Diversity in Education-July 27:My assumptions and pre-concieved notions about people of the Baha'i faith :

We have a 'Cultural Encounter' project in which we have to have an encounter with a cultural group that we have little to no experience with, and attempt to learn more about said cultural group. My group is doing the Baha'i faith. There is a Baha'i faith center right across the street from campus, and when I lived on 15th several years ago I walked past it most days. It's small home, converted into a center with a fence around it and a welcome sign. It always seemed like a place I could feel comfortable walking into, but they also seemed a bit secluded. They never appealed to me personally because I imagined that they would be a religion (like many religions) that opposed drinking, pre marital sex, and other pastimes that undergrads often enjoy.

Due to the style of their signage and the few things I'd read or seen around, I assumed they were an Eastern religion, or perhaps Middle Eastern. I associated them with Sihks, another Eastern religion that I knew/know very little about.

My impression was always peaceful, mild mannered, and understated.