Onwards and upwards…

Recent events and current trends may have made many people feel despondent for the future, but, despite the wealth of problems, the world can still move forward. Yes, we have some underlying and pressing needs, too many to list them all here, but which include our treatment of the environment, the continuing wars, and various social problems.

Firstly, the climate change conference which took place recently in Madrid has not been seen as a great success. The world is still heading towards a temperature increase of 3°C above its pre-industrial levels. Whatever the results of the conference, there is general agreement that we need to curb, and even reverse, our current level of exploitation of fossil fuels. There is an increasing feeling among the world’s population that we all need to use less. Despite the comparative failure of the conference, we can still each individually work towards reducing global warming, perhaps by following the advice of Bahá’u’lláh, the Founder of the Bahá’í Faith, Who said: “Take from this world only to the measure of your needs, and forgo that which exceedeth them.”

Meanwhile, here in the United Kingdom, the country seems finally poised to leave the political and economic bloc of which it has been a member for over forty years. For many British people, leaving the European Union will be the realisation of a long-held ambition to renew their independence. But many others see it as a backward step, moving away from a close trading relationship and a collective identity with Europe. Whatever one’s views are on this particular bloc, what we really need is free trade and co-operation across the whole world. This would help to make all the countries of the world more equal in their income levels. We also need to recognise the oneness of the entire human race and, alongside this, the common origin of all the religions. Each of these three changes would by itself increase human happiness. As Bahá’u’lláh put it: “Know ye not why We created you all from the same dust? That no one should exalt himself over the other.” Unity, brotherhood and equality are our future.

However, at the current time, people across the world are still suffering from the effects of war. Different ethnic, tribal, religious or political groups try to impose their will on others, or engage in what they see as necessary self-defence. Not only do the combatants suffer from the results of their actions, but so do the innocent, particularly the old people, the women and children. Death, injury, disability and deprivation all follow from these conflicts. What is really needed – as previously mentioned - is for all of mankind to be seen as one people, and for the whole earth to be seen as one country. Bahá’u’lláh said: “It is not for him to pride himself who loveth his own country, but rather for him who loveth the whole world. The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens.”

On a more limited scale, one worrying factor in human life at the present time is the amount of crime and senseless violence which afflicts many areas, but especially the inner cities. The causes of this behaviour are complex and are endlessly debated by those seeking to understand it, but it ruins the lives of victims and their families, not to mention the perpetrators and their families. The real needs of society are to be found in a completely different direction from the self-centred behaviour of the criminal or the impulsive responses of those lacking in self-worth. Humanity needs more open-hearted friendship, more honesty, and for everyone to be included in useful employment. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Who was Bahá’u’lláh’s Son, urged:  “Let your heart burn with loving kindness for all who may cross your path.”

At a time when communication between individuals across the world is becoming easier than ever, and is rapidly developing new forms and new channels, new challenges are arising. On “social” media there seems to be an epidemic of anti-social content, with people being unpleasant about others and towards others. Meanwhile, vested interests, which wish to manipulate things in particular ways, circulate fake news, and then proceed to dismiss anything proven by honest and open journalism as being itself “fake”. What is really needed is for each person to have a positive view of their own worth, for each human being to have a positive view of the worth of every other person, and for everybody to have a positive view of those groups which are undervalued, such as racial, cultural or tribal minorities, those whose behaviour is outside the norm, and those who are disabled or disadvantaged in some way. We must always choose our words with care. According to Bahá’u’lláh, “One word may be likened unto fire, another unto light, and the influence which both exert is manifest in the world,” and again: “One word is like unto springtime causing the tender saplings of the rose-garden of knowledge to become verdant and flourishing, while another word is even as a deadly poison.” When we put finger to keyboard or screen, we should aim to cheer and encourage others, not to denigrate and dismiss them.

