The Sunday Mail
Flora Teckie
SOME say world peace is impossible. We say world peace is not only possible but it is inevitable.
As we celebrated September 21 as the International Day of Peace, let us reflect on where we stand, and contemplate how we may achieve peace.
There is a growing desire for peace everywhere despite many challenges facing humanity.
There are now many movements calling for an end to war. We now have more than ever before, conditions for the establishment of peace on Earth.
The progress we have made in scientific and technological fields offer the practical ways by which the problems of humanity may be solved. They also provide the means for the administration of a united world. Despite all these there are persistent barriers to peace. The most common barriers are prejudices, suspicions and self-interest.
In order to achieve peace we need to accept that we are one human species. Physical differences such as skin colour or hair texture are superficial and have nothing to do with any supposed superiority of one ethnic group or another.
According to the Bahá’í Writings we are like flowers in one garden, the fruits of one tree and the leaves of one branch. Although we differ from one another physically and emotionally, and have different talents and capacities, we all belong to the same human family.
The charm and the beauty of a garden lies in its diversity.
The Bahá’í Scriptures state that: “All humanity are the children of God; they belong to the same family, to the same original race,” and “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; for the latter hath no importance, as the majority of men are, in speech, well-wishers, while action is the best”.
Religion is a powerful force for motivating individuals to develop spiritual qualities and to contribute to the betterment of our communities.
The constructive role that religion can play in creating a peaceful global order and the destructive impact that religious fanaticism can have on the stability and progress of the world cannot be denied.
Considering that frequently religion is used for the accomplishment of narrow ends, there is need for us to contemplate on the appropriate role which religion should play in our lives and in public sphere.
According to the Bahá’í Scriptures: “Religion must be the source of fellowship, the cause of unity and the nearness of God to man. If it rouses hatred and strife, it is evident that absence of religion is preferable and an irreligious man is better than one who professes it.”
Religion has a limitless power to inspire change and long-term commitment in followers.
Also, a peaceful and prosperous global society cannot be built without directly and substantively involving religion.
However, for religion to help in meeting the diverse challenges confronting the humanity today it must be free from fanaticism, prejudice and animosity. It is the Bahá’í view that, the great peace long awaited by the peoples of the world is well within our reach and that world peace is not only possible but inevitable.
Any new thinking about peace must begin with the belief in the oneness of humanity.
The ultimate goal is not simply to end war and to create agencies of international cooperation, but it is the unification of all the peoples of the world in one universal family.
Feedback: [email protected] or [email protected]. Website: www.bahai.org
