WHAT IS RELIGION?

That the divers communions of the earth, and the manifold systems of religious belief, should never be allowed to foster the feelings of animosity among men, is, in this Day, of the essence of the Faith of God..These principles and laws, these firmly-established and mighty systems, have proceeded from one Source, and are rays of one Light. That they differ one from another is to be attributed to the varying requirements of the ages in which they were promulgated. (Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 13)

Religion is, verily, the chief instrument for the establishment of order in the world, and of tranquillity amongst its peoples. The weakening of the pillars of religion hath strengthened the foolish, and emboldened them, and made them more arrogant.
(Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 27)

And now concerning thy question regarding the nature of religion..every age requireth a fresh measure of the light of God. Every Divine Revelation hath been sent down in a manner that befitted the circumstances of the age in which it hath appeared.
(Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 80)

The Great Being saith: O ye children of men! The fundamental purpose animating the Faith of God...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.
(Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 215)

The purpose of religion as revealed from the heaven of God's holy Will is to establish unity and concord amongst the peoples of the world; make it not the cause of dissension and strife...The progress of the world, the development of nations, the tranquillity of peoples, and the peace of all who dwell on earth are among the principles and ordinances of God.
(Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 129)

Religion, moreover, is not a series of beliefs, a set of customs; religion is the teachings of the Lord God, teachings which constitute the very life of humankind, which urge high thoughts upon the mind, refine the character, and lay the groundwork for man's everlasting honour.
(Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 51)

Because it is concerned with the ennobling of character and the harmonizing of relationships, religion has served throughout history as the ultimate authority in giving meaning to life. In every age, it has cultivated the good, reproved the wrong and held up, to the gaze of all those willing to see, a vision of potentialities as yet unrealized. From its counsels the rational soul has derived encouragement in overcoming limits imposed by the world and in fulfilling itself. As the name implies, religion has simultaneously been the chief force binding diverse peoples together in ever larger and more complex societies through which the individual capacities thus released can find expression. The great advantage of the present age is the perspective that makes it possible for the entire human race to see this civilizing process as a single phenomenon, the ever-recurring encounters of our world with the world of God. (The Universal House of Justice, 2002 April, To the World's Religious Leaders, p. 6)

Religion: A Baha'i View

I'm posting a portion of a talk I gave last year about the contrast between some of the commonly held views about what religion is and the Baha'i view.
COMMONLY HELD VIEWS
1. Religion is a set of beliefs, customs, traditions and rituals
2. There are lots of religions, but only one of them (usually the one I belong to) is true
3. There are lots of religions and they are all equally true, so it doesn’t matter which one I belong to
4. Because my religion is "right" and yours is "wrong" I should try and pressure you into believing what I believe
5. Religion involves believing something even if reason and science contradict it, thus religion and science are in conflict with each other
6. Faith is an emotional attachment to a belief that is irrational or unscientific, the deeper this attachment, the more "sincere" your faith is
7. Religion is something that only "special" people, usually religious leaders are able to understand
8. Religion is a source of conflict and contention among people, the world would be better off without it
9. If the followers of a particular religion do bad things, that religion must be bad or false
10. Religion is basically a good thing, as long as it is kept private and is only about individual happiness and satisfaction

BAHA'I VIEW
1. Religion is the revelation of God’s love and wisdom for humanity’s spiritual education and development
2. There is only one religion, which has been revealed progressively from age to age, by a series of Divine Messengers, each of whom brought spiritual "truths" that are eternal, and social teachings suited to the age in which they appeared
3. There is only one religion, which is revealed progressively from age to age, by a series of Divine Messengers, thus we must seek out and recognize the Messenger for our age and live according to that Messenger’s teachings
4. Religious truth is one and we each have the ability and responsibility to investigate truth for ourselves
5. Religious beliefs must be in harmony with reason and science, if they are not, they are simply superstitions
6. Faith is conscious knowledge expressed in action
7. Religious truth is something that each of us has the capacity to understand, recognizing that our understanding will always be limited
8. It is human, ignorance and prejudice that is the source of religious conflict. True religion promotes unity and love among all people
9. The behavior of individuals regarding religion is a reflection of their own human imperfections, not of religion itself
10. True religion has the power to bring happiness and well-being to society as well as individuals

