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Bahá’í News

September 1989

Bahá’í Year 146

The search for truth

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Bahá’í News

National Bank of Panama exhibit features Bahá’í Houses of Worship	1
A Bahá’í pioneer shares thoughts about his personal search for truth	2
Around the world: News from Bahá’í communities all over the globe	10

Bahá’í News is published monthly by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States as a news organ reporting current activities of the Bahá’í world community. Manuscripts submitted should be typewritten and double-spaced throughout; any footnotes should appear at the end. The contributor should keep a carbon copy. Send materials to the Periodicals Office, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091, U.S.A. Changes of address should be reported to the Management Information Systems, Bahá’í National Center. Please attach mailing label. Subscription rates within the U.S.: one year, $12; two years, $20. Outside the U.S.: one year, $14; two years, 24$. Foreign air mail: one year, $20; two years, $40. Payment in U.S. dollars must accompany the order. Second class postage paid at Wilmette, IL 60091. Copyright © 1989, National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. World rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.

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Display features Houses of Worship

On January 18, an exhibit of Bahá’í Houses of Worship around the world was officially opened at the Museum of the National Bank of Panama in Panama City. Temples pictured in the exhibit were those in Australia, Germany, India, Panama, Samoa, Uganda and the United States. In addition, the following buildings from the Holy Land were displayed: the Seat of the Universal House of Justice, the International Archives, the Shrine of the Báb, and the Mansion of Bahjí. The event was sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of Panama City which gave a warm welcome to distinguished guests who attended the inauguration of the exhibit. One local television station gave complete coverage to the exhibit while another broadcast a special invitation to the public to attend. Also, a widely read newspaper, The Star and Herald, published an article about the event. In general, invitations were sent to cultural, social and educational institutions including the Association of Architects and Engineers, where the Bahá’í community held a conference during the 12 days in which the exhibit was displayed. Pamphlets from several of the Houses of Worship were given out containing information on the Temples and the Faith; also, a complete range of Bahá’í literature was displayed. As a result of the exhibit, a representative of the Museum of the National Bank invited the Bahá’í community to provide Bahá’í literature for the bank’s newly inaugurated library as a part of its contribution to the culture and education of residents of Panama.

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‘The searching eye’

As a child I was encouraged to think my own thoughts, to keep an open but skeptical mind and to learn from others without blindly accepting their opinions. The discovery of truth by my own effort, I was told, was not only my right but my responsibility—especially in matters of religion.

I learned, for example, that it was not enough for me to believe in God: it was necessary that I investigate the question of God’s existence and find out whether He was real. Likewise, if any person or book claimed to reveal the Will of God, I was entitled—or rather, obligated—to ascertain for myself whether there existed reasonable grounds for such a remarkable claim. It was a question for evidence and verification, not mindless obedience.

This cautious attitude toward religion was not, as one might expect, something I acquired from agnostic relatives, secular teachers or materialist friends. It did not come from anyone wishing to undermine my spiritual convictions. It was a part of my religious training as a member of the Bahá’í Faith.

Taking this training to heart, I questioned everything including the validity of the religion that first taught me to ask awkward questions. During my college years I, like many others, became something of a doubting Thomas. I challenged my own reasons for believing in God, in an unseen spiritual world, in life after death, in divine revelation. For me this was a period of

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Critics of religion often view it as being, by its very nature, hostile to a free and open search for truth. Such hostility is certainly a key aspect of religious fanaticism, which in the minds of many is synonymous with religion itself.

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intense soul-searching and digging for answers.

Eventually, I found answers that satisfied me. My faith had survived its ordeal and was, if anything, stronger and more resilient as a result. The point, however, is that the process left me with an abiding interest in the “first principle”¹ of the Bahá’í Faith: the independent investigation of truth.

Although the search for truth forms a major theme of the Bahá’í sacred texts, it is tempting to dismiss the precept as too simple and obvious to warrant much comment. Its very straightforwardness tends to mask a variety of intriguing implications. Perhaps for that reason, it has drawn less attention than many other Bahá’í ideals such as the harmony of science and religion, equality of the sexes, world peace through world government, a universal auxiliary language, appreciation of racial and cultural diversity, and the like.

This essay represents one person’s investigation into the Bahá’í principle of search for truth—a turning of the practice inward upon oneself, one might say. After presenting some background information and opening thoughts, it will explore five concepts that seem to me implicit in this teaching, indicating how each one challenges commonly held notions or attitudes. It will, in the process, attempt to show that there is far more to the principle than may at first meet the eye—that it not only carries a mandate for taking charge of one’s own spiritual destiny, but offers a practical method for testing the claims of religion in general and the Bahá’í Faith in particular.

The role of faith

Critics of religion often view it as being, by its very nature, hostile to a free and open search for truth. Such hostility is certainly a key aspect of religious fanaticism, which in the minds of many is synonymous with religion itself. Before proceeding, therefore, let us see what Bahá’ís believe about the nature of religious truth and the meaning of faith.

This essay on the independent investigation of truth, “The Searching Eye,” was written by Gary L. Matthews, a Bahá’í who is presently serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in Grenada, where he works as an information specialist for the Grenada Cocoa Association.

The Bahá’í Faith “proclaims unequivocally the existence and oneness of a personal God, unknowable, inaccessible, the source of all Revelation, eternal, omniscient, omnipresent and almighty.”² God created all humanity “to know Him and to love Him”³ and “to carry forward an ever-advancing civilization.”⁴ This dual purpose is something man cannot achieve by his own unaided effort, since he has no direct access to the knowledge of God or His will. God therefore intervenes periodically in history (at intervals averaging roughly a thousand years), providing mankind with guidance through a chosen Messenger or Christ-figure—Jesus, Moses, Muhammad, Buddha, Krishna, Zoroaster and the other founders of world religions.

These Messengers—“Manifestations of God,” as Bahá’u’lláh terms them—“are one and all the exponents on earth of Him Who is the central Orb of the universe, its essence and ultimate purpose. From Him proceed their knowledge and power; from Him is derived their sovereignty.”⁵ “He hath manifested unto men the Day-Stars of His divine guidance ... and hath or-

[Page 3] dained the knowledge of these sanctified Beings to be identical with the knowledge of His own Self....Every one of them is the Way of God that connecteth this world with the realms above, and the Standard of His Truth unto every one in the kingdoms of earth and heaven.”⁶

Since these Divine Educators all speak for the same God, there can never be any true conflict among the religions they have revealed: “These principles and laws, these firmly-established and mighty systems, have proceeded from one Source, and are the rays of one Light. That they differ one from another is to be attributed to the varying requirements of the ages in which they were promulgated.”⁷ Each Manifestation of God updates the laws of His predecessor to reflect the changing needs and growing capacity of an evolving world, and each promises that God will send additional Revelations in the future. Bahá’u’lláh identifies Himself as the latest, but not the last, in this eternal series of Manifestations Who progressively reveal God’s will.

It follows that Bahá’ís—followers of Bahá’u’lláh—do not regard their Faith as having a monopoly on truth. They see all the great world religions, including their own, as successive chapters in a single continuous book. This universality, however, in no way dilutes the fact that they also believe without reservation in the divine authority of Bahá’u’lláh’s teachings. If Bahá’u’lláh says something, they will accept it as true simply because He says it. I believe many things on this basis, even when they are things I could not possibly investigate for myself.

At first glance this attitude may seem contrary to the principle of independent investigation of truth. Nevertheless, we can easily resolve the apparent contradiction. Bahá’u’lláh asks us to take His word for many things, but not for the most basic claim of all—namely, that He is the unerring “representative and mouthpiece”⁸ of the Creator of the universe. Instead, He marshals a host of compelling reasons—both logical and intuitive—to support the claim, inviting individuals to “consider His clear evidence”⁹ and to verify that “This thing is not from Me, but from One Who is almighty and all-knowing.”¹⁰

Now if someone is convinced, as a result of investigating the evidence, that Bahá’u’lláh is what He claims, it is only logical to accept the rest of His teachings. It would be self-contradictory not to do so. After accepting His claim, the believer continues his independent search for truth, but with a new focus. He no longer seeks to determine whether Bahá’u’lláh’s teachings are correct—this he has already established by authenticating their Source—but to develop an ever-growing understanding of them. This acceptance is a form of faith, but not as the term is commonly used, since there is nothing passive or mindless about it. It is the direct result of a struggle to see and to understand reality.

To many people, faith is by definition blind, so that the term “blind faith” is redundant. To Bahá’ís, however, “blind faith” is a contradiction in terms: “By faith is meant, first, conscious knowledge, and second, the practice of good deeds.”¹¹ In other words, our faith is the knowledge we choose to translate into action. It is neither ignorant emotionalism nor abstract intellectual conviction, but a deeply felt understanding reflected in life. It is an understanding which, because it stems from personal investigation, is capable of engaging both mind and heart. The independent search for truth is not a denial of faith, but its very foundation.

