The history of the persecution if the Baha’is in Iran goes back to the early days of the Faith in the mid-19th century — a history that I strongly recommend all of you to study. The core of the Baha’i Faith and its ultimate purpose is the unity and wellbeing of mankind. In spite of this peaceful Message, the Founder, Baha’u'llah, and the early believers were met with exile, torture and suffering.

Although unique in many ways, the stories of heroism, faith and sacrifice remind us of other similar phenomena in the history of mankind. The phenomena I have in mind in particular are the appearances of all the former Manifestations of God, the Spiritual Educators of every age, who during their own lifetimes were met with opposition and torture by the contemporary leadership.

Not one single Manifestation of Holiness hath appeared but He was afflicted by the denials, the repudiation and the vehement opposition of the people around Him.

- Baha’u'llah

This opposition, however, never stopped these illumined Beings from proclaiming their Message of love and unity; nor was it able to stop their tremendous influence from spreading far and wide.

A well-known story that testifies to this is the story of Jesus Christ, who, when He appeared among the people of Israel, was met with protests and false accusations. They were so mislead and blinded by their own pride and selfish interests that they failed to recognize the greatness of His Message – a Message of love and harmony. Again, their opposition didn’t stop the religion from spreading and influencing people in all corners of the earth, up to this day.

…consider the hardships and the bitterness of the lives of those Revealers of the divine Beauty. Reflect, how single-handed and alone they faced the world and all its peoples and promulgated the Law of God! No matter how severe the persecutions inflicted upon those holy, those precious, and tender Souls, they still remained, in the plenitude of their power, patient, and, despite their ascendancy, they suffered and endured.

- Baha’u'llah

That same injustice has struck many religious and other well-wishing groups throughout the history of mankind, and has now struck the members of the Baha’i Faith in Iran. A question that is difficult to understand is why people that promote peace, harmony and unity can be met with such harsh hostility? Can the reason be other than pride, ignorance and injustice?

In praying for the safety of the Baha’is in Iran, Baha’is are urged to stay firm and try even harder to live up to those principles that their fellow members are sacrificing their lives for:

Associate, O My friends, with all the people of religions with joy and fragrance. Beware that ye make not the Word of God the cause of oppositions or contrast, or for the purpose of causing hatred among you. Say: be sincerely pious toward God, O people of the earth, and be not found among the negligent ones.

Historically, the clashes between science and religion have been many. Still to this day, they are often regarded as two opposing worlds. Some of the typical incidences we remember are the medieval scientist Galileo who, to the horror of the Catholic Church, discovered that the earth revolves around the sun, and not vice-versa. Or more recently, Darwin’s theory of evolution, which in the mid-nineteenth century caused revolt among religious communities. In modern times, the opposition revolves around such hot topics as stem cell research, in-vitro fertilization and abortion.

Working and studying in the world of natural science and medicine, this opposition is not always easy to deal with. Facts and theories about the human nature are often presented without paying any attention to the spiritual/metaphysical aspect of creation. Most people, however, find it difficult to accept that we are strictly under the control of signal substances and chemical reactions. Even within the world of science, people are open to alternative theories.

An article published in “The Independent”, in October 2008, describes alterations in the conflict between science and religion, and comes to the conclusion that most people today prefer not to identify themselves with any of the extreme viewpoints. The author states:

Academic discussion on the relationship between science and religion is genuinely exploratory, not polarized… The danger is that between the strident secularists and the fanatical fundamentalists some important middle ground is being squeezed out.

However, within previous religions it has been rare to find principles or attitudes that support modern scientific progress, hence opposition has arisen. Many recent developments in world affairs and the scientific field have put religion — and its moral and ethical standards — to the test, and meeting those demands has not been an easy task for religious communities.

The teachings of the Bahá’í-Faith on the harmony between religion and science provide a comprehensive, as well as logical, viewpoint on the relationship between the two. Abdu’l-Baha, in the early 20^th century, said:

Religion and science are the two wings upon which man’s intelligence can soar into the heights, with which the human soul can progress. It is not possible to fly with one wing alone! Should a man try to fly with the wing of religion alone he would quickly fall into the quagmire of superstition, whilst on the other hand, with the wing of science alone he would also make no progress, but fall into the despairing slough of materialism.

