The Religious Faculty: To Know and Recognize God

People think religion is confined in an edifice, to be worshipped at an altar. In reality it is an attitude toward divinity which is reflected through life.

(Abdu'l-Baha, Divine Philosophy: 14)

The Religion of God as the Word of God is first, in time, in creation, in divine knowledge, and in human understanding.  It is the essential reality.  In regards to time and creation, that is, the cosmological re-ligia of binding the primordial chaos into ordinal cosmos, the Book of Genesis informs us: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.’ (King James Bible, Genesis 1:1)  The New Testament Book of John tells us how the cosmological creation of Genesis was effected: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  The same was in the beginning with God.”  (King James Bible, John 1: 1-2)  The Word is the creative power of God.  The unity which is the oneness of humankind in this context is the understanding that all people are children of the same God.

In regards to the interplay of divine knowledge and human understanding, recall that Baha’u’llah tells us that the “first bestowal of God is the Word, and its discoverer and recipient is the power of understanding.”  The first bestowal of God is the Religion of God, when this is discovered by the power of understanding religion among human beings begins.  Speaking of the Religion of God, Baha’u’llah says in another place: “Religion bestoweth upon man the most precious of all gifts, offereth the cup of prosperity, imparteth eternal life, and showereth imperishable benefits upon mankind.” (Tablets of Baha'u'llah: 129)  That “most precious of all gifts” is the gift of understanding.  The bestowal is received when It is discovered, and upon its reception the gifts pour forth from the human reality.  That drive in the soul of human beings that inclines them toward transcendence is what receives and discovers the Word, the Religion of God. 

The human soul is the heart of creation, because the human spirit is the collective reality out from which flow all other realities in creation.  It is their pivot, their center, motive force and essential reality: “The world, indeed each existing being, proclaims to us one of the names of God, but the reality of man is the collective reality, the general reality, and is the center where the glory of all the perfections of God shine forth—that is to say, for each name, each attribute, each perfection which we affirm of God there exists a sign in man.” (Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions: 195)

But, the soul is also, through the power of the rational faculty, which is the collective reality of all other human faculties, the first in creation to recognize God: “Know, verily, that the soul is a sign of God, a heavenly gem whose reality the most learned of men hath failed to grasp, and whose mystery no mind, however acute, can ever hope to unravel. It is the first among all created things to declare the excellence of its Creator, the first to recognize His glory, to cleave to His truth, and to bow down in adoration before Him.” (Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah: 158)

The human spirit knows and recognizes God through a religious faculty located in the heart.  “Therefore, hath it been said: ‘Knowledge is a light which God casteth into the heart of whomsoever He willeth." (Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan: 46) —an experience that often stirs up among the unwary an inchoate confusion of awe, dread, rapturous love, ecstatic emotion, mystical intuition and sometimes pathology.  But as we said, in spiritual terms the pivot is, at one and the same time, the focal center, the heart, the source and motive power, the essence, of something. The heart is both a focal center of spiritual energies and a radiant center of human energies.

In regards to religion and the foundations of social knowledge, ‘Abdu’l-Baha explains that the role of the great Spiritual Luminaries is this: “Briefly, the supreme Manifestations of God are aware of the reality of the mysteries of beings. Therefore, They establish laws which are suitable and adapted to the state of the world of man, for religion is the essential connection which proceeds from the realities of things.” (Some Answered Questions: 157)  “Religion,” He goes on, “is the necessary connection which emanates from the reality of things; and as the supreme Manifestations of God are aware of the mysteries of beings, therefore, They understand this essential connection, and by this knowledge establish the Law of God.” (Some Answered Questions:158)  Thus the power of understanding discovers the expanding principles of God’s unfolding Knowledge, the great re-ligia binding all things together in ever greater complexity, and an expanding human knowledge is built upon these discoveries.  Hence, when a new unfoldment of divine knowledge occurs, a new religion (i.e. re-ligia) appears, the gift of understanding is bestowed, so human knowledge also becomes new.

It is, perhaps, for this reason that the House of Justice writes in the following terms of the cardinal importance in human life of this essential reality called religion and its relation to peace: “No serious attempt to set human affairs aright, to achieve world peace, can ignore religion. Man's perception and practice of it are largely the stuff of history. An eminent historian described religion as a "faculty of human nature". That the perversion of this faculty has contributed to much of the confusion in society and the conflicts in and between individuals can hardly be denied. But neither can any fair-minded observer discount the preponderating influence exerted by religion on the vital expressions of civilization. Furthermore, its indispensability to social order has repeatedly been demonstrated by its direct effect on laws and morality.” (The Universal House of Justice, The Promise of World Peace: 1)

That eminent historian is, I believe, Arnold Toynbee, who wrote: “The quest for ultimate spiritual reality is inborn in human nature.”  (Arnold Toynbee, Habit and Change: 8)

This idea of an innate religious faculty, or what some call an instinct, is, in one or more of its aspects, acknowledged by numerous thinkers from many fields.  Carl Jung said about religion: “Religion, as the careful observation and taking account of certain invisible and uncontrollable factors, is an instinctive attitude peculiar to man, and its manifestations can be followed all through human history.” (Carl Jung, The Undiscovered Self: 26) Biologist Dean Hamer echoes Jung: “Spirituality is one of our basic human inheritances.  It is, in fact, an instinct.” (Dean Hamer, The God Gene: How Faith is Hardwired into our Genes: 6)

Regarding religion’s connection with human intelligence, sociologist Daniel Bell wrote: “Religion…is a constitutive part of man’s consciousness: the cognitive search for the pattern of the ‘general order’ of existence; the affective need to establish rituals and to make such conceptions sacred; the primordial need for relatedness to some others, or to a set of meanings which will establish a transcendent response to the self; and the existential need to confront the finalities of suffering and death.” (Bell, The Cultural Contradictions of Capitalism: 169)   Anthropologist Gregory Bateson says “religion is a rich, internally structured model that stands in metaphorical relationship to the whole of life, and therefore can be used to think with.” (Gregory Bateson and Catherine Bateson, Angels Fear: 195)   Psychologist Dr. Alfred Meier writes: “...the religious belongs to the wholeness of the human personality….The subjective experience connected with a religious phenomenon and with healing is actually one of transcendence and this transcendence is a new element which was not in the system from the beginning.” (Alfred Maier, Jung’s Analytic Psychology and Religion: 73)  The Bahá’í Writings also speak of “…religion as the principal force impelling the development of human consciousness.” (The Universal House of Justice, One Common Faith: 23)  Religion, these writings assert, is “a source of knowledge that totally embraces consciousness.” (One Common Faith: 13-14)  These last thoughts echo this statement from the Master: “(T)he religion of God is the promoter of truth, the founder of science and knowledge, it is full of goodwill for learned men; it is the civilizer of mankind, the discoverer of the secrets of nature, and the enlightener of the horizons of the world.” (Some Answered Questions: 136)

More to come on the religious faculty.