Broken-Winged Bird

This was my submission to a new book describing the Baha'i Black Men's Gathering. I've been inspired to write a few reflections on the Gathering and about the spiritual significance of being a man of African Descent. I'll start with this one.
"O God!. This is a broken-winged bird and his flight is very slow.."
When I came to the gathering, I was in a process of healing from a life-time of alienation from myself and from the black community. I came with the wounds from that double-edged sword of the race prejudice of white people and the constant questioning of my "blackness" from black people. I had long believed that I had only two choices as a young black man, to live an assimilated life on the margins of white society, or play the ever popular "ghetto" stereotypes of what a black man in America is supposed to be. I had rejected both options, but could not find a path to blackness that was noble to me. I was lost. I had never consciously chosen to spend an entire week with a group of black men before, and the only thing that motivated me to do so was my desire to serve. What I discovered at the gathering changed my life. I experienced prayer like I never had before. I witnessed black men of all hues, all backgrounds embrace, love and accept each other. I studied the Word of God with brothers striving to arise and play their part in God's Plan. My story was treated as equal to all others and no one felt a need to test my blackness. I discovered that I did not have to chose between assimilation or being a "thug". I could become a new creation, a new kind of black man, a "pupil of the eye". Because of the gathering I am now happy and proud to be black because I recognize that its signficance lies in contributing our "great gifts of mind and heart" to the building of a new social order, a divine civilization. Because of the gathering my wings are mended and I am able to soar.

Consciousness, Character and Community

I was just reflecting on the power of unity and why Baha'u'llah describes it as a goal which "excelleth every other goal," an aspiration which is the "monarch of all aspirations." How does the power of unity, the power the Baha'i writings suggest produces enduring results in the world relate to contemporary challenges facing humanity? I see the power of unity (or disunity) operating in three areas of human experience: consciousness, character and community. On the level of consciousness we are told in Baha'i teaching that it is the consciousness of the oneness of humankind that is the necessary foundation on which world peace can be built. This fundamental change in consciousness involves every man, woman and child on the planet recognizing that they are responsible for the welfare of the entire human family, abandoning the mistaken belief that they are inherently superior to other human beings, and overcoming the impulse toward imposing their will on others. It is a integrative view of self and society. Though we see this new consciousness reflected in the thinking of increasing numbers of people today, it struggles against disintegrative views of self and society, in which we are at best members of different groups who are competing with each other for survival and are only united when it serves the interests of our group. At worst, we are simply individuals whose sole purpose in life is to get our needs met and relationships are just a means to that end. We even tend to view ourselves as fragmented into "identities" that are essential to who we are rather than as secondary aspects of our human experience whose purpose is to serve our spiritual development. On the level of character, an integrative approach involves progressively bringing our behavior into harmony with our spiritual and moral commitments. What we do becomes an expression of who we are rather than a reaction to whatever is happening in the moment. It's amazing how saying one thing and then doing the opposite is so common that many of us don't even see it as a problem. At the level of community, our consciousness and character are embodied in a social order, an order which in turn shapes the development of consciousness and character in a dynamic interaction which is the engine that drives the advancement or decline of civilization. At the level of community, disintegrative tendencies are being expressed in a social order which is in rapid decline, conflict and strife between peoples is escalating, economies are on the edge of collapse, terrorism is spreading, disease is rampant, virtually every institution is in a state of crisis and dysfunction. Everywhere you can see constructive efforts straining against the shackles of the old world order which the Baha'i Writings describe as "lamentably defective". It is the lack of unity at the levels of consciousness, character and community that I understand to be the root cause of all the problems we see at present in the world. Unity is the solution and is the purpose of the Baha'i Revelation. "O contending peoples and kindreds of the earth, set your faces toward unity...so powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth."

