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Course Correction

Course Correction

Published October 3, 2019 by admin

Introducing a Series of Essays on the Báb

The Baha’i Writings tell us that the religions of the world, and the revelations that formed them, represent in reality a single Faith- “the changeless Faith of God”- as Baha’u’llah referred to it.  This Faith unfolds over time as humanity’s capacity, social and spiritual, evolves.  If we look at the revelations of the past, we can see this clearly.  When Jesus came into the world, the “Faith of God”, as embodied in the Jewish priestly structure, had become too legalistic, too focused on the world and needed a “course correction”.  Jesus provided that by reminding everyone that the heart of the Faith of God was love, love for God, love for one’s neighbor, and selfless acts of devotion.  At the time of Muhammad, 600 years later, humanity was ready for a further broadening of its religious vision, and Muhammad provided that by revealing a more universal religion that was formed by an All-Compassionate and All-Merciful God.  Verses in Quran also offered a “course correction” to the various revelations of the past, which had become too exclusive and did not see themselves as One Religion- the religion of “submission”, or “Islam”, to use the Arabic term.

At the time of the Báb, religion was at an impasse and the “changeless Faith of God” was being clouded by ignorant superstition and sectarianism.  At the same time, humanity had woken up intellectually, and was beginning the process of spreading knowledge around the globe.  Religion came under a critical microscope, and many of the perspectives of the past now seemed obsolete. 

The Báb’s revelation is distinctive because of the degree of “explanation” that it contains, about the inner nature of religion. The Báb’s main work- “The Bayan”- meant “The Exposition”, and so much of it is devoted to explaining religious and theological principles in preparation for the Revelation of Baha’u’llah.  He did that within Persian Islamic society and used the terminology and ideas familiar to those people, and also cloaked His ideas within a heavily symbolic structure, but it is not difficult to see the principles He outlines in abstract terms that apply to religion generally.  We will explore those ideas in several short essays in preparation for the Bicentenary celebration of His birthday on Oct 29th and 30th. 

After the Báb prepared the way, Baha’u’llah issued a “course correction” to the Faith of God, revealing a new chapter in its unfoldment, now more fitting to the modern world.  This can most significantly be seen in Baha’u’llah’s teaching of the oneness of humanity and the unity of the human race:

Through each and every one of the verses which the Pen of the Most High hath revealed, the doors of love and unity have been unlocked and flung open to the face of men. We have erewhile declared—and Our Word is the truth—: “Consort with the followers of all religions in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship.” Whatsoever hath led the children of men to shun one another, and hath caused dissensions and divisions amongst them, hath, through the revelation of these words, been nullified and abolished. From the heaven of God’s Will, and for the purpose of ennobling the world of being and of elevating the minds and souls of men, hath been sent down that which is the most effective instrument for the education of the whole human race. The highest essence and most perfect expression of whatsoever the peoples of old have either said or written hath, through this most potent Revelation, been sent down from the heaven of the Will of the All-Possessing, the Ever-Abiding God. Of old it hath been revealed: “Love of one’s country is an element of the Faith of God.” The Tongue of Grandeur hath, however, in the day of His manifestation proclaimed: “It is not his to boast who loveth his country, but it is his who loveth the world.” Through the power released by these exalted words He hath lent a fresh impulse, and set a new direction, to the birds of men’s hearts, and hath obliterated every trace of restriction and limitation from God’s holy Book.”

The purpose of Baha’u’llah’s Revelation has been to broaden our vision, broader than it ever has been and see the world in its most glorious reality- as a reflection of the attributes of God- in each person, each drop of water, even each particle of dust.   Most of the “prep work” for the concepts Baha’u’llah would reveal were done by the Báb, and therefore it is to the concepts He revealed that we will turn in this short series of essays.

Photo from Unsplashed, Caleb Jones, and is in Muir Woods outside of San Francisco, CA. 

