There is a popular Baha’i children’s song, sung in children’s classes all over the world, that goes like this-

“God is One, Man is One, And all the religions are One,

When everyone learns the three onenesses, we’ll have world unity.”

It’s a simple but profound song in that it expresses the essence of the Baha’i Faith.  Each aspect of the three “onenesses” has deep philosophical roots and important implications for our world- and we will review all of those in these introductory essays- but you don’t have to know that detail to appreciate the fundamental truths and understand Baha’u’llah’s message.

At its heart, the Baha’i Faith is a simple and intuitive religion to understand. There is One God who is the Ultimate Source of all that exists.   All human beings are part of one human race and are all brothers and sisters, a unity in the diversity of peoples and cultures.  In order to educate that one human race, God has sent “revelations” to humanity- that of Christ, Muhammad, and many others- to educate the human race about its true reality and the social and ethical teachings that sustain our lives and promote our unity. Because the reality of the world is dynamic and evolutionary- matter evolves, civilization evolves, and human consciousness evolves- the revelations of God also evolve and are increasingly more comprehensive and broader in scope, revealing to us a greater and greater degree of spiritual and moral purpose. 

Baha’u’llah claimed to be the latest in the series of Messengers of God with a revelation for all humanity.  He said that each of the revelations of God proclaimed the same Faith, like a book with different chapters. Their teachings differ because they are revealed to different cultures and different peoples at different times in history, but their purpose and fundamental truths are the same.  Baha’u’llah’s revelation and teachings represent the Will of God for humanity today. 

Consider the far-reaching implications of these ideas.  What if we all came to recognize that each of the great religions was part of the common heritage of all humanity, and all fundamentally true?  What if we began to see each other, not as separate races and tribes, but as one people, part of one human family?  How much of the conflict and pain that exists in the world are because people are trying to jockey for position and resources, for their people, for their tribe only, protecting only themselves, and not seeing the reality that humanity is one social organism?

Baha’u’llah carried out His mission in the years between 1863 and 1892.  He wasn’t subtle or private about it.  He spoke with the voice of God in writings stretching over nearly 40 years and sent Tablets to all the major leaders of the world at that time, both secular and religious.  In His message to the kings generally, He said “Ye are but vassals, O kings of the earth, for He who is the King of Kings has appeared”.  He urged them to  “reconcile their differences so that their people could find rest” and scolded them for their attachments to their material wealth and war mongering, stating that such activities were unworthy of them, and “like unto the play of children”.  He told them their people were “their treasures” and they should protect that treasure and care for the downtrodden, choosing for them “that which you choose for yourselves”.  Representative democracy was praised but those voted in should “regard themselves as representatives of all that dwell on earth”. He declared the oneness of humanity- “the earth is but one country and mankind its citizens” and urged people to see themselves as “the leaves of one branch and the fruits of one tree”, dealing with each other with the “utmost love and kindness”. He told “contending peoples and kindreds of the earth” to “set your faces towards unity and let the radiance of its light shine upon you”, to “root out whatever is the source of contention among you” and explained that the great religions were all “ordained of God” and “reflected His Will and purpose” and to “cleave unto that which draweth you together and uniteth you”. He said the human race was like the human body, that all the various parts needed to function as a coherent whole for the world to achieve its potential.  He ordained learning and education for all people, for both men and women, and declared that “women and men have always been equal in the sight of God”.  Human beings were not created for conflict and “survival of the fittest”, but that which befitted the dignity of humans was “forbearance, mercy, compassion and kindness towards all the peoples and kindreds of the earth”.  Moreover, Baha’u’llah announced that we were living in a very special time, unrivaled by past ages, that the “the whole earth is now in a state of pregnancy” and that the day was approaching “when it will have yielded its noblest fruits, when from it will have sprung for the loftiest trees, the most enchanting blossoms”. He said the “onrushing winds of the grace of God have passed over all things” and that “new and wondrous sciences”, and “potent and effective crafts” would come into being that would transform the world. 

Baha’u’llah’s teaching and message was so far ahead of their time that it’s ridiculous.  The world leaders to whom He delivered His message ignored it completely. Baha’u’llah knew this would happen, as they were all so caught up in their own magnificence that they “could not recognize their own best interests, let alone recognize a Revelation as bewildering and challenging as this”.  His goal was to warn both kings and priests that the flow of history would soon leave them behind, and set out teachings that could support the new world that would emerge.

Now, 150+ years after Baha’u’llah proclaimed His message, we increasingly live in the world He promised.  Kings and their kingdoms are gone, and science, knowledge, and universal ideals are the most potent forces in our world.  But we continue to want to go backwards, back to the days when we clung to the divisions that separated us. Somehow those still seem comfortable, even though they have been the cause of most of the pain and tragedy humans have experienced in the last two centuries.

Progressive and successful societies are those that have instituted Baha’u’llah’s principles, promoting universal education for men and women, racial and religious equity, justice and fairness, and the spread of learning and science.  Indeed, many of the people of the world hold beliefs, no matter what their nominal religion, that are more consistent with the Baha’i Faith than any traditional religion.  Having said that, traditional religions have nothing to fear from Baha’u’llah’s message. If He is true, then they are true as well, but those truths have been remolded in a newer reality. It is the fulfillment of all the promises of their scriptures.

A simple way to investigate and think about Baha’u’llah’s message is to ask yourself- “If God came down from the clouds and gave a message to all humanity, what do I think he would say? What would I want Him to say?” It’s really just that simple. That’s basically the essence of it, because Baha’u’llah, like Christ and Muhammad, claimed to be doing just that.  It didn’t happen with God writing a message on the clouds (and it never has!) but happened in a way it has always happened, in the flow of history, from a highly unique individual who speaks with a voice that is transcendent and sublime. 

In the following essays, I’m going to introduce you to your religion.  I know that that sounds presumptuous, but if Baha’u’llah’s claim is true, His teachings belong to you. They are for you to use for information and inspiration, to apply to your life.  They are a gift from your Creator, a gift that we want to help you unwrap.