Flora Teckie
A Bahá’í Perspective
WE started a new year with hope and anticipation for a brighter future, made possible through a renewed resolve to work for peace.
We all yearn to live in a peaceful world.
But can peace on earth become a reality?
In the Bahá’í view, world peace is well within our reach.
“The Great Peace towards which people of goodwill throughout the centuries have inclined their hearts, of which seers and poets for countless generations have expressed their vision, and for which from age to age the sacred scriptures of mankind have constantly held the promise, is now at long last within the reach of the nations,” says the Universal House of Justice, the governing council of the Bahá’í international community.
It further states that: “World peace is not only possible, but inevitable. It is the next stage in the evolution of this planet …”
As humanity has reached a new level of maturity, it is now possible to create communities founded upon cooperation, trust and genuine concern for others.
It is the Bahá’í view that, for the emerging global order to lead us to peace, it must be founded on the principle of the oneness of humanity.
A unifying vision and basis for a new system of values
Acceptance of the oneness of the human family provides a unifying vision and the basis for a new system of values.
It has the power to inspire the transformation of individual attitudes and behaviour.
“Bahá’u’lláh teaches that recognition of the fundamental spiritual principle of our age, the oneness of humanity, must be at the heart of a new civilisation. Universal acceptance of this principle will both necessitate and make possible major restructuring of the world’s educational, social, agricultural, industrial, economic, legal and political systems. This restructuring, which must be ordered by an ongoing and intensive dialogue between the two systems of knowledge available to humankind — science and religion — will facilitate the emergence of peace and justice throughout the world,” says the Bahá’í International Community in one of its statements.
According to the Bahá’í Writings, we are like flowers in one garden, the fruits of one tree and the leaves of one branch.
The charm and beauty of a garden lie in its diversity.
Although we differ from one another physically and emotionally, and have different talents and capacities, we all belong to the same human family, created by one Almighty God.
Our differences should not be allowed to give rise to conflict and strife.
We should rather see all members of the human family as beautiful flowers growing in the garden of humanity and be happy to be among them.
“… Let us try with heart and soul that unity may dwell in the world, that all the peoples may become one people, and that the whole surface of the earth may be like one country,” as the Bahá’í Writings stipulate.
Awareness and belief in the oneness of humankind is not to undermine national autonomy or suppress cultural diversity.
It is rather to broaden the basis of the existing foundations of society by calling for a wider loyalty; a loyalty to the human race.
Unity of humanity as a prerequisite for peace
According to the Bahá’í Writings, unless unity is attained — a unity that embraces and honours the full diversity of humankind — true peace and security will remain out of reach.
As Bahá’u’lláh states: “The well-being of mankind, its peace and security, are unattainable unless and until its unity is firmly established.”
To achieve unity of humanity, prejudices of all kinds must be eliminated.
According to the Bahá’í Writings: “Prejudices of all kinds — whether religious, racial, patriotic or political — are destructive of divine foundations in man. All the warfare and bloodshed in human history have been the outcome of prejudice.”
It also adds: “Until all nations and peoples become united by the bonds of the Holy Spirit in this real fraternity, until national and international prejudices are effaced in the reality of this spiritual brotherhood, true progress, prosperity and lasting happiness will not be attained by man.”
We can each contribute towards harmony and peace, towards freeing the planet from wars and major disputes, by an awareness that we all belong to one human family, created by one Almighty God.
We can each contribute towards harmony and peace through our love for all races and religions and by not allowing our differences to become a cause of division and dispute.
The Bahá’í Writings prescribe: “Love ye all religions and all races with a love that is true and sincere and show that love through deeds and not through the tongue … Do not allow difference of opinion, or diversity of thought to separate you from your fellow-men, or to be the cause of dispute, hatred and strife in your hearts. Rather, search diligently for the truth and make all men your friends.”
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