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Celebration of the Bicentenary

Celebration of the Bicentenary

Published September 24, 2019 by admin

For Baha’is, the next month is a period of intense activity all around the globe as Baha’i communities celebrate the “bicentenary” of the Birth of the Bab, after commemorating the 200th anniversary of the Birth of Baha’u’llah two years ago.  “The Báb”, whose title means “the gate” was born into Persian society in the 19th century and announced the coming of Baha’u’llah in dramatic and stirring fashion.  His story is incredibly compelling on many levels, as He was just a youth of 25 yrs old when he announced his mission, and he was only on this earth for only 6 more years before he was executed by the Persian government at the behest of the religious authorities.  During that time, He revealed some of the most remarkable Tablets in the history of religion.  

A major part of the Báb’s mission in preparing the way for Baha’u’llah was to explain the concept of progressive revelation and how God interacts with and is reflected in the world.  His Writings therefore are deeply profound and important for everyone to appreciate.  In commemoration of the 200th anniversary of His birth, Sifter of Dust will devote the next month to the celebration of the life and writings of the Báb.  We will also post links to content being produced around the world in honor of this event.  A link is provided on our main page to the Bicentenary website produced by the Baha’i World Center, and a second link entitled “The Prophet of Shiraz” will collect the Sifter of Dust posts for ease of archival viewing, as well as advertise events in the Philadelphia area that are open to the public. Enjoy!

About the photo above. A group of five Bahá’í women prisoners and five other prisoners of conscience created a beautiful white silk crochet in honor of the bicentenary of the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh. They then used the crochet to create a photographic composition to give voice to their sentiments on this momentous occasion. (from Baha’i media bank)

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Ladder for Your Soul

Ladder for Your Soul

Published September 18, 2019 by admin

In the Baha’i teachings, music and the arts are regarded very highly.  Baha’u’llah said that God has “made music as a ladder for your souls and a means whereby they may be lifted up to the realm on high“. He urged us to combine music with the Word of God as the “verses” of those words “draw hearts that are pure unto those spiritual worlds that can neither be expressed in words nor intimated by allusion“.

We’ve reorganized a bit at Sifter of Dust and now have links directly to our posts highlighting inspirational music, among other links. 

Enjoy!

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Liberal or Conservative?

Liberal or Conservative?

Published September 4, 2019 by admin

With this post, we continue our exploration of the Gospels of Jesus and their relationship with the Revelation of Baha’u’llah. 

One of the common themes in our modern social discourse is the question of moral standards and how people relate to them and to others in light of them.  In many traditional societies, right behavior was defined clearly, and people were taught these standards in their home, in their places of worship, in schools, and other social groups. A significant aspect of modern life has been the general break with those traditional standards with a greater focus on an individual’s freedom to express themselves in whatever way they would like.  Religion is sometimes portrayed as “conservative”, “authoritarian”, or even frankly oppressive.  The idea of following a “religious law” or adhering to high moral standards seems “old fashioned” and out of step with modern secular realities.  These considerations have turned off whole generations of people from religion, especially youth and young adults.  When people are exploring religion, one of the first things they want to know is how the faith fits along the spectrum from “liberal” to “conservative”, usually as it relates to the standards of moral behavior, particularly those involving sex. 

Undoubtedly, as our society has moved away from the revelations of the past, there has developed a spectrum among people and institutions in relation to traditional values-  those who either still adhere to traditional values, to those who find them meaningful but wish to “update” them, to those who reject them completely.  Protestant Christianity, in particular, has increasingly splintered itself along this spectrum, of what is considered “conservative” vs “liberal”.  It’s tempting to try and put Baha’u’llah’s revelation in this same paradigm, and judge it as one would other more traditional religions and sects of religions, but doing so severely limits one’s perspective on what Baha’u’llah has brought into the world.  Moreover, the spectrum does not even fit with the Gospels themselves, when we read them with an open mind and heart.  Indeed, both revelations, that of Christ and Baha’u’llah, challenge the very idea of a “liberal/conservative” spectrum in the first place. 