At times, it can seem as if the negative forces which are leading to social disintegration and unhappiness are overwhelming. But the positive forces will win in the end. We can each make a difference. As individuals, it is our responsibility to make all our actions and words positive ones, so that these negative forces can be overcome. The power of example should not be underestimated. We must stand up and consciously work for the unity of humanity, so that the whole planet shares in a glorious future. We must be tirelessly helping to lead mankind onwards and upwards…

Two book-makers with faces the same

As a small child I was fascinated by books, and apparently used to read at the same time as I was (slowly) getting dressed in the morning! When my mother asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I allegedly replied, “Me and Stephen are going to be two book-makers with faces the same.” By “book-makers” I obviously meant producers of books, and naturally I never actually consulted my younger brother on this!

When I was a new Bahá’í, in my early twenties, the Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Birmingham asked me if I would like to take over the running of their book sales. I accepted the suggestion, and I have been selling books ever since. When my wife Ann and I moved to the Warwick District, the new Bahá’í group set up the Warwick Bahá’í Bookshop. We were soon invited to be an official Bahá’í book agency, selling books over a wide area of the Midlands - at conferences and weekend schools, for example. When I was a new Bahá’í, I used to read every Bahá’í leaflet or pamphlet I could obtain, preferring these “bite-sized chunks” to adult-sized volumes, and now part of our work as a book agency was selling these same leaflets.

In 1989, by which time we had moved to Southam, there was a hiccup in the supply of leaflets. People were ringing us up, asking for leaflets, but we were simply unable to obtain them – virtually every popular title had been allowed to go out of print! Ann said, “I wonder if we could write our own,” followed by, “I expect we could find a printer in Leamington to produce them – or maybe even in Southam!” So we found a printer (Clintplan Ltd) in Southam, and started writing our own leaflets. Ann designed a logo, and we were off! Our leaflets were also sold to Bahá’ís in other countries; many of them were even reprinted in the United States and in Australia. Over time, we produced more than sixty different leaflets. Steadily the number of individual leaflets sold also pushed ahead, passing the one million mark in 2016!

What are the leaflets for? Basically, they are a means of passing a bit of information on the Bahá’í Faith to people who know little or nothing about it. Some leaflets are general introductions, and try to give an overall picture of Bahá’í history, teachings and philosophy, but diluted down to get it onto what is essentially two sides of a sheet of A4 paper. Not an easy task, and you have to miss out so much! However, most of the leaflets we write are about one specific area, such as “Health and Healing”, “Caring for the Environment” or “The Way to World Peace”. Such leaflets are like holding a magnifying glass to one part of the Bahá’í teachings, and are helpful to Bahá’ís as well as to enquirers. They can also be used when Bahá’ís and their friends get together, each with a copy of the same leaflet, and study the topic together.

In 2012, the second edition of my simple introductory book, (imaginatively entitled “The Bahá’í Faith”), was due to be published by a proper publishing house. However, a set of unforeseen circumstances forced us to publish it by ourselves. Ann did the editing, and Clintplan organised all the technical side. This was then the beginning of another strand of publishing. It is now 2019, and we already have twelve small books published - four written by our daughter - all with ISBNs and attractive covers, and we sell them in significant numbers to Bahá’í distributors and suppliers in other English-speaking countries.

And what are the booklets about? “The Bahá’í Faith” is an illustrated introduction, originally meant for young people. Our daughter’s four books are 32-page short biographies, telling the reader “The Life of the Báb” or “The Life of Bahá’u’lláh”, for example. Almost every one of our titles is meant to give a simple, affordable and readable introduction to an aspect of the Bahá’í Faith. Most cost just 50p or £1! Generally, the Bahá’ís buy them for their children, to give away to their friends, or to lay out for people to take from Bahá’í stalls at public events.

There are a number of Bahá’í principles related to literature. “Independent investigation of truth” often appears first in a list of Bahá’u’lláh’s principles. Each individual has the right – or even duty – to investigate the truth for himself or herself. Freedom of speech and freedom of conscience are also Bahá’í principles. Alongside these basic principles, people who work in publishing non-fiction have a duty to investigate and publish the truth. As Bahá’u’lláh Himself put it: “The pages of swiftly-appearing newspapers are indeed the mirror of the world… endowed with hearing, sight and speech. It behoveth the writers thereof to be purged from the promptings of evil passions and desires and to be attired with the raiment of justice and equity. They should enquire into situations as much as possible and ascertain the facts, then set them down in writing.”