The Rational Faculty

The human spirit consists of the rational, or logical, reasoning faculty, which apprehends general ideas and things intelligible and perceptible.

(Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'i World Faith: 370)

The rational faculty is one of the manifestations of the soul.  We know this from a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi which states: “Regarding your questions: the rational faculty is a manifestation of the power of the soul.” (Compilations, Lights of Guidance: 509)  The soul is the essence of the human reality and Baha’u’llah says the rational faculty is a gift “with which God hath endowed the essence of man,” (Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah: 163), a power “which should be regarded as a sign of the revelation of Him Who is the sovereign Lord of all.” (Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah: 163)  So overarching is this faculty that Baha’u’llah states: “Examine thine own self, and behold how thy motion and stillness, thy will and purpose, thy sight and hearing, thy sense of smell and power of speech, and whatever else is related to, or transcendeth, thy physical senses or spiritual perceptions, all proceed from, and owe their existence to, this same faculty.” (Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah:163)  Here we want to especially focus upon it’s the phrase “spiritual perceptions.” Even these “proceed from and owe their existence to this same faculty.

In another place, Baha’u’llah describes the relation of the rational faculty to other powers and faculties as follows : “Say: Spirit, mind, soul, and the powers of sight and hearing are but one single reality which hath manifold expressions owing to the diversity of its instruments. As thou dost observe, man's power to comprehend, move, speak, hear, and see all derive from this sign of his Lord within him. It is single in its essence, yet manifold through the diversity of its instruments. This, verily, is a certain truth. For example, if it directeth its attention to the means of hearing, then hearing and its attributes become manifest. Likewise, if it directeth itself to the means of vision, a different effect and attribute appear. Reflect upon this subject that thou mayest comprehend the true meaning of what hath been intended, find thyself independent of the sayings of the people, and be of them that are well assured. In like manner, when this sign of God turneth towards the brain, the head, and such means, the powers of the mind and the soul are manifested. Thy Lord, verily, is potent to do whatsoever He pleaseth.” (Baha'u'llah, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts: 153)

‘Abdu’l-Baha echoes His Father: “Know that the human spirit is one, but it manifests itself in various members of the body in a certain (measure or) form. The human spirit is existent in the sight; it is also existent in the brain, which is the location of great functions and powers; it is also existent in the heart, which organ is largely connected with the brain or the center of the mind; and the heart, or that center which is connected with the brain, has a distinct and separate function, effect and appearance.” (Compilations, Baha'i Scriptures: 476)

 The rational faculty, also known as the power of understanding, is, among all created things, specifically created to discover and recognize the Word of God. “It is clear and evident, therefore, that the first bestowal of God is the Word, and its discoverer and recipient is the power of understanding.” (Baha'u'llah, Tabernacle of Unity: 3)

 Now we know something of the manifold powers, whether physical, mental, or spiritual, that proceed from the rational faculty.  But there are a few we want to focus upon to answer the question: what is the purpose and the powers of the gift of understanding and their relation to the building of peace?

Baha’u’llah explicitly states the main purposes of the rational faculty, and the spiritual and intellectual powers this faculty gives the intelligence: “Know thou that, according to what thy Lord, the Lord of all men, hath decreed in His Book, the favors vouchsafed by Him unto mankind have been, and will ever remain, limitless in their range. First and foremost among these favors, which the Almighty hath conferred upon man, is the gift of understanding. His purpose in conferring such a gift is none other except to enable His creature to know and recognize the one true God—exalted be His glory. This gift giveth man the power to discern the truth in all things, leadeth him to that which is right, and helpeth him to discover the secrets of creation.’ (Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah: 193)

God’s main purpose in endowing the soul with the power of understanding is to know and recognize Him in both His Manifestation, the “word made flesh”, and to recognize His Words as distinct from all other messages and words, as the Voice of God.  Yet Baha’u’llah laments: “Gracious God! It was intended that at the time of the manifestation of the One true God the faculty of recognizing Him would have been developed and matured and would have reached its culmination. However, it is now clearly demonstrated that in the disbelievers this faculty hath remained undeveloped and hath, indeed, degenerated.” (Tablets of Baha'u'llah: 52-53)

Now recognition of God is not the same thing as belief in God. One can believe in God, but fail to recognize Him.  Indeed, this theme characterizes much of the strife of religious history.  To recognize God is to know that God has manifested Himself in a particular human Being and to recognize God in that Being, and not hold to belief, however sincere, in a prior Manifestation.  Belief is often either a product of an inherited form of religion, or a creation of our own imagination, but recognition is to see God in His current Manifestation, something  far removed from His old form as found in a traditional religion, and quite different from the human-made creations of the imagination.

‘Abdu’l-Baha explained to an inquiring Japanese: “All the people have formed a god in the world of thought, and that form of their own imagination they worship; when the fact is that the imagined form is finite and the human mind is infinite. Surely the infinite is greater than the finite, for imagination is accidental (or non-essential) while the mind is essential; surely the essential is greater than the accidental.” (Japan Will Turn Ablaze: 22)

Regarding the degeneration of this faculty, ‘Abdu’l-Baha, speaking in one of the centers of materialism  admonished: “Consider what it is that singles man out from among created beings, and makes of him a creature apart. Is it not his reasoning power, his intelligence? Shall he not make use of these in his study of religion? I say unto you: weigh carefully in the balance of reason and science everything that is presented to you as religion. If it passes this test, then accept it, for it is truth! If, however, it does not so conform, then reject it, for it is ignorance!” (Paris Talks: 145) In another place He asked somewhat rhetorically “When religion is upheld by science and reason we can believe with assurance and act with conviction, for this rational faculty is the greatest power in the world. Through it industries are established, the past and present are laid bare and the underlying realities are brought to light. Let us make nature our captive, break through all laws of limitation and with deep penetration bring to light that which is hidden. The power to do this is the greatest of divine benefits. Why treat with indifference such a divine spark? Why ignore a faculty so beneficial, a sun so powerful?” (Abdu'l-Baha, Divine Philosophy: 102)

The degeneration of the faculty of recognizing Him, which is the central purpose of God in bestowing the gift of understanding upon humanity, would then cause a similar degeneration in the other discriminating powers of the individual: dampening the power to discern the truth in all things ends with people not knowing how to find the truth; failing to accurately discriminate between right and wrong leads to a general lack of will and aspiration to do the right thing; and being unwilling to have religion help discover the higher secrets of creation results in narrowing of the field of intelligent inquiry to material phenomena.  What specific faculties, then, compose the general rational faculty or power of understanding, which, as the senses translate one sense into another to form perception, so the mental powers work together to create consciousness?  Consciousness in any real inclusive sense is not one power or a separate thing, but the result of the interaction of mental powers through the rational faculty.

