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A Junior's Book of Religion

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[Page i]

A JUNIOR'S BOOK OF RELIGION

by

Marguerite True

Child Education Committee

Approved by Baha'i Reviewing Committee

[Page ii]

A JUNIOR'S BOOK OF RELIGION

by

Marguerite True

Child Education Committee

Approved by Baha'i Reviewing Committee

September, 1945

Baha'i Publishing Committee

110 Linden Avenue

Wilmette, Illinois

Printed in U.S.A.

[Page iii]

Part I

THE PROPHETS

A. The Source of Our Ideals

B. The Suns of Truth

(Adam through Muhammad)

C. The Báb

D. Bahá’u’lláh

1. The Exemplar - ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
2. The Guardian - Shoghi Effendi

Part II

THE WORLD OF TOMORROW

A. The New Laws for the Nations

1. One religion
2. A world government
3. International police force
4. World language
5. World education system
6. World system of transportation and communication
7. Word currency
8. No tariff
9. World system of weights and measures
10. World metropolis
11. Punishment of aggressors

B. Laws for the People of the World

1. Elimination of prejudice
2. Honesty and truthfulness
3. Courtesy, mercy and kindness
4. Obedience
5. Prayer and action

Part III

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

1. Is there a God?
2. What are heaven and hell?
3. Where do we go when we die?
4. Why are we here?
5. Why do we have wars?
6. Are prayers answered?
7. What is meant by Resurrection?
8. What is the Day of Judgment?
9. What will the peace be like?
10. What is the Kingdom of God on earth, or the Golden Age?

[Page 1]

Part I
THE PROPHETS
THE ‎SCOURCE SOURCE‎ OF OUR IDEALS

When we were very small we often admired a policeman or a nurse or a streetcar conductor, and we felt that some day we would like to be just like that person because he was our ideal. Then as we grew older, somehow we had a broader outlook on life, and these people did not seem to be quite the picture of perfection we had thought, and our ideals changed. Now we wished to be a very great actress or musician, or wonderful doctor, or the president of a country. But as we found that we did not have the ability to do this, we became discouraged and often wondered just why we were born and of what use we were on this earth.

But we need not be discouraged, for Bahá’u’lláh has said, "I have created thee rich," and within each person is planted a seed of genius--that one thing for which he is now living on this earth. By developing that genius, he can become a functioning, necessary part of the world, and happy because he has at last found himself.

The question then is, "How can I find the genius within me?" We cannot do it by trying to be like someone else, or by trying to be great and famous, but only by turning ourselves to the Sun of Truth, the Prophet or Messenger of God in each age. For as we turn toward the Prophet, we reflect that part of genius which is our capacity, and we become our true selves. We are like a mirror that reflects the sun when it is turned toward the sun.

Those people who have been truly great have been the ones who have turned to the Prophets of God and who learned by Their example and teachings how to live. For if we have for our ideal someone who is only a human being, we find that we are often disappointed because he has some faults. The Prophets of God, however, have never failed in Their examples of how to live the ideal life, and They will never disappoint us.

It may be that some people will say they got their ideals from their mothers or fathers, teachers, friends, or from something they read in a book. But where did the mothers and fathers, and friends and authors get their ideals of right and wrong in the beginning? If we search back far enough, we will find that they usually got them from some of the Teachings of the Prophets found in the Bible or other Scriptures. Thus it is that the highest ideals have been inspired by the Prophets, the Suns of Truth, or Messengers of God.

THE SUNS OF TRUTH

Adam through Muhammad

From time to time God has sent Suns of Truth, His Prophets or Messengers, to earth to tell man how to live. And because God is too great and powerful for us to approach or see Him, He sends His Messengers to us to tell us how to live, that He may love us for being good and we may love Him for His bounties to us. [Page 2] The first of these Prophets of whom we know was Adam who came when this civilization was very young and the people very simple, almost like small children in their actions and thinking. So because of the simplicity of the people, Adam could not teach them much except the lesson of right and wrong,--that if a person does not obey the Laws of God which the Prophet brings, he is not in God's favor and lives a life of misery because he has disobeyed.