When we read the Gospels of Jesus Christ, we see that He was opposed primarily by a traditional religious structure focused on “right behavior” as defined by traditional Jewish law.  Jesus challenged that structure profoundly- first by the very fact that He claimed to be able to alter it, but also by the ways in which He expressed we should relate to divine standards in the first place.  Jesus intentionally flouted these traditional standards by associating himself with those regarded as outcasts from the traditional structures- “tax collectors”, “sinners”, and prostitutes.  He was active on the Sabbath day, the traditional day of rest, and stated it was He was Lord of the Sabbath- that is- the one who makes the laws as opposed to following them. In one passage, He and his disciples had broken the strict rules of eating in a certain manner and were challenged by the priests, to which He responded – “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person can defile them? For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach…What comes out of a person defiles them. For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come- sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance, and folly.  All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”.

 It’s clear from this passage and others that Jesus enjoined a high standard of personal morality, but that doesn’t mean that he condoned having a judgmental attitude about morality.  Indeed, there are just as many passages in which he promotes a certain attitude – a “spirit”- of generosity, magnanimity, and love for others.  He said that “whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve…”.  In the face of the hypocrisy of rich people and priests, he stated his love for the poor and downtrodden. In one instance, he watched as people made offerings at the temple, where many rich people “threw in large amounts”, but he highlighted “a poor widow who came in and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents”.  Jesus said- “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They gave out of their wealth, but she, out of her poverty, put in everything she had to live on.”

He told them the essence of belief was to love others-

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. ’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?  And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?  Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Though He called them to high standards of personal morality, he taught them not to judge others– Do not judge, or you too will be judged.  For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you…Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?  How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

As one reads these passages, it becomes evident that Jesus did not take a “cookbook” approach to human virtue.  Virtue was a balance of high standards of personal morality, but also a spirit of love, detachment, generosity, and a non-judgmental attitude at all times. Indeed, this “spiritual” aspect of Christ’s message was one of the main things that made it so revolutionary, powerful, and attractive to the many generations that followed.  Christ taught us that religious standards and laws, when divorced from the spirit that animates them, could and indeed did become oppressive to people. He was responding to a situation in which that had occurred in His time.  But the answer wasn’t to throw out or ignore appropriate moral standards, but to animate them with love, humility, and a true spirit of service.  Without the “love of God”, those standards were just empty shells.

So was Jesus a liberal or a conservative? The answer is that He transcended all such categories- and He expected us to do the same. In the next post in this series, we will further explore these ideas as they are expressed in Baha’u’llah’s Revelation.

Photo by Claudio Schwarz on Unsplash. 

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Back to School!

Back to School!

Published August 30, 2019 by admin

For all those going back to school this weekend, in schools, colleges and universities throughout the country, this post is a tribute to you!! Good luck!

In addition to the quote from Baha’u’llah, below you will find a short and impromptu talk ‘Abdu’l-Baha’ gave at Clark University in NY, when he was visiting America.  It demonstrates his commitment to science and learning, and how we should labor for it’s promotion all around the world. Indeed, he regarded it as a spiritual pursuit.  Enjoy!

Blessed audience, I am overjoyed to be with you here today. It had been my hope to visit this University, and now that hope has been fulfilled. This University will be the source of great things, for science is the special merit of human beings, and is that which distinguishes man and gives him superiority over the other creatures of God. Through the knowledge bestowed by science, human beings can discover the secrets of the Universe. With science alone can man unlock the secrets of the past and accurately forecast the shape of future events. With science he can explain the processes of nature, and can comprehend the movements of the heavenly bodies. Science glorifies man forever; it is his means of achieving honor and dignity in the world. Science can also unlock the secrets of the Holy Books: It un covers the secret of reality. Science serves the world of reality: It can save man from the superstition of the religions of the past, revealing to him the reality of the religions of God. Science can set man free from the captivity of nature, and diminish the power of nature’s negative forces. For nature, indeed, holds all things in the Universe in captivity: The earth, with its stones, trees and animals, the sun itself in all its glory–none can make the slightest departure from nature’s laws.