Bahá’u’lláh emphasizes the deeply individual nature of this quest: “... every man hath been, and will continue to be, able of himself to appreciate the Beauty of God, the Glorified. Had he not been endowed with such a capacity, how could he be called to account for his failure? ... the faith of no man can be conditioned by any one except himself.”¹²

The trap of imitation

“What does it mean to investigate reality?” asks ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. “It means that man must forget all hearsay and examine truth himself, for he does not know whether statements he hears are in accordance with reality or not. Wherever he finds truth or reality, he must hold to it, forsaking, discarding all else; for outside of reality there is naught but superstition and imagination.”¹³ “Although some attend churches and temples of worship and devotion,” He says, “it is in accordance with the traditions and imitations of their fathers and not for the investigation of reality....They have become accustomed to passing a certain length of time in temple worship and conforming to imitations and ceremonies.”¹⁴ He notes that a child typically adopts the religion of his parents as a matter of mere custom, not because “he has investigated reality and proved satisfactorily to himself” that it is right.¹⁵

There is a well-known experiment in psychology in which a number of individuals are asked to make an obvious visual judgment: for instance, whether a given shape is round or oblong. Only one participant, however, is really the test subject—the others, unknown to him, have been instructed to lie in their answers. All of them may seem to agree that the figure is perfectly round, even though it is plainly oblong. What will the subject do? This experiment has been repeated many times, with disturbing results: most people so tested will not only change their answers to conform with what they think the others see—they will actually change their perceptions. Often they will see the shape as perfectly round, despite its obvious distortion. We apparently have a strong tendency to see things in whatever way we think most others see them.

Bahá’u’lláh tells us to “see with thine own eyes and not through the eyes of others.”¹⁶ If this is difficult in connection with something as simple as a geometric figure, how much harder must it be with deeply felt emotional issues—especially if we have spent our lives in the company of people who may hold mistaken opinions about them? That this often happens should be clear to anyone who thinks about the pervasiveness of prejudice based on race, gender, nationality and the like (not to mention religion itself).

This implies that we all may have to make important decisions at times when it appears to us that either we are confused, or the rest of the world is. Under such conditions, most of us find it extraordinarily difficult to believe we could be right while everyone around us is wrong. However, we must learn to consider the possibility—and to judge it wisely, yet without intellectual pride—before we can reasonably hope to see with vision that is ours alone.

This knack for swimming against the

[Page 4] current of conformity appears to be a learned skill, an acquired habit—one that must be consciously cultivated and exercised before it becomes second nature. Fortunately, opportunities abound for practice. Many of these are trivial; a few, possibly, quite crucial. God’s attitude toward blind imitation, as interpreted by Bahá’ís, is graphically expressed in this symbolic passage from Bahá’u’lláh:

“If, in the Day when all the peoples of the earth will be gathered together, any man should, whilst standing in the presence of God, be asked: ‘Wherefore hast thou disbelieved in My beauty and turned away from My Self?’ and if such a man should reply and say: ‘Inasmuch as all men have erred, and none hath been found willing to turn his face to the Truth, I, too, following their example, have grievously failed to recognize the Beauty of the Eternal,’ such a plea will, assuredly, be rejected.”¹⁷

Now, what are some specific implications of the Bahá’í principle of individual search for truth?

A question of justice

The first implication is that independent investigation of truth is a moral necessity based on justice. The habit of personal search is depicted in Bahá’í texts as a responsibility or duty, a spiritual obligation, an essential ingredient of good character—just as honesty, kindness, dependability and many other traits are essential to good character.

In The Hidden Words—Bahá’u’lláh’s foremost ethical work¹⁸—we read: “The best-beloved of all things in My sight is justice; ... By its aid thou shalt see with thine own eyes and not through the eyes of others, and shalt know of thine own knowledge and not through the knowledge of thy neighbor. Ponder this in thy heart; how it behoveth thee to be.”¹⁹ “The essence of all that We have revealed for thee,” He writes elsewhere, “is Justice, is for man to free himself from idle fancy and imitation, discern with the eye of oneness His glorious handiwork, and look into all things with a searching eye.”²⁰

‘Abdu’l-Bahá says: “The first teaching of Bahá’u’lláh is the duty incumbent upon all to investigate reality.”²¹ “... every individual member of humankind is exhorted and commanded to set aside superstitious beliefs, traditions and blind imitation of ancestral forms in religion and investigate reality for himself.”²² The Bahá’í teachings further state that the Faith “enjoins upon its followers the primary duty of an unfettered search after truth.”²³

By emphasizing the ethical importance of investigation, Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá present it in a new light. Independent search is widely accepted as a convenient right, an option to be exercised or neglected at one’s dis-

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The habit of personal search is depicted in Bahá’í texts as a responsibility or duty, a spiritual obligation, an essential ingredient of good character—just as honesty, kindness, dependability and many other traits are essential to good character.

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cretion. The Bahá’í teachings, however, go considerably further in treating it as a moral imperative.

While investigation of reality applies with special force to religious faith, it—like religion itself—is seen by Bahá’ís as a continuing approach to all of life. Bahá’u’lláh’s admonition to “look into all things with a searching eye” is applied, in other passages from His works, to journalism²⁴ and judicial inquiry²⁵ (to cite only two examples).

The impact on unity

A second implication is that independent investigation of truth powerfully promotes the unity of mankind. Of all the insights one can find in the Bahá’í writings on this topic, this one, it seems to me, is both the most strongly emphasized and the most contrary to prevailing attitudes. Whatever else modern man believes about the search for truth, he does not believe this.

Popular expressions used in connection with the search for truth almost always bring to mind its supposedly disruptive nature rather than any unifying influence it may exert. For example, the term “free-thinker” suggests for many people (aside from its connotation of atheism) a moral anarchist, someone who disturbs the composure of others by attacking cherished ideals and traditions. Even those who strongly advocate, and commit themselves to, the individual quest for reality typically see themselves as “rocking the boat,” “doing their own thing” while “marching to the beat of a different drummer.”

But this is a short-sighted view. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá teaches that in the long run, it is the truth-seeker who fosters unity, while the conformist blocks it: “... all souls should consider it incumbent upon them to investigate reality. Reality is one; and when found, it will unify all mankind.”²⁶ “... by investigating (reality) all will find love and unity.”²⁷ “The greatest cause of bereavement and disheartening in the world of humanity is ignorance based upon blind imitation. It is due to this that wars and battles prevail; from this cause hatred and animosity arise continually among mankind.”²⁸

In every Revelation, according to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, “the light of Divine Guidance has been focused upon one central theme....In this wondrous Revelation, this glorious century, the foundation of the Faith of God and the distinguishing feature of His Law is the consciousness of the Oneness of Mankind.”²⁹ This oneness, He says, is “the pivot round which all the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh revolve”³⁰; promoting it is “the object of life for a Bahá’í.”³¹

For years I wondered why, if the teaching of oneness is so central to this Revelation, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá almost always described the investigation of truth as the “first principle” of the Faith. To put it another way, how can it be my “object of life” to promote the oneness of mankind if my “primary duty” (as quoted above) is “an unfettered search after truth”? There really is no conflict here, of course. The paradox is dispelled by seeing that the most effective way in which to promote the oneness of mankind is to base one’s life on the independent investigation of truth. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá flatly predicts that “all religions and nations of the world will become one through investigation of reality.”³²

This promise of eventual world unity is nothing new—it is found in the scriptures of all the great religions. In the Bible it is expressed as the “Kingdom of God on earth,”³³ the day of “one fold and one shepherd,”³⁴ when “nation shall not lift up sword against nation”³⁵ because “the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the

[Page 5] waters cover the sea.”³⁶ Bahá’u’lláh states that He is the promised Redeemer Whose mission is to usher in this long-awaited age of peace, and that His Revelation has set in motion the forces that will gradually bring it into being.

The nature of this unity, and the process by which Bahá’ís expect it to come about, are addressed in some detail in the sacred writings of the Faith. There is no need to dwell on these details (which, in any event, are likely to be convincing only to those who already accept Bahá’u’lláh as divinely inspired). But if one seeks to understand what Bahá’ís believe about the search for truth, it is essential to understand a few points about Bahá’u’lláh’s vision of the future.

According to Bahá’í prophecies, the unity of mankind will be established in two stages—the first political, the second spiritual. These stages are referred to, respectively, as the “Lesser Peace” and the “Most Great Peace.” The first stage—a world government or federation of nations—will be the direct result of events taking place “in this century.”³⁷ This preliminary unity will be established, out of sheer necessity, by nations that are still unaware of Bahá’u’lláh’s healing Revelation. Although it will be a vast improvement over the present international chaos, the “Lesser Peace” will be a fragile and limited unity, unable of itself to heal the deeper divisions afflicting mankind.