Then as the people advanced and could understand more, God sent them another Messenger named Noah Who warned them that they were not living according to God's Laws. He said that if they did not live more righteously, great trouble would come upon them. But the people did not listen to Him and they did not prepare for the flood of troubles that was to come again, and they were drowned in them.

Some time afterwards Abraham appeared, and again showed the people of His age how to live according to God's commands. Abraham taught the people about the Oneness of God, and suffered many things to prove to the people that God is merciful. But in time, the people forgot to practice the Teachings that Abraham brought, and God sent another Prophet named Moses.

Moses wrote down Ten Commandments which God revealed through Him. Many people say that if the world today followed these Ten Commandments, we could never have war, for one of these commandments is "Thou shalt not kill." A great civilization developed from those who followed these Commandments and the people were very happy. But soon they became so busy following their pleasures that they did not obey God's Laws, and made excuses for not doing so. So God had to send another Prophet named Jesus, the Christ, to remind them of the Divine Laws, and to live among men and show them again by example, how God wished them to live.

To other parts of the world God also sent Prophets, for although Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses and Christ had brought Divine Laws, some people did not hear of them. In those days it was hard to travel; people lived thousands of miles apart, and the story of these Prophets had not reached some lands. In other cases, those people who had heard about the Prophets did not believe in Them because they could not go and see Them. ‎Some So‎ in order that all His children might learn of His laws, God was merciful and sent other Prophets to other countries.

Thus we read of Zoroaster Who appeared in Persia to awaken the people to the Laws of God, of Krishna and the Buddha who appeared in India to reveal the Divine Teachings, and of Muhammad who lived in Arabia and changed the war-like tribes into peaceful citizens through God's Laws.

But as the years went by, the people forgot to do what these Prophets had told them, and they made excuses for their behavior. Thus by failing to obey God's Laws they got into arguments and fights and finally wars. So it was necessary for God to send another Sun of Truth, or Prophet--One named Bahá’u’lláh, Who told the people that the time had come for them to live as one big family on the earth. And it is in this age that we are now living, the day when the Laws have been brought by ‎Baha’u’llah Bahá’u’lláh‎ for a peaceful world. [Page 3] And when, after hundreds of years, we may need to know more Laws for living, God will send us ‎mother another‎ Prophet to give us more Teachings. For God does not leave His people in darkness, and if they search for His Messenger in each age, they will find Him. It is not enough for us to follow the Laws brought by some Prophet thousands of years ago, because we may disagree as to how to use them now, but we must learn of God’s Laws for today and follow them if we expect to be happy.

So we find that God does not send only one Messenger or one Prophet or one Sun of Truth, but many Messengers. And just as we are given a new teacher in school when we are ready for more knowledge, so God gives us a new spiritual Teacher or Prophet when we are ready for greater spiritual development. Some people may say that one Prophet copied from another. But that is not true, for each Prophet received His Message direct from God. The reason that many of the Teachings brought by the different Prophets are the same is that, like children, we seem to forget them, and the Prophets have to remind us of these Teachings again and again. Also the fact that some of these Teachings are the same proves that the Prophets received their knowledge from the same Source, which is God. In the same way that our school teachers review yesterday’s lesson to be sure we know it in case we have forgotten, so the Prophet often reviews the Divine Laws to remind us of them.

THE BAB

Just before a Great Prophet or Manifestation of God comes to this earth, God appoints a herald or "trumpeter" to awaken the people and prepare the way so that when the Prophet arrives, there will be someone ready to listen to Him. This herald or "trumpeter" does not use a horn or any musical instrument, but He calls the people by His Words. You will remember that John the Baptist was a herald or trumpeter, and that He came before Jesus appeared as the Christ. John the Baptist did not use a trumpet, but he told the people that a new Prophet would soon arise and that they should awaken from their old ways to be ready to receive Him.