I am going to concentrate on five specific powers of the rational faculty: the spiritual instinct, or religious faculty, which we use to recognize and know God; the faculty of justice that enables us to discern the truth in all things: the moral sense, which leads us to that which is right; the faculty or power of intellect, used for scientific investigation into the mysteries of creation and for grasping and articulating spiritual principles; and will, or volition, which enables us to act. Though these are separate faculties, dimensions of experience and states of mind, we know from the above statements that they are inseparable from each other, functioning together in their highest aspect in mutual support and harmony as an inner equilibrium of forces.  But also as a progression the last four all come forth from the first, the spiritual instinct or religious faculty. 

Too often we fail to trace humanity’s lack of social peace back to its real cause, the lack of this inner condition of unity stemming from the degeneration of an inner faculty that enables the soul to recognize the Word of God.  The awakening, training and developing of this spiritual faculty would then cure this spiritual disease. What is that faculty, that inherent mental power?

Let us turn to a rational inquiry into religion, starting with a good definition of it.

Evoking a Moral Attitude: Spiritual Principles

At such a time as this Bahá'u'lláh proclaimed the first principle of His mission and teaching—the oneness of the world of humanity. His second announcement was the investigation of reality; the third was the oneness of the foundations of the divine religions. Through spiritual education He led the people out of darkness and ignorance into the clear light of truth, illuminated their hearts with the splendor of knowledge, laid a true and universal basis for religious teachings, cultivated the virtues of humanity, conferred spiritual susceptibilities, awakened inner perceptions and changed the dishonor of prejudiced souls to the highest degree of honor and capacity.

(Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace: 341)

Recall that, in regards to peace, the House of Justice stated: “For, in essence, peace stems from an inner state supported by a spiritual or moral attitude, and it is chiefly in evoking this attitude that the possibility of enduring solutions can be found.”  How is the spiritual or moral attitude evoked?  They go on:

“There are spiritual principles, or what some call human values, by which solutions can be found for every social problem. Any well-intentioned group can in a general sense devise practical solutions to its problems, but good intentions and practical knowledge are usually not enough. The essential merit of spiritual principle is that it not only presents a perspective which harmonizes with that which is immanent in human nature, it also induces an attitude, a dynamic, a will, an aspiration, which facilitate the discovery and implementation of practical measures.” (The Promise of World Peace: para 37)

The process then is essentially an educational one, a bringing forth or evoking of inner states, conditions and powers into greater maturity, integrity, and complexity.  That is, a particular faculty of perception and the dimension of experience that faculty is designed to perceive are interconnected.  Like every other human faculty, the spiritual potential in human nature is actualized when the relationship between faculty and dimension is clearly established: i.e. when a perspective “harmonizes with that which is immanent in human nature” and this harmony “induces, “an attitude, a dynamic, a will, an aspiration, which facilitate the discovery and implementation of practical measures.” To bring this spiritual alchemy about, however, a catalyst—i.e. a model or knowledge structure of that dimension—is needed.  That is the role of spiritual principles.  

Spiritual principles, such as the essential harmony of science and religion, the equality of the sexes, the Oneness of God and of religion, the abolition of all prejudice, the elimination of extremes of wealth and poverty, shape moral attitudes, evoke spiritual feelings, and drive individual and collective transformational social action.  Such principles are all part of the teachings of Baha’u’llah.  Let us recall that “unity can never be achieved so long as the counsels which the Pen of the Most High hath revealed are suffered to pass unheeded.” (Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah: 286) Part of the reason this is true is precisely that these principles resonate with that which is immanent in human nature.  They form a sort of intellectual magnet that attracts and draws forth spiritual and moral potentials, as math presents a knowledge structure which harmonizes with certain mental abilities centered on number and quantity that are immanent in the mind and draws them forth. Language does the same with latent verbal abilities.

Recent scientific research shows the beneficial effects of mindfulness, of performing service to others, of gratitude. Mirror neurons seem to kick-in and create neurological pathways within the observer that replicate the neurological pathways associated with the mental and emotional states of those they witness performing acts of kindness. Thus there exists a profound interaction at different levels between knowledge and being.  A certain form of knowledge draws forth a certain kind of being, and being, i.e. actions and practices, generates further knowledge of that state.  The Master reminds us that, in essence, knowledge is not a quantity but a state.  He says: “knowledge, which is a state attained to by the intelligence, is an intellectual condition; and entering and coming out of the mind are imaginary conditions; but the mind is connected with the acquisition of knowledge, like images reflected in a mirror.” (Some Answered Questions: 108)  And Baha’u’llah opens His most challenging theological work, The Kitab-i-Iqan (Book of Certitude) with this declaration: “No man shall attain the shores of the ocean of true understanding except he be detached from all that is in heaven and on earth. Sanctify your souls, O ye peoples of the world, that haply ye may attain that station which God hath destined for you and enter thus the tabernacle which, according to the dispensations of Providence, hath been raised in the firmament of the Bayan….man can never hope to attain unto the knowledge of the All-Glorious, can never quaff from the stream of divine knowledge and wisdom, can never enter the abode of immortality, nor partake of the cup of divine nearness and favour, unless and until he ceases to regard the words and deeds of mortal men as a standard for the true understanding and recognition of God and His Prophets.” (The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 3-4)

 Spiritual principles and knowledge draw forth our spiritual nature, and acting through this nature generates greater spiritual knowledge, meaning that the mind has attained the state of spiritual knowing.  Thus, ‘Abdu’l-Baha continues the above quote: “Therefore, as it is evident and clear that the intellectual realities do not enter and descend, and it is absolutely impossible that the Holy Spirit should ascend and descend, enter, come out or penetrate, it can only be that the Holy Spirit appears in splendor, as the sun appears in the mirror.” (Some Answered Questions: 108)  It only appears in splendor in the spiritually receptive heart that radiantly shines its light upon the mind.

