According to the voluminous writings and utterances of Baha’u’llah, Prophet/Founder of the Baha’i Faith, anyone with insight must soon subscribe to the theory that “racial harmony” is the key to America’s spiritual destiny. And the extent to which this mission is accomplished has an unimaginable effect upon this nation and the entire world!
Why? Because within this comparatively new nation can be found more concentrated representation of all nations of the earth than in any other! Therefore age-old prejudices so commonplace in older nations are not as intrinsic. It appears that Americans are being increasingly brought together across racial and other divides through natural or other catastrophes. As long as this continues to be the case it seems that God or man has to keep providing them.
In a prayer revealed to America in 1912, America was referred to as “just, revered and worthy of God’s favors.” Elsewhere in the Baha’i Writings is stated that America must “become glorious in spiritual degrees even as it has aspired to material degrees…and lead all nations spiritually. The Holy Writings also refer to its elimination of racial prejudice as its “most vital and challenging issue.” Vital meaning essential for life; and challenging, acknowledging that its achievement will not be easy!
Although much has changed since the 1912 statement, continuous recent events constantly remind us that we still have a long way to go. Many laws have changed but many hearts and minds have not! Although we continue to improve laws and systems much work remains on the personal level–on both sides. Hearts and minds need to be enlightened and conscious and unconscious prejudices and wounds need to be acknowledged and respectfully addressed. Wounds must be healed and hearts and souls must find ways to overcome differences and come together in love.
The breeding ground of all these tragedies is prejudice in some form–racial, religious, political, social, economical, academic…and the list goes on and on. “So long as this aping of the past persists, so long will the foundations of the social order be blown to the four winds, just so will humanity be continually exposed to direct peril,” state the Baha’i Holy Writings.
Commitment to rooting out our own prejudices is one of the guiding principles of the Baha´i community. It has created a safe place for diverse peoples (and opinions) to come together and practice community building (on every level) for over 100 years while building model, Divinely orchestrated Administrative Orders throughout the world!
You are encouraged to come practice with us! (For more info please visit bac2010@verizon.net)
