Posted by Brett Zamir (12.248.114.98) on May 04, 2002 at 21:20:45:

In Reply to: False analogy posted by Vincent on May 04, 2002 at 00:15:46:

Although it is certainly a tendency to divide, you must admit that there is also a tendency to unite. We've gone from tribal organizations and so on up. We have even seen quite recently amazing global trends for unification, which though they can be resisted (like feet-binding can resist foot growth), but it is a lot better to accept and deal with.

And not all competition is bad. It is the nature of the competition that can and should be changed. The Baha'i Writings even utilize the competitive instinct to encourage Baha'is to excel others in service (though not to clamor for public recognition or to wish to bring down others, obviously). Baha'is or others of various countries or groups can compete to be of greater service within their own group and in relations between groups. God is seeing what we are doing, if we depend on such recognition--as many people do.

I'm not quite sure what Conventions Hitler adhered to in massacring the Jews, Gypsies, and Communists, but I would agree that opportunities for a high standard of education can benefit the civility of a society, particularly if spiritual education is included, even more so if it is a spiritual education grounded in recognition of the oneness of the entire human race.

As I quoted in another post, high immigration is not something advocated for by Baha'i institutions, nor is an absolute end to national sovereignty). Wealth redistribution through some form of graduated taxation is advocated, but emphasis is placed on wealth creation and voluntary sharing of wealth. Absolute forced equalization of wealth is, and has been firmlly rejected in the Baha'i Faith, since its inception. The specifics of such policies as affirmative action are not dealt with as political issues, but the general principal within the Baha'i administrative system is that special efforts should be accorded to minorities (who are in most cases in the world less able to defend themselves) to make them included and feel welcome. However, as with immigration and wealth redistribution, the Baha'i emphasis is not on a communist-style forced equalization; it is much more on effecting a fundamental change of attitude.

this topic is closed - post at bahai-library.com/forum