If it was in a very rich neighborhood in North Raleigh, some people might feel uncomfortable. This location worked out ideally. Despite their egalitarian message, Baha'is take a conservative position on many social issues. Members are prohibited from drinking alcohol or taking drugs, except in cases of medical need. Baha'is oppose abortion and view homosexuality as an unacceptable lifestyle.
Baha'i life is centered on marriage and the family.
It is very liberal, however, when it comes to women's rights and interracial marriage. Gayle Gonzalez-Johnson, a Baha'i of Puerto Rican origin who is married to a black man, says the Baha'i message offers special hope for her three children growing up in Raleigh. We love it. We seek it out. We see it as ideal.