The long-term solution, or “Most Great Peace” (which may take centuries to reach) is defined in these words of Bahá’u’lláh: “That which the Lord hath ordained as the sovereign remedy and mightiest instrument for the healing of all the world is the union of all its peoples in one universal Cause, one common Faith. This can in no wise be achieved except through the power of a skilled, an all-powerful and inspired Physician.”³⁸

While this passage states that world unity cannot be achieved without divine aid, other Bahá’í texts indicate that humanity itself, through its own free will, must take an active part in the unifying process. It is in this context that search after truth becomes—in the Bahá’í view—not merely a personal concern but a pressing social issue. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá explains:

“We are considering the divine plan for the reconciliation of the religious systems of the world. Bahá’u’lláh has said that if one intelligent member be selected from each of the varying religious systems, and these representatives come together seeking to investigate the reality of religion, they would establish an interreligious body before which all disputes and differences could be presented for consideration and settlement. Such questions could then be weighed and viewed from the standpoint of reality and all imitations discarded. By this method and procedure all sects, denominations and systems would become one.”³⁹

I remember how astonished I felt when reading this for the first time, because to me it did not sound at all practical. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s next words then hit me: “Do not be astonished at this, or question its practicability.” He cites as one model the Bahá’í community itself, with its success in recruiting and harmonizing members from an amazing variety of seemingly irreconcilable religious backgrounds: “This is a proof of the possibility of unification among the religionists of the world through practical means.”⁴⁰

In today’s world, polarized as it is by religious warfare and fanaticism, it is indeed difficult to imagine Bahá’u’lláh’s proposal being taken seriously. Yet the Bahá’í writings foreshadow a future state of society, sometime after the arrival of the Lesser Peace, in which “the clamor of religious fanaticism and strife will have been forever stilled.”⁴¹ If—as Bahá’ís believe—the world is evolving toward this destiny, may there not come a time when most

[Page 6] of mankind is ready to investigate truth, sincerely and without prejudice? In such a world, could not the Council of Investigation proposed by Bahá’u’lláh prove effective in bridging the chasms that separate today’s contending faiths?

This proposal clearly does not mean that individuals should delegate their independent search for truth to a committee, whose conclusions they would accept blindly. That would negate everything else the Faith teaches about individual conscience. But an interreligious investigating body, offering its findings for independent verification by the masses of humanity, could facilitate and stimulate the efforts of countless private seekers. These combined efforts, in turn, could pave the way for that planetary spiritual unification that is the ultimate goal not only of the Bahá’í Faith but of all revealed religion.

The oneness of truth

To say that investigation has a unifying effect presupposes a third major implication, namely, that truth is one; it cannot contradict itself. This means that different people, seeking the truth along different paths, can eventually find the same truth because they share a single coherent reality.

The Bahá’í teachings are filled with statements such as: “No one truth can contradict another truth.”⁴² “... oneness is truth and truth is oneness which does not admit of plurality.”⁴³ “Reality does not accept multiplicity, nor is it subject to divisibility.”⁴⁴ “... outside of reality there is naught but superstition and imagination.”⁴⁵

Of course, the Bahá’í Faith recognizes the existence of paradoxes—statements that appear to contradict but in reality do not. Such seemingly divergent truths are reconciled as one gains a fuller understanding of their meaning. But the point is that when two statements really do conflict, only one can be right.

For years I considered this a mere platitude and imagined that everyone agreed with it. After all, in logic, mathematics and science, any self-contradictory statement is rejected as false by definition. I have come to suspect, however, that many people do not entirely believe in the oneness of truth (at least as it applies to religion). I recently discussed this with a friend who assured me that “if you believe something, that makes it true—for you. If someone else believes something different, then that’s true for him. ‘Truth’ is whatever you believe; that’s what the word means.”

The philosophy is one I first came across in college and have since heard from a number of people. I have no idea how widespread it really is. However, even if we reject such an idea in theory, we may unconsciously uphold it in practice. Any time we adopt con-

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Of course, the Bahá’í Faith recognizes the existence of paradoxes—statements that appear to contradict but in reality do not. Such seemingly divergent truths are reconciled as one gains a fuller understanding of their meaning.

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victions on the basis of comfort, convenience or any other criterion besides investigation, we are indeed implying that “truth is whatever you believe.” By reminding us of the oneness of truth, the Bahá’í teachings encourage us to renounce such confusion and the wishful thinking it engenders.

One irony is that the Bahá’í Faith itself, which flatly rejects any notion of conflicting realities, is often accused of supporting such a position. Bahá’ís are sometimes mistakenly described as people who think that “it doesn’t matter what you believe” since “all religions are true.” Seeing thousands of diametrically opposed, mutually exclusive religious beliefs, and imagining that Bahá’ís endorse all of them, an observer might well conclude that the Faith sees no problem with the idea of contradictory truths.

This is a misunderstanding. What Bahá’ís believe is simply that the original teachings of every religion—the inspired words of the Manifestations—are divinely revealed and true. Bahá’ís regard only these pure precepts as fundamentally consistent; they make no such claim for man-made dogmas and interpretations that have sprung up later. Over the centuries, every historic religion has become encrusted with thousands of conflicting creeds, doctrines, theologies and practices, none of which have any basis in the teachings of its founder.

Bahá’ís, as we have seen, do not hesitate to dismiss all such secondary ideas as “superstition and imagination.” In every religion adherents search for the underlying core of truth which, properly understood, provides a basis for genuine oneness. A contrived and artificial unity, created by closing one’s eyes to inconsistency, can never exert any lasting influence on society.

Discovery and verification

A fourth implication of the Bahá’í position is that an investigator can discover and verify spiritual truth through logical arguments based on evidence.

Many people today do not believe that spiritual truth is discoverable at all. Among them are many agnostics and skeptics who think it is useless even to speculate on such questions as the existence of God or life after death. This view is shared, in a way, by believers who insist that religion must be accepted purely “on faith” (by which they apparently mean blind credulity). Neither camp regards religious belief as the result of finding out what is real and what is not. Both see faith as a spontaneous act of will, a “gamble” one takes without knowing in advance whether it is actually justified. The Bahá’í Faith, as we have already seen, rejects all such extreme ideas.

Another view holds that spiritual truth is discoverable through investigation, but that such discovery is purely intuitive or emotional in nature. Religious experience is seen as being so private, so mystical and subjective as to be “beyond reason”—that is, it cannot be described or analyzed, only felt.

Although the Bahá’í attitude is somewhat different, the Faith does uphold the value of intuition as one guide to spiritual truth. Many people recognize the Manifestation of God because His life and words touch a responsive chord in the heart of the seeker, who becomes enraptured by their beauty. Every Manifestation inspires countless followers to live and die for His Cause, solely on this basis. Many of these followers would have difficulty explaining the strength of their convictions. There is nothing wrong with this. Some level of intuitive response or insight is clearly essential to religion; a purely intellectual assent to the Manifestation’s claim, without a heartfelt sense of His rightness, will not bring forth from

[Page 7] anyone the self-sacrificing commitment needed for spiritual and social progress.

And yet, we should not, according to the Bahá’í teachings, be content with an intuitive conviction. Relying solely on intuition at the expense of other human faculties is risky, says ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, for “When we apply but one test, there are possibilities of mistake.”⁴⁶ He describes a more balanced approach:

“Day and night you must strive that you may attain to the significances of the heavenly Kingdom, perceive the signs of Divinity, acquire certainty of knowledge and realize that this world has a Creator, a Vivifier, a Provider, an Architect—knowing this through proofs and evidences and not through susceptibilities, nay, rather, through decisive arguments and real vision....You must come into the knowledge of the divine Manifestations and Their teachings through proofs and evidences.”⁴⁷ “... we must be able to prove Divinity from the standpoint of reason so that no doubt or objection may remain for the rationalist. Afterward, we must be able to prove the existence of the bounty of God—that the divine bounty encompasses humanity and that it is transcendental.”⁴⁸

‘Abdu’l-Bahá expresses dismay at the lack of attention paid to this topic: “If you should ask a thousand persons, ‘What are the proofs of the reality of Divinity?’ perhaps not one would be able to answer. If you should ask further, ‘What proofs have you regarding the essence of God?’ ‘How do you explain inspiration and revelation?’ ‘What are the evidences of conscious intelligence beyond the material universe?’ ‘Can you suggest a plan and method for the betterment of human moralities?’ ‘Can you clearly define and differentiate the world of nature and the world of Divinity?’—you would receive very little real knowledge and enlightenment upon these questions....