Reconciliation or Dialogue?: Religion is One

Just read a really inspiring piece in the Boston Globe this morning about a meeting between the King of Jordan and a group of American Rabbis in which the King quoted with great respect and reverence from both the Torah and the Quran and emphasized that Muslims and Jews are both "neighbors and kin", sharing a common spiritual heritage. This made me think about what I see as the difference between religious reconciliation and interfaith dialogue. Interfaith dialogue begins with the understanding of religion as being made of distinct and conflicting belief systems that are searching for common ground with at least some level of respect or acceptance of pluralism. People share prayers or food or experience each other's Holy Days and so on. Religious reconciliation begins with the assumption that God is one and that beyond all human interpretation or cultural expression, religion is also one. Reconciliation goes further than discussing the various ways people pray and involves a vigorous investigation of spiritual reality and the practical application of what is discovered. It's ultimate goal is uniting the human race into "one universal Cause, one common faith." Interfaith efforts are similar to promoting tolerance or multiculturalism in the sense that they are an attempt to promote unity among diverse peoples. As such they can be viewed as a means toward the end of uniting the human family, but not the end itself. It is reconciliation which is the mission of the Baha' Faith and one finds in its community people of all religious backgrounds bound together by a common recognition of the oneness of religion, building a new social order, a divine civilization.

Baha'i Activism: Politics Revisited

Having discussed the spiritual and moral reasoning behind Baha'is abstaining from politics in an earlier post, I wanted to follow up with writing about what I understand to be Baha'i activism. The principle aim of the Baha'i Revelation is to establish a social order that reflects the reality of the oneness of humankind. Clearly this involves profound political, economic, social and cultural implications for humanity. The question is, if Baha'is have renounced politics (as currently practiced) as the means to bring this new order about what is our approach? My understanding is the that the global strategy of the Baha'i Faith involves essentially two things, the creation of a pattern of community life based on the teachings of Baha'u'llah that through the "dynamic force of example" is exerting an influence on the wider society, and efforts to influence those processes leading toward world peace. The first aspect of this global strategy involves the focus by Baha'is of making people aware of the Revelation of Baha'u'llah and allowing them to investigate and embrace it if they chose. People who become Baha'is are then collaborators in the process of creating a new pattern of community life based on Baha'i teaching, practice and social organization. The Baha'i community which today represents one of the most diverse, organized bodies of human beings on the planet provides an example of what a united humanity could be like and is the living proof that its Founder's vision can and will be realized. This community includes both those who are enrolled Baha'is and members of the "community of interest", people who have not yet enrolled in the Baha'i community but who are actively involved in exploration and application of the Revelation of Baha'u'llah to transforming their own lives and society through worship, collective study of the Word of God and the spiritual education of children and youth. The second aspect of this global strategy is pursued in a variety of ways, such as social and economic development, Baha'i scholarship, external affairs work with governments and leaders of thought, and collaboration with like minded organizations. All of such efforts are viewed by Baha'is as exerting an influence on those processes, spiritual, political and social that are leading toward world peace. The examples of this kind of activity are too numerous to mention in here, but will be provided in future posts illustrating Baha'i activism. So, Baha'is are extremely active participants with our fellow citizens of the world in working for human betterment. We simply make a principled choice not to engage in adversarial and partisan activities which would undermine our mission, to unite the human family. So as a Baha'i I say it loud, I'm non-political and I'm proud!

Ridvan Garden, Akka, Israel May 2005

Why Abstain from Politics?

I'm thinking about the partisan, ideologically driven struggles over the nomination of a new Chief Justice to the Supreme Court. Observing the anguished struggle among competing, angry and mutually fearful interests over an issue that has such far reaching implications for Americans is at once painful and a confirmation of why I'm a Baha'i and the significance of the Baha'i practice of abstaining from politics. In our society, politics, the struggle among people for power over other people is simply taken for granted as a way of life and even a virtue of our democratic system. As such to chose to not participate in this struggle is to stand outside of the norm, it is perhaps even "un-American". One's willingness to "take a stand" to fight against other human beings for the sake one's cause is viewed as a reflection of one's moral character. In such a culture, Baha'is are sometimes viewed as being aloof from the challenging issues facing humanity and even irrelevant. Baha'is are sometimes viewed as a form of pacifist as opposed to the more "activist" religious types who are always on a soapbox about every social contraversy of the day. Taking a stand makes for great press, but does it actually make a difference? In my view the Baha'i practice of non-participation in politics is simply taking the dynamic principle of non-violence to another level. The principle aim of the Baha'i Revelation is the establishment of the oneness of humankind, a spiritual truth which has been proven by science, but is not yet reflected adequately in the social order. It is the lack of will to put this truth into action at virtually every level of human life (in otherwords, disunity)that in the Baha'i view is the real source of all the problems we see at present in the world. "The well-being of humankind, its peace and security are unattainable unless and until its unity is firmly established." Politics, as I define it which is essentially the struggle among people for power over people, accepts disunity as the norm and in fact relies on disunity in order to function at all. A Baha'i recognizes that to participate in politics is to simply perpetuate the problem and just as a practioner of non-violence refuses to use violence as a way to change the social order, a Baha'i refuses to use politics as a way to change the social order. When a Baha'i practices this principle faithfully, he/she is chosing the power of unity over the struggle for power which is what politics is all about. As such it is a religious and moral act of conscience which in a culture which seems to have made disunity into a national passtime, is revolutionary in is own way. Of course this is not to suggest that the many well-meaning people who put their faith in politics and spend their lives fighting for various causes are wrong to do so. The question is whether or not politics as it is currently practiced in our society is the best way to make our society better. What if there was an approach to social change that brought people together around those elements that are most noble in human nature, rather than appealing to our fears, angers, passions and prejudices? That's for a future post.

Midnight Sighing of the Poor

Just listened to a fascinating piece on NPR with an author who recently published a book called Bait and Switch about the challenges of white collar workers in the current economy. The widening disparity between rich and poor in our society was so dramatically illustrated during hurricane Katrina where a person's "social location" could literally mean the difference between life and death. It's been encouraging to see how many in the mainstream media as well as alternative media have been highlighting the problem of poverty in America sense this latest catastrophe. In an awesome book I just read, "God's Politics" by evangelical Christian leader Jim Wallis, poverty was confronted squarely as a religious and moral issue. This gap between the have's and have not's was identified as a barrier to world peace in the "Promise of World Peace" a statement distributed to the leaders and peoples of the world by the Universal House of Justice in 1985. Is it possible that a positive consequence of Katrina could be a rigorous and spiritually informed discussion of poverty in America and in the world? Could this be the contribution the thousands of souls recently departed from this world could make to the fulfillment of America's spiritual destiny? There is a remarkable statement attributed to 'Abdu'l-Baha where he said that "When the love of God is established, everything else will be realized. This is the foundation of true economics." How might a greater measure of the love of God being established in the hearts of humanity radically alter the current economic disorder? How might it bring needed sanity and responsibility to the process of globalization? I hope to explore these themes in my next post but would love to hear the thoughts of others.

a little child shall lead them

Just spent an inspiring morning at a fundraiser performance of the Children's Theatre Company of Boston for victims of Hurricane Katrina. It touched my heart to see these kids using the arts to take on issues of social justice, prejudice, and the need for them to become moral leaders in the world. The children were funny, heartwarming and bold in their presentation and already seem to grasp elements of a fundamental change of consciousness which is the aim of the Baha'i Revelation, a consciousness of the oneness of humankind. This deceptively simple understanding of reality is something these children are not only internalizing but putting into practice, something many adults including many of our so called leaders fail to do. Check out the Children's Theatre Company website www.childrenstheatercompany.org and learn more about this wonderful effort at changing the world.

Getting Going

This is my first post on this brand new contribution to the blogosphere. My hope is that with practice I can get really good at this and offer a "Baha'i eye" on contemporary issues as well as share some of the transformative impact the Baha'i Faith is having on my personal life. I also hope that it will inspire other Baha'is to make full use of this new medium for sharing a new perspective on the world and its spiritual destiny.