Meditate Here on This…Wait.. Where Do I Sit?
Places of quiet contemplation in the heart of a city are vital and Atlanta is losing them. Yes, there are parks, coffee houses, stores, malls, sidewalks, but fewer and fewer non-commercial spaces to simply quietly contemplate. The saddest example of this is that The Temple of All Faiths at the King Center has been locked for years. Contemplations of Faith are no longer welcome there.
The same goes for many churches, which are now locked more often than not. On a recent Sunday afternoon the First Presbyterian Church was locked up tight. Even Catholic Churches are closing their doors to those who simply wish a quiet moment in a solemn setting. Right now, only the Airport Chapel and those in Hospitals are available all the time, and even during the day few places are available. Though, if they’re not in session, the Georgia House Chamber is a beautiful place.
Atlanta needs a space such as the Baha’i Temple in Chicago. Anyone can go there and meditate on the world. They will be left in peace to consider as they will. There is no pressure to participate in their religion, though people are there if you have questions.
What prevents places like this from developing? A few challenges seem to stand in the way. The two worst villains are the twins of Security and Insurance Liability. No one wants the headache. Second, I fear that the vagrancy problem the city faces has a perceived impact. Still, it’s sad that there is no respectful non-denomination place for all the city to gather to think, pay respects, or celebrate greatness. Maybe that’s the next great thing on which Bernie Marcus can invest in the city…
July 6th, 2007 at 12:56 pm
Dear Robert, you’re right - we do need safe and supportive places to go to pray and meditate. Have you visited the Baha’i Centers in the Atlanta area? They are not as extensive as the Baha’i House of Worship in Wilmette, Illinois, but hopefully they will provide the space you are seeking for non-denominational prayer and meditation, and even study and fellowship.
Briefly, the Atlanta center is at 379 Edgewood Avenue. You can call (404) 688-0208 for information.
The Marietta Baha’i Center is at 2601 Sandy Plains Road at the corner of Piedmont, telephone (770) 509-0070
The Alpharetta Baha’i Center is at 10690 Jones Bridge Road.
You can go to http://www.atlantabahai.org/bahaicenters/php for a map to locate all of the Baha’i centers in the Atlanta metro area. There are quite a few of them. There is also contact and other information provided on the website.