ faith has continued to grow. About 1.5 million members joined worldwide in the last six years, bringing the number of Bah‡'’s to roughly five million. Many of those whom Hedayat worships with in Oakland were not raised in the faith. Instead they came as adults, attracted to Bah‡'’ democratic structure and multicultural values. Hedayat estimates only about 10 percent of the Oakland Bah‡'’s are of Middle Eastern descent.
“(Bah‡'’sm) was the only religion I saw that seemed to be in alignment with my current belief system. (Bah‡'’sm) isn't as moralistic and hierarchical,” said Oakland resident Elaine Early, 53, who grew up Protestant but has been an agnostic most of her life. She spent two years researching the religion before she decided to join a year ago. Bah‡'’s have no ministers or clergy. A nine-member administrative body, called the local spiritual assembly, is elected by each local group, as well as on the national and international level. For the past seven years Hedayat has been a part of the Oakland spiritual assembly along with Linda Leeb Duper, 40, who hosts many Bah‡'’ deepening sessions in her home on Lake Merritt. “No single Bah‡'’ has the right to tell any other Bah‡'’ to do anything,” said Duper. Each member is responsible for his or her own spiritual development through required daily prayer and meditation. Bah‡'’ rules also forbid the consumption of alcohol and illegal drugs.
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