Another part of Bahá’u’lláh’s blueprint for the world is that the governments should choose either an existing language or a newly-created one as an auxiliary language, to be taught in all the schools of the world, alongside the mother tongue of each area. This would enable a traveller to talk to people wherever he/she went. Bahá’u’lláh also suggested that all the world’s literature should be translated into this common language, enabling us all to share in the world’s literary heritage: “O members of parliaments throughout the world! Select ye a single language for the use of all on earth, and adopt ye likewise a common script… This will be the cause of unity, could ye but comprehend it, and the greatest instrument for promoting harmony and civilisation.”

This development is still for the future, so at present we sell our books to predominately English-speaking countries such as Australia, South Africa and the United States of America. However, as part of the Bahá’í ideal that the world should become one, we are always happy to give permission to the Bahá’ís in other countries to translate our publications into their local languages (should they so wish), and demand no royalty for the Warwick Bookshop. One of our authors, who is entitled to a personal royalty, asks these other countries if they can afford to support a charity working in overseas development, instead of paying her personally.

And what of my brother Stephen? He has also recently become involved in the publishing of Bahá’í books. There is a talented and original Bahá’í artist living in Bristol, who has copiously illustrated over two dozen books either of Bahá’í Scripture or of quotations, with often stunning results. The quotation books are on themes, such as “Oneness” or “Mindfulness”, which speak to thoughtful people. Steve was appalled to learn that, following the death of the original owner of the publishing house used by the artist, the stock of each title was being run down, with no plans to reprint them. Steve and his wife Becky invested money into the reprinting of these illustrated works and have put time and effort into making them available to the wider world. Although my professional career was as a schoolteacher, and Stephen’s was in the world of examination boards, we have both accidentally ended up as “book-makers”, although whether our faces are the same, I will leave it for you to judge!

Two hundred years sounds like a long time

The Bahá’í community worldwide is currently celebrating the Bicentenary of the birth of the Báb. The word “Báb” means Door or Gate, and this young man, born in Persia in 1819, chose this title for Himself, as He claimed to be the Door or Gate leading to the Promised One of all religions. 

The Báb was born in the city of Shiraz, and was sent to a religious school to learn about the Qur’an. However, His teacher took the boy back home, saying that the child’s knowledge and understanding were far greater than his own. However, His uncle, who was the boy’s guardian, insisted that the child go through school. In His teens, He began to work in the family business, buying and selling things, and was known for being scrupulously honest and fair. 

In May, 1844, the Báb declared to His first disciple that He was the Gate to a new age. The promised World Teacher would very soon appear, and change the world into a new world. His voluminous Writings extolled the greatness of the Creator, and presented a fresh way of looking at religion. He announced certain new laws for His followers, and swept away many of the accumulated beliefs and practices of the time.

Eighteen disciples gathered around Him, and were each given a specific role – to travel to a certain province or country, and to announce that the Báb had come. The rapid success of the new movement led to some of the clergy seeing it as a threat. From that time on, the Báb Himself was a marked man. He was detained, put under house arrest, and taken under armed guard to a remote fortress in the mountains. However, His religion continued to grow, and the clergy and state authorities decided to have Him killed.

He was fastened high above the ground, using ropes suspended from the wall of the barracks, so that everyone could see Him die. He was to be killed by firing squad. One of His disciples begged to be killed with Him, and the authorities allowed this to happen. The details of their deaths are extraordinary, as related to us by those present. He  was taken from His cell while He was still giving His last instructions to His secretary. The colonel in charge of the regiment sensed that the Báb was a saintly person, and begged to be relieved from the responsibility of the execution. The Báb reassured the colonel that God could prevent him from being in the least bit guilty of His execution, and so He was taken into the barracks square. The Báb and His devoted follower were tied to one another by ropes, high on the wall, to give the soldiers a clear target. A regiment of 750 soldiers was lined up in three rows, and ordered to fire. The muskets produced a lot of noise and dense clouds of smoke. Thousands of people had come to see this important event. When the smoke cleared, it turned out that the musket balls had only severed the ropes. The young follower, who had begged to be allowed to die, was standing on the ground, looking bewildered, but the Báb was nowhere to be seen. After a frantic search, they found Him back in the prison cell, finishing His conversation with His secretary. The Báb said that He was now ready to die. But the colonel had had enough! He had wanted nothing to do with this anyway, and he now marched his men out of the square, announcing that he had done what he had been ordered to do. They had to bring another regiment of soldiers out of the barracks for the second attempt, and they were now lined up as a new firing squad.