“The intellectual proofs of Divinity are based upon observation and evidence which constitute decisive argument, logically proving the reality of Divinity, the effulgence of mercy, the certainty of inspiration and immortality of the spirit. This is, in reality, the science of Divinity.”⁴⁹

Reason, according to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, can do more than support and supplement one’s intuitive conviction—it can be the route through which one attains such certitude in the first place: “If thou wishest the divine knowledge and recognition, purify thy heart from all else beside God, be wholly attracted to the ideal, beloved One; search for and choose Him and apply thyself to rational and authoritative arguments. For arguments are a guide to the path and by this the heart will be turned unto the Sun of Truth. And when the heart is turned unto the Sun, then the eye will be opened and will recognize the Sun through the Sun itself. Then man will be in no need of arguments....”⁵⁰

The “proofs and evidences” of which ‘Abdu’l-Bahá speaks are set forth in a number of Bahá’í sources, notably Bahá’u’lláh’s Book of Certitude. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá Himself discusses them at length in Some Answered Questions and The Promulgation of Universal Peace; in His well-known letter to Dr. Auguste Forel, the Swiss entomologist; and in many other places.

Most of these logical arguments strike me as simple and straightforward; others, as requiring deep thought. A few of the latter, I freely admit, still are not clear to me after years of reflection; however, I do not need to understand clearly every argument before being convinced by what I see as the obvious soundness of the others.

As the Bahá’í Faith becomes better known, these arguments are bound to attract attention, both friendly and skeptical. In my opinion, Bahá’ís would do well to study them, so that we will be better prepared to understand and explain them when the need arises, as it surely will. (Also, I would hope, someone with a quicker mind than I have will help me to understand the ones I am still working on.)

Especially significant is ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s statement (quoted above) that such proofs are based on “observation and evidence” constituting “the science of Divinity.” Although most of the detailed arguments are beyond the scope of this brief essay, we can, through this and other statements, gain enough clues about their general nature to understand at least some of the reasoning whereby one can test the claim of Bahá’u’lláh. This theme is developed in the following section.

Scientific method

A fifth implication from the Bahá’í teachings is that the search for spiritual truth must take place in accordance with scientific method.

This touches on another vital Bahá’í teaching, that of the harmony of science and religion. True science and true religion, according to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, are alike in that “both are founded upon the premises and conclusions of reason, and both must bear its test.”⁵¹ He explains that “science is the discoverer of realities. It is of two kinds: material and spiritual. Material science is the investigation of natural phenomena; divine science is the discovery and realization of spiritual verities.”⁵² Moreover, the Bahá’í writings explicitly describe the Faith as “scientific in its method.”⁵³

These statements are important for many reasons, one being the light they shed on what ‘Abdu’l-Bahá means by “proofs and evidences.” Before discussing this, we must clarify two popular misconceptions. First is the notion that scientific method deals exclusively with material realities; second, that it can produce some sort of absolute knowledge.

Concerning the first misconception, many non-scientists assume that scientific method means nothing more than the use of physical instruments to study and measure physical things. If this were true, no religion could sensibly claim to be scientific in its method of investigating spiritual reality. One can hardly place God or the soul under a microscope for direct examination.

The problem with this idea is that it confuses the starting point of science with its end result. It is true that science, for its raw data, relies on direct observation. Knowing this, one may be tempted to assume that science itself is the study of directly observable phenomena—i.e., physical or material things. But no such inference is warranted. Scientists begin with directly observable evidence; but they are able (by using reason and mathematics) to deduce from such evidence its conclusions about all sorts of realities that are not directly observable or measurable,

[Page 8] and which in many cases are not material things at all.

Psychologists, for example, study such phenomena as imagination, memory, self-awareness and other mental faculties. None of these—whatever one may believe about their nature—is detectable by any physical instrument, although they exist and can be investigated.

Even in those sciences most directly concerned with physical reality, research into intangibles takes on great importance. Consider the proposition that “space is curved,” which is important in astronomy and cosmology. The curvature of space is deduced from physical evidence, but it is not a physical thing—it cannot be inspected through a telescope or analyzed with a spectrograph. It is an abstract aspect of reality, beyond observation and yet known by its observable effects. There is no obvious reason why at least some spiritual questions, such as the existence of God or the soul, could not be investigated in a similarly indirect manner.

The second misconception is that the scientific method produces “absolute knowledge” or “absolute proof.” This is entirely incorrect. Even the most rigorously verified explanations of science are called “theories”—a term intended to suggest that they could be revised in the light of new evidence.

A collection of scientific observations, however large, can always be explained in more than one way. There is no infallible method for choosing which way is correct. Given a range of competing explanations, each of which fits the available evidence, a scientist will prefer the simplest and most economical choice, that is, the one that does the most explaining with the least theorizing. This rule of thumb is called Occam’s Razor, or the law of parsimony. It is not a law at all, of course—merely a realization that unnecessary complexity provides a greater arena for error. A more elaborate explanation may actually turn out to be the correct one.

Newton’s theory of gravitation, for example, perfectly explained all of the observable data available in his day. Einstein later developed a different, more complex theory to accommodate new evidence—observations that Newton could not have anticipated. Now suppose a scientist in Newton’s time, knowing no more or less than Newton himself knew, had been presented with both the Newtonian and Einsteinian conceptions of gravity. Using Occam’s Razor, he would undoubtedly have chosen Newton’s model simply on the grounds of economy. Moreover, his decision would have been entirely rational, even though Einstein’s theory was, as we now know, more correct.

What this indicates is that no

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Scientists begin with directly observable evidence; but they are able (by using reason and mathematics) to deduce from such evidence its conclusions about all sorts of realities that are not directly observable or measurable ...

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amount of evidence can provide “absolute proof” of any scientific theory. Scientific “proof” is relative, a matter of high probability only. There is always an alternative explanation which, however improbably, may turn out to be right. In practice, however, a theory may acquire such high probability that we are justified in acting as if it were absolutely certain. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, while recognizing that “All human standards of judgment are faulty, finite,”⁵⁴ points out that a statement tested by all methods at our disposal, and supported by overwhelming evidence, “can be adjudged and relied upon as perfectly correct.”⁵⁵ We need not harbor illusions about the absoluteness of our knowledge in order to act upon it with a high degree of faith.

While this relative uncertainty of human knowledge is no cause for alarm, it is essential that we understand and accept it. By so doing, we give ourselves a powerful incentive to continually test, refine and expand our understanding of reality (whether in science or religion) and stay open to new information. Without such recognition of our limitations, we tend to become fanatical and narrow-minded.

With this background, we can give the following (admittedly sketchy and oversimplified) description of scientific method: A scientist, in seeking to understand something, constructs a tentative explanation (or “hypothesis”) that accounts as simply and neatly as possible for all observations known to him. He then decides what consequences should follow if the explanation is true, and tests these systematically, with a view to disproving the hypothesis. A scientist reasons, “If hypothesis X is true, then such-and-such must also be true”—then he tests the such-and-such. If observation does not bear out his prediction, he rejects the hypothesis. If it does, he must decide (more or less subjectively) how much it strengthens the probability that his explanation is correct. A hypothesis that is strengthened enough times, in enough ways, eventually becomes a “theory” and is accepted as verified (subject always, however, to later findings). This is the meaning of “scientific proof,” insofar as the expression has any meaning.

This procedure of inquiry is available to each of us, not merely to scientists. It is useful in evaluating any proposition, not only those that describe physical reality. It systematically uses all our faculties (including reason, intuition and common sense), not just sense perception. Scientific method enables us to determine the credibility of an explanation through repeated and varied attempts to discredit it. If we learn from such attempts that a theory is a reliable guide to experience, that its implications match earlier observations and accurately foretell later ones, then we can judge it worthy of acceptance and faith.

Now suppose we wish to test—as a scientific hypothesis—Bahá’u’lláh’s claim that He is a flawless Channel of communication from an all-knowing, infallible Supreme Being. It is admittedly hard to imagine any single-purpose test that could verify such a hypothesis to everyone’s satisfaction.

On the other hand, the hypothesis, if untrue, should be fairly easy to disprove. Bahá’u’lláh’s recorded utterances fill more than 100 volumes, of which He states: “Out of My mouth proceedeth naught but the essence of truth, which the Lord your God hath revealed.”⁵⁶ Such a claim entails consequences that anyone can test using observation and reason. This suggests many ways of investigating the Bahá’í hypothesis.

Here are a few indications that one

[Page 9] might consider: Bahá’u’lláh made many detailed prophecies. Have these been fulfilled, or have any been contradicted by subsequent events? He described scientific facts that were unknown in His lifetime. Have these been verified, or have any been decisively refuted during the past century? He says His words have a unique creative power to facilitate spiritual growth. Can we, by reading and reflecting on those words, experience such a power? A divinely perfect Being, we might expect, should make an extraordinary impression on those with whom He comes in contact. What effect did Bahá’u’lláh have on those around him? He dictated His books and letters at high speed, never pausing to revise or meditate, and often with no chance for premeditation. Was He able spontaneously to create finished works of the highest excellence, as revelation logically should be? Or do these writings (however brilliant they may be over-all) show the wide variations in quality one would expect of a human author composing extemporaneously? What opportunities did He have to acquire the knowledge He displayed? How well-documented are the circumstances of His life and writing? With a little imagination, one can find countless ways of testing Bahá’u’lláh’s claim.

