dyton mupawaenda
Flora Teckie-A Bahá’í Perspective
We started 2024 with new hopes, dreams and aspirations for creating a better world, where joy, peace and prosperity prevail. Lasting joy, peace and prosperity for the whole human family will only be possible through unification of humanity and returning to spiritual awareness and responsibility.
We can each contribute towards harmony and peace, towards freeing the planet from conflicts and wars.
This is achievable through the belief in the oneness of humanity: the understanding that we all belong to one human family, created by one Almighty God and that physical differences, such as skin colour or hair texture, are superficial and have nothing to do with any supposed superiority of one ethnic group or another.
According to a statement of the Bahá’í International Community: “To accept the oneness of humanity is to embrace the variations that characterise human society, and to desire for every individual the opportunity to develop and express his or her unique capacities and inherent talents”.
The reality of human oneness is fully endorsed by science. Anthropology, physiology, psychology, sociology and genetics all demonstrate that there is only one human species, although infinitely varied in the secondary aspects of life. Recognition of this truth requires abandonment of prejudice of every kind — race, nationality, class, creed, gender — everything which enables people to consider themselves superior to others.
The oneness of humankind does not imply uniformity. It is because of our diversity that we have a beautiful and colorful human family. The Bahá’í Writings state: “Consider the flowers of a garden: though differing in kind, colour, form and shape, yet, inasmuch as they are refreshed by the waters of one spring, revived by the breath of one wind, invigorated by the rays of one sun, this diversity increaseth their charm, and addeth unto their beauty. Thus when that unifying force, the penetrating influence of the Word of God, taketh effect, the difference of customs, manners, habits, ideas, opinions and dispositions embellisheth the world of humanity”.
The natural diversity of temperament and talents among individuals, as well as humanity’s varied and rich experiences, cultures and viewpoints, contribute to the human family’s progress and well-being. The immense wealth of cultural diversity achieved over thousands of years is vital to the development of the human race, which is experiencing its collective coming-of-age. It represents a heritage that enriches us all and that must be permitted to bear its fruit in a global civilisation.
It is the Bahá’í view that, with unity — a unity that embraces and honours the full diversity of the human family — humanity’s current problems can be solved. As Bahá’u’lláh, the founder of the Bahá’í Faith states: “The well-being of mankind, its peace and security, are unattainable unless and until its unity is firmly established”. “So powerful is the light of unity,” is His further testimony, “that it can illuminate the whole earth”.
When we see ourselves as a member of one and the same human family, sharing one common homeland, we will be able to commit ourselves to the far-reaching changes, on the individual and collective levels, which an increasingly interdependent and rapidly changing world necessitates.
Furthermore, creating a universal culture of collaboration and conciliation amongst the people of the world, in addition to a commitment to oneness of humanity, will require a return to spiritual awareness and responsibility.
Returning to spiritual awareness and responsibility involves the practice of qualities that help us rise above narrow self-interest. Such qualities include love, compassion, truthfulness, courage, humility, trustworthiness, co-operation and willingness to sacrifice for the common good — the qualities that will also enable us to build a unified world civilisation.
The Bahá’í Writings state: “In this new year new fruits must be forthcoming, for that is the provision and intention of spiritual reformation…? For the essential reality is the spirit; the foundational basis is the spirit; the life of man is due to the spirit; the happiness, the animus, the radiance, the glory of man — all are due to the spirit; and if in the spirit no reformation takes place, there will be no result to human existence”.
Spiritual transformation and building moral capacity comes through an educational process for which one needs to assume personal responsibility, and by which one learns to conform and act in accordance with the laws and teachings of God.
The Bahá’í International Community states that: “The profound and far-reaching changes, the unity and unprecedented cooperation will only be possible by touching the human spirit, by appealing to those universal values which alone can empower individuals and peoples to act in accordance with the long- term interests of the planet and humanity as a whole. Once tapped, this powerful and dynamic source of individual and collective motivation will release such a profound and salutary spirit among the peoples of the earth that no power will be able to resist its unifying force”.
Online Reporter