Baha’i Perspectives

iman March 31st, 2008

Part 1 presented the analogy of the unity and inter-connectedness of the human body, and how if a single part malfunctions — even something as seemingly insignificant as a tooth — the entire organism is affected. Extending the analogy of the human body further, a statement issued by the Bahá’í International Community on conservation and sustainable development proposes that harmony within the human race is a necessary condition for preserving the ecological balance of the Earth in the long-term. The statement stresses the importance of the unification of mankind as the foundation for global solutions. “Universal acceptance of this principle will entail a major restructuring of the world’s educational, social, agricultural, industrial, economic, legal and political systems. This restructuring will facilitate the emergence of a sustainable, just and prosperous world civilization. Ultimately only a spiritually based civilization – in which science and religion work in harmony – will be able to preserve the ecological balance of the earth, foster stability in human population, and advance both the material and the spiritual well-being of all peoples and nations.”

Unity, far from being viewed merely as a pleasant ideal, must form the basis of any long-term solution to the world’s ills, including those related to the environment. It is not an ignorant feeling of sentiment, rather it is the human expression of a Divine law that we see manifested throughout nature. The longer we choose to ignore this fact, the longer we remain ambivalent about this law of nature, the greater will be our collective suffering.

Now, how can the unity of humanity have a practical, lasting impact on environmental concerns?

The unity of the human race, as envisaged by Bahá’u'lláh, implies the establishment of a world commonwealth in which all nations, races, creeds and classes are closely and permanently united, and in which the autonomy of its state members and the personal freedom and initiative of the individuals that compose them are definitely and completely safeguarded. This commonwealth must, as far as we can visualize it, consist of a world legislature, whose members will, as the trustees of the whole of mankind, ultimately control the entire resources of all the component nations, and will enact such laws as shall be required to regulate the life, satisfy the needs and adjust the relationships of all races and peoples… In such a world society, science and religion, the two most potent forces in human life, will be reconciled, will cooperate, and will harmoniously develop… The economic resources of the world will be organized, its sources of raw materials will be tapped and fully utilized, its markets will be coordinated and developed, and the distribution of its products will be equitably regulated…

A world federal system, ruling the whole earth and exercising unchallengeable authority over its unimaginably vast resources, blending and embodying the ideals of both the East and the West, liberated from the curse of war and its miseries, and bent on the exploitation of all the available sources of energy on the surface of the planet, a system in which Force is made the servant of Justice, whose life is sustained by its universal recognition of one God and by its allegiance to one common Revelation — such is the goal towards which humanity, impelled by the unifying forces of life, is moving.

(Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha’u'llah, p. 203)

Tags: environment, sustainability

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negin March 27th, 2008

Imagine that there existed a single substance in the world that was behind:

• 75% of violent crimes
• 50% of rape cases
• 30% of child abuse cases
• 25% of suicides
• 33% of fatal traffic accidents

Wouldn’t you hope that society — it’s leaders, politicians and scientists — would do everything in their power to control it, perhaps even to eliminate it?

The unfortunate truth is that there is, and it goes under the name of Alcohol. Deeply rooted in many cultures as an essential feature in social gatherings – and in some households a part of everyday life – I believe that people’s view on its role in tragedy, crime and illness has become clouded.

Within health care, patients with diseases caused by alcohol can be found in almost every division: gastrointestinal diseases, brain-damage, cancers, blood pressure, mental disorders etc. Many people have heard of the scientific studies that have shown that alcohol (red wine) in limited amounts can decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease. While this may be true, alcohol has other effects on the heart that reduce the benefits.

What is also clear is that whenever the “positive” findings are put against the negative effects of alcohol, the negative effects outweigh the positive.

In addition, the inherent quality of alcohol as an addictive substance — not unlike other addictive drugs — makes it difficult for many people to consume it in limited quantities. Thus, the argument that it has benefits when used in a defined amount is a theoretical one, and not always applicable to reality.

Yet, the physical damage caused by alcohol is not as striking to me as the social and spiritual harm. Apart from enjoying the taste, many people drink moderately because they want to relax and enjoy the moment — possibly a harmless motivation. However, the consequences of a free alcohol trade and its social acceptance are far from harmless. In my medical work, almost on a daily basis, I meet children that are in crisis, youth that get in trouble and jeopardize their future, families that split up, and individuals that cry in regret of how they have wasted their lives because of the addiction. And I can’t help but wonder: is it really worth it?