You will remember also that before the arrival of John the Baptist, there were three "wise men" who felt that the time was ready for a new Messenger from God and sought until they found Him, the baby Jesus. You will also remember that a brilliant star was seen in the heavens.

Now, the same thing has appeared in this Day, of even greater importance, as this is the day of the fulfillment of all Scriptures and of all the Bibles of the world. Thus it was that in 1844 there were not just three "wise men" who felt that the time was ready for a new Prophet, but there were eighteen "wise men." One by one they left their homes and families and businesses in search of the new Messenger and each in his search found One named the Bab, which means Door or Gate. The Bab explained that He was the herald, the Door to the new world, the Gate to the Kingdom of Heaven, and that through His Revelation they would be enabled further to search for and find the Promised One of all ages. It was on May 23, 1844, that the Bab announced His Mission to the first of these "wise men" or "Letters of the Living," a man named Mulla Husayn. And at that time there was also discovered in the heavens a new star. So we can see that this is a truly great Revelation, though all the world may not yet believe it. [Page 4] The Báb explained the real meaning of "heaven" and "hell" and the "Day of Judgment" and the "resurrection" and said that although He was a Prophet, the Greatest Prophet of all times was about to appear. So great was the multitude of people who followed the Báb that the religious leaders became worried that they would lose power over their congregations. They plotted against Him and eventually had Him martyred. But this martyrdom, instead of stopping the ardor and interest of the people, only made them more anxious to prepare for the new Prophet.

If you were to search in all the Scriptures and Bibles of all the people of the world, you would find that they all expect their "Savior" to return just before a Great Day of wars and troubles. And some Scriptures predict the coming of two Prophets, so great is this Day to be. We know that the Báb was the first of these Prophets and that Bahá’u’lláh was the second, the One for whom the Báb prepared the way. We know also that the Great Day of wars and troubles is the present time.

BAHÁ’U’LLÁH

Since the Prophet or Sun of Truth for this age is Bahá’u’lláh and since we want to learn to live happily while on this earth, it is necessary for us to learn about His life and His teachings.

Bahá’u’lláh was born in 1817 in the land of Persia, of a noble family. Even when He was a small boy, the teachers and friends of the family remarked about His wonderful qualities. Bahá’u’lláh’s name at that time was Mirzá Husayn ‘Alí, just as Christ was known as Jesus of Nazareth before He became a Prophet.

From childhood, Bahá’u’lláh was extremely kind and generous. He was a great lover of the outdoor life and had an extraordinary power of attraction which was felt by all. People always crowded around Him. Ministers and people of the Court would surround Him and the children were also devoted to Him. When He was only thirteen or fourteen years old He became renowned for His learning. He would talk on any subject and solve any problems presented to Him. Bahá’u’lláh’s father died and the Government wished Him to take His father’s position in the Government, but the Prime Minister said, "Leave him to himself. Such a position is unworthy of him. He has some higher aim in view. I cannot understand him but I am convinced that he is destined for some lofty career."

So it was that in 1853 while Bahá’u’lláh was in prison the breezes of the Holy Spirit passed over Him and He was given the knowledge of all that was and all that is to be. He said that He was the One who was promised in the Bible and all the other sacred Scriptures, — the One who would be the Messiah and Savior in the greatest hour of need of mankind, and bring the New Laws for the Golden Age of mankind.

For the Christians are not the only ones who were expecting the "return" of their Prophet. The Muhammadans were also expecting the return of Imám Husayn, the Zoroastrians, the promised Sháh Bahrám; the Buddhists, the Fifth Buddha; the Hindus, the return of Krishna; the Jews, the coming of the Lord of Hosts. And instead of sending five Prophets all at once and making more confusion [Page 5] than harmony, God sent One who should answer the requirements for all, and thus bring unity.

That is why today we find people of all faiths believing in Bahá’u’lláh, for in Him they have found the "return" of their Prophet.

