Essential Harmony of Science and Religion

Bahá’ís reject the notion that there is an inherent conflict between science and religion, a notion that became prevalent in intellectual discourse at a time when the very conception of each system of knowledge was far from adequate. The harmony of science and religion is one of the fundamental principles of the Bahá’í Faith, which teaches that religion, without science, soon degenerates into superstition and fanaticism, while science without religion becomes merely the instrument of crude materialism. “Religion,” according to the Bahá’í writings, “is the outer expression of the divine reality. Therefore, it must be living, vitalized, moving and progressive.”  “Science is the first emanation from God toward man. All created things embody the potentiality of material perfection, but the power of intellectual investigation and scientific acquisition is a higher virtue specialized to man alone. Other beings and organisms are deprived of this potentiality and attainment.”

So far as earthly existence is concerned, many of the greatest achievements of religion have been moral in character. Through its teachings and through the examples of human lives illumined by these teachings, masses of people in all ages and lands have developed the capacity to love, to give generously, to serve others, to forgive, to trust in God, and to sacrifice for the common good. Social structures and institutional systems have been devised that translate these moral advances into the norms of social life on a vast scale. In the final analysis, the spiritual impulses set in motion by the Founders of the world’s religions—the Manifestations of God—have been the chief influence in the civilizing of human character. 

‘Abdu’l-Bahá has described science as the “most noble” of all human virtues and “the discoverer of all things”.  Science has enabled society to separate fact from conjecture. Further, scientific capabilities—of observing, of measuring, of rigorously testing ideas—have allowed humanity to construct a coherent understanding of the laws and processes governing physical reality, as well as to gain insights into human conduct and the life of society. 

Taken together, science and religion provide the fundamental organizing principles by which individuals, communities, and institutions function and evolve. When the material and spiritual dimensions of the life of a community are kept in mind and due attention is given to both scientific and spiritual knowledge, the tendency to reduce human progress to the consumption of goods, services and technological packages is avoided. Scientific knowledge, to take but one simple example, helps the members of a community to analyse the physical and social implications of a given technological proposal—say, its environmental impact—and spiritual insight gives rise to moral imperatives that uphold social harmony and that ensure technology serves the common good. Together, these two sources of knowledge are essential to the liberation of individuals and communities from the traps of ignorance and passivity. They are vital to the advancement of civilization. 

Bahai.org

Universal Compulsory Education

Parents have always desired that their children have a better life than themselves. How better than to enshrine the principle of compulsory, universal education into society? The following quotes gives readers an idea of the importance Baha’is place on the education of children in the future of humanity.

The idea that people needed to be able to read and write has been around since humanity has learned to put ‘pen to paper’. The principle of compulsory education came into effect in the 1890’s in Canada. In 1882 Baha’u’llah wrote the following to a merchant in Syria:

‘Man is the supreme Talisman. Lack of a proper education hath, however, deprived him of that which he doth inherently possess. Through a word proceeding out of the mouth of God he was called into being; by one more he was guided to recognize the Source of his education; by yet another word his station and destiny were safeguarded. The Great Being saith: Regard man as a mine rich in gems of inestimable value. Education can, alone, cause it to reveal its treasurers, and enable mankind to benefit therefrom.’

(Baha’u’llah)

‘Among the greatest of all services that can possibly be rendered by man to Almighty God is the education and training of children…..It is incumbent upon every father and mother to counsel their children over a long period, and guide them unto those things which lead to everlasting honour.”

“And among the teachings of Baha’u’llah is the promotion of education. Every child must be instructed in sciences as much as is necessary. If the parents are able to provide the expenses of this education, it is well, otherwise the community must provide the means for teaching of that child.’

(Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá)

‘And further, according to the Divine commandments, every child must learn reading and writing, and acquire such branches of knowledge as are useful and necessary, as well as learning an art or skill. The utmost care must be devoted to these matters; any neglect of them, any failure to act on them, is not permissible…’

(From a Tablet, translated from the Persian)

‘It is for this reason that, in this cycle, education and training are recorded in the Book of God as obligatory and not voluntary. That is, it is enjoined upon the father and mother, as a duty, to strive with all effort to train the daughter and the son, to nurse them from the breast of knowledge and to rear them in the bosom of sciences and arts.’

(Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá)

‘Arts, crafts and sciences uplift the world of being, and are conducive to its exaltation. Knowledge is as wings to man’s life, and a ladder for his ascent. Its acquisition is incumbent upon everyone. The knowledge of such sciences, however, should be acquired as can profit the peoples of the earth, and not those which begin with words and end with words. In truth, knowledge is a veritable treasure for man, and a source of glory, of bounty, of joy, of exaltation, of cheer and gladness unto him. Happy the man that cleaveth unto it and woe betide the heedless.’