For me, being a part of this modern society and trying to make a career within a scientific field, having a sound attitude toward science and religion has been indispensable. Leaning on the words of Abdu’l-Baha, and studying the lessons from His great work “Some Answered Questions“, I have been able to say:

Evolution and Creationism. Neuroscience and spirituality. Body and soul.

The column was written by a Swedish journalist and TV producer and the point he was making was that the Swedish laws on marriage are outdated. Marriage – or coexistence – is an issue that only concerns the two (or however many) that are involved, and society should neither interfere nor try to regulate it.

As it was written in Swedish I unfortunately can’t share it with you, but I’m sure you have heard or read similar ideas, as they are not unusual in contemporary society.

There is much that can be said and discussed on this topic, not least from a Baha’i perspective. The thought that the article left me with for the rest of the day, which is what I wanted to scribble a few lines about, is whether this issue exclusively is the business of the individuals involved, or if there is more to it? And how does the significance of building healthy families and nurturing children fit into the discussion?

That marriage and family are interconnected goes without saying. For most people, getting married is a step to building a family and all statistics point towards that a strong marriage increases the chances of having a stable family. There are of course exceptions to this tendency and not everyone can be judged alike, but by and large it holds true.

…in the Baha’i Faith marriage, and family life, in particular, are both not only commendable, but constitute a social function of highest and indeed vital importance, as through them alone the human race is perpetuated.

The family is the very first social context that children are exposed to. That is where they learn love, respect, generosity, justice and other traits that characterize a civilized conduct. The family is also our most intimate circle, where thoughts and feelings are shared and where we feel secure and comfortable to be ourselves. There is thus no doubt that everything that happens in a family affects its members to a high degree; their conduct, health and general well being. Particularly the well being of children is at stake, and a justified question is: who is responsible for protecting their rights?

In the Baha’i teachings the family is regarded as the bedrock of the structure of human society, and its affairs can thus not be separated from the affairs of society as a whole. In striving to create unified and constructive communities, which is the purpose of the Baha’i Faith, the unity in its bedrock is naturally of great importance.

Baha’u'llah came to bring unity to the world, and a fundamental unity is that of the family.

Note ye how easily, where unity existeth in a given family, the affairs of that family are conducted; what progress the members of that family make, how they prosper in the world. Their concerns are in order, they enjoy comfort and tranquillity… Such a family but addeth to its stature and its lasting honour, as day succeedeth day…

- Abdu’l-Baha

Having this view on family, as a foundation stone in society and the setting where a future generation is reared, I’m inclined to disagree with the above-mentioned author. However, historically that does not mean that family structures have always been that “fortress for well being” that they potentially could be, and it is necessary for society to take on its responsibility in this aspect too. Apart from only upholding laws and regulations, society perhaps also needs to care for the education of children and youth in principles necessary for building stable and healthy families, such as respect, equality and justice.

Even though I didn’t find my sunny news, the article brought about something even more valuable, which is reflection and thought on this theme.

The fundamental purpose animating the Faith of God and His Religion is to safeguard the interests and promote the unity of the human race, and to foster the spirit of love and fellowship amongst men.

- Baha’u'llah

Working within health care, this is a matter I come across in some way on an almost daily basis. The definition of “crisis” is of course very broad; death, separation, illness, bankruptcy, violence and betrayal are examples of incidents that cause people to go through a crisis – a turning point in life after which there will be a change. The initial stages of shock and sadness are of course natural and more or less similar for everyone, but when it comes to how people recover and adjust on a longer term, the diversity is striking. Is it just accidental? Or do some people have certain qualities that make them more able to handle hardship?

In psychology, Resilience is one term that is used for defining the ability to recover – or bounce back – from a crisis. A number of studies have been done aimed at finding out what makes a person resilient. Why do some people recover faster than others? And how come some individuals seem to gain strength from and grow through their hardships, while others despair?

Different significant characteristics have been identified in these studies. One of these, that is recurrent, is the value of having faith and an ability to find meaning in life. Anybody working within health care, interacting with patients, would probably recognize this tendency.

Traditionally, people have always turned to religion and faith when facing hardship. However, not all the world’s religions are able to satisfy the modern mind in this regard. Some place sin on the shoulders of the “victim”, as the reason for what has occurred. Others encourage disengagement from all worldly affairs and suggest isolation and/or an ascetic lifestyle to be a model.

From a Baha’i perspective, crisis and suffering is an inescapable part of life. It is not an aim in itself, but a means through which one grows and develops.