Bahá’u’lláh in 1863 announced His Mission as the Messenger for this age, and so great were the multitudes of people who came to see Him that again religious leaders were afraid that they might lose their hold over the people. Therefore they tried to have Him removed and finally succeeded in exiling Bahá’u’lláh from the country. But so many people followed Him wherever He went that they finally decided to send Him to the most miserable prison of Akka where they felt sure He would die because it was so horrible. They were surprised to see that He did not die, although for many days there was no food and the conditions were very terrible. Bahá’u’lláh sent special messages during his exile and imprisonment to the principal kings and rulers of the world, telling them that they were not living according to the Laws of God and that they must change if they wished to avoid a great calamity.

But the rulers and leaders, except for one, ignored Bahá’u’lláh and paid no attention to His Message. During the time of His imprisonment, Bahá’u’lláh revealed the Divine Laws for bringing a world of permanent peace. He was the first Prophet to write out the Teachings of God by hand. You will recall that Moses wrote on a stone tablet, and Christ wrote on the sand, but we have no record of these Writings now. However, Bahá’u’lláh wrote on paper with a pen, and we have His original Writings now in Haifa, Palestine. We can therefore read them and remember them for a ‎iong long‎ long time.

After many years in prison, Bahá’u’lláh was allowed to live in a house, although He was still under guard. Shortly afterwards, in 1892, Bahá’u’lláh ascended and this world as a whole was unaware that its Messenger had come and gone. One is reminded of the passage in the Bible which says that the Messenger would come as "a thief in the night," because Bahá’u’lláh had come and gone before most of the people had even guessed that so great a Prophet was on this earth.

THE EXEMPLAR — ‘ABDU’L-BAHÁ

Before Bahá’u’lláh died, He wrote a Will and Testament in which He said that all those who were faithful to God in this age must turn to His son, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, whom He had selected as best fitted to interpret His Words and to show the people how to practice them.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá was born in Persia on that "never-to-be-forgotten night" of May 23, 1844, when the Báb announced His Mission to His first disciple, Mullá Husayn. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá spent forty years in the prison city of ‘Akká. He was released in 1908, he traveled to other countries, telling of Bahá’u’lláh and the wonderful Message He had brought. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá visited North America through which he traveled in 1912, telling the people the great and important part they had to play in bringing about a world of lasting peace. [Page 6] ‘Abdu’l-Bahá is known as the Exemplar of the Bahá’í Faith because he showed the people by his example how to live the new Laws. During his lifetime, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá interpreted some of Bahá’u’lláh’s Words for the people and outlined more in detail the things that we must do to bring about the Kingdom of God on earth.

In 1921, before ‘Abdu’l-Bahá died, he, also, made a Will and Testament, in which he said that all of those who were faithful to God in this day must turn to the one whom he would appoint as the first Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith--his grandson, named Shoghi Effendi.

THE GUARDIAN - SHOGHI EFFENDI

There is living in Haifa, Palestine, today, one named Shoghi Effendi, the great-grandson of Bahá’u’lláh and the first Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith. He has the important work of translating and interpreting the Words of Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, as well as of helping the people of the world carry out the Divine Laws and bring about the Kingdom of God on earth. Already people from many countries have gone to visit Shoghi Effendi to inquire more about the story of Bahá’u’lláh and His Teachings. Because of the Guardian’s residence in Haifa, this city has become the center of world activity for the Bahá’í Faith.

During his lifetime, Shoghi Effendi will be the translator and interpreter of the Words of Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, as well as being the chairman of the Universal House of Justice, when it is established. He will also appoint in his own lifetime the next Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith. This process of appointing Guardians will continue until the next great Messenger or Prophet comes, so that there will always be but one center of interpretation.