But man–man with the aid of science can rend asunder nature’s laws and produce a new law for nature itself to follow. Science takes the sword from the hand of nature and uses it against nature in the service of man. Solid objects are made to fly through the air at man’s command, or to float on or beneath the surface of the water. The power of electricity is trapped in a glass bulb; the spoken word is held and preserved; airwaves become the carriers of messages; ships sail on land; deserts become oceans; mountains are rent asunder. North is brought closer to South; West is joined to East. And although these occurrences stand outside the realm of the law of nature, man through science achieves them, bringing art and industry out of obscurity and into the light. Unless man is free, then all the Universe is in bondage to nature’s laws. Man alone has the capacity for freedom, and it is science that is the implement of his freedom. Thus, science is the highest merit of humanity: It’s glory endures; it has an eternal lifetime. The role of the King is temporary; that of the scientist has enduring glory. A man, though weak physically, if wise with the power of science can discover the secret truths of the Universe and win undying fame. For the mass of men are like those drugged in sleep, and the man of science is he who is awake; the mass of men are unknown to fame, and the man of science is renowned: Science is like a candle, and the learned man like a lantern.

And so it is that I am in utmost joy to be here at this center of learning. My hope is that this University will grow and disseminate the light of science which can illuminate the whole world, giving sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf and life to those who are as dead. For as the Bible says: “… Because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.” And Christ in the Holy Book says: I will heal them. And so it is proven that the ignorant is dead where the scholar lives, the ignorant blind where the scholar is sighted, the ignorant deaf but the scholar endowed with hearing–and the noblest of all things is science. In this country, science is established in the schools and universities.

My wish is that other countries may follow your example, raising the standard of science in the cause of overthrowing superstition. The imitation of useless forms that only divide people must be rejected; prejudice must be changed to cooperation; the banner of peace for all mankind must be raised, and all the continents of the world be shaded by the pavilion of universal peace. Science shall unite all people, making of all the nations one country, and of all the earth one homeland. All the religions shall be one, and science can reveal this reality. For all the religions come from God, and they are reality. But now mankind is shadowed by worthless superstitions, which darken the light of the sun of reality. These clouds must be dispersed, that the reality of all religions having their source in the One God may be revealed. There is only this one reality, and all of the religions must join together, banishing prejudice and enmity. Thus will the unity of the world be realized.

Therefore, since science casts out fear and reveals the Kingdom of Heaven, I ask God to raise the banner of science higher each day, to make its star shine ever brighter, until all the populations of the world attain to understanding. Let minds advance, inventions increase, let hearts expand and understanding deepen. Let mankind make progress in all his goodly endeavors, and under the shadow of Almighty God, let the utmost happiness be realized by all mankind. For all of these things are present potentially in the world of reality, and the gift of God for unleashing this potential is science. I have come from a remote land. I have seen here gatherings of honorable men of science, who have established systems for the spreading of knowledge. I will tell of these things when I return, urging all to learn the useful arts of science and technology. And my hope is that you will welcome the people of the East–from India, China, Japan, Arabia, Armenia–that upon returning to their native soil they will propagate this innovative knowledge, until the East can equal the West in science and technology. They have the aptitude, but have no means for a formal, disciplined education. Thus it is my hope that science will flourish all the more, here in the West, that all the nations of the world may thereby be enlightened, that true communication may thereby be established, and that the potential happiness of the world of humanity may thereby be revealed. May the science of the knowledge of God flourish too in East and West, that human rights and dignities may be protected, human virtues be encouraged, and that the utmost unity and harmony may prevail. This is my utmost desire. This is my purpose in visiting America.