This time, when the clouds of smoke had finally cleared, the people could see that the two bodies had been severely mangled by the musket shots. However, their faces were virtually untouched. The bodies were thrown into the moat around the city, but by the next morning, His followers had managed to spirit them away. The basic details of this event were reported not just by the British consul, and by other Europeans who witnessed them, but were also recorded by the Muslim clergy who were present, who confirmed that the Báb somehow managed to escape the first volley of shots!

The Báb had declared a new stage in religion, and had stressed that the Promised One of all religions was soon to appear. Bahá’u’lláh, Whom Bahá’ís believe was that Promised One, declared His message in 1863. He built upon the religion of the Báb, and brought new teachings for the new age. He also gave instructions as to where the remains of the Báb (and the devoted follower who died with Him) should be buried. Bahá’u’lláh was exiled several times, finally to the Holy Land, and it was on the slopes of Mount Carmel (Haifa) that the spot was chosen. In the following years, a Shrine for the remains of the Báb has been erected, and appears in the photograph I have chosen for this blog post.

Two hundred years sounds like a long time, but the spiritual principles proclaimed by the Báb and the social principles given to us by Bahá’u’lláh have not yet been implemented across the world. A world government, the realisation of the oneness of mankind, the equality of men and women; universal education, freedom of conscience, and measures to bring about world peace; a common second language, the harmony of religion and science, a fairer economic system…. Perhaps two hundred years is not such a long time after all.

Eating for the future

Many people have been out on the streets protesting that governments should do something about climate change, but there are also many things that we can do as individuals to reduce the threat of global warming. One of these is being careful about what we eat. A short while ago, the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change produced a report suggesting that the current food choices of mankind collectively are adding to the process of global warming and climate change. It is excellent that there is a body looking at the climate change process from a global perspective, given that we have not yet evolved global institutions, and that we do not yet function as one, united, mankind. Bahá’u’lláh urged us: “Let your vision be world-embracing, rather than confined to your own self.” Luckily, the International Panel for Climate Change has that world-embracing vision, and is urging action now, because now is the time when we need to act to avoid the worst effects of global warming. As Bahá’u’lláh said: “Every age hath its own problem... Be anxiously concerned with the needs of the age ye live in, and centre your deliberations on its exigencies and requirements.” This is so necessary.

According to the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (I.P.C.C.), a general change in the diet of mankind towards eating less meat is part of the remedy the world needs. Why should this be? Comparing plant consumption with meat consumption, producing meat uses up more land than does plant production, as the animals need a lot of land to produce enough food for them, both fresh pasture and winter feed. In the Amazon, for instance, forest areas are being cut down or burned down to provide pasture and also to grow winter feed for animals in other parts of the world. Another consideration is the amount of methane produced by the unnaturally large quantities of cattle and other animals, as a by-product of our own food choices. So we have more large animals producing more methane and breathing out carbon dioxide, at the same time as we have more trees being destroyed which should be absorbing these chemicals.

The I.P.C.C. observes that, for most people, any reduction in the amount of meat which they eat will probably also result in health benefits. Millions of people consume more protein than necessary, indeed they eat more food than is necessary. Millions of us are labelled as “overweight”, or even “obese”. A better diet, with more fruit and vegetables, should prevent so many people developing diabetes, heart conditions and so on.

