THE SEARCH FOR A JUST SOCIETY
JOHN HUDDLESTON
GEORGE RONALD 1989
PART 17
Chapter 27: The Big Picture (Cont)
The spiritual dimension to the progressive movement
These underlying universal themes concerning the existence of God, the nature of man, a spiritual life after death, and the unity of religion are, it is suggested, factors which indicate the fundamentally progressive nature of the Bahá’í Faith. The very idea that the universe is in constant motion like society itself, and the consistent use of organic images rather than the mechanistic images of, say, 18th century deists, suggests that inaction is contrary to the norm – very different from the medieval Christian picture of a static universe and society with every man obliged to stay in the station to which he was born and to accept life as it is. Belief in God induces a sense of humility and a protection against the hubris which the ancient Greeks so rightly warned about:
I testify at this moment, to my powerlessness and to Thy might, to my poverty and to Thy wealth…
At the same time such belief develops a sense of responsibility because man is the highest creation of God, and a sense of unity of both the universe and of all men and women, the children of God. There is a clear statement of the purpose of life: to develop the nobler qualities and to help create an ever-advancing civilization. Even the most humble knows that he or she has a unique contribution to make to the building of the just society. Meditation and prayer help us to keep the vision in view. Knowledge of a spiritual life after death helps to give courage and frees us from material barriers to action. No ‘pie in the sky’ escapism here, but rather a freedom from a materialism which inevitably leads to the selfish and short-sighted philosophy of ‘live for today for tomorrow we die’ – a philosophy which is hardly likely to result in a just society. We cannot sit idly by while there is pain and suffering in the world, whether it is caused by nature or by man’s injustice; it is our duty to ameliorate pain and suffering as best we can. And in these struggles we can be united at the deepest level. The quarrel between science and religion is an illusion: a scientist can become a Bahá’í without having to split his mind into two separate and conflicting parts. Similarly there is no real division in religion. A Christian or a Muslim or a Buddhist becoming a Bahá’í does not give up love for Jesus, Muhammad or Buddha – on the contrary, the bonds are strengthened by greater understanding.
In proclaiming Himself to be the messenger of God for this age, Bahá’u’lláh made the central theme of His teachings the need for all mankind to unite in order to avoid catastrophe and to continue the advancement of civilization. Until the 19th century such unity was not possible – or indeed necessary – because the world was divided into regions which had little or no contact with one another. Since then improvements in technology have revolutionized the situation so that all parts of the world are now linked together in a tight all-embracing web of communications. At the same time the major issues facing mankind – such as nuclear war, the environment, the economy, social habits and ethics – have become so extensive in scope that they can no longer be solved by individuals or even nations, but require cooperation at a world level. In the Bahá’í view, man has reached a critical point in history. He has to mature from a period of adolescence when he acquired great physical powers through the development of science, to a time of adulthood when he will learn to use these powers for the benefit of all. This requires a great strengthening of the sense of brotherhood and unity between all the peoples of the earth and the establishment of a world federal system which will put that spirit into effect by building a just society and enforcing universal peace.
Bahá’u’lláh did not confine His teachings to general exhortations or great themes about man’s relationship with the universe and God. They also cover a wide range of practical guidelines for the achievement of world unity. It is recognized that the achievement of a just society will take time, and it is foreseen that there will be two distinct phases to the process. The first will be the ‘Lesser Peace’ when nations will have agreed to abolish war and settle disputes by peaceful means. The second will be the ‘Most Great Peace’ when the majority of the peoples of the world will have accepted His principles and teachings, and there is consequently a willingness to implement a truly just society. All the fundamental forces of history are pushing man in this direction; but there still exists the grave risk that the ‘Lesser Peace’ will not be achieved before mankind has undergone the trauma of another catastrophe, worse than anything ever experienced before, if there is not a major effort to overcome present divisions and address the real issues. Bahá’ís feel a responsibility to make their contribution, within the established system, to the resolution of these issues, as well as to bring about the ‘Most Great Peace’ in the longer term.
The Bahá’í teachings on society can be thus divided into two broad groups. Those that pertain to the lesser Peace include the changing attitudes and the development of man’s nobler and spiritual qualities, and also the evolution of a new model system of government demonstrating that a world system of administration can indeed work. These teachings will be discussed in Chapter 28. Later, in Chapter 29, there will be a brief discussion of the Bahá’í vision of a future world commonwealth and the coming of the ‘Most Great Peace’.
Chapter 28: Preparing for a Just Society