Student at King’s College, Cambride in the UK. Photo by Victoria Heath on Unsplash

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True Leadership

True Leadership

Published August 29, 2019 by admin

Baha’u’llah always encouraged us to have a “world-embracing” vision and called upon the leaders of the world’s governments to “promote the highest interests of the whole of humanity”, instead of focusing only on their own national interests. Our problems in the 21st century can only be solved in this manner. 

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Sovereignty

Sovereignty

Published August 28, 2019 by admin

This post continues our series looking at the Gospels and the Revelation of Baha’u’llah, this time focusing on the issues of Jesus’ kingship. 

One of the questions that strikes you as you read the Gospels is a simple one.  Why, if Christ was from God, did he allow Himself to be crucified?  Of course, Christian theology throughout the centuries has taught that Christ was crucified as a ransom for the sins of humanity, and that is undoubtedly true and is reflected in Jesus’ own words. But if we look at it from the broader perspective that Baha’u’llah’s revelation brings to us, we can ask the question in a more general way. After all, it is not just Christ who has suffered when bringing a revelation, but all the Manifestations of God.  Why, if God is All-Powerful, do His Manifestations allow themselves to be imprisoned, persecuted, and ignored?  Couldn’t they just will their messages to be accepted by everyone?  Couldn’t they, if they are from God, turn the tide on their oppressors with a simple movement of their finger?

The answer to this question is addressed in several ways by Baha’u’llah. The answers are really important to know and consider, because they set the pattern as to how God wants humans to interact with each other when it comes to religion.  In a marvelous work known as the Kitab-i-Iqan, which translates from Arabic as the “Book of Certitude”, Baha’u’llah answers several theological questions put to him by the uncle of the Bab. The Bab’s uncle was perplexed by the claims of his nephew- to be a Prophet of God and the fulfillment of Islam- as he could not reconcile it with what he had been taught about how the Promised One was supposed to come.  Among other issues, He could not understand how his nephew could be true if he did not become the worldly king that was expected- the one who would destroy the unjust governments of the earth and set up his own earthly kingdom that would reward believers and punish unbelievers. Instead, his nephew was imprisoned and executed, and never even showed interest in worldly authority, indeed specifically telling the Shah that it was not his intention to effect his kingship.  The situation with Christ was the same- the people of that time could not understand how Christ could be the Messiah because the Messiah was supposed to be a worldly king who would see the triumph of the Jewish people.  Instead, he was crucified by the Roman authorities, having no effect on the kingdom at all.

Baha’u’llah’s answer is that is that the sovereignty- the “kingship”- that the Manifestations of God exhibit is not a worldly kingship- but a spiritual kingship where they come to rule over human hearts.  He emphasizes that the greatness of Jesus was not in His exhibition of worldly things, but in his detachment from them-

Thus Jesus, Son of Mary, whilst seated one day and speaking in the strain of the Holy Spirit, uttered words such as these: “O people! My food is the grass of the field, wherewith I satisfy my hunger. My bed is the dust, my lamp in the night the light of the moon, and my steed my own feet. Behold, who on earth is richer than I?” By the righteousness of God! Thousands of treasures circle round this poverty, and a myriad kingdoms of glory yearn for such abasement!

Baha’u’llah goes on to say that the “Were the Eternal Essence to manifest all that is latent within Him, were He to shine in the plentitude of His glory, none would be found to question His power or repudiate His truth. Nay, all created things would be so dazzled and thunderstruck by the evidences of His light as to be reduced to utter nothingness.”