THE NEW LAWS FOR THE NATIONS

Now let us consider the new Laws which Bahá’u’lláh brought for this age. First of all, Bahá’u’lláh said that this is the day for world unity, the day in which all the nations must be united as one country. He therefore revealed some Laws which will prevent wars and enable the different nations to live in peace. Some of these Laws are:

1. One Religion. The most important part of man is his spiritual or religious being. When at last all men realize that there is but one God, that He sends His Prophets from time to time to teach the people of the world, and that Bahá’u’lláh is the Prophet for today, the hearts of the people will be united and then we shall be living in a Golden Age. For instead of many "religions" there is only one real Faith of God. However, after each new Prophet comes and tells of this religion, the people begin to argue about it and to disagree as to how it should be practiced. And in a short time, they make many "sects" of it. But in this [Page 7] Day, Bahá’u’lláh has provided for a Guardian to be translator and interpreter so that there will be no disagreement as to what the meaning of His Words may be.

2. A World Government

All the nations of the world will belong to a world government, a sort of United States of the World. They must send their special representatives to a world legislature which will make the laws necessary for the well-being of the nations. A world tribunal will discuss all disputes among the nations until they finally, agree to a peaceful settlement. You will notice that Bahá’u’lláh said all nations must belong to the world government, and that does not mean that any nation who disagrees with the decisions of the world government can withdraw. It means that each nation must stay and talk it over like a grown-up until the problem is solved. For Bahá’u’lláh says that we have "come of age" and the nations must learn to behave like adults and not be stubborn and fight about disagreements.

3. International Police Force

In order to enforce the laws made by the World Legislature, there will be a world police force to remind the people that these laws are made for the good of all and are to be obeyed. When we have an international police force, it will not be necessary for each country to spend a great deal of money building a bigger army and navy each year to protect its people. In fact, each country will disband its army and navy (except for what is needed to maintain order within the country) and will instead support the international police force.

4. World Language

‘Abdu’l-Bahá tells us that one of the things preventing us from having peace is that there are so many languages spoken that people from different nations cannot talk with each other, because they cannot understand other languages. Bahá’u’lláh therefore said that we must have a world language, and every person will learn it in addition to his own language, so that when you travel to other countries, or when people visit you, or when you listen to short-wave broadcasts, you will be able to understand what they are saying. In America one will learn English and the international language; in France the people will learn French and the international language; in Germany the people will learn German and the international language, and so forth. Thus it will be necessary to study only two languages. This will make school work much easier as you can see. In time, there will be a world script, and a world literature will develop from this new world language.

5. World Educational System

We have many false ideas about people in other countries, and they also have strange ideas about us. Some people, for instance, still think that this country is full of wild Indians who will shoot at them with bows and arrows. We may think this foolish, but we should not laugh because we have ideas about other people that seem just as foolish to them. Besides, each country likes to feel that it is just a little better than another and when history books are written, each country likes to write a bigger and better story about itself. But the day is not far off when we will have one educational system and if a person should move from America to India or China, he will find the same lessons taught in one country as another. [Page 8] 6. World Transportation and Communication. With the world growing smaller because we can move around in it quicker, we shall need a world system of transportation and communication. We shall have world airplane steamship and travel bureaus. We shall have direct world communication, freed from national hindrances, and made possible through the telegraph, the cable, and the radio.

7. World Currency. As we shall be travelling a great deal in this new age, there will be a world currency so that people will not have to stop to change their money at each country’s border. ‎Thirs This‎ world currency will be good in every country, and in time our old national forms of money will be discarded.

8. No Tariff. To make it easier to send products and raw materials from one country to another, all tariffs will be eliminated. This will also mean that many things will cost less and that even the poorer people can have some of the comforts and pleasures of life.

9. World System of Weights and Measures. Because of the increase of trade and sending goods from one country to another we shall also have a world system of weights and measures so that things can be weighed and measured alike all over the world, thus saving a great deal of time and added expense.

10. World Metropolis. Just as each nation has its capital city, so the world will have its capital, the seat of world government, to which people from all nations will travel for business and pleasure.

11. Punishment of Aggressors. Bahá’u’lláh said that one of the Laws in this day is that if one nation rise against another, all of the nations of the world must rise to stop it. In the past we see that usually only the nation which has been invaded has arisen to fight off the aggressors. But for the welfare of all the nations, every nation must, through the International Police Force if necessary, rise to stop any invader and thus stop any aggression.

