Likewise didst thou ask whether, in this Bahá'í
Dispensation, the spiritual will ultimately prevail. It is certain that
spirituality will defeat materialism, that the heavenly will subdue the human,
and that through divine education the masses of mankind generally will take
great steps forward in all degrees of life—except for those who are blind and
deaf and mute and dead.
(Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha:191)
‘Abdu’l-Baha repeats some of His Father’s imagery,
but adds His own to the whole: “The flames of hell have been made to blaze, and
heaven hath been brought nigh; the celestial gardens are in flower, and fresh
pools are brimming over, and paradise gleameth in beauty—but the unaware are
still mired down in their empty dreams.” (Selections
from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha: 14)
While Baha’u’llah’s image of
materialism is both of an inner hell made to blaze in the heart of those who
oppose Him or His Message, or who deny spiritual reality, and of an overheating
outer society disintegrating from the release of the forces of dissension,
(i.e. the passions, conflicts, resentments, frustrations, contention and strife
of a fractious humanity mired in its empty dreams and ablaze with the fires of
ego desires) ‘Abdu’l-Baha most often
portrays materialism as a chaotic, surging, watery sea of relativity drowning
humanity, or blocking the light of spirit, circumscribing the conversations of
even the learned to things of this world, and reducing the proofs of “real”
knowledge to sense criteria.
Shoghi Effendi alerts us to the warnings about the
dangers of materialism issued by ‘Abdu’l-Baha, time and again, especially to
the peoples of the west: “It is this same all-pervasive, pernicious materialism
against which the voice of the Center of Bahá'u'lláh's Covenant was raised,
with pathetic persistence, from platform and pulpit, in His addresses to the
heedless multitudes, which, on the morrow of His fateful visit to both Europe
and America, found themselves suddenly swept into the vortex of a tempest which
in its range and severity was unsurpassed in the world's history.” (Citadel of Faith:124)
During His sojourn in Paris He remarked: “The world
for the most part is sunk in materialism, and the blessings of the Holy Spirit
are ignored. There is so little real spiritual feeling, and the progress of the
world is for the most part merely material. Men are becoming like unto beasts
that perish, for we know that they have no spiritual feeling—they do not turn
to God, they have no religion! These things belong to man alone, and if he is
without them he is a prisoner of nature, and no whit better than an animal.” (Paris Talks:122)
But He saved His most explicit and
numerous denunciations of materialism for the people of America: “The world of
humanity,” He said in one of His first addresses, “is submerged in a sea of
materialism. The rays of the Sun of Reality are seen but dimly and darkly
through opaque glasses. The penetrative power of the divine bounty is not fully
manifest.” (The Promulgation of Universal
Peace:12)
“A few days ago,” He remarked soon after, “I arrived
in New York, coming direct from Alexandria. On a former trip I traveled to
Europe, visiting Paris and London. Paris is most beautiful in outward
appearance. The evidences of material civilization there are very great, but
the spiritual civilization is far behind. I found the people of that city
submerged and drowning in a sea of materialism. Their conversations and
discussions were limited to natural and physical phenomena, without mention of
God. I was greatly astonished. Most of the scholars, professors and learned men
proved to be materialists.” (The
Promulgation of Universal Peace:16)
“In Europe,” He went on, “I told the philosophers and scientists of materialism
that the criterion of the senses is not reliable.” (The Promulgation of Universal Peace: 20)
Returning to this theme yet again: “Imitation
destroys the foundation of religion, extinguishes the spirituality of the human
world, transforms heavenly illumination into darkness and deprives man of the
knowledge of God. It is the cause of the victory of materialism and infidelity
over religion; it is the denial of Divinity and the law of revelation; it
refuses Prophethood and rejects the Kingdom of God. When materialists subject
imitations to the intellectual analysis of reason, they find them to be mere
superstitions; therefore, they deny religion.” (The Promulgation of Universal Peace:161) And again: “Consider to what a remarkable
extent the spirituality of people has been overcome by materialism so that
spiritual susceptibility seems to have vanished, divine civilization become
decadent, and guidance and knowledge of God no longer remain. All are submerged
in the sea of materialism.” (The
Promulgation of Universal Peace: 221)
And yet again: “People must be “saved from the baseness of materialism
and attain spirituality and radiance in attraction toward the divine Kingdom.” (The Promulgation
of Universal Peace:249)
Contrasting material civilization with divine
civilization and the minds of the peoples of both, He said: “In cities like New
York the people are submerged in the sea of materialism. Their sensibilities
are attuned to material forces, their perceptions purely physical. The animal
energies predominate in their activities; all their thoughts are directed to
material things; day and night they are devoted to the attractions of this
world, without aspiration beyond the life that is vanishing and mortal. In
schools and temples of learning knowledge of the sciences acquired is based
upon material observations only; there is no realization of Divinity in their
methods and conclusions—all have reference to the world of matter. They are not
interested in attaining knowledge of the mysteries of God or understanding the
secrets of the heavenly Kingdom; what they acquire is based altogether upon
visible and tangible evidences. Beyond these evidences they are without
susceptibilities; they have no idea of the world of inner significances and are
utterly out of touch with God, considering this an indication of reasonable
attitude and philosophical judgement whereof they are self-sufficient and
proud.” (The Promulgation of Universal
Peace: 261) And: ”Observe how
darkness has overspread the world. In every corner of the earth there is
strife, discord and warfare of some kind. Mankind is submerged in the sea of
materialism and occupied with the affairs of this world. They have no thought
beyond earthly possessions and manifest no desire save the passions of this fleeting,
mortal existence. Their utmost purpose is the attainment of material
livelihood, physical comforts and worldly enjoyments such as constitute the
happiness of the animal world rather than the world of man.” (The Promulgation of Universal Peace: 335)
He also associated
the phrase Hell made to blaze with political and social movements appearing in
the world of His time and that were connected with godlessness, secularism, and
the denial of religion, all primary pillars of belief holding up the consolidated
faith of materialism. After the
destruction of World War One and the imposition of an unjust treaty on the
defeated powers, He wrote: “The vanquished Powers will continue to agitate.
They will resort to every measure that may rekindle the flame of war.
Movements, newly-born and world-wide in their range, will exert their utmost
effort for the advancement of their designs. The Movement of the Left will
acquire great importance. Its influence will spread.” (Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha: 249)
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