This interplay of knowledge and being indicates, as the document One Common Faith states, that: “The rational soul does not merely occupy a private sphere, but is an active participant in the social order.” (One Common Faith:15)

This discussion sheds light, perhaps, on Baha’u’llah’s statements in the opening paragraph of His Most Holy Book on the twin duties—one inner, one outer—of recognition and obedience laid upon every believer: “The first duty prescribed by God for His servants is the recognition of Him Who is the Dayspring of His Revelation and the Fountain of His laws, Who representeth the Godhead in both the Kingdom of His Cause and the world of creation. Whoso achieveth this duty hath attained unto all good; and whoso is deprived thereof hath gone astray, though he be the author of every righteous deed. It behoveth every one who reacheth this most sublime station, this summit of transcendent glory, to observe every ordinance of Him Who is the Desire of the world. These twin duties are inseparable. Neither is acceptable without the other. Thus hath it been decreed by Him Who is the Source of Divine inspiration.” (Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas: 19)

That which is immanent in human nature is the rational faculty or power of understanding.  “Consider the rational faculty with which God hath endowed the essence of man.” (Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah: 163)  It operates both within and without.  The rational faculty is that center and essence, both pivot and totality, Source and motive power, of the inner human reality that the principle of the oneness of humankind is for outer social life and organization.  The House of Justice proclaims: “The endowments which distinguish the human race from all other forms of life are summed up in what is known as the human spirit; the mind is its essential quality. These endowments have enabled humanity to build civilizations and to prosper materially. But such accomplishments alone have never satisfied the human spirit, whose mysterious nature inclines it towards transcendence, a reaching towards an invisible realm, towards the ultimate reality, that unknowable essence of essences called God. The religions brought to mankind by a succession of spiritual luminaries have been the primary link between humanity and that ultimate reality, and have galvanized and refined mankind's capacity to achieve spiritual success together with social progress.” (The Promise of World Peace: para 12)

The human soul or spirit, then, is no ghostly entity loosely associated with the more real body and which kind of deflates and blows away like a balloon when its anchor unmoors from material life at death.  Quite the opposite.  From a spiritual point of view the body is the more vaporous entity, while the soul has a solidness that endures for eternity.

But the soul is no mere motor of energy, either.  It is full of individualized faculties and capacities that apprehend creation’s different levels of intelligence.  Human beings have sensory faculties which they share with the animals.  These are powers through which the external world is apprehended.

Our mental faculties are part of our spiritual endowments, being inherent cognitive or perceptual powers of the mind. Such faculties as the power of attention or concentration; of speech and language; of memory; of intellect, reasoning and understanding, giving the capacity for rational thought, inference and discrimination; moral capacities for deciding right from wrong, good and evil; of volition and will, which are the capabilities of conscious choice, decision and intention, when taken together, are part and parcel of being human.  But all these individual powers are expressions of one central power, and they come together at that stage named maturity.

Failed Attempts at Peace

But for these teachings, this darkness shall never vanish, these chronic diseases shall never be healed; nay, they shall grow fiercer from day to day.

(Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha: 249)

Now for Baha’is there is a Plan of God to bring these two forms of peace to fruition.  But here, again, the Plan of God is actually two interacting forms, one spiritual, one material, of one Plan, the whole character of mankind being revolutionized by a Revelation that shall manifest itself both outwardly and inwardly, that shall affect both its inner life and external conditions.

Following Shoghi Effendi’s lead, Baha’is call the two-fold Plan of God, the Major Plan and the Minor Plan.  The House of Justice summarizes them as follows: “We are told by Shoghi Effendi that two great processes are at work in the world: the great Plan of God, tumultuous in its progress, working through mankind as a whole, tearing down barriers to world unity and forging humankind into a unified body in the fires of suffering and experience. This process will produce, in God's due time, the Lesser Peace, the political unification of the world. Mankind at that time can be likened to a body that is unified but without life. The second process, the task of breathing life into this unified body—of creating true unity and spirituality culminating in the Most Great Peace—is that of the Bahá'ís, who are laboring consciously, with detailed instructions and continuing Divine guidance, to erect the fabric of the Kingdom of God on earth, into which they call their fellowmen, thus conferring upon them eternal life.

The working out of God's Major Plan proceeds mysteriously in ways directed by Him alone, but the Minor Plan that He has given us to execute, as our part in His grand design for the redemption of mankind, is clearly delineated.” (The Universal House of Justice, Wellspring of Guidance, Messages 1963-1968: 133)

But this division is actually, it seems to me, God’s Plan option C for bringing peace to a wayward and contentious humanity.  During the life of Baha’u’llah He tried twice to bring about the Most Great Peace, but the leaders of humankind to whom He appealed, failed miserably to respond to him, so drunk were they with pride, arrogance and self-importance, with catastrophic consequences for them and their peoples.

His first attempt was blocked by the religious leaders of His homeland. He wrote: “If these obstructing veils (meaning the obstructions to faith thrown up by the divines of Persia) had not intervened Persia would, in some two years, have been subdued through the power of utterance, the position of both the government and the people would have been raised and the Supreme Goal, unveiled and unconcealed, would have appeared in the plenitude of glory. In short, sometimes in explicit language, at other times by allusion, We said whatever had to be said. Thus, once Persia had been rehabilitated, the sweet savours of the Word of God would have wafted over all countries, inasmuch as that which hath streamed forth from the Most Exalted Pen is conducive to the glory, the advancement and education of all the peoples and kindreds of the earth. Indeed it is the sovereign remedy for every disease, could they but comprehend and perceive it.” (Tablets of Baha'u'llah: 73)

