Pollution continuously remains of primary concern within this nation in particular as well as among others with numerous federal, state and local regulatory agencies subsequently formulated to address, monitor and control its various forms of effect on our air, land, rivers, lakes and seas. However no such governmental or other clearly discernible regulatory agencies have, nor possibly could be formed to effectively deal with the most detrimental of all pollutants–mind pollution, as it comes in so many forms and dimensions.
Freedom, of Religion, designed as the principal regulator of mind pollution, can itself, through interpretation, or misinterpretation and subsequent practice, add more to the problem than to the solution.
It is written in the Holy Bible, “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.” This remains true whether these thoughts be pure or impure, loving or hostile, peaceful or warring. Therefore we must exert every effort to purify our thoughts that they will neither contaminate us, our immediate environment nor subsequent society as a whole through today’s modern technological capability of instantly spreading (ie. popularizing) such poison.
The most grievous part of today’s rampant mind pollution is its indelible effect upon children, “the world’s most precious gems.” To poison and demoralize the minds of children is to inevitably reap a sick, demented society.
“Unless a child in earliest years be carefully tended, whether in a material or spiritual sense, in physical or educational health, it will prove extremely difficult to effect any changes later on,” we read in the Baha’i Holy Writings. “While the children are yet in their infancy, feed them from the breast of heavenly grace, foster them in the cradle of all excellence…Bring them up to work and strive and accustom them to hardship!”
The Baha’i Scriptures consider education among the most fundamental factors of a true civilization. “This education however, in order to be adequate and fruitful, should be comprehensive in nature and take into consideration not only the physical and intellectual side of man but also his spiritual and ethical aspects…” This has been a divinely orchestrated simultaneous program for youth throughout the world that steadily attracted and included more and more non-Baha’i children and parents.
Such a program was first initiated within this area through a dedicated Baha’i couple in Salem, VA and included children between ages 6-12-year-olds. While several assistants occasionally worked with the children, only professionally well-trained individuals served as instructors with all children remaining with the classes excelling in their respective public schools! The same revitalizing effect has been also evidenced in adults who take courses through a 1-7 book series.
As pollution is no respecter of persons, places, things or institutions, we are reminded of the words of renowned Black educator, Benjamin Mays who stated: “It will be a sad commentary on our life and time if future historians can write that the last bulwark of segregation, based on race and color in the United States and South Africa was God’s church!”
In Amos 8:11 of the Holy Bible we are forewarned: “Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that I will send a famine in the land; not a famine of bread nor a thirst of water, but of hearing the words of the Lord”–the Source of our pure defense from mind pollution and its perilous effects.