LAWS FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD

But laws for the nations are not enough, because unless the people become better citizens and live a more God-like life, we shall not have a world of peaceful citizens. We must realize that from now on we are not just citizens of our own country, but "world citizens" as well, and that whatever affects the people in some other land affects us, too. Some of the Teachings for the spiritual improvement and character development of the individual, as revealed by Bahá’u’lláh, are:

1. Elimination of Prejudice. Bahá’u’lláh said that one of the greatest causes of our troubles and arguments is prejudice. Prejudice means that we make up our minds about someone or something before we know all about them. Is it fair for us to hate someone because he wears a suit or dress of a color we do not like, or because someone told us that he has not had any more than six years of schooling? If we do, this is one example of PERSONAL prejudice. Is it right for us to shun someone because he comes from another [Page 9] country, a country that once fought a war against our country? This is one example of NATIONAL prejudice. Is it fair for us to feel that our own country is the largest and best in the whole world? This is also NATIONAL prejudice and is also wrong. Is it right for us to dislike someone because his skin is a different color from our own? This is RACIAL prejudice. Or is it fair for us to despise someone because he does not belong to the same church or religious sect as we? This is an example of RELIGIOUS prejudice. If we want to help usher in an age of peace, we must watch our actions and thoughts each day. We must learn to do as ‘Abdu’l-Bahá said, "To look always at the good and not at the bad. If a man has ten good qualities and one bad one, to look at the ten and forget the one; and if a man has ten bad qualities and one good one, to look at the one and forget the ten." Also, Bahá’u’lláh warns, "How couldst thou forget thine own faults and busy thyself with the faults of others?" Each day we shall probably see some form of prejudice and we must learn to change hatreds into love, dislikes into pleasures, so that we can soon live without any prejudices at all.

2. Honesty and Truthfulness. Bahá’u’lláh calls us to a new standard of honesty and truthfulness. He says that "honesty is the greatest door to the security and tranquillity of mankind. The stability of every affair always depends on it," and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá reminds us, "Truthfulness is the foundation of all the virtues of mankind. Without truthfulness progress and success in all the worlds are impossible for a soul." We know that many people promise things they do not fulfill, and of this Bahá’u’lláh has warned, "He whose words exceed his acts, know verily, that his non-being is better than his being, his death better than his life." We must learn to be truthful and honest because God wishes it as a part of our development for our true destiny, and not because it brings us any earthly benefits. There is a certain satisfaction in knowing that you have done what is right in the eyes of God regardless of what others may say. And if you have been honest, in time it will be proven so.

3. Courtesy, Mercy, and Kindness. In the days to come we shall respect a person not so much for his deeds of valor and bravery, or because he is strong and bold, but because of his development of more God-like qualities. Among these are mercy, kindness, and courtesy. Bahá’u’lláh says, "Courtesy is indeed the lord of all virtues", and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá warns, "Beware lest ye deal unkindly toward any person! Beware lest ye be the cause of hopelessness to any creature! Should one become the cause of grief to any one heart, or of despondency to any one soul, it were better to hide oneself in the lowest depths of the earth than walk upon the earth." It is strange how many people are kind to animals and pets, but are very cruel to their friends. Of this Bahá’u’lláh says, "He (man) should show kindness to animals, how much more to his fellow-man, to him who is endowed with the power of utterance." It is not always easy to learn to be kind to someone who has harmed or hurt us or hurt our loved ones. But as there will be a world government and a world police force to keep in check any aggressors, we shall not need to be belligerent towards the enemies of society. And for us to nurse hatred in our hearts would only lead to further wars. That is why ‘Abdu’l-Bahá says, "Among the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh is one requiring man under all circumstances and conditions, to be forgiving, to love his enemy and to consider an ill-wisher a well-wisher. Not that one should [Page 10] consider another as an enemy and put up with him. Nay, rather, you must see your enemies as friends." Very often we are helped by those whom we consider our enemies, as they point out our faults, which our friends will not do. And once we know what our faults are, it is easier to know what to correct in our behavior.

