Dozens of chairs were set up but only a handful of people attended a celebration for the 200th anniversary of the Bah谩'铆 faith, marked by the birth of its figurehead, Bah谩'u'll谩h.

SA国际影视传媒淭hirty years ago, there were 20 Bah谩'铆s here and then it slowly diminished,SA国际影视传媒� said Tom Kirby, whoSA国际影视传媒檚 been living in the region for more than 40 years and has been a follower of the faith since 1965.

He, his wife and Mohammad Saadatmand, who came to Inuvik this year, make up the current population of the faith.

The religion began in Iran in the 19th century, teaching that all other religions are a progression toward the same truth.

SA国际影视传媒�(The Bah谩'铆 faith says) these are all successive stages in the progress of mankind,SA国际影视传媒� said Kirby.

It teaches that Buddha, Jesus, Muhammad and the like were all messengers, with the most recent being Bah谩'u'll谩h, who was born Nov. 12, 1817 and eventually became a prisoner of the Ottoman Empire.

SA国际影视传媒淓very messenger of God thatSA国际影视传媒檚 come down has been persecuted, and he was too,SA国际影视传媒� said Kirby. SA国际影视传媒淲e believe that this is the religion for today that will unite the world.SA国际影视传媒�

Some of the core principles of the faith are unity of humanity, embrace of diversity, equality between men and women, elimination of all forms of prejudice, world peace, a new world order, harmony of religion and science, spiritual solutions to economic problems and principle of an ever-advancing civilization.

Social practices for followers typically involve obligatory daily prayers, annual fasts and a 19-per-cent voluntary payment on any wealth in excess of what is needed to live comfortably.

Actions that are either prohibited or discouraged include gossip, drinking alcohol, sexual intercourse outside of marriage, being involved in partisan politics and begging as a profession.

Saadatmand explained that the goal of the faith, especially in Inuvik, is not so much to teach that it is the only faith to follow, but to encourage people to act as good citizens.

SA国际影视传媒淚t doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 matter what culture, what race, what religion you are SA国际影视传媒� we are all one,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淭hatSA国际影视传媒檚 how we look at it. The Bah谩'铆 people are always trying to help others, not think about themselves.SA国际影视传媒�

To that end, he is hoping to start up a Bah谩'铆 youth group in town.

Only a couple of people attended the event on Sunday, which consisted of food and an hour-long documentary at the Midnight Sun Complex.

Kirby hopes the afternoon helped educate people in town about the faith.

SA国际影视传媒淚f they accept it, fine, thatSA国际影视传媒檚 wonderful; if they donSA国际影视传媒檛, thatSA国际影视传媒檚 okay too,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淭he important thing is people know what it is, what it means, what itSA国际影视传媒檚 about (and) what weSA国际影视传媒檙e trying to do.SA国际影视传媒