What does He mean by the phrase “Supreme Goal.”  He literally means both Himself, the Vice-Regent of God on earth, the “word made flesh”, and His Message, the written Word of God.  He wrote: “Were all created things, visible and invisible, to direct themselves towards Him, thou wouldst find them winging their flight unto the Supreme Goal, the Spot wherein the divine Lote-Tree exclaimeth: Verily, no God is there but Me, the Almighty, the All-Bountiful.” (Tablets of Baha'u'llah: 195)  And: “The glory with which this Day is invested hath been explicitly mentioned and clearly set forth in most heavenly Books and Scriptures. However, the divines of the age have debarred men from this transcendent station, and have kept them back from this Pinnacle of Glory, this Supreme Goal.” (Tablets of Baha'u'llah: 259)  And yet again: “It is now incumbent upon them who are endowed with a hearing ear and a seeing eye to ponder these sublime words, in each of which the oceans of inner meaning and explanation are hidden, that haply the words uttered by Him Who is the Lord of Revelation may enable His servants to attain, with the utmost joy and radiance, unto the Supreme Goal and Most Sublime Summit—the dawning-place of this Voice.” (Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf: 147)

But when the “divines of the age” interposed themselves between God and His creatures on matters of faith and recognition, He turned to the kings and rulers of the earth, dispatching to each one a letter or epistle, calling on him or her to turn to Him and listen to and follow His counsels. He promised that if they did, they would find themselves enthroned upon the true pinnacle of power and peace.  But each one outright rejected Him and His Message, with the sole exception of Queen Victoria of England who at least did not dismiss His claim out of hand.

He wrote, then, sternly rebuking all of them, but also pointing out a lesser goal they could still achieve: “O kings of the earth! We see you increasing every year your expenditures, and laying the burden thereof on your subjects. This, verily, is wholly and grossly unjust. Fear the sighs and tears of this wronged One, and lay not excessive burdens on your peoples. Do not rob them to rear palaces for yourselves; nay rather choose for them that which ye choose for yourselves. Thus We unfold to your eyes that which profiteth you, if ye but perceive. Your people are your treasures. Beware lest your rule violate the commandments of God, and ye deliver your wards to the hands of the robber. By them ye rule, by their means ye subsist, by their aid ye conquer. Yet, how disdainfully ye look upon them! How strange, how very strange!

Now that ye have refused the Most Great Peace, hold ye fast unto this, the Lesser Peace, that haply ye may in some degree better your own condition and that of your dependents.” (Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah: 253-254)

Wearied by these repeated failures, persecutions, denunciations and ignored by those who would benefit most from heeding His counsels and warnings, He, the Most Glorious Manifestation of God, took an amazing, unprecedented and authoritative action against the reigning secular and ecclesiastical leadership on earth. Let Shoghi Effendi tell it: “Small wonder, then, that the Author of the Bahá’í Faith, and to a lesser degree its Herald, should have directed at the world’s supreme rulers and religious leaders the full force of Their Messages, and made them the recipients of some of Their most sublime Tablets, and invited them, in a language at once clear and insistent, to heed Their call. Small wonder that They should have taken the pains to unroll before their eyes the truths of Their respective Revelations, and should have expatiated on Their woes and sufferings. Small wonder that They should have stressed the preciousness of the opportunities which it was in the power of these rulers and leaders to seize, and should have warned them in ominous tones of the grave responsibilities which the rejection of God’s Message would entail, and should have predicted, when rebuffed and refused, the dire consequences which such a rejection involved. Small wonder that He Who is the King of kings and Vicegerent of God Himself should, when abandoned, contemned and persecuted, have uttered this epigrammatic and momentous prophecy: “From two ranks amongst men power hath been seized: kings and ecclesiastics.” (Shoghi Effendi, The Promised Day is Come: 19) (See William Sears book The Prisoner and the Kings for a dramatic account of these letters, of their falling upon deaf ears and the resulting collapse of the order that these leaders upheld.)

It is noteworthy that the House of Justice addressed their The Promise of World Peace to “The Peoples of the World”, ordinary people being the last, best hope for humanity.  Hence peace will come not by the disinterested efforts of the religious or secular leaders of the world, but via the efforts of the rank and file of humanity undergoing a transformation of character through encountering the Word of God.  They will arise and with great toil and trouble slowly build the promised Kingdom of God on earth.  The way on the inner plane is through spiritual principles that bring faculties into play that give a new perspective.

The Pivotal Principle

You are well aware, praised be the Lord, that both interaction and co-operation are evident and proven amongst all beings, whether large or small. In the case of large bodies interaction is as manifest as the sun, whilst in the case of small bodies, though interaction be unknown, yet the part is an indication of the whole. All these interactions therefore are connected with that all-embracing power which is their pivot, their centre, their source and their motive power.

(Abdu'l-Baha, Tablet to August Forel: 22)

As ‘Abdu’l-Baha indicates, in spiritual terminology a pivot is at one and the same time, the center, the heart, the source and motive power, the essence of something.  A seed is the center and pivot of the tree, the very essence of it.  First, it is the whole in a single part, and, second, as source and motive power, it radiates and unfolds outwardly in all directions, one part ascending to heaven, the other part delving into earth.  That is, the center and pivot is all inclusive of the entire manifestation, holding all the powers and virtues of the totality in this world.  The center is, in another metaphor, the magnetic power or lodestone holding and harmonizing all things that revolve around it to their proper courses.  Yet the meaning of a focal center is that it is the first or primal point which receives the spiritual light that radiates outward to the extremities and boundaries of the world.  All these meanings describe the relations of the Manifestation of God to the people of His time.  For example: “And since such a Personage is superior to all others in spiritual perfections and heavenly attainments, and is indeed the focal centre of divine blessings and the pivot of the circle of light, He will encompass all others, and there is no doubt whatsoever that He will shine out with such power as to gather every soul into His sheltering shade.

When ye consider this matter with care, it will become apparent that this is according to a universal law, which one can find at work in all things: the whole attracteth the part, and in the circle, the centre is the pivot of the compasses.” (Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha: 62)

‘Abdu’l-Baha, Himself, as the Center of the Covenant, is, relation to the believers, “the presence of Him round Whom all names revolve.” (Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah: 225)

That is, the spiritual whole attracts (i.e. holds together) the material parts, not the parts magically coalesce into a whole; and the whole manifestation, the totality of potentials for growth and development, is in the essence which is spiritually the center.  The essence is the first part to manifest out from which emerge all other parts.  Unity is first, and spiritual unity is prior to material unity.  Such are also the relations of the pivotal principle of the oneness of humankind to all other principles of life and social organization which are founded upon it and draw their strength and shape and power from it.