The mind and spirit of man advance when he is tried by suffering. The more the ground is ploughed the better the seed will grow, the better the harvest will be.

Abdu’l-Baha

Beyond just seeing a meaning in the suffering itself, having a faith and holding deep spiritual values also affects how people interpret events and incidents in their environment. Seeing oneself as part of a greater whole, believing in the benefit of striving and, perhaps most importantly, trusting in a Divine Reality, must surely provide a clarity of vision and lend strength in recovering from adversity.

Sorrow not if, in these days and on this earthly plane, things contrary to your wishes have been ordained and manifested by God, for days of blissful joy, of heavenly delight, are assuredly in store for you.

Put your whole trust and confidence in God, Who hath created you, and seek ye His help in all your affairs. Succor cometh from Him alone. He succoreth whom He will with the hosts of the heavens and of the earth…

Baha’u'llah

So even though walking on the path of life without stumbling or falling seems to be impossible, accepting that there are hidden wisdoms in hardships that make them meaningful, and believing in a greater purpose, will give us tools to better handle the obstacles that are bound to appear along the way.

When discussing the situation of society today, and the many challenges that humanity is facing in regard to the decay in morals and ethics, it is not unusual that the habits, lifestyle and behaviour of teens are brought up as a deterrent example. A rise in drug abuse among youth, a rise in violence among young people and a rise in teenage pregnancies are just a few examples that we hear about.

At the same time, there is rising awareness among youth around the world when it comes to global issues like poverty, racism and the environment. They engage — with heart and soul — in promoting the good of their fellow man, being able to look beyond race, sex and colour to a degree that is touching and inspiring to many.

This age group is, therefore,  a unique one, possessing great potential for awareness and commitment, but also facing an obvious risk of error and degeneration.

Abdu’l-Bahá describes the period of youth in these words:

After a time he enters the period of youth in which his former conditions and needs are superseded by new requirements applicable to the advance in his degree. His faculties of observation are broadened and deepened, his intelligent capacities are trained and awakened, the limitations and environment of childhood no longer restrict his energies and accomplishments.

Youth are thus very sensitive to influences in their environment, one of which has to do with society’s view of them. A prevalent understanding is that adolescence is a time when the individual goes through physical and psychological changes, which must inevitably lead to confusion and crisis. One more or less expects teenagers to misbehave and to be rebellious and self-centered. They are assumed to only care about pleasure and amusement and shouldn’t be bothered with responsibility.

In a letter to a youth, Abdu’l-Bahá says:

The period of youth is characterized by strength and vigor and stands out as the choicest time in human life. Therefore you should strive day and night so that endowed with heavenly strength, inspired with brilliant motives and aided by His celestial power and heavenly grace and confirmation, you may become the ornaments of the world of humanity…

As described in the above two quotations by Abdu’l-Baha, the period of youth is a time when the potential for development and progress is great. During so critical a period, education and encouragement can empower youth to take responsibility of their lives and their surroundings and “become the ornaments of the world of humanity”. But, as rightly pointed out by a previous author, the approach taken must be creative, one that will both engage their interests and be sensitive to their growing potentialities. In the context of Baha’i junior youth programmes, this means avoiding the boredom and monotony of classroom-style lectures in favour of smaller, interactive groups — usually guided by a facilitator who is, in effect, a friend to the participants. This also means entirely steering clear of a patronizing attitude towards the participants, and instead promoting a positive environment where each participant’s talents and opinions are highly valued and allowed to develop.

This is the purpose of the “Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program” that is used by the Baha’is, and has been described in previous articles.

The Ruhi Institute is an educational system that was originally developed under the guidance of the Baha’i community of Colombia in the 1970s, and is now being used all over the world. Based on the Writings of the Baha’i Faith, the material aims at giving its participants an understanding of the presented topics, not only on a level that generates reflection and analysis, but, more crucially, on a level that facilitates action and change:

O SON OF DUST!

Verily I say unto thee; Of all men the most negligent is he that disputeth idly and seeketh to advance himself over his brother. Say, O brethren! Let deeds, not words, be your adorning.

(Baha’u'llah, The Persian Hidden Words)

The main sequence of the institute consists of seven books, each with a specific theme and an act of service tied to it. The books are studied in study circles consisting of one tutor and 3-10 participants. Some of the themes of the main sequence are “Reflections on the Life of the Spirit” and “Teaching Children’s Classes”. The last book of the sequence is a tutor training, after which the participant herself/himself can serve as a tutor.