Does this all mean that we should be evolving toward vegetarianism – or even veganism? The I.P.C.C. stops short of advocating this. But from a Bahá’í point of view, this is the direction which the world should be taking anyway. It states in the Bahá’í Writings that: “The food of the future will be fruit and grains. The time will come when meat will no longer be eaten… our natural food is that which grows out of the ground. The people will gradually develop up to the condition of this natural food.” Note that the Bahá’í teachings expect this to be a process, and do not demand that people reject meat instantly. The I.P.C.C. observes that some people, for medical reasons, would find an immediate transfer to a vegetarian diet difficult. Bahá’u’lláh’s Son, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, made the same point, and said that people who are weak could eat meat. There is the additional point that people living in very harsh environments, such as deep snow, deserts, high mountain ranges and tiny islands, cannot produce enough plant-based food to survive, and cannot make this change yet.
On the other hand, there are some societies which do not eat meat, and the people living in them are more aware of what foods are required to provide them with enough protein and traces of necessary minerals. Likewise there are many individual vegetarians and vegans who have the same knowledge.  

So – what is a balanced diet? People will be able to improve on my suggestions, as I have no expertise in this field whatsoever! My understanding is that we need carbohydrates, ideally grains such as wheat, rice, millet or oats. Fruit – there is a huge choice! We need vegetables, which seems to mean any edible plant parts except the seed or fruit – so edible leaves, stems, roots, etc. And we need some protein. Many of us tend to get this from meat, but we can obtain it from cheese, nuts, or from pulses, such as peas, beans or lentils. Crucial to this seems to be variety. I had a friend who was told by somebody to eat grapes: grapes were good for you. So he ate grapes – for breakfast, lunch and tea, as far as I could make out. After some weeks, his body reacted violently against this, and he became allergic to grapes, with very unfortunate results. The I.P.C.C. considers that we should eat a balanced diet, with rather less meat, and using our common sense, we should become healthier – as will the planet!

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P.S. I haven’t mentioned food miles, or the many other things that we can each do to reduce our carbon footprint, but I didn't want the post to be too long!

Let’s make it work

Jimmy Broadhouse, who cuts grass for a living, was so pleased with the appearance of the local council’s playing field after he had finished, that he took a photograph of it, and posted it on Twitter. He wrote: “It might only be a council field next to the tip, but, to the kids round here playing football, it’s Wembley. So I always cut it like it is.”

For those who do not live in England, this might require a little explanation. “The tip” is the council refuse site, adjacent to the field. “Kids” are actually children, and “Wembley” is shorthand for the Wembley Stadium, which belongs to the Football Association and is the home of the England national football team. The message suggests that, for the sake of the local children, who play their own football (“soccer”) on this field, he tries to mow the grass to the perfection required of the most prestigious pitch in the country.

The tweet has been seen over a million times, and was the cause of Mr Broadhouse being invited to help prepare the pitch at the Wembley Stadium for a special match between the famous teams of Liverpool and Manchester City. But it is the spirit behind Mr Broadhouse’s remark that has captured most attention. In my last blog post (“I am from the Windows company…”), I stressed the importance of people entering into their work in a spirit of service to other people. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, explaining the Bahá’í view of work, stated that: “In the Bahá’í Cause, arts, sciences and all crafts are counted as worship. The man who makes a piece of note-paper to the best of his ability, conscientiously, concentrating all his forces on perfecting it, is giving praise to God.” He continues: “Briefly, all effort and exertion put forth by man from the fullness of his heart is worship, if it is prompted by the highest motives and the will to do service to humanity.” The same principle obviously also applies to cutting grass, and Mr Broadhouse has definitely shown that spirit of service.

Society is composed of millions of individuals each contributing something to the benefit of mankind, and even to other creatures and to plants. Doing that work in a spirit of dedication and service, like Mr Broadhouse, should raise the quality of what is done, bringing clearer benefit to all. Mowing a field of grass is a time-consuming occupation, and with the wrong attitude could seem tiresome and repetitive. Jimmy Broadhouse obviously does not allow such negative thoughts into his mind as he works up and down the field. On the contrary, he takes a pride in his work.