World peace cannot be achieved through the arduous and painful building of alliances, contracts, treaties, and pacts that bring nations and peoples together for pragmatic interests of self, larger or smaller, driving toward a hazy conception of  unity imagined to be the goal of all this effort.  One must start with unity and build out from it, not start from disunity and build toward a mirage named unity. That is, only through recognition of the principle of the oneness of humanity, and all that it implies as a social organizing principle, as stated by Shoghi Effendi, will we have any chance of achieving peace and dispelling the darkness in our minds and souls.  Rather, as the Master warned: “But for these teachings, this darkness shall never vanish, these chronic diseases shall never be healed; nay, they shall grow fiercer from day to day. (Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha: 249)

Let us examine why starting with the whole and not the parts represents the only realistic way to peace.

Let us recall that Baha’u’llah asked, rhetorically: “And yet, is not the object of every Revelation to effect a transformation in the whole character of mankind, a transformation that shall manifest itself both outwardly and inwardly, that shall affect both its inner life and external conditions?” (The Kitab-i-Iqan: 240) Thus, there are two states or conditions, one inner and one outer, that need transformation.  The interplay between inner powers and outer forces, between thought and action, finds its equivalent in the two kinds of peace referenced in the Bahá’i Writings.  These are called the Lesser Peace and the Most Great Peace.  These together form “the whole character of mankind” that is undergoing transformation, manifesting itself “both outwardly and inwardly”, affecting “both its inner life and external conditions.”

The Lesser Peace is sometimes oversimplified, I believe, by calling it merely a “political peace.”  Though there are definite political aspects to it, such as nations ceding the right to wage war, I think this peace is more the outcome of a great social transformation, a revolution, in human social relations: the building of social institutions at every level on moral qualities that embody and promote fairness, opportunity for all, equality of persons before the law, and so forth.  The House of Justice clearly pointed this out when they stated that “the abolition of war is not simply a matter of signing treaties and protocols; it is a complex task requiring a new level of commitment to resolving issues not customarily associated with the pursuit of peace. Based on political agreements alone, the idea of collective security is a chimera.”

The Most Great Peace is what is often referred to as a spiritual peace, the outcome of  collective human spiritual transformation, a reconfiguring into a higher order of integration and complexity of the human psyche and emotions through the emergence into prominence of latent faculties.  This peace will be characterized by the absence of prejudicial thought, an ethic to work for the common good, the humility to be selfless and to put others before oneself, truthfulness and consistently upright moral behavior, and feelings of love, charity, compassion and forgiveness toward every human being.  It is all those qualities that work against unbridled self-interest. It is the kind of thing Baha’u’llah means when He says: “True peace and tranquillity will only be realized when every soul will have become the well-wisher of all mankind.” (Baha'u'llah, Tabernacle of Unity: 3)
         Now not only are the two kinds of peace not equal in worth, should the Lesser Peace be achieved, it will not endure unless some progress is made on the inner plane.  ‘Abdu’l-Baha remarks, paralleling the teachings of Baha’u’llah alongside human efforts to create peace: “In fine, such teachings are numerous. These manifold principles, which constitute the greatest basis for the felicity of mankind and are of the bounties of the Merciful, must be added to the matter of universal peace and combined with it, so that results may accrue. Otherwise the realization of universal peace by itself in the world of mankind is difficult. As the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh are combined with universal peace, they are like a table provided with every kind of fresh and delicious food. Every soul can find, at that table of infinite bounty, that which he desires. If the question is restricted to universal peace alone, the remarkable results which are expected and desired will not be attained. The scope of universal peace must be such that all the communities and religions may find their highest wish realized in it. The teachings of Bahá'u'lláh are such that all the communities of the world, whether religious, political or ethical, ancient or modern, find in them the expression of their highest wish.”(Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha: 304)

The Spiritual Dimensions of Peace

Ye who are servants of the human race, strive ye with all your heart to deliver mankind out of this darkness and these prejudices that belong to the human condition and the world of nature, so that humanity may find its way into the light of the world of God. Praise be to Him, ye are acquainted with the various laws, institutions and principles of the world; today nothing short of these divine teachings can assure peace and tranquillity to mankind. But for these teachings, this darkness shall never vanish, these chronic diseases shall never be healed; nay, they shall grow fiercer from day to day. Strive ye, therefore, with the help of God, with illumined minds and hearts and a strength born of heaven, to become a bestowal from God to man, and to call into being for all humankind, comfort and peace.

(Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha: 249)

This post is the first in a series of posts that will examine the spiritual pre-requisites and dimensions of peace.

In a world increasingly dominated by fear, distrust and despair, rocked daily by acts of terror, social upheavals, and civil disorder, and the looming threat of catastrophic war, peace surges as the one dream of all.  But how to get there?

I will examine this question by taking an in-depth look at a penetrating thematic statement from the House of Justice about how peace is actually brought about through a close interplay between emerging inner powers of the soul and outer supporting social forces.  To glance ahead, I will argue that all efforts of peace will fail until the bringing forth, the educing, of spiritual powers is accomplished.  Failure to tap our spiritual endowments prevents peace from coming about, despite humanity’s best intentions and most disinterested efforts.  In short, peace can’t come about except through manifesting a certain condition of the soul.  This, in turn, is accomplished by arousing and training certain faculties of the soul which drive and guide collective social action, laying the foundation of just laws and the diffusing of ethical mores in harmony with human higher nature, and, finally, to the erection of supporting social institutions and educational practices.

The first part of the House of Justice statement is: “(T)he abolition of war is not simply a matter of signing treaties and protocols; it is a complex task requiring a new level of commitment to resolving issues not customarily associated with the pursuit of peace. Based on political agreements alone, the idea of collective security is a chimera. The other point is that the primary challenge in dealing with issues of peace is to raise the context to the level of principle, as distinct from pure pragmatism. For, in essence, peace stems from an inner state supported by a spiritual or moral attitude, and it is chiefly in evoking this attitude that the possibility of enduring solutions can be found.” (The Universal House of Justice, The Promise of World Peace: para. 36)

What is that “inner state” from which stems peace?  I believe that it is the state of unity. This inner state is founded upon the proper use of a religious faculty or instinct, for the religion of God in the Bahá’i Writings, is the most great and powerful example of unity. The spiritual or moral attitude referenced by the House of Justice may be justice.  It, too, is funded upon an inner faculty of justice.  But let’s back up a moment.

Baha’u’llah Himself states the prerequisite of world peace.  He says: “The well-being of mankind, its peace and security, are unattainable unless and until its unity is firmly established. This unity can never be achieved so long as the counsels which the Pen of the Most High hath revealed are suffered to pass unheeded.” (Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah: 286)  So a condition of global social unity precedes world peace, and such unity cannot be achieved so long as humanity disregards or turns a deaf ear to the means to achieve that ultimate state that are within the Bahá’i Writings.