Baha’u’llah, the Divine Physician, tells us that society today would benefit from eliminating the use of alcohol as it is the cause of much harm. He has described human beings as spiritual beings endowed with the gift of reason and the ability to acquire noble qualities. Anything that distances us from that nobility is harmful for us, and thus for society as whole. In the Hidden Words, He tells us:

O Son of Spirit!

I created thee rich, why dost thou bring thyself down to poverty? Noble I made thee, wherewith dost thou abase thyself? Out of the essence of knowledge I gave thee being, why seekest thou enlightenment from anyone beside Me? Out of the clay of love I molded thee, how dost thou busy thyself with another? Turn thy sight unto thyself, that thou mayest find Me standing within thee, mighty, powerful and self-subsisting.

Tags: alcohol

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nadim March 26th, 2008

I can’t say enough about this short documentary. Beautiful. All I’ll do is quote the filmmakers’ description and leave you to watch it…

If you could go back and have an easier life, would you do it? If life had dealt you some of the hardest blows would you still feel like dancing? If you had no legs to dance with, would you still know how it feels? Having mastered the art of living in spirit more than in body, Renett Grové has transcended physical and emotional challenges the likes of which few of us can comprehend. And through it all Renett has praised her Creator, the One whose loving bondage has been her blissful freedom.

Thank you to Leyla for allowing me to post this video.

Tags: love

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geoffrey March 24th, 2008

The falcon preyeth not on a dead mouse.

(Baha’u'llah, The Seven Valleys)

The concept of motion is a principle that the Bahá’í Faith derives much energy from – not only in its intonations on personal spiritual development, but also in the implications it holds for the betterment of mankind as a whole. The above quotation is from a poem of Rumi, and is quoted in the Sacred Writings of the Bahá’í Faith, I reason, to explicate this point of movement.

Motion is often related and tied to the conceptions of love, service, creativity, perception and insight. We are counseled in the Bahá’í Writings to “seek neither rest nor composure” but to continually strive to achieve the betterment of the world and of ourselves. The “Falcon”, I think, can therefore encompass many different interpretations. It can take the form of a hardened will, a continually growing desire to motivate oneself in positive directions; there is the movement of the mind, to constantly strive towards creativity and innovation; and ultimately, I believe, it may come to us in the appearance of Divine assistance, which I believe, is inextricably linked to that of spiritual development and envelopes all other planes of existence.

Should there be ignited in thy heart the burning brand of the love of God, thou wouldst seek neither rest nor composure, neither laughter nor repose, but wouldst hasten to scale the highest summits in the realms of divine nearness, sanctity, and beauty.

(Baha’u'llah, Gems of Divine Mysteries, p. 13)

In light of the past few posts on issues pertaining to our world’s natural resources, education and moral development (and in truth, to the purpose of this blog), motion is the outward expression of love in the world that must needs be understood and harnessed. How many of the world’s problems today are due to negligence and apathy, estrangement and inattention? Examples, in this case, would be completely exhaustive and overwhelming, and are likewise being cataloged in this forum. The world cannot afford more time spent immobile.

This is my first post. As such, I make these initial statements general, but foundational nonetheless. My next one will focus on the concept of guilt.

Tags: development, love

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iman March 22nd, 2008

March 22 is World Water Day. Lack of access to safe water and adequate sanitation kills at least 1.6 million children under the age of 5 years yearly, as outlined in the latest report published by the Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply and Sanitation. Aside from the obvious health benefits derived from having access to adequate water and sanitation, it is interesting to note that the positives also extend into the realms of gender inequality and education.

UNICEF states that “women and girls bear the burden of fetching water – and as a result miss out on opportunities for education, productive activities or leisure time”:

Women and girls must be educated — spiritually, emotionally and intellectually. A mother must be educated in all the relevant fields of knowledge in order to perform her role as transmitter of culture and values. A child needs a nurturing environment and wise guidance in the first years of life in order to develop sound character and a well trained mind. If the mother is unable, because of her own deficiencies, to provide her children with experiences which will equip them for later, formal schooling, they will find themselves at a serious, often crippling, disadvantage.