In other, related, teachings, Bahá’u’lláh calls for us to abolish class distinctions and urges every member of society to work. Idleness is not good for anyone. Like Mr Broadhouse, all must put some effort into the community, rather than thinking they can just take from the community: “It is enjoined upon every one of you to engage in some form of occupation, such as crafts, trades and the like. We have… exalted your engagement in such work to the rank of worship unto God…” (Bahá’u’lláh)

 In addition, the elimination of the extremes of both poverty and wealth is a basic Bahá’í principle. Bahá’u’lláh proposed a “storehouse” system to provide for those who cannot work. Among the specific Bahá’í teachings designed to facilitate the continual redistribution of wealth is the idea of (genuine) profit-sharing within a company. Bahá’u’lláh’s Son, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, explained: “…laws and regulations should be enacted which would grant the workers both a daily wage and a share in a fourth or fifth of the profits of the factory… or (a) share in some other way in the profits with the owners.” By directly linking the income of the workers to the profits of the enterprise, more commitment to its success could be expected, and again, a greater quality of dedication should be engendered.

Underlying all these measures is a belief that spiritual values should be given more prominence. As the Bahá’í Writings put it: “The secrets of the whole economic question are Divine in nature, and are concerned with the world of the heart and spirit.” An artist, a sculptor or a musician puts their heart and spirit into their work. So should the builder, the shop assistant, the office worker and the man who mows the council field.

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In April, 2016, I posted a blog (“There *is* a better way) which explains the Storehouse system:
https://paddyvickers.blogspot.com/2016/04/

“I am from the Windows company…”

The telephone rings. I answer with my number. “I am from the Windows company… I am ringing to tell you that there is a problem with your computer.” The lady does not actually know whether I have a computer. She cannot tell me what type of computer I have. She does not know what Internet Service provider I am with. She does not have my account number, but she is after something. She probably wants to take over my computer for criminal purposes, and is likely to leave me with less money than I started with.

Recently, I have had several calls from the “British Telecom Broadband Blocking Department”, trying to tell me that my Broadband line will be blocked in two hours’ time, because my computer is not secure, or something of the sort. Meanwhile, “Visa Secure” and “your bank” have both taken to telephoning me in the last couple of weeks, with pre-recorded messages telling me that someone has just taken £600 from my bank account. If I want to speak to someone – for example, to tell them that it was not me who took the money out – then I need to “Press One” on my telephone. Then what would happen? What electronic trickery does that set in motion?

How can human beings do this sort of thing to other people? Do they have no conscience, as well as no feelings? Very often, the people who are duped are those who can least afford to lose money. Around one hundred years ago, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá (the Son of Bahá’u’lláh) said that, “In a time to come, morals will degenerate to an extreme degree.” All these people who spend their time ringing round their fellow human beings with spurious information seem to be manifesting total dishonesty. They have no consideration for their victims, and are showing that they are either immoral or amoral. Maybe they think that they are clever, being able to trick others with their stories.

But we are also being offered other types of dishonesty. There are some politicians across the world who openly offer complete untruths as if they were fact, or steadfastly deny things which are obviously true. Likewise some people circulate completely made-up news online. At the same time, facts supported by research, video evidence and the like, are now summarily dismissed by many as “fake news”! There are newspapers who do not report the facts, because their owners and editors have a separate agenda of their own. Bahá’u’lláh urged newspapers to serve humanity, by attempting to print the truth: “The pages of swiftly-appearing newspapers are indeed the mirror of the world. They reflect the deeds and the pursuits of divers peoples and kindreds. They both reflect them and make them known. They are a mirror endowed with hearing, sight and speech. This is an amazing and potent phenomenon. However, it behoveth the writers thereof to be purged from the promptings of evil passions and desires and to be attired with the raiment of justice and equity. They should enquire into situations as much as possible and ascertain the facts, then set them down in writing.” The same principle must surely apply to online news.