Now a condition of unity in the outer human world can be achieved because unity is already existent in the inner world of the spirit: “Unity is a condition of the human spirit.  Education can support and enhance it, as can legislation, but they can do so only once it emerges and has established itself as a compelling force in social life.” (One Common Faith: 42) However this soul condition of unity cannot emerge as a compelling force in social life until a reign of social justice is established.  Baha’u’llah states that: “The purpose of justice is the appearance of unity among men. The ocean of divine wisdom surgeth within this exalted word, while the books of the world cannot contain its inner significance.” (Tablets of Baha'u'llah: 66-67)

Unity emerges as a compelling force in the form of and a as result of the power of justice, because the purpose of justice is the appearance of unity.  The power of justice is built upon reward and punishment.  Religion is the greatest manifestation of this condition of unity, indeed unity is built upon a conception of true religion.  That conception was explicitly by Baha’u’llah when He asserted: “This is the changeless Faith of God, eternal in the past, eternal in the future. Let him that seeketh, attain it…” (Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah: 136)

Now, the House indicates that ‘the primary challenge in dealing with issues of peace is to raise the context to the level of principle, as distinct from pure pragmatism.”  The first and cardinal principle is the principle of the oneness of humankind.  Shoghi Effendi writes: “The principle of the Oneness of Mankind—the pivot round which all the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh revolve—is no mere outburst of ignorant emotionalism or an expression of vague and pious hope. Its appeal is not to be merely identified with a reawakening of the spirit of brotherhood and good-will among men, nor does it aim solely at the fostering of harmonious cooperation among individual peoples and nations. Its implications are deeper, its claims greater than any which the Prophets of old were allowed to advance. Its message is applicable not only to the individual, but concerns itself primarily with the nature of those essential relationships that must bind all the states and nations as members of one human family. It does not constitute merely the enunciation of an ideal, but stands inseparably associated with an institution adequate to embody its truth, demonstrate its validity, and perpetuate its influence. It implies an organic change in the structure of present-day society, a change such as the world has not yet experienced. It constitutes a challenge, at once bold and universal, to outworn shibboleths of national creeds—creeds that have had their day and which must, in the ordinary course of events as shaped and controlled by Providence, give way to a new gospel, fundamentally different from, and infinitely superior to, what the world has already conceived. It calls for no less than the reconstruction and the demilitarization of the whole civilized world—a world organically unified in all the essential aspects of its life, its political machinery, its spiritual aspiration, its trade and finance, its script and language, and yet infinite in the diversity of the national characteristics of its federated units.

It represents the consummation of human evolution—an evolution that has had its earliest beginnings in the birth of family life, its subsequent development in the achievement of tribal solidarity, leading in turn to the constitution of the city-state, and expanding later into the institution of independent and sovereign nations.

The principle of the Oneness of Mankind, as proclaimed by Bahá'u'lláh, carries with it no more and no less than a solemn assertion that attainment to this final stage in this stupendous evolution is not only necessary but inevitable, that its realization is fast approaching, and that nothing short of a power that is born of God can succeed in establishing it.” (The World Order of Baha'u'llah:42-43)

A Different Discourse # Eight: Speech and Service

It behoveth the people of Baha to render the Lord victorious through the power of their utterance and to admonish the people by their goodly deeds and character, inasmuch as deeds exert greater influence than words.

(Tablets of Baha'u'llah: 57) 

We have seen that kerygmatic speech is a proclamation of God because it is imbued with divine qualities. It is truthful, kindly and compassionate, moderate, founded upon and expressing spiritual principle. It is a just balance of restraint and release.  Finally, it is also religious, but only in the real sense of that word, as the binding together in consciousness of phenomena, of beings and their experiences with each other and with their Source, a joining and knitting together of beginnings and endings.

We need to state this about religion, because the modern temper has forgotten it and dismissed what is really only a straw man of religion. “People,” ‘Abdu’l-Baha is reported to have said, “think religion is confined in an edifice, to be worshipped at an altar. In reality it is an attitude toward divinity which is reflected through life.” (Abdu'l-Baha, Divine Philosophy: 14)  Baha’u’llah claims that: “The religion of God and His divine law are the most potent instruments and the surest of all means for the dawning of the light of unity amongst men.” (Tablets of Baha'u'llah: 129)  Judging by news reports, religion is failing miserably in this its most important work. But that may be because our conception of God is outdated—the real meaning of the cry, God is dead!—and hence all established religions, brought into the world to guide humanity only through infancy and childhood into adolescence, are inadequate to meet the needs of a mature humanity.  A new spiritual impulse and form is required.  The Universal House of Justice put the change this way: “Indeed, the coming of Bahá'u'lláh ushered the world into a new age, making possible the beginning of a wholly new relationship between humanity and its Supreme Creator.” (The Universal House of Justice, 1992 Nov 26, Second Message to World Congress)  We have spiraled back to the statement that set this series of posts going: A different Cause, however, hath appeared in this day and a different discourse is required. (Baha'u'llah, Tabernacle of Unity: 113-114)  The different discourse indicated by Baha’u’llah I am naming the kerygmatic.

Language is one of the chief controlling forces holding society together.  So if speech is imbued with spiritual virtues, if it is a proclamation of God, Who is the Source of those virtues, then society is held together by those virtues to the extent that language and conversation, indeed all verbal culture, does this.

The chief purpose of the kerygmatic mode of language is to articulate the proper attitudes that evoke our higher inner state, to generate impulses for selfless behavior to grow and be seen.  The proper attitude is summed up in these words of the Master: “O ye lovers of this wronged one! Cleanse ye your eyes, so that ye behold no man as different from yourselves. See ye no strangers; rather see all men as friends, for love and unity come hard when ye fix your gaze on otherness. And in this new and wondrous age, the Holy Writings say that we must be at one with every people; that we must see neither harshness nor injustice, neither malevolence, nor hostility, nor hate, but rather turn our eyes toward the heaven of ancient glory. For each of the creatures is a sign of God, and it was by the grace of the Lord and His power that each did step into the world; therefore they are not strangers, but in the family; not aliens, but friends, and to be treated as such.” (Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha:24)