For the sake of scientific argument, suppose we find that His many prophecies and scientific assertions check out with perfect accuracy (except for a few that remain open); that His words and life show a profound transforming effect on others; that His spontaneous compositions consistently display extraordinary literary beauty and depth of content; that His prescriptions for social and spiritual regeneration work; that any other tests we devise show the results we should expect if Bahá’u’lláh’s claim were true. One failure to disprove such a claim is not, in itself, proof of its validity. But if we take a scientific approach, using repeated attempts to discredit the Bahá’í hypothesis, we may eventually find that it explains the observed evidence with far greater economy and predictive power than any of the alternatives. In this sense, the claim of Bahá’u’lláh is as open to scientific testing and verification as any physical assumption or theory.

Unlike many scientific hypotheses, however, this question holds more than theoretical interest for anyone seeking its answer. Fortunately, any individual can make such an investigation; and no one, without having done so, can fairly prejudge what its outcome will be.

Summary

‘Abdu’l-Bahá has said that “nothing is of greater importance to mankind than the investigation of truth.”⁵⁷ This Bahá’í principle wins ready assent from persons of almost every persuasion; however, it is rich with implications that are not necessarily obvious or universally accepted. Among them are:

(1) Individual search for truth is a moral necessity based on justice; (2) it is a powerful way in which to promote the unity of mankind; (3) this unifying influence derives from the fact that truth is one, that all human beings share a single consistent reality; (4) an investigator can discover and verify spiritual truth by means of logical arguments based on evidence; and (5) this evidence must be evaluated in accordance with scientific principles and method.

These insights form the basis for a uniquely independent outlook on life—an outlook in which the individual accepts full responsibility for his or her own perceptions and beliefs. They also provide a sound framework for evaluating the claim of Bahá’u’lláh to divine knowledge and authority, and challenge every earnest seeker to undertake such an evaluation.

REFERENCES

1. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Paris Talks (London: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1979), pp. 135, 138; also, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace (Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1982), pp. 62, 314, 372.
2. Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By (Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1965), p. 139.
3. Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh (Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1971), sec. XXVII.
4. Ibid., sec. CIX.
5. Bahá’u’lláh, quoted in Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh (Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1974), p. 115.
6. Gleanings, sec. XXI.
7. Ibid., sec. CXXXII.
8. Ibid., sec. XXVIII.
9. Ibid., sec. XVIII.
10. Bahá’u’lláh, quoted in Shoghi Effendi, The Promised Day Is Come (Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í Publishing Committee, 1941), p. 41.
11. Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Bahá’í World Faith (Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1956), p. 383.
12. Gleanings, sec. LXXV.
13. Promulgation, p. 62.
14. Ibid., p. 221.
15. Ibid.
16. Bahá’u’lláh, The Hidden Words of Bahá’u’lláh (Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1979), p. 4.
17. Gleanings, sec. LXXV.
18. God Passes By, p. 140.
19. The Hidden Words, pp. 3-4.
20. Bahá’u’lláh, Writings of Bahá’u’lláh (New Delhi: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1986), p. 249.
21. Promulgation, p. 62.
22. Ibid., p. 433.
23. Shoghi Effendi, The Faith of Bahá’u’lláh (Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1980), p. 9.
24. Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, pp. 189-90.
25. Gleanings, sec. CXIII.
26. Promulgation, p. 372.
27. Ibid., p. 127.
28. Ibid., p. 391.
29. The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 36.
30. Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 42.
31. Shoghi Effendi, quoted in The Spiritual Revolution (Thornhill, Ontario: Canadian Bahá’í Community, 1974), p. 9.
32. Promulgation, p. 433.
33. Matthew 6:10.
34. John 10:16.
35. Isaiah 2:4.
36. Isaiah 11:9.
37. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, quoted in The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 39.
38. Gleanings, sec. CXX.
39. Promulgation, pp. 233-34.
40. Ibid.
41. Shoghi Effendi, in The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 41.
42. Paris Talks, p. 137.
43. Promulgation, p. 454.
44. Ibid., p. 373.
45. Ibid., p. 62.
46. Ibid., p. 255.
47. Ibid., pp. 227-28.
48. Ibid., p. 325.
49. Ibid., p. 326.
50. Bahá’í World Faith, p. 383.
51. Promulgation, p. 107.
52. Ibid., p. 138.
53. Shoghi Effendi, Selected Writings of Shoghi Effendi (Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í Publishing Committee, 1942), p. 7.
54. Promulgation, p. 22.
55. Ibid., p. 255.
56. Gleanings, sec. CLIII.
57. Promulgation, p. 63.

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Pace of growth accelerates

Andaman/Nicobar Islands

A week-long teaching project held in January in Rangat and five surrounding villages in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands reached people from a wide range of social strata. Among the 43 people who embraced the Cause during the effort were two police officers and a school principal.

Australia

Gubboo Ted Thomas, a tribal elder of the Yuin people of the south coast of New South Wales, Australia, has enrolled in the Faith.

Mr. Thomas, who is well-known throughout Australia, especially among environmentalists and groups concerned with conservation, was a keynote speaker in April at the Earth-walk Conference at Ayers Rock, in central Australia, which was attended by other indigenous people from many countries including Iroquois, Onondaga, Mohawk and Winnebago Indians from North America.

Bangladesh

Teaching victories in Bangladesh continued in May as 2,000 new believers were enrolled, raising the total number of fresh recruits to 7,000 during the past five months of ongoing teaching activities.

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Since its beginning in November 1988, the Quddús Teaching Campaign in the Kulna district of Bangladesh reports eight new local Spiritual Assemblies, 25 new localities, and 225 new Bahá’ís in the Piroozpur district, bringing to 2,200 the total number of new believers enrolled in the campaign.

During the first week of February, the recently contacted Monda Adibashi tribe was visited by two traveling teachers. As a result, two entire villages became Bahá’í and one new Assembly was formed.

Belize

A resident Bahá’í teaching team is active in Belize, its efforts dedicated to the memory of a martyred member of the National Spiritual Assembly of Iran.

During the first few months of this year the team’s activities were aided by Bahá’ís from Canada whose presence made possible the initiation of new and successful projects.

More than 100 new believers were enrolled in Belize City, and follow-up deepening visits are made regularly. Classes and other activities for children were begun, and the team helped new believers as they began to hold firesides in their homes.

Bolivia

A report from this year’s Bahá’í National Convention in Bolivia states that more than 3,000 new believers were enrolled in that country during the past year, and that the continuing momentum “gave a special radiance” to the Convention.

Brazil

During the planning stages of a teaching campaign launched recently in the state of Bahia, Brazil, 239 people embraced the Faith, and within 18 days of its official beginning, the number had risen to 360.

The campaign is being coordinated by the local Spiritual Assembly of Salvador with support from three Auxiliary Board members and the State Teaching Committee.

Deepening classes have begun in 30 homes while many children’s classes have been organized.

Burkina

Motivated by the Riḍván 1988 message from the Universal House of Justice, the Spiritual Assemblies of the Zecco region in Burkina are experiencing a renewal of energy and activity. About 30 Bahá’ís from eight local Assemblies in the area began a teaching project in the village of Nibrogo, near the Ghanaian border.

On the third visit to Nibrogo, 100 villagers embraced the Faith and a local Assembly was formed. Afterward, two new Bahá’ís from that Assembly attended a four-day deepening session.

Another project was begun in the area of Ziou, which at one time had an active Bahá’í community. It has led to the reactivation of many Bahá’ís and the enrollment of others.

Canada

A teaching project was begun last summer in the Fort Vermillion area of northern Alberta, Canada, in memory of Mrs. Gol Aidun, a Bahá’í who led a life of devoted service to the Faith until her untimely death in India in 1986.

The project, which lasted for two months, resulted in 27 new believers and opened the way for further teaching opportunities by introducing the Faith to the elders and traditional spiritual leaders of the area.

Central African Republic

Between October 1988 and April 1989, 657 people embraced the Faith in the Central African Republic. Intensive teaching work has opened 26 localities, while 14 new local Spiritual

[Page 11] Assemblies have been formed. According to a telex from the National Spiritual Assembly, rigorous plans for consolidation have been put into place.

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More than 200 people including a district chief and a village chief were enrolled in the Faith during a recent teaching campaign in Sibut and Ndjoukou, Central African Republic.

Some 30 new localities were opened to the Faith during the campaign while six new local Spiritual Assemblies were formed.

The campaign was organized by the National Teaching Committee. As a part of the effort, the Mobile Bahá’í Institute traveled to five selected towns and villages, showing slides to more than 5,000 people. A hundred copies of the peace statement and 200 Bahá’í pamphlets were given out to local authorities in the goal areas.

Fiji

More than 1,000 people have embraced the Faith since the beginning last May of Fiji’s Olinga Teaching Project.

In recognition of the need for consolidation, a special three-day institute was held in July to train teachers in how to deepen new believers.

