PROMOTING GLOBAL UNITY; BAHAI FAITHFUL BEGIN THEIR NEW YEAR BY ENDING FAST.

Byline: Holly Andres Daily News Staff Writer

The Porters of Calabasas have been known to stop conversations at dinner parties when they mention that their religion is Bahai.

``Ninety percent of the time the reaction we get is curiosity,'' said Aimee Porter. ``People usually respond positively, with many questions.''

Bahais ended a 19-day fast at sundown Friday. Believers from ages 15 to 70 abstained from food and drink from sunrise to sundown. Meditation and prayer also played a part in the preparation for the celebration of Naw-Ruz, the new year of the Bahai calendar.

This global religion, with about 5 million members, urges unity and harmony between all people. Some of the hallmarks of the Bahai faith include daily prayer, no set rituals for praying, fasting in March, a belief in life after death, sanctity of marriage, valuing actions over words, and generosity and caring toward others.

Some of the other Bahai principles include a belief in one God, the equality of women and men, universal compulsory education, spiritual solutions to economic problems, and religion and universal peace upheld by a world federation. The Bahai religion has a prayer book, in different volumes. There is no clergy.

Naw-Ruz, the celebration of year 155 Bahai Era began with the end of the fast Friday and will continue through sundown today. The Bahai new year always falls on March 21. Bahais refrain from work on this day. Bahais may go to the main worship center in Los Angeles, to celebrate one of the nine holy days of the religion with fellowship, music and feasting.

Aimee, born in Burbank, and her husband, K.C. Porter, born in Encino, chose the Bahai religion separately while teen-agers.

``You're not born a Bahai,'' said Aimee Porter, a 29-year-old professional photographer. ``It's something you find for yourself. One of the principals of our religion is called the independent investigation of truth. We don't preach to people. We share our beliefs if someone asks us.''

K.C. Porter, a 35-year-old recent Grammy-winning record producer, said, ``Bahais don't believe in the idea of blindly imitating parental religion. Many people don't even know why they believe in what they do. They haven't changed their belief system that they inherited from their parents. They may not have explored other belief systems which might answer their spiritual needs.''

The Bahai religion was founded in 1863. Three Persian-born religious leaders contributed to the formulation of the faith, which advocates one universal religion.

``One of the things that Bahais feel is that the world is in need of a new teaching,'' Porter said. ``The main idea we share with others is that there is a oneness of mankind which we try to really practice. We believe in the need to abolish racial prejudice.''

Bahais meet informally in discussion groups known as firesides. Guest speakers, any member or even the curious newcomer are invited to speak in these meetings, which usually take place in a member's home. There are no other places of worship except for the worship centers.

``I think of the world as being a very divided world. It's greatly divided by religion. It's ironic that the word religion can mean to unite. Bahai is a religion that has the tolerance and a unifying message that embraces cultural diversity. That belief can bring people together. I think that seems very important now in the world we live in,'' said Porter, married for 10 years to Aimee.

Impressed while attending an international Bahai conference, 15-year-old Aimee Porter was amazed at the sincerity of the ideas for breaking down barriers of sexism, racism and nationalism. She admired the spirit of unity in diversity of the young people who were present at the meeting.

Still comfortable with her choice of religion, the mother of 3-year-old Emma summed up her feelings: ``I feel it comes down to how I feel when I read the prayers. I read them, I feel inspired. I feel I've found the truth.''

For more information on the Bahai faith, Calabasas Bahai Community can be reached at [phone]. Los Angeles Bahai Center is at 5755 Rodeo Road, Baldwin Hills, [phone].

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PHOTO K.C. and Aimee Porter, with daughter Emma, 3, far right, join fellow Bahais preparing for their new year.

Evan Yee/Daily News