Topic: Eliminating Racism & Other Prejudices
Page 1 This newsletter is dedicated to all seekers after the Eternal Truth.
'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.1
One of the principles of the Bahá'í Faith which is
important for attaining unity and which every individual must practice and
strive for is the elimination of all prejudice from their lives,
thoughts, and especially from our hearts. Prejudice in all of its ugly
forms--be it racial, religious, political, social or any other division mankind
as been able to create for itself through the ages--must be purged. Below are
some verses regarding these exhortations on personal behavior, beginning with
one about how we need to look at the world and each other: The world is but one country, and mankind its citizens. . .
Let not a man glory in that he loves his country; let him rather glory in this,
that he loves his kind.2
--Bahá'u'lláh
. . .Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. 3
I ask you all, each one of you, to follow well the light of
truth, in the Holy Teachings, and God will strengthen you by His Holy Spirit so
that you will be enabled to overcome the difficulties, and to destroy the
prejudices which cause separation and hatred amongst the people. Let your
hearts be filled with the great love of God, let it be felt by all; for every
man is a servant of God, and all are entitled to a share of the Divine Bounty.
Especially to those whose thoughts are material and retrograde
show the utmost love and patience, thereby winning them into the unity of
fellowship by the radiance of your kindness. If you are faithful to your great work, following the Holy Sun of Truth
without swerving, then will the blessed day of universal brotherhood dawn on
this beautiful city. 4
. . . consort with the followers of all religions in a spirit of
friendliness and fellowship, to proclaim that which the Speaker on Sinai hath
set forth and to observe fairness in all matters. They that are endued with sincerity and faithfulness should
associate with all the peoples and kindreds of the earth with joy and radiance,
inasmuch as consorting with people hath promoted and will continue to promote
unity and concord,which in turn are conducive to the maintenance of order in
the world and to the regeneration of nations. Blessed are such as hold fast to
the cord of kindliness and tender mercy and are free from animosity and
hatred. This Wronged One exhorteth the peoples of the world to observe
tolerance and righteousness, whch are two lights amidst the darkness of the
world and two educators for the edification of mankind. Happy are they who
have attained thereto and woe betide the heedless.5
These last quotes give us some specific instructions: we must all
"observe tolerance and righteousness" and "associate with all the
peoples and kindreds of the earth with joy and radiance." In addition,
kindness, love, patience and friendliness are stressed. It is quite a
prescription, but one that is within the capabilities of us all. This crucial
work of the elimination of all prejudice is ultimately the responsibility of
each and every person on the planet. It is something that everyone can do, no
matter what kind of upbringing he or she has had, be it one of tolerance or
intolerance of the differences between people. Wemust all work to eliminate
totally all prejudice from our lives, thoughts, and especially from our hearts.
And we are not alone in our struggle. Since the elimination of prejudice is
part of Bahá'u'lláh's Revelation and Mission, we have His help in
this important purification of our lives. Not
only that, since Bahá'u'lláh's Revelation came directly from God,
we know that this is God's will and, therefore, we have His power behind
us as well, and we have the satisfaction of knowing that in making these
efforts to purge our hearts we are making efforts to follow God's will: What,
after all, can be more important or conducive to our own spiritual health than
following God's will to the best of our ability?
In conclusion, I'd like to invite everyone to help to make a good
start at establishing the Kingdom of God on earth by helping to eliminate
racism and all forms of prejudice from the world by beginning this process in
our own country. We can do this by not only trying to eliminate our own
prejudices, but also by teaching love and tolerance to the children with the
aim of raising the first prejudice-free generation. What better hope for the
future of our country and what better gift to posterity can we give than this?
After all, the first generation should then lead naturally to the
second, the third, and so on, until ALL generations are free
of prejudice and we can seethe beginning of that Kingdom in this
world. The more people we have working towards this goal, the sooner it
can be realized. "'Let not a man glory in that he loves his country; let him
rather glory in this, that he loves his kind." A much wider, indeed a
world-wide view is needed if we, mankind, are to have a chance even at
survival, and especially so if we are to rachieve "the Most Great
Peace."
One of the most revealing evidences of the power of
Bahá'u'lláh's Revelation is that the elimination of prejudices
has already been accomplished, in microcosm, within the thousands of
Bahá'í communities throughout the world. Bahá'ís
come from many and diverse backgrounds, of diverse racial, political, social,
economic and religious backgrounds, yet they have managed to put their former
differences behind them and to work together in fellowship and love for
Bahá'u'lláh. Even former traditional enemies have managed to set
aside their differences, to trade animosity for love and fellowship, and to
labor side by side for the Cause of God, despite the obstacles placed in their
path by the unenlightened. The Bahá'ís have been able to
accomplish this unity even in parts of the world such as Northern Ireland where
the individuals would otherwise have been traditional enemies and where the
outside pressures are tremendous to take sides in the conflict going on around
them in the area in which they are residing.
I believe that the day will come when the color of the skin of our
friends and neighbors will be no more important to us than the color of their
eyes or their hair, nd when our differences in upbringing and culture will
become a source of enrichment instead of animosity. The day will come
when we will all be able to truly look upon our world-wide family of humanity
as a healthy and loving, instead of a dysfunctional, family and God's
Kingdom will be established "on earth as it is in heaven." It is
inevitable because it is God's Will and, in the words of the Blessed
Báb, . . .no God is there but Thee, and nothing whatsoever in the
heavens or on the earth and all that is between them can ever thwart Thy
Purpose.6
Furthermore, concerning the establishment of the Kingdom of God on
earth--the "Most Great Peace"--we have these reassuring words by
Bahá'u'lláh spoken to the distinguished Orientalist Prof. E. G.
Browne of Cambridge during an interview with Him, "these fruitless strifes,
these ruinous wars shall pass away and the 'Most Great Peace' shall
come."7
*********
1 Bahá'u'lláh, Tablets of
Bahá'u'lláh, pp. 87-88. 2 quoted in The Promised Day is Come, Shoghi Effendi, 1941,
p. 118. 3 Mark 12:31. 4 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Paris Talks, p. 28. 5 Bahá'u'lláh, Tablets of
Bahá'u'lláh, p. 36. 6 The Báb, Selections from the Writings of the
Báb, p. 187. 7 quoted in God Passes By, Shoghi Effendi, p. 194.