4. Obedience. Unless one is obedient to the Laws of God, he will find himself in trouble. Just as surely as he becomes ill when he disobeys the laws of health and right living, so man will become sick and troubled both mentally and physically when he does not obey the Laws of God. The great reason for the wars and upheavals in the world today, the strikes, the riots, the calamities, are due to the failure of mankind to obey the Laws of God. Each person always seems to think that his own way is right, and he continues to do what he wishes until he gets into trouble. Then he calls to God for help and wonders why he doesn't find himself suddenly in a beautiful paradise. Besides obeying the Laws of the nations, and personal Laws for this age‎,, ,‎, we must obey the rule of the majority. For instance, if a group of people get together and discuss something they want to do, they should finally come to agreement because more than half of the people come to the same conclusion. Once this conclusion has been reached, all of the people should follow it, even though they may not have voted in favor of the decision, and still feel that their own ideas were right. By following the rule of the majority even though they may not agree with it, the whole group will see in a shorter time whether or not the decision was correct, and meanwhile there will be united effort towards the fulfillment of the project.

5. Prayer and Action. How often have we prayed, "Thy Will be done on earth as it is in heaven" and how often have we gone out that very same day and done something we know was contrary to all of the teachings of the Prophets? As long as we do this we cannot expect to have the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. Instead, we must learn to pray each day, asking God to help us to do what He wishes us to do. For this purpose Bahá’u’lláh has revealed daily obligatory prayers. For He says that prayer is both obligatory and indispensable. In the same way that our bodies need food each day in order to be healthy and strong, our souls, the most important part of us, need spiritual food in order to grow. And that food comes through prayer and meditation. After we pray, we should sit and think about the Words of God, and how we can apply them to our every-day life. Then we must practice those wonderful things about which we have just been thinking. For it is one thing to think of a nice way in which to please our parents and friends, but it is even better to really get busy and do that which will please them.

Part III

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

In every person's mind there are some important questions about life and living which have not been answered by any Prophet as fully until this age as they are today. Some of these questions are: [Page 11] 1. Is there a God? Yes, there is a God. To see the sun rise each day, to see the spring, ‎summor summer‎ and winter come each year, is in itself proof that there is some Plan behind the universe. And when there is a Plan, there must be a Planner. This Planner or Creator, we call God. He has been known as Jehovah, Alláh, Lord, God, and many other terms, but always the Creator of the universe has been meant.

2. What are heaven and hell? Heaven and hell are not places, but states of being. One can be in heaven when he is still on earth if he has done something good; and he can also be in hell while on earth if he has done something wrong. Heaven is nearness to God and hell is absence from Him. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá said, “No man can be happy without God though he may not know why he is miserable.” From this we can see that by doing good deeds and by loving and worshipping God, and by being obedient to His Laws as revealed by His Prophets, we can be in heaven. For we shall be happy, knowing that we are doing as He wishes. If we do the opposite, we are in that state of uncomfortable misery known as hell. Since our wealth in the next world depends upon our nearness to God, we can see why the Prophets have emphasized that we try to perfect ourselves, always do good, and thus always be in a state of heaven. For in this way we prepare ourselves to enjoy greater spiritual nearness to God.

3. Where do we go when we die? Bahá’u’lláh said that there are many worlds of God and that this life on earth is only one of them. When we die, our bodies return eventually to dust and ashes, but our souls go on to these other worlds. Our souls are free, like a bird, who has been released from a cage, and once they have left this earthly body, the souls go to the next world. Bahá’u’lláh tells us that the worlds after this world are so glorious and wonderful that if we could only see what they are like, we would not wish to stay on this earth, but would want to leave immediately.