The gathering marked the opening of the third phase of the project, during which a 10-member teaching team will concentrate primarily on expansion while a dozen others will work mainly on consolidation of the new Bahá’ís and the formation of local Spiritual Assemblies.

Guyana

In May, 878 new believers were enrolled in the Faith in Guyana, where extensive teaching is being carried on all over the country in response to a goal set by Guyana’s Bahá’í community to enroll at least 10,000 new believers between May 1, 1989, and Riḍván 1990.

Hong Kong

As of mid-February, more than 600 people had embraced the Faith as a result of the Martha Root Teaching Campaign, which was begun last October following a “Spiritualization Institute” in Hong Kong.

A four-member teaching team has been working full-time in the campaign, in addition to a number of individuals who have participated on a part-time basis.

India

In June, 97,342 people were reported to have enrolled in the Faith in Uttar Pradesh, India. These remarkable victories are due in large part to the work of some 120 volunteers who revisited 350 Assembly areas in three districts where intensive teaching activities were carried out last year.

Mass consolidation is going hand-in-hand with teaching, and some 2,000 of the new believers are said to have memorized Bahá’í prayers and some of The Hidden Words.

Japan

Since April, more than 100 people have embraced the Faith in the Kyushu area of Japan as a result of regular meetings held on the farm of Mr. and Mrs. Noguchi.

Also, a growing number of enrollments in the Tokyo area has resulted from the work of an active corps of youth who bring friends to firesides, hand out copies of the peace statement, and plan various activities in which their friends can take part.

Kiribati

The first phase of a teaching campaign in North Tarawa, Kiribati, has been completed with 70 new believers enrolled, which is three percent of the population of that community.

The campaign, named for the late Hand of the Cause of God Rahmatu’-lláh Muhájir, began last December on the heels of a National Youth Conference.

Consolidation activities are under way, and the plan is to continue the expansion efforts after a short respite.

Mariana Islands

Seven new believers embraced the Cause during an evening meeting held in conjuction with the 12th Bahá’í National Convention of the Mariana Islands.

A telex from the Convention said that a 39 percent increase in membership had been experienced during the past year.

Mexico

The first week of a teaching campaign launched on the eve of Naw-Rúz in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico, resulted in the enrollment of 94 adults, 47 youth and 79 children.

A significant element of the teaching work has been the leading role played by Mayan believers. The enthusiastic teachers are now carrying the campaign to other areas of the Yucatan peninsula.

Nigeria

The Marian Crofford/South Plateau Teaching Campaign, carried out last January 29-February 12 from the Ipaa Bahá’í Center in Plateau State, Nigeria, resulted in 323 enrollments, the formation of seven new local Spiritual Assemblies, the opening of 10 localities to the Faith, visits to 46 communities, the holding of 10 children’s classes, and the presentation of copies of the peace statement to the headmaster of the Adabu Tudun School and the Emir (chieftain) of Lafia.

The campaign, centered in the rural bushland home of the Tiv people, required considerable work to maintain daily living requirements including a 30-minute drive to Lafia to collect clean drinking water.

The Tiv people had been introduced to the Faith over the past 20 years, especially since the arrival of Marian Croffor, a pioneer from Canada who lived in Lafia from 1976-83.

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As a result of an afternoon teaching program at Oghara Junction, Nigeria, during a recent week-long Bahá’í school, 67 people embraced the Faith. In addition, an intensive teaching project following the school session resulted in 85 enrollments.

Peru

Expansion of the Cause continues in Peru with 101 enrollments reported in the Peruvian high plateau area as a result of a recent teaching campaign.

[Page 12]

Sao Tóme/Príncipe

A recent six-week teaching trip to Sao Tóme and Príncipe, two remote islands in the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean, by Auxiliary Board member Kobina Amissah Flynn resulted in the opening of new localities, the formation of Groups and a local Spiritual Assembly, and the enrollment of many new Bahá’ís.

Among the new believers are members of all three tribal groups on the islands—Foro, Angolar and Nonkor.

Senegal

A seven-day teaching project dedicated to the memory of the first African Bahá’í martyr, Eduardo Duarte Vieria (1921-66), and based in the Ziguinchor region in Bignona, Senegal, has resulted in 19 localities being opened to the Faith and 219 new enrollees including five village chiefs.

The project was planned by the National Spiritual Assembly of Senegal in collaboration with the Continental Board of Counsellors.

A significant feature was the sincerity and enthusiasm with which villagers greeted the Bahá’í teachers who were often asked, “Why did you not come earlier to bring us this wonderful Message?”

Each village was visited twice, and a group of teachers returned a month later to deepen new believers and help in the formation of local Spiritual Assemblies.

Seven Assemblies were formed on the return trips and 180 more new believers were enrolled. One village, Boulighoye, is now entirely Bahá’í.

Singapore

The impact of a nine-day “Spirit in Action” Institute conducted by two pioneers from Taiwan, Jack Davis and Kazuo Honda, led to more than 90 enrollments in Singapore.

The institute, similar to several conducted by the same teachers in Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau, was held at the request of the National Spiritual Assembly as a prelude to the Asia-Pacific Regional Conference last December.

It drew more than 40 participants including Counsellor Rose Ong, members of the Auxiliary Board and National Spiritual Assembly, and a large number of women, youth and children.

Thailand

From May 20-June 10, more than 575 people were enrolled in the Faith in Thailand, whose National Spiritual Assembly has set high goals for the community and has seen the friends arise to meet the challenge.

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A teaching campaign involving 43 Bahá’ís including six Auxiliary Board members, five members of the National Spiritual Assembly, and five youth and pre-youth was held in Thailand in March.

By the ninth day of the campaign, 86 new believers had embraced the Cause.

Trinidad/Tobago

The “Borrah Kavelin Teaching Team” has announced the enrollment of 450 new Bahá’ís during a three-week campaign in May and June on the island of Tobago.

Venezuela

More than 225 people embraced the Faith in Bolivar, Venezuela, as a result of a teaching campaign carried out by 50 young Bahá’ís from all parts of the country who named the campaign “We cannot fail them” in honor of the Bahá’ís of Iran.

In the morning the youth visited new Bahá’ís to deepen them; afternoons were spent teaching, while evenings included public meetings featuring talks on various aspects of the Faith. Announcements of the public meetings were broadcast on local radio.

Zambia

More than 250 people were enrolled in the Faith during the first three months of 1989 in various regions of Zambia.

The Spiritual Assemblies of Ntambu, Museli and Saigilunga organized a teaching campaign in that area during which 44 people accepted the Faith. A new Assembly was formed in Kawazhaika.

From December 25, 1988, to January 20, 1989, the number of new believers in the Mumbwa area was increased by 119, and more recently the Area Teaching Committee has been so busy teaching that its members haven’t had time even to report their successes.

A teaching team whose members completed the advanced course at the William Masehla Bahá’í Institute traveled March 21 to Kaoma and returned with the news of 28 enrollments.

Another Bahá’í, Dominic Kalulu, reported that after his recent transfer to Mbala he found some long-time Bahá’ís in that area. Teaching activities soon began, and the number of believers has grown to 13.

In April, a campaign organized by the Spiritual Assembly of Bangwe, with help from five Bahá’ís from Ndola and one from Chingola, led to the enrollment of 49 new believers in villages visited by the teaching team.

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Hawaii

A Bahá’í-sponsored Community Assistance Program (B-CAP) is in its second year of service in Hawaii.

Spearheaded by Zabine Linkins under the supervision of the secretary of Hawaii’s National Spiritual Assembly, B-CAP includes deepening and counseling on marriage and re-marriage, help with family problems, a food bank, and a program for the elderly.

Built into the B-CAP program are three essential parts. The first is reliance on the Bahá’í Writings for an approach to personal problems; second is referral to professional agencies, doctors or social workers to handle particular problems; and third is involvement of the local Spiritual Assembly in each program.

B-CAP is sponsored by the National Assembly in recognition of the fact that Bahá’ís are subject to and affected by the problems of society as a whole. It represents an attempt by the Bahá’í community to take care of its own members, and to train a cadre of volunteers to work with Bahá’ís who are willing to change their lifestyles in response to their belief in the Teachings of Bahá’u’lláh but who need help to make those changes.

[Page 13]

Guinea Bissau/Macau

Two more National Spiritual Assemblies, those of Macau and Guinea Bissau, were formed at Riḍván, bringing to 151 the total number of National Assemblies worldwide.

In Macau, the Hand of the Cause of God Amatu’l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum represented the Universal House of Justice; in Guinea Bissau, the Supreme Body was represented by Counsellor Rolf von Czekus.

Also present in Macau were representatives of the National Spiritual Assemblies of Hong Kong, Australia, Japan and Malaysia.

The celebration included a dinner in honor of Amatu’l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum which was also attended by the chief of the Cabinet of the Governor of Macau, representing the governor; officials of the Xinhua News Agency; and other government officials and community leaders.