Meanwhile, supposedly bona fide companies such as banks lure customers in with an openly stated (and lucrative) rate of interest. After a few months, the rate is changed, downwards, with complete disregard for the effect on the customers involved. Other companies, utility companies for example, attract new customers with a lower rate of charges, but leave their existing customers on a higher rate. What they are actually doing is charging their loyal customers a higher price for the same services. Loyalty is being penalised by such companies! Bahá’u’lláh emphasised trustworthiness as essential for the promotion of all human enterprise: “Trustworthiness is the greatest portal leading unto the tranquillity and security of the people. In truth the stability of every affair hath depended and doth depend upon it.” If we cannot trust one another we cannot build a successful society.

Some people do not seem to realise that the good of the part is to be found in the good of the whole. In the Bahá’í view, children should be raised with the idea that they are part of society, and should be contributing towards it, rather than taking from it. For this reason, Bahá’í communities institute neighbourhood children’s classes, based on the promotion of virtues, such as honesty, trustworthiness, empathy, generosity, kindness and so on.

There needs to be the sense of all mankind co-operating, working together, as one. Each should be trying to promote the well-being of their fellow human beings, rather than trying to take money off them. People should be in gainful employment, not involved in illicit activities. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, explaining the Bahá’í view of work, stated that: “In the Bahá’í Cause, arts, sciences and all crafts are counted as worship. The man who makes a piece of note-paper to the best of his ability, conscientiously, concentrating all his forces on perfecting it, is giving praise to God. Briefly, all effort and exertion put forth by man from the fullness of his heart is worship, if it is prompted by the highest motives and the will to do service to humanity.”

There is also the teaching in all religions, known as the Golden Rule, in which people are advised: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. This should have prevented people, in any culture, from trying to trick other people out of money. Bahá’u’lláh expresses this in even sharper contrast: “Blessed is he who preferreth his neighbour to himself.”

If everyone tried to follow that rule of behaviour, the world would be blessed with much more kindness, and much less trickery, and we would all prosper together.

Keeping the balance

However short-sighted mankind’s treatment of the planet may be, the beauty of nature will reassert itself. Bahá’u’lláh proclaimed this truth in the nineteenth century, when He said:
“All praise be to God Who hath adorned the world with an ornament, and arrayed it with a vesture, of which it can be despoiled by no earthly power, however mighty its battalions, however vast its wealth, however profound its influence.” I have always found this very reassuring. We can never totally destroy life on this planet, but if we don’t keep within a natural balance, the planet could change drastically, with much of it becoming unfit for human habitation. Unfortunately, there are some political leaders who consider our natural environment to be of little consequence, not understanding our total dependence on our environment to support human life.

The forests of the world are its green lungs. Trees take in carbon dioxide, of which we currently have too much in the atmosphere, and give out oxygen, which humans most definitely need. Ever since Europeans first landed in South America, its forests have been cut back. The largest of these forests are in Brazil, where there are still nearly a million indigenous people living in the forest. Brazilian law gives them rights in theory, but these are not always carried into practice. The recent election of a new Brazilian president, who gives precedence to the perceived short-term needs of business interests, has accelerated the rate at which the forest is being destroyed. This is of course at the same time as the Paris Agreement of 2016 has inaugurated massive programmes of tree-planting world-wide, and some researchers are saying that restoring this natural vesture of the world is the single most important move that can be made to help protect us from more severe climate change. Of course, this will be nowhere near enough on its own, we need to reduce harmful emissions drastically too, but it is an essential part of the solution. Over the last few thousand years, humanity has been gradually removing forest in many parts of the world, to make way for agriculture, houses and so on, but it is becoming clear that rapid action is necessary to restore the balance. A “Great Green Wall” of trees is being planted across Africa, from Senegal in the west to Djibouti in the East. Pakistan has planted a billion trees already, and has adopted a new target of ten billion trees in the next five years. In one state in India, sixty-six million trees were planted in a single day, by well over a million volunteers. But however wonderful these results of the Paris Accord will be for the future of the planet, the trees will take perhaps thirty years to reach a size at which they will make a big difference to the balance of gases in the Earth’s atmosphere.

Each forest is a great resource for humanity. It provides wood for fuel, for homes, for furniture and other purposes. It provides nuts and fruits for us to eat. It provides thousands of species of plants, including potentially medicinal plants. It was when malaria was accidentally transplanted into South America that a cure was discