[Talk presented 25 February 2007 at the Interfaith Summit in Huntsville, Alabama]
by Darren Hiebert
It is apparent to me that the struggle between religions is coming to be recognized as one of the dominant threats to the peace and security of the world. The challenge confronting the world today, therefore, is one of unity. And it is upon the theme of unity that the Bahá’í Faith has the most to offer the world today.
The Bahá’í Faith is the newest of the world’s major religions. It is founded upon the Word of God as revealed through Bahá’u’lláh, who lived and suffered under the Persian and Ottoman empires of the middle-east during the 19th century. Bahá’u’lláh sacrificed a life of privilege and instead suffered 40 years of imprisonment and exile in order to serve as the channel of the largest body of revealed scripture among the world’s religions.
Unity is the pivot round which revolve all of the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh. These teachings focus upon the three themes of the unity of God, the unity of religion, and the unity of mankind. Bahá’u’lláh introduced the principle of progressive revelation—that each of the world’s major religions are founded upon genuine revelations from the same Creator and that they each constitute chapters in the progressive unfoldment of God’s Plan for humanity, each offering unique contributions and perspectives, and each building upon the truths revealed by those gone before it.
Bahá’u’lláh writes, “It is clear and evident to thee that all the Prophets are the Temples of the Cause of God, Who have appeared clothed in divers attire. If thou wilt observe with discriminating eyes, thou wilt behold Them all abiding in the same tabernacle, soaring in the same heaven, seated upon the same throne, uttering the same speech, and proclaiming the same Faith. Such is the unity of those Essences of Being, those Luminaries of infinite and immeasurable splendor!”
That the teachings of these religions appear to differ and diverge is solely due to the the fact that the truths enshrined in those religions were revealed in a manner that was adapted to the needs, conditions and limitations of those receiving that revelation, just as in the famous story told by the Buddha, wherein the blind men differed in their perspectives of the same elephant.
This process of progressive revelation has left each of the world’s religions with the anticipation of a future Promised One who would change the condition of the world as we know it. The Bahá’ís wish to bring you the Good News you that each of your religions has been awaiting the same Promised One and that Bahá’u’lláh is that Promised One. The Bahá’í Faith is made up from followers from every religion, all of whom have come to accept that the Bahá’í revelation is in harmony with, and the fulfillment of, their former religion. This is in marked contrast to the practice of conversion to most other religions, which is accompanied by rejection of one’s former beliefs.
God’s Plan for humanity is the era of peace, brotherhood and unity foretold in the scriptures of the past. This is fore-ordained and inevitable, and the process is undfolding before our eyes, even if we do not recognize it for what it is. “Whether peace is to be reached only after unimaginable horrors precipitated by humanity’s stubborn clinging to old patterns of behaviour, or is to be embraced now by an act of consultative will, is the choice before all who inhabit the earth.” Bahá’u’lláh has revealed for us the means for achieving the more desireable of these two paths for those who wish to help guide humanity through it.
Bahá’u’lláh taught that men and women are like two wings of a bird; unless both of those wings are equally developed, the bird cannot fly. Bahá’u’lláh also taught that humanity is like a garden, whose greatest beauty is found in diversity of color, textures and fragrances, not in uniformity. Bahá’u’lláh has brought a set of teachings that allows diverse peoples, with no shared experiences, backgrounds or traditions, to organize themselves into a community that releases and channels human potential for the betterment of themselves and society at large. Bahá’u’lláh tells us “So powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth.”
In 1982, the World Christian Encyclopedia, according to its own findings, determined that the Bahá’í Faith had become the second-most geographically widespread religion in the world, following very closely behind Christianity, in terms of the number of countries in which it was considered to have a significant following. While still small numerically, Bahá’ís are found everywhere. The Bahá’í Faith, which has no clergy and has not suffered from schism, easily constitutes the most diverse and widespread organized body of people on the planet.
When confronting religious belief, one must select, whether consciously or not, from one of the following three incompatible, core belief systems; (a) that all religions are invented by man, (b) that a single religion is true, to the exclusion of others, or (c) that all religions are part of a unified whole. Without the Bahá’í teachings, however, this latter choice has been problematic because of a lack of theological framework to understand precisely how they can fit together. What the Bahá’í Faith teaches is a unified theory of religion.
The presenters were asked to address our faith’s relationship to, and understanding of, other faiths, which I believe I have done to the extent our time allows. In addition, we were asked to make statements addressing four points. In order to illustrate these points, I will share with you several brief passages on these themes from Bahá’í scripture so that you may gain a sense of their flavor.
In one of His tablets, Bahá’u’lláh describes six ornaments, or virtues, that should decorate human character. He writes, “The second [Ornament] is to 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.”
“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. Suffer it not to become a source of dissension and discord, of hate and enmity. This is the straight Path, the fixed and immovable foundation.”
“The unbelievers and the faithless have set their minds on four things: first, the shedding of blood; second, the burning of books; third, the shunning of the followers of other religions; fourth, the extermination of other communities and groups. Now however, through the strengthening grace and potency of the Word of God these four barriers have been demolished....”