In Guinea Bissau, Counsellor Husayn Ardekani represented the Board of Counsellors in Africa while a member of the “mother” Assembly of the Gambia was present with one Auxiliary Board member for Guinea Bissau, 15 delegates and 26 guests.

The seat of the new National Spiritual Assembly is in Bissau.

Pictured with Counsellors Rolf von Czékus (right), representing the Universal House of Justice, and Husayn Ardekani (left), representing the Board of Counsellors in Africa, are the members of the first National Spiritual Assembly of Guinea-Bissau who were elected at that country’s National Convention last April 29.

The Hand of the Cause of God Amatu’l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum (seated front row center) is pictured with the members of the first National Spiritual Assembly of Macau, elected at Riḍván 1989, and Counsellor for Asia Bijan Farid (seated next to her and holding the Greatest Name).

Samoa

A special service was held May 28 at the Bahá’í House of Worship in Apia, Samoa, to commemorate the 27th anniversary of that country’s independence.

The service was dedicated to World Environment Day and was attended by more than 300 people of whom more than 200 were not Bahá’ís.

Special guests included Cabinet ministers, members of Parliament, the diplomatic corps, and heads of various governmental departments.

Following the devotional service, Marco Kappenberger, a Bahá’í who was visiting from Switzerland, addressed the audience, pointing out that the major threats to the global environment are manifestations of a worldwide sickness of the human spirit.

This is marked, he said, by “an overemphasis on material things and a self-centeredness that inhibits our ability to work together as a global community.”

The head of the government’s Environmental Program, Forestry Division, spoke about the need to make people aware of this important topic, and thanked the Bahá’ís for their contributions to the effort.

Tafaese Lautua, a member of Parliament, also thanked the Bahá’ís on behalf of the minister of Lands and Survey/Park Preservation.

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Luxembourg

Nassim Toloui, an 11-year-old Bahá’í from Diekirch, Luxembourg, recently won first prize in a contest for elementary school students sponsored by the European Community.

Each entrant was to answer the question, “How can you, as a child, contribute to peace?”

Nassim’s essay was chosen as the best paper from Luxembourg. First prize was a trip to New York City with her teacher, where she was named from among the winners to read her paper before a meeting of the United Nations.

“Peace is only possible,” she wrote, “if each human being is conscious of his or her deeds and is willing to contribute his or her part for the establishment of peace.

“It may even start in a small school. If, as pupils, we are kind to each other and make no difference of race, if we make no difference between rich and poor, we have already made a contribution to peace. And that is not difficult at all. To bring about peace, we must not leave the main responsibility to more powerful people....”

Mauritius

The National Spiritual Assembly of Mauritius used the occasion of its 25th anniversary to proclaim the Faith to all strata of society in that country. A press conference was held to announce the occasion, and the event was reported in two newspapers and on National Television news.

Representatives from the National Assembly paid visits to explain the significance of the anniversary to the governor-general of Mauritius, the deputy prime minister, attorney general, minister of justice, minister of external affairs and emigration, the lord mayor of the city of Port-Louis, and other dignitaries.

Three talks about the Faith were given at secondary schools by Gilbert Robert and José Moutou with an average attendance of 70.

An exhibit tracing the development of the Faith in Mauritius over the past 25 years was presented at the Bahá’í Institute in Quatre-Bournes. It was opened by the mayor before an audience of about 100 including dignitaries and media representatives.

National Television also covered this event on its news programs.

The celebration was ended with a National Conference in the auditorium of the Mahatma Gandhi Institute. Attending were 600 Bahá’ís, the prime minister of Mauritius, the leader of the opposition, the ambassador from France, representatives from several religious groups, and other well-known persons.

In an address to the conference, the prime minister mentioned Bahá’í principles and thanked the Bahá’í community for its commitment to and involvement in the promotion of peace in Mauritius. His talk was covered by National Television and by the press.

Argentina

A display by the Bahá’í Publishing Trust of Argentina draws attention during the annual Book Fair in Buenos Aires last April. This marked the sixth year in which the Publishing Trust took part in the event, which was visited this year by an estimated one million people.

Thailand

In March, about 43 Bahá’ís attended a nine-day institute in Thailand with two pioneers from Taiwan, Jack Davis and Kazuo Honda.

In one district, Aranyaprathet, the Bahá’í population increased from 17 members to 75 in one month, due largely to inspiration imparted by the institute.

A feature of recent teaching successes has been the enrollment of many families. For example, 16 members of an extended family in a Vietnamese area of the community have enrolled. While parents are often busy, they encourage their children to take part in Bahá’í activities. As a result, youth have brought their peers to learn about the Faith, and these youth in turn are becoming Bahá’ís.

Deepening classes are in progress and children’s classes are planned.

•

On March 5, a two-hour program organized by the Bahá’ís of Bangkok to commemorate International Women’s Day was held at a popular shopping mall in Ramkhamhaeng.

The program consisted of readings from the Bahá’í writings about women, a performance by a group of Taiwanese who work at the Thai-Chinese Refugee Service Agency, and songs by a group of young people. Many pamphlets on peace and women were distributed. As a result, at least two people embraced the Cause.

[Page 15]

India

Through the efforts of a local Bahá’í, farmers in the Rajja Ka Purwa village in Uttar Pradesh, India, are learning updated farming techniques to help them in their work.

Mahendra Singh, a member of the local Spiritual Assembly of the village, has found a way to be of special service to the community even though he is paralyzed from the waist down.

Each day he listens to the radio and reads magazines, looking for information about agriculture that might be useful to the farmers, then each evening he shares that knowledge with residents of the community.

Mahendra Singh, a Bahá’í from the village of Rajja Ka Purwa, Uttar Pradesh, India, provides an important service to his community despite a physical handicap. He is shown listening to the radio, gathering timely information about agriculture to share with farmers in his area.

The villagers have shown great interest in his news and have gathered at his home in great numbers. As a result, farmers have modernized their methods and the villagers have become more prosperous in their work.

•

During April a record number of people—309,145—visited the Bahá’í House of Worship in India.

The record total was due primarily to the presence in the neighborhood of a “Navratri Mela” (nine-day fair). The last day of the fair was April 14, and on that day alone nearly 50,000 people visited the Temple.

Among the dignitaries who toured the building in April were Yang Hyong Sop, chairman of the Supreme Peoples Assembly of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (Speaker of the North Korean Parliament); Mr. Setiawan, consul for the Indonesian Embassy; and Alf Arne Ramslien, assistant resident representative for the Royal Norwegian Embassy who wrote in the visitors’ book: “We have felt a special peace and love by visiting this place....”

Various groups visited the Temple as well including more than 400 participants in a Conference of the American Society of Travel Agents.

Also visiting were 66 Chinese Buddhists from Taiwan and 32 people from African countries including Kenya and Zimbabwe.

Also during April, Bahá’ís from all over India attending the National Bahá’í Convention were present at the House of Worship for an observance of the Ninth Day of Riḍván.

Also attending that program were Dr. Farzam Arbáb, a Counsellor member of the International Teaching Centre; Continental Counsellors B. Afshin and Zena Sorabjee; and members of the National Spiritual Assembly of India.

•

A group of Australian journalists on a nationwide tour at the invitation of the government of India chose as one of their tour stops the Bahá’í House of Worship at Bahapur (New Delhi).

During a lengthy visit, they were fascinated to learn that a fellow Australian had traveled all the way to India to volunteer at the Temple for no personal or monetary gain, but only because she is a Bahá’í. The volunteer, Maria Cox, was interviewed extensively for the Australian media.

•

The New Era Development Institute, an agency of the National Spiritual Assembly of India, trains Bahá’ís from villages to be community health workers. These newly trained Bahá’ís are now bringing health education to their home areas.

From January through March 1989, Bahá’ís presented health education programs to about 3,000 people in eight villages in India.

Programs include talks, films and songs about health, specifically on the prevention of disease, individual responsibility for one’s own health, the importance of mothers knowing how to take care of their children’s health, and the importance of good nutrition, hygiene and sanitation.

•

The Bahá’í Mobile Deepening Institute in the State of Uttar Pradesh moves from village to village on a bullock cart and has become known as the “Bahá’í Shanti Rath,” which means “Bahá’í Peace Chariot.”

The Peace Chariot teaches mainly through videos that depict aspects of the Faith and Bahá’í community life.

•

Twenty-nine Auxiliary Board members from seven Asian countries and 11 states of India met February 5-15 at the 12th annual Auxiliary Board conference in Panchgani, where they consulted on ways to continue the teaching victories and to achieve the remaining goals of the Six Year Plan.

[Page 16]

United Kingdom

Major breakthroughs in teaching resulted from a month-long visit to the United Kingdom this spring by Donald Rogers, a Counsellor member of the International Teaching Centre.

Mr. Rogers spent two days in each of eight communities. His purpose was to embolden the Bahá’ís, making them more audacious in their approach to teaching and inviting others to enter the Faith.

The approach led to enrollments at each meeting held during his stay, indicating the readiness of people in the United Kingdom to embrace the Faith in greater numbers.

During a weekend project in Liverpool, about 80 Bahá’í youth from throughout the country invited 2,000 people from various parts of the city to a series of public meetings.

The theme of these gatherings, “The Remaining Years of the Twentieth Century and the Bahá’í Faith,” challenged those attending to recognize Bahá’u’lláh and to join with the Bahá’ís in completing the work of the Faith which is outlined for this century.

Six enrollments followed, with each person representing a different element of the city’s population, thus providing an opening for teaching the diverse strata of society in the area.

•

A group of five Bahá’í youth, pre-youth and children from Castlereagh, Northern Ireland, has begun a fundraising project.

The young people offer a catering service which on two occasions has served four-course meals, and they have won a reputation for courtesy and excellent service as well as for the originality of their uniforms.

•

The Bahá’í Faith has been placed with mainstream religions by a leading anti-cult organization in the United Kingdom. The Family Action Information and Rescue Organization (FAIR) is well-regarded by the establishment and has extensive information banks on cults and their activities. It is to FAIR that many people turn to learn whether a given group is a cult or cult front.

In FAIR’s spring 1989 newsletter, the editor writes, “In the course of our work we often have to decide whether or not a group enquirers want us to investigate fits into FAIR’s brief. We do have some firm guidelines. For example, orthodox world religions such as Islam, Buddhism, Judaism and the Bahá’í Faith are clearly outside our brief, as are mainstream Christian denominations. When it comes to break-away groups of either of these, the situation is not quite so straightforward.”

•

Three segments of the radio program “Words of Faith,” broadcast by the BBC’s World Service in January, paid tribute to the life and writings of a Bahá’í, the late renowned potter, Bernard Leach.

The presentations were by the assistant curate of the Church of St. Mary, Redcliffe, Bristol, England, who some 50 years ago had read A Potter’s Book, written by Mr. Leach and now used as a ceramics textbook all over the world.

Besides being impressed by the technical information in the book, he said, he was moved by the spiritual implications of the author’s work and by “the sheer humanity of the writing.”

•

Guilda Walker, liaison officer for the Bahá’í Office of Public Information in London, England, attended a conference on the environment March 5-7 sponsored by the British government.

Mrs. Walker, attending as a member of the Foreign Press Agency (FPA), was able to develop further relations with some of the 140 ministers of the environment attending from various countries; with the media, answering their questions about the relationship of the Faith to the environment; and with members of the United Nations Environmental Program.

Bahá’í International Community

“Health for All by the Year 2000 Through Primary Health Care” is the challenging goal adopted by the World Health Organization (WHO), an agency of the United Nations, for the remainder of the last decade of the 20th century. The Bahá’í International Community has agreed to undertake a number of programs in collaboration with WHO toward achieving this goal.

Programs to be undertaken by the Bahá’ís include:

• promotion among Bahá’í communities worldwide of the 40th anniversary of the World Health Organization and the 10th anniversary of the Alma-Alta Declaration on Primary Health Care;
• encouragement to Bahá’í communities to incorporate primary health care in their educational efforts to promote WHO’s global strategy for health for all;
• support by the seven Bahá’í radio stations for WHO’s global strategy for health for all and the global program on AIDS;
• co-sponsorship with WHO of a public health association in Burkina Faso;
• the promotion, translation, publication and dissemination of health education materials;
• assistance by Bahá’í community health workers in carrying out the program of immunization of the Ministry of Health of Kenya.

At the end of 1991 a joint assessment will be made of the collaboration between the Bahá’í International Community and the World Health Organization.

Nicaragua

The National Bahá’í Youth Committee of Nicaragua recently organized an Arts Festival to raise money for the pediatrics ward of a hospital in the city of Jinotepe.

About 300 people attended the three-hour festival which featured performers from a variety of backgrounds. The event received considerable coverage from local radio, television and newspapers.

Thailand

Seventy-seven people attended this year’s Bahá’í summer school at Lampam Resort, Phattalung, Thailand.

Following the sessions, a four-member teaching team from Malaysia found and enrolled 11 new Bahá’ís.

[Page 17]

Chile

Radio Bahá’í in Chile has been chosen as the primary vehicle for publicizing a government-sponsored development project.

The project consists of bi-lingual literacy classes for adults in Spanish and Mapuche. It is a joint effort between the station and the regional Ministry of Education. While the Ministry will provide materials, scripts and planning, Radio Bahá’í is responsible for taping and transmitting the broadcasts.

Ten schools in five districts in the area will serve as liaisons between the station and students. Two rural Mapuche Bahá’í schools are among those chosen to take part in the project.

The National Spiritual Assembly of Chile feels that being invited to help with this project is an indication of the recognition accorded by the Ministry of Education to the capacity of Radio Bahá’í and the two Mapuche Bahá’í schools.

•

Representatives of the National Spiritual Assembly of Chile were among 123 participants at a recent workshop on Health and Sexuality organized by CEPAL (Economic Commission for Latin America).

Bahá’ís were able to mention the principles of the Faith, and their participation was noted in a report by ASONG (an association of non-governmental organizations). Eight Bahá’ís attended the workshop.

World Centre

The Bahá’í World Centre in Haifa, Israel, is one of six recipients of an award given by the Council for a Beautiful Israel.

The award was presented during a ceremony May 6 at the Jerusalem residence of Israel’s President, Chaim Herzog. It was given in recognition of the beauty of the Bahá’í gardens and Holy Places in the Holy Land, which President Herzog hailed as “an inspiration to us all.”

Two 30-second news briefs were shown on Israeli television which featured the Shrine of the Báb and the Bahá’í gardens and included an interview with a member of the World Centre staff.

‘Toward a New World Order’ was the aim of more than 280 children, youth and adults from 15 countries who gathered last January 11-15 at the Centro Arrayan Cultural Center in Santiago for Chile’s first International Bahá’í Youth Conference. Among those taking part were the Hand of the Cause of God William Sears, Counsellors Eloy Anello and Shapoor Monadjem, seven members of the National Spiritual Assembly of Chile and all five of that country’s Auxiliary Board members. Seven satellite teaching projects received the services of 40 young people following the conference, nine of whom have remained to complete a year of service in Chile.

Dominican Republic

The Olinga Institute was opened March 18 in the Dominican Republic as groups of youth came for deepening institutes. One group of eight is studying to become future teachers at the institute while another group of about 20 is preparing to become teachers of Bahá’í children’s classes.

The institute came about after intense consultation between Counsellor Ruth Pringle, the National Spiritual Assembly of the Dominican Republic, and members of the Auxiliary Board.

Auxiliary Board member Jennifer Soldi has been chosen to serve as director of the Institute, and classes are presently being held in the home of Mrs. Heribertina Camacho Vda. Viñas in the town of Moca.

The community of Moca and its Spiritual Assembly are working closely with the Institute, for example by arranging housing for students in the homes of local Bahá’ís.

“This Institute is the piece we have been missing,” said one member of the National Assembly. “Now, with this systematic deepening in place, we will begin to grow....”

Sri Lanka

Nearly 1,300 people from rural areas of Sri Lanka received free dental care last May at dental camps run by Bahá’í volunteers. The camps were organized by the Office of Social and Economic Development in Sri Lanka in cooperation with a Bahá’í dental team from abroad.

Dr. Faramarz Yiganeh, a dental surgeon, and his wife, a dental nurse, worked with local Bahá’ís in each area in which a camp was opened.

Publicity about the camps was provided by four local newspapers. They were also mentioned on the Rupavahini television station and SLBC Radio.

[Page 18]

Now available—a videotape that captures the magnificence
and describes the development of the Arc on Mount Carmel

The way is now open for the Bahá’í World to erect the remaining buildings of its Administrative Centre, and we must without delay stride forward resolutely on this path. THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE SEAT OF GOD’S THRONE Who can gauge what transformation will be effected as a result of the completion of each successive stage of this great enterprise? SHOGHI EFFENDI Produced by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States

_____________________________ Seat of God’s Throne Produced by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States The stunning cinematography of this 35-minute video, produced with the assistance and cooperation of the Bahá’í World Center, brings to life the vision of Shoghi Effendi and the plans of the Universal House of Justice to complete the remaining buildings of the Arc on God’s Holy Mountain. Including the first aerial film footage of the Bahá’í properties on Mount Carmel, Seat of God’s Throne is a truly awe-inspiring presentation that gives visual expression to the historic events that are transforming the face of Mount Carmel and affecting the historical development and future glory of the spiritual and administrative center of the Faith. Excellent for group deepening, firesides, family or personal viewing. __________ VT $25.00 Now available in VHS or Beta format

The Bahá’í Distribution Service, 415 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091 / 1-800-999-9019