(Baha’u’llah)

Thoughts on Our Oneness

Letter to the Editor of the Chief - August 2020

Recent events have highlighted that we continue to discriminate against others on the basis of differences that have no bearing on our worth as human beings. Indeed, the global pandemic points out how similar we are and how much we depend on the kindness and thoughtfulness of all with whom we come in contact for our safety and well-being. It has reinforced the interdependence of all parts of the world as we confront a threat to the whole human family and begin to realize how small and fragile a planet we inhabit.

As we approach 8 billion we face a future where there are more of us who face unparalleled challenge than at any other time in human history. This will require a new way of thinking and being in the world.

That we continue to carry on out-moded discriminations based on any number of grounds reflects that human progress is not uniform. Yet we make advances as we overcome the prejudices that have been engendered by our various cultures, histories and experiences. This is a difficult journey for humanity as age old customs, practices and attitudes are examined for usefulness and many relegated to the tides of history. The exhortation by Baha’u’llah:

“Let not a man glory in this, that he loves his country; let him rather glory in this, that he loves his kind” suggest a wider loyalty and focus. Inherent in this is the recognition of the role of the individual in viewing his fellow inhabitants in a different light. “Regard ye not one another as strangers. Ye are the fruits of one tree, and the leaves of one branch.” Appreciating our essential unity is key to understanding each other and seeing our differences in a positive light. “The diversity in the human family should be the cause of love and harmony, as it is in music where many different notes blend together in the making of a perfect chord.”

Local Spiritual Assembly Baha’is of Squamish

Oneness of Humanity

Q.  What was the origin of the global expressions of appreciation; service and sacrifice we all saw during this pandemic?  Could it be that we realized on some level our burgeoning understanding of oneness?  ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the son of Bahá’u’lláh, wrote extensively about this teaching of Bahá’u’lláh….

“A  fundamental teaching of Bahá’u’lláh is the oneness of the world of humanity. Addressing mankind, He says, “Ye are all leaves of one tree and the fruits of one branch.” By this it is meant that the world of humanity is like a tree, the nations or peoples are the different limbs or branches of that tree, and the individual human creatures are as the fruits and blossoms thereof.

The oneness of humanity, however, does not imply uniformity. Rather, the Bahá’í writings affirm the principle of unity in diversity. More than the mere tolerance of differences or celebration of superficial aspects of diverse cultures, the diversity of the human family should be the cause of abiding love and harmony, “as it is in music where many different notes blend together in the making of a perfect chord.”

                                                                         (‘Abdu’l-Bahá-Paris Talks )

The fundamental principle of the oneness of humankind requires a profound development in our thinking: “If you desire with all your heart, friendship with every race on earth, your thought, spiritual and positive, will spread; it will become the desire of others, growing stronger and stronger, until it reaches the minds of all men.” (‘Abdu’l-Bahá)

Ultimately, the power to transform the world is effected by love, love originating from the relationship with the divine, love ablaze among members of a community, love extended without restriction to every human being. This divine love, ignited by the Word of God is disseminated by enkindled souls through intimate conversations that create new susceptibilities in human hearts, open minds to moral persuasion, and loosen the hold of biased norms and social systems so that they can gradually take on a new form of keeping with the requirements of humanity’s age of maturity. You are channels for this divine love; let it flow through you to all who cross your path. Infuse it into every neighbourhood and social space in which you move to build capacity to canalize the society-building power of Baha’u’llah’s Revelation

(Universal House of Justice)

Overcoming Racism

In 1921, as race relations were quickly deteriorating in the United States, Abdu’l-Baha launched a public Bahai initiative to assist America in applying the Baha’i principle of the oneness of humankind to the racial issues confronting it. A series of Race Amity Conferences were undertaken. Abdu’l-Baha demonstrated both in words and deeds throughout His time in America how we should behave towards each other. 

Throughout his U.S. visit, he swept aside the social protocol of segregation by insisting that every place where he spoke be open to people of all races. In New York City at the Great Northern Hotel on 57th Street, where a banquet had been arranged in his honor, the manager vehemently refused to allow any blacks on the property. Abdu’l-Baha remedied the situation by hosting a second banquet the following day at the home of one of his followers, with many whites serving blacks — a subversive, even dangerous notion at the time.  

 “Intense is the hatred, in America, between black and white, but my hope is that the power of the Kingdom will bind these two in friendship, and serve them as a healing balm.”

 For 239 days, from 11 April to 5 December 1912, ‘Abdu’l-Baha traversed the north American continent, continuing an extraordinary journey that had already taken him to Egypt, England, France, and Switzerland. He called on America to become a land of spiritual distinction and leadership and gave a powerful vision of America’s spiritual destiny — to lead the way in establishing the oneness of humanity.

 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá challenged America to go beyond tolerance, to embrace diversity completely, and to demolish racial barriers in law, education and even marriage.

How sad it is that we have still failed to fully understand and realize this vision. Recent events in both the U.S. and Canada have galvanized us to study more deeply the guidance we received.

A meditation on Overcoming Racism has now been added to our website. We encourage you to read and reflect. It can be found in our section on about/main principles.