The Ruhi Institute has come to spread all over the world, being used by Baha’is and their friends from the Kiribati Islands in the South Pacific Ocean to the Faeroe Islands and Iceland in Northern Europe. Of course, culture, weather and tradition influences the shape and expression of the study circles in different corners of the world, but they all have in common the purpose of educating and training their participants to be of service to their fellow beings and to mankind.

The Great Being saith: Regard man as a mine rich in gems of inestimable value. Education can, alone, cause it to reveal its treasures, and enable mankind to benefit therefrom.

(Baha’u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u'llah, p. 259)

I have a plan: I want to buy a sewing-machine and earn my own living. I want to teach my brothers to read, and then I want to continue studying all the subjects we have studied here.

These are the words of a 25-year old woman from the village Siswala in India, as she is leaving the Barli Institute after completing a six-month program. Born and raised in one of the poorest areas of India, where education and training of women is almost inconceivable, her time at the Barli Institue has clearly changed the direction of her life.

Since 1985, the Barli Institute of Development for Rural Women, situated in the state of Madhya Pradesh in central India, has changed the lives of thousands of women from poor villages by teaching them to read and write, handicrafts,  hygiene and personal development. Returning to their villages, they have been able to contribute to the economy of the household, take better care of the children and home and become supporting “pillars” in their families, as well as the whole village. This is where the name of the institute comes from; Barli means pillar.

The project is supported by the Baha’i Community in cooperation with the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA). It was founded by Mrs. Janak McGilligan, who at the time was a young woman with a degree in social sciences from Punjab University. She has since then been running the Institute as its director together with her husband, Mr James McGilligan.

The vital question of education of women — far from being a matter of course in some parts of the world -– is indispensible for the advancement of civilization. Abdu’l-Bahá, in expounding the principle of equality of the sexes, tells us:

Daughters and sons must follow the same curriculum of study, thereby promoting unity of the sexes. When all mankind shall receive the same opportunity of education and the equality of men and women be realized, the foundations of war will be utterly destroyed. Without equality this will be impossible because all differences and distinction are conducive to discord and strife. Equality between men and women is conducive to the abolition of warfare for the reason that women will never be willing to sanction it… There is no doubt that when women obtain equality of rights, war will entirely cease among mankind.

Applying this universal principle to the poor villages of central India is the purpose of the Barli-institute. Supporting the economy, participating in the decision-making processes of their villages and passing on the knowledge gained to their children are some of the many ways that the participants contribute to development.

By giving women an education, they are given the key to independence and influence — they are given the possiblity to have a plan.

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.

The question could be interpreted literally and answered accordingly, which in my case would be Sweden, as that is  where I was born. This usually doesn’t satisfy the questioner though.

Or I could “play along” and, in my case, say Iran but that isn’t totally the truth either, as I haven’t ever even been there.

What complicates the matter are the indirect implications of my answer. It’s usually not a matter of where I literally came from, but more a question of ethnic origins, and/or perhaps even cultural identity. What people are more interested in is knowing what I identify myself as, which is understandable. The problem occurs when people put me in a “file” depending on what I answer.

Regardless of the benefits or drawbacks of the present-day global economy, this way of thinking is out-of-date, and I know more and more (young?) people are liberating themselves from it. The days when most people strictly belonged to one nationality and one culture are history.

With people moving across borders and continents more and more, generations are arising where one has had the benefit of experiencing so many different cultures that it is impossible to identify with just one of them. Being a mix of several cultures — hopefully taking the best of each — and realizing that people across the world have more in common than the opposite, will make people see themselves less as belonging to a certain nationality, and more as world citizens.

This concept has been beautifully expressed in the Baha’i-writings, revealed almost 150 years ago:

That one indeed is a man who, today, dedicateth himself to the service of the entire human race. The Great Being saith: Blessed and happy is he that ariseth to promote the best interests of the peoples and kindreds of the earth. In another passage He hath proclaimed: It is not for him to pride himself who loveth his own country, but rather for him who loveth the whole world. The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens.

(Baha’u'llah, Tablets of Baha’u'llah, p. 167)

I’m not so bothered by people asking me where I come from as it may seem. I just hope that I’m not sorted into a file of a “typical Persian” (whatever that is), but rather a person whose identity has been formed by the experiences I’ve been through, may it be Persian, Swedish or simply… a world citizen.