In other words, if God were to reveal Himself with his true power, we would be forced to accept Him, and God wants to preserve human free will to make moral and spiritual decisions on our own.  God intentionally reveals Himself to humanity in a form that is not one of worldly leadership and power. Indeed, the Manifestations of God come to the world “dressed in nothing but their own poverty” specifically because God does not want to be loved because he is feared. Baha’u’llah states that the reason God appears in such a condition is to bring out certain qualities in people-to act as a kind of filter- that encourages spiritual and moral qualities-

His purpose…is to enable the pure in spirit and the detached in heart to ascend, by virtue of their own innate powers, unto the shores of the Most Great Ocean, that thereby they who seek the Beauty of the All-Glorious may be distinguished and separated from the wayward and perverse. Thus hath it been ordained by the all-glorious and resplendent Pen….

That the Manifestations of Divine justice, the Day Springs of heavenly grace, have when they appeared amongst men always been destitute of all earthly dominion and shorn of the means of worldly ascendancy, should be attributed to this same principle of separation and distinction which animates the Divine Purpose…

By appearing in such a manner, the people who become attracted are not the ones who want power or wealth- the reasons many people are attracted to someone who is powerful or famous- but rather because of the beauty and virtues that the Manifestation brings into the world. Baha’u’llah tells us that this is also the reason that the prophecies of Jesus about the “end of times” cannot be interpreted literally. If Jesus were to appear literally “riding on the clouds”, nobody would dare to not believe in him- all human free will would be taken away. 

Muhammad was born into poverty. His father died when He was an infant and his mother soon after. He was placed in the hands of his grandfather, who also died. Finally, He was raised by His uncle. When Muhammad starting preaching His revelation, He was initially persecuted and had to flee his home city of Mecca. Eventually however, He began to unite the various warring tribes and nations in a single community with common rules.  Islam is thus somewhat different than the revelations of Christ and that of Baha’u’llah, in that Muhammad also became the leader of a growing nation, one that had worldly power. Nevertheless, Muhammad never had imperialist intentions but wanted people to accept His revelation and the teachings He brought, and apply them in their communities.  Muhammad explicitly stated “There is no compulsion in religion”.  He sent letters to the nations near Arabia inviting them to accept Islam but assuring Jews, Christians, and other religions that if they became part of His community, they would not be forced to convert but could worship God in their own way within His community. In a recent book that highlights the various agreements Muhammad made with the Jewish and Christian communities in the area of the growing Muslim empire, we see this principle in action.   Muhammad established an agreement with the monks on Mount Sinai and addressed it to both Christians and Muslims assuring the monks of His protection:

“Whenever any of the monks in his travels shall happen to settle upon any mountain, hill, village, or other habitable place, on the sea, or in the deserts, or in any convent, church, or house of prayer, I shall be in the midst of them, as the preserver and protector of them, their goods and their effects, with my soul, aid, and protection…” (From the book, “The Covenants of the Prophet Muhammad with the Christians of the World”, By John Andrew Morrow)

Though all of the Manifestations of God have encouraged us very strongly to believe in Them, and educated us about the dangers of turning away from the truths They reveal, they have acted and spoken in a way that specifically gives us the choice, a principle Baha’u’llah says is present in all the revelations. 

Baha’u’llah was extraordinarily explicit that His faith could only be spread by the power of words and example.    He states that if a person responds to His message, it must come from the person themselves and never be forced in any way-

Whoso ariseth among you to teach the Cause of his Lord, let him, before all else, teach his own self, that his speech may attract the hearts of them that hear him. Unless he teacheth his own self, the words of his mouth will not influence the heart of the seeker. Take heed, O people, lest ye be of them that give good counsel to others but forget to follow it themselves. The words of such as these, and beyond the words the realities of all things, and beyond these realities the angels that are nigh unto God, bring against them the accusation of falsehood….Beware lest ye contend with any one, nay, strive to make him aware of the truth with kindly manner and most convincing exhortation. If your hearer respond, he will have responded to his own behoof…

That last sentence- “he will have responded to his own behoof”- may not be a familiar phrase to some people, but it means that the person’s response comes from their own selves and is not forced from outside. 