To proclaim God, then, is more than good speech, however important that is.  It is also and more importantly to manifest deeds worthy of the divine aspect of the human reality.  Baha’u’llah exhorts His followers: “It behoveth the people of Baha to render the Lord victorious through the power of their utterance and to admonish the people by their goodly deeds and character, inasmuch as deeds exert greater influence than words.” (Tablets of Baha'u'llah: 57)  This attitude is manifest in the act of service.  The behavioral equivalent to kindly speech uttered for the sake of God is the performing of service for others.  The embodiment of ideals and words in acts is a healing, not only of the individual, but between them.  Baha’u’llah lamented: “No two men can be found who may be said to be outwardly and inwardly united. The evidences of discord and malice are apparent everywhere, though all were made for harmony and union.” (Tablets of Baha'u'llah: 163-164)  He warns His followers: “Beware, O people of Baha, lest ye walk in the ways of them whose words differ from their deeds. Strive that ye may be enabled to manifest to the peoples of the earth the signs of God, and to mirror forth His commandments. Let your acts be a guide unto all mankind, for the professions of most men, be they high or low, differ from their conduct. It is through your deeds that ye can distinguish yourselves from others.” (Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah: 305)  Such a harmonic unity of inner state and outer condition is manifest in spiritual knowing.

I said there were two qualities necessary for good consultation: truthfulness and compassion, one verbal the other non-verbal, but demonstrable.  The power of a kindly tongue to “cloth the words with meaning” is reinforced by the attribute of compassion, because compassion (i.e. suffering with another) brings one knowledge of another by getting “inside” their situation to understand it from within, as they experience it, so to speak.  Compassion is not objective knowledge, but subjective understanding.  A kindly tongue encourages listening, makes the heart and mind more open and receptive.  Harsh and unkindly talk, a mocking or derisive tone, makes another want to “manifest opposition from the very outset” no matter what the truth you may be imparting to him, even in the name of truth and honesty.

Compassion equalizes all situations, and prevents all the injustice and the taking advantage of others that seems to characterize so much of modern interchange between people and peoples.  Baha’u’llah’s admonishment is: “Take heed that your words be purged from idle fancies and worldly desires and your deeds be cleansed from craftiness and suspicion.” (Tablets of Baha'u'llah: 138) “Be fair to yourselves and to others, that the evidences of justice may be revealed, through your deeds, among Our faithful servants.” (Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah: 277)

He exhorts us: “Do not busy yourselves in your own concerns; let your thoughts be fixed upon that which will rehabilitate the fortunes of mankind and sanctify the hearts and souls of men. This can best be achieved through pure and holy deeds, through a virtuous life and a goodly behavior.” (Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah: 93-94)  And: “Know ye that such holy deeds exert, in themselves, a great influence upon the world of being—an influence which is, however, inscrutable to all save those whose eyes have been opened by God, whose hearts He hath freed from obscuring veils, and whose souls He hath guided aright.” (The Summons of the Lord of Hosts: 206)

We have before touched on the love of God as, perhaps, the foundational quality of the kerygmatic mode of language.  We learned in that discussion that barriers to understanding the kerygmatic need to be removed, burnt up by and in the fire of the love of God. But this fire is not just a warm and passionate feeling for the Deity, or His Manifestation, which is likely, without being fanned, to slowly cool into dull embers and gray ash.  There are also duties to be performed to help keep this fire going.  The foundational twin duties toward Him are recognition and obedience.  Now by recognition is meant to spiritually perceive the reality of the Manifestation of God for this day and to see Him also in the fundamental principles of unity, oneness of humankind and justice.  To obey Him is to carry out in acts His revealed laws and ordinances, or the teachings and explications of His designated successors as leaders of the Faith.  Obedience, then, is more than giving verbal and intellectual assent to their validity, practicality, and equity.  “Let deeds, not words, be your adorning”, cautions Baha'u'llah. (The Hidden Words Persian #5)

To truly obey them in the human realm is to put them into practice and one of the most powerful admonitions to obey is that of service.  “Thy day of service is now come”, is His call. (Tablets of Baha'u'llah: 84)  “Think ye at all times of rendering some service to every member of the human race” is the Master’s exhortation. (Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha: 3)

But like so much else, the notion of service and worship has been redefined in a greatly expanded fashion by the pen of Baha’u’llah.  The Master says: “What bounty greater than this that science should be considered as an act of worship and art as service to the Kingdom of God.” (Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha: 144)

“In the Bahá'í Cause arts, sciences and all crafts are (counted as) worship. The man who makes a piece of notepaper to the best of his ability, conscientiously, concentrating all his forces on perfecting it, is giving praise to God. Briefly, all effort and exertion put forth by man from the fullness of his heart is worship, if it is prompted by the highest motives and the will to do service to humanity. This is worship: to serve mankind and to minister to the needs of the people. Service is prayer. A physician ministering to the sick, gently, tenderly, free from prejudice and believing in the solidarity of the human race, he is giving praise." (Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks: 176-177)

Love for God and serving Him must be demonstrated in those services rendered to those around us, else it is, in reality, nothing but a febrile imaginary image of God we are serving.  The fire of the love of God is not only a subjective feeling, a radiant warmth in the heart, but also an objective state of being and social responsibility that embodies and expresses that condition in services, in putting others before oneself.  Recall that peace is an inner state supported by a spiritual or moral attitude and it is brought forth into awareness by spiritual principle.  Similarly with love.  Fire of love of God is a universal fire, meaning a love for all things created by God.

‘Abdu’l-Baha when discussing the various degrees of love stated: “It is clear that limited material ties are insufficient to adequately express the universal love.

“The great unselfish love for humanity is bounded by none of these imperfect, semi-selfish bonds; this is the one perfect love, possible to all mankind, and can only be achieved by the power of the Divine Spirit. No worldly power can accomplish the universal love.

“Let all be united in this Divine power of love! Let all strive to grow in the light of the Sun of Truth, and reflecting this luminous love on all men, may their hearts become so united that they may dwell evermore in the radiance of the limitless love.” (Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks: 36)

We can end with this exhortation of the Master: “Ye must conduct yourselves in such a manner that ye may stand out distinguished and brilliant as the sun among other souls. Should any one of you enter a city, he should become a centre of attraction by reason of his sincerity, his faithfulness and love, his honesty and fidelity, his truthfulness and loving-kindness towards all the peoples of the world, so that the people of that city may cry out and say: 'This man is unquestionably a Bahá'í, for his manners, his behaviour, his conduct, his morals, his nature, and disposition reflect the attributes of the Bahá'ís.” (Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha: 70)