The Bahá’í Faith has never been unburdened with conflict, as our faith has been the object of considerable persecution throughout the entire course of its 163 year history. Yet, despite this, because the Bahá’í teachings on unity are so profound, I can confidently assert that you have never heard of a situation where any group of Bahá’ís were engaged in any type of conflict, agitation or harm to others, even to their persecutors, despite the fact that Bahá’ís continue to be severely persecuted under several Muslim governments. My own wife was imprisoned and tortured in attempt to make her recant her faith by a Muslim government which claims to institute the core Islamic values. This only serves to demonstrate the crying need for a renewal of religious truth in this day, from which the established religions have lamentably strayed.
“Strife and conflict befit the beasts of the wild.”
“This Wronged One hath forbidden the people of God to engage in contention or conflict and hath exhorted them to righteous deeds and praiseworthy character. In this day the hosts that can ensure the victory of the Cause are those of goodly conduct and saintly character.”
“Conflict and contention are categorically forbidden in His Book. This is a decree of God in this Most Great Revelation. It is divinely preserved from annulment and is invested by Him with the splendour of His confirmation.”
“Ye have been forbidden in the Book of God to engage in contention and conflict, to strike another, or to commit similar acts whereby hearts and souls may be saddened.”
“Show forbearance and benevolence and love to one another. Should any one among you be incapable of grasping a certain truth, or be striving to comprehend it, show forth, when conversing with him, a spirit of extreme kindliness and good-will. Help him to see and recognize the truth, without esteeming yourself to be, in the least, superior to him, or to be possessed of greater endowments.”
“The distinguishing feature that marketh the pre-eminent character of this Supreme Revelation consisteth in that We have, on the one hand, blotted out from the pages of God’s holy Book whatsoever hath been the cause of strife, of malice and mischief amongst the children of men, and have, on the other, laid down the essential prerequisites of concord, of understanding, of complete and enduring unity.”
Proselytizing is forbidden by the Bahá’í writings. Because there are different definitions of proselytizing, I will clarify my meaning. The use of inducements via promises or threats of worldly gain or loss, or the use of pressure or fear, to induce someone to change their religion is never permitted.
Nevertheless, the Bahá’í writings counsel us frequently and emphatically to share the teachings of God with one other. Yet, these counsels are always focused upon one primary theme: the conduct of the teacher. It becomes clear to one who reflects upon these teachings that the primary purpose of teaching is the transformation of the character of the teacher.
I turn your attention to the prototypical definition of ministering to the needs of our brother and sister that Jesus gave us: “For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. [Matt. 25:35-36]”
So, ministering to our brother means to provide for his needs. The only way in which I can determine the needs my brother is to spend time with him, to let him tell me what his needs are. As I become aware of his needs, I can offer to him from what I have to give. To minister to my sister means to put her needs and desires first and mine last. Sharing the word of God with one in spiritual hunger is one of these important needs that I can attend. And it is perhaps the most challenging of needs to meet because it is perhaps the only need in which its ability to be received depends almost entirely upon the manner in which I offer it.
This is how Bahá’u’lláh describes the ideals of such an offering of love:
“Consort with all men ... in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship. If ye be aware of a certain truth, if ye possess a jewel, of which others are deprived, share it with them in a language of utmost kindliness and goodwill. If it be accepted, if it fulfill its purpose, your object is attained. If anyone should refuse it, leave him unto himself, and beseech God to guide him. Beware lest ye deal unkindly with him. A kindly tongue is the lodestone of the hearts of men. It is the bread of the spirit, it clotheth the words with meaning, it is the fountain of the light of wisdom and understanding.”
Strictly speaking, the doctrine of the separation of church and state was advanced in response to the reign of an unhealthy state of religion, wherein many religions vied and contended with one another for control over people and government. As long as religions and governments contend within themselves and with one another, their spiritual moorings are already torn loose and they are unsuited to any honorable form of governance, or of any effective guidance of the people.
Bahá’u’lláh writes, “The winds of despair are, alas, blowing from every direction, and the strife that divideth and afflicteth the human race is daily increasing. The signs of impending convulsions and chaos can now be discerned, inasmuch as the prevailing order appeareth to be lamentably defective.”
The Bahá’í Faith does not take a position on the political issue of the separation of church and state. However it does teach that the future stability of civilization depends upon human affairs being governed in accordance with the teachings of God. But this is something the people will seek out—it will not be imposed upon them. The concept of religion espoused by the Bahá’í scriptures is a fundamental reshaping of what constitutes religion, power and authority. In fact, a major component of the teachings of the Bahá’í Faith is a system of spiritually-guided governance unlike anything which has previously appeared on this planet. It addresses the shortcomings presently crippling our existing secular governments and prevents power-seeking individuals from obtaining authority over others.
I invite you to investigate the vast and all-embracing teachings of Bahá’u’lláh. The Bahá’í Faith states as its clear and unambiguous goal the unification of the peoples of the world into one organic body, harmoniously blending the diverse elements within it and providing them with a unified focus and vision centered upon the oneness of humanity and the oneness of religion.