In a remarkable passage, Baha’u’llah states that- if God wanted- he could make everyone believe whatever He wanted them to, but He wants His teachings to spread through words and heart to heart-

If it be Our pleasure We shall render the Cause victorious through the power of a single word from Our presence. He is in truth the Omnipotent, the All-Compelling. Should it be God’s intention, there would appear out of the forests of celestial might the lion of indomitable strength whose roaring is like unto the peals of thunder reverberating in the mountains. However, since Our loving providence surpasseth all things, We have ordained that complete victory should be achieved through speech and utterance, that Our servants throughout the earth may thereby become the recipients of divine good. This is but a token of God’s bounty vouchsafed unto them. Verily thy Lord is the All-Sufficing, the Most Exalted.

If you think about it, the entire “system” makes sense and is intended for our education. God doesn’t appear in a form that makes us believe in Him, but instead clothes His message in the form of beauty and virtue.  That then attracts people who are attracted to those qualities, who then spread it to others.  In the process of spreading it to others, people need to “teach their own selves” first- that is- manifest the qualities that God wants us to possess. Then we can only teach it through the power of our example and our words. Even then, we must ensure that the people we are trying to influence respond only because they want to respond, and not because it is forced in any way. 

It is because God wants his “servants throughout the earth” to “become the recipients of divine good” that he set up the system this way.  It preserves our free will, while attracting us to beauty and virtue and encouraging us to lead others to the same path.  While we attempt to teach others, we ourselves learn, both how to understand our Faith more fully, but also how to be an example of its virtues. In this way, the entire world becomes elevated by the teachings and it transforms people from the inside out, rather than being forced by the outside in.  If God were to appear in an outward form that was immediately convincing to everyone, or if religion were to be forced upon people, it would shortchange all the learning that can be achieved by doing it the way God has outlined. 

The implications of these truths in how we think about religion in modern society are important, and it sets the tone for how Baha’i communities operate.  Baha’is don’t force their faith on anyone, or try and push their standards on others, but rather seek to attract people who are interested and let them explore using their own minds and consciences.  Baha’u’llah Himself taught that all people must “look into all things with a searching eye” and specifically advises us to “know of our own knowledge” and “not the knowledge of thy neighbor”, defining this as a form of “justice”:

O SON OF SPIRIT! 
The best beloved of all things in My sight is Justice; turn not away therefrom if thou desirest Me, and neglect it not that I may confide in thee. By its aid thou shalt see with thine own eyes and not through the eyes of others, and shalt know of thine own knowledge and not through the knowledge of thy neighbor. Ponder this in thy heart; how it behooveth thee to be. Verily justice is My gift to thee and the sign of My loving-kindness. Set it then before thine eyes.

In a beautiful passage that will conclude this essay, Baha’u’llah outlines how He wants his followers to behave in the world and the attitude they should take towards others- that they should be a “leaven” that helps others to rise-

It is Our wish and desire that every one of you may become a source of all goodness unto men, and an example of uprightness to mankind. Beware lest ye prefer yourselves above your neighbors. Fix your gaze upon Him Who is the Temple of God amongst men. He, in truth, hath offered up His life as a ransom for the redemption of the world. He, verily, is the All-Bountiful, the Gracious, the Most High. If any differences arise amongst you, behold Me standing before your face, and overlook the faults of one another for My name’s sake and as a token of your love for My manifest and resplendent Cause. We love to see you at all times consorting in amity and concord within the paradise of My good-pleasure, and to inhale from your acts the fragrance of friendliness and unity, of loving-kindness and fellowship.  Thus counselleth you the All-Knowing, the Faithful. We shall always be with you; if We inhale the perfume of your fellowship, Our heart will assuredly rejoice, for naught else can satisfy Us. To this beareth witness every man of true understanding.

Next post in this series- Liberal or conservative?

 

Photo by William Krause on Unsplash. Throne housed in the Louvre Museum in Paris, France. 

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