(Baha’i International Community, 1992 Mar 17, Equality Girl Child)

A study entitled “Transforming time into money using water: A participatory study of economics and gender in rural India”, highlights the benefits and importance of the role of women in society, given equal opportunities.

A similar statement, pointing out the potential that equality between the sexes can have in economic performance, was recently issued at the UN “Financing for Gender Equality” roundtable by representatives of the Baha’i International Community. It is often the case that certain deeply rooted traditional and cultural practices prevent women from being provided with equal opportunity. Such practices can be eliminated with spiritual and moral education:

Presently the world is caught in a cycle of miseducation, wherein harmful character traits are passed from one generation to the next, retarding social progress. One source of this miseducation is the failure to respect women, especially in the home…..The world can ill afford the consequences of continued ignorance and injustice…..The cause of universal education deserves the utmost support that the governments of the world can lend it. For ignorance is indisputably the principal reason for the decline and fall of peoples and for the perpetuation of prejudice. No nation can achieve success unless education is accorded all its citizens. Lack of resources limits the ability of many nations to meet their peoples’ needs, imposing a certain ordering of priorities. It is for this reason that the decision-making agencies involved would do well to consider giving first priority to the education of women and girls, since it is through educated mothers that the benefits of knowledge can be most effectively and rapidly diffused throughout society.

(Baha’i International Community, 1992 Mar 17, Equality Girl Child)

The message from these statements is clear. Access to safe water is essential for human survival; yet as we progress towards this aim, it is important not to lose sight of the eventual goals of self-sufficiency and economic advancement for all. Achieving this, in turn, requires greater capacity-building at the grassroots level through programmes of education, with particular emphasis on those who are most affected by the water crisis, namely women and girls.

Tags: education, equality, water

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nadim March 20th, 2008

Meet the oldest schoolboy on the planet, 88-year old peasant farmer Kimani Maruge. Displaced by the recent Kenyan crisis and living in a refugee camp, Mr. Maruge still rises each morning, puts on his uniform and walks 4km to his primary school. His perseverance is astonishing. In his quest for knowledge, neither his advanced age nor his limp prevent him from making the daily journey to and from school:

“It is hard. There is no one to help me walk. I go alone. But the urge to learn keeps me going.”

Most of us have acquired an education with comparatively little personal sacrifice, and it is difficult to comprehend, entirely, the social and psychological consequences of being illiterate. Human lives become defined by a lack of opportunity and a lack of freedom to shape one’s own destiny (in a sense, the loss of free-will), which in turn leads to deep feelings of inferiority and worthlessness. According to the New England Journal of Medicine, there is even a direct correlation between illiteracy and poor health.

I would highly recommend reading the entire story. Reading through it, I was struck by the example he is setting for those around him, particularly with respect to his unselfish attitude towards education. He does not seek education for material gain. Rather, he finds that the process of learning is, in itself, the greatest reward:

Arts, crafts and sciences uplift the world of being, and are conducive to its exaltation. Knowledge is as wings to man’s life, and a ladder for his ascent. Its acquisition is incumbent upon everyone… In truth, knowledge is a veritable treasure for man, and a source of glory, of bounty, of joy, of exaltation, of cheer and gladness unto him. Happy the man that cleaveth unto it, and woe betide the heedless.

(Baha’u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 26)

Of course, Mr. Maruge would never been able to pursue an education were it not for the free primary schooling introduced by the Kenyan government, for which they should be commended.

Among other teachings and principles Bahá’u'lláh counsels the education of all members of society. No individual should be denied or deprived of intellectual training, although each should receive according to capacity. None must be left in the grades of ignorance, for ignorance is a defect in the human world. All mankind must be given a knowledge of science and philosophy — that is, as much as may be deemed necessary. All cannot be scientists and philosophers, but each should be educated according to his needs and deserts.

(Abdu’l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 108)

Tags: education, knowledge

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Baha'i Perspectives March 19th, 2008

Coincidentally, at least week’s Commonwealth Day commemoration, a passage from the Baha’i Writings on the theme of the environment was read as part of the programme. Attendees to this major event included Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, and representatives of all 53 nations of the Commonwealth and of the major religions.

Read the full story here.

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