4. Why are we here? Bahá’u’lláh tells us that we are on this earth to “know God and to worship Him.” Through the Messages brought by His Prophets, God reveals to us more of Himself. Through the beauties of His creation, He also ‎manifest manifests‎ Himself to us. The more we turn towards God, and study about Him through His Prophets, the sooner we begin to develop and to find our true selves.

5. Why do we have wars? We have wars because we disobey and ignore the Laws of God. If we obeyed even the law in the Ten Commandments “Thou shalt not kill”, we would not have had the many wars that have destroyed homes and people and villages for many centuries. But we can see that we have forgotten the Laws brought by the Prophets. And that is why God, in His mercy, has sent another Prophet—to remind us of His Laws. God’s Laws lead to love and harmony and peace, and until we obey them, we will have wars and other troubles.

6. Are prayers answered? Yes, all prayers are answered. But sometimes because the answer is “no” or is not what we wanted or expected, we feel that God did not answer our prayers. We must remember that God is wiser than we, and when He knows that something [Page 12] for which we pray is not good for us, He may not grant it to us. We should pray always to do God’s Will on earth and then realize that if troubles come our way, they are to teach us lessons in living. A wise parent does not give money to a child too freely, but makes him earn it. Likewise God may wish us to earn, through difficulties and trials, the qualities and traits of character we need for our life here and in the other worlds.

7. What is meant by Resurrection?

Each person’s resurrection or “being born again” comes when he recognizes the Prophet for his age, and accepts his teachings. Resurrection in Moses’ day was acceptance of Moses; resurrection in Christ’s day was the recognition of Christ as the Prophet; and resurrection in this age is the recognition of Bahá’u’lláh. For when a person recognizes the Prophet, he becomes spiritually alive and his life begins anew. You will remember that Christ said, “Let the dead bury their dead,” saying in effect, you disciples who have believed in Me are spiritually awake. You have important work to do. The same is true in this day. When one recognizes Bahá’u’lláh, he has an important part to play in bringing about the Kingdom of God on earth and he has begun to fulfill part of his true destiny.

8. What is the Day of Judgment?

Many people believe that there will be one day in which we will hear a trumpet and some angels will come from heaven to read a scroll telling who has been good and who has been bad. But this is pure imagination. The trumpet call is the voice of the Herald, announcing the new Messenger, and the Day of Judgment is that time after the Prophet has come when the people and nations either accept or refuse His Teachings. If they accept, they live peacefully and happily. But, if they refuse, they reap their own harvest of troubles. They bring about their own destruction by continuing to do wrong, and thus have a natural punishment for not obeying God’s Laws.

9. What will the peace be like?

Bahá’u’lláh says that after this present world upheaval, we shall have two kinds of peace: the Lesser Peace and the Most Great Peace. He said that after this great upheaval, the nations would get together and set up a world government, and that this would be the beginning of the Lesser Peace. But this will only be a peace among the nations, and not the real or lasting peace. The lasting peace, or Most Great Peace, will come only when men realize in their hearts that there is but one God, though they speak of Him by different names; when they realize that there is but one religion, which has been the same throughout the ages, and brought by one Prophet after another; and when they realize that mankind is but one race, one family of God’s creatures. And when they realize this, Bahá’u’lláh says that we shall have reached the beginning of the Most Great Peace. The Most Great Peace has been referred to in other Scriptures as “The ‎Millenium Millennium‎,” “The Kingdom of God on earth”, and “The Golden Age.”

10. What is the Kingdom of God on earth, or the Golden Age?

All of the Bibles and Scriptures of the past have foretold the time when we will have a wonderful “heaven on earth”, and when all things will be peaceful. But this does not come about by waving a magic wand; it comes through each person’s individual effort. Each one of us must recognize the Prophet of this age, and develop those spiritual qualities which are needed to bring such a Kingdom into being on earth. We must eliminate our prejudices and put into practice the Laws which Bahá’u’lláh revealed. For these Laws are necessary for the Golden Age and the sooner we put them into practice, the sooner we shall see a world of such peace and harmony that people will say, “This is truly the kingdom of God on earth.”