In 1844, in what was then Persia, a young man took the title of “the Bab,” announcing that the time of promised peace had come and that a messenger was on his way. Six years later the Bab was executed and 20,000 of his followers massacred. But the messenger, called Baha’u’llah, arrived in 1863 and founded the Baha’i faith, which now has about five million followers in more than 200 countries, making it the second-most widespread religion next to Christianity. Shastri Purushotma is a leader of the D.C. Baha’i community of about 350 members; he also works for the national governing body of the Baha’i faith, advocating for human rights worldwide. Do you consider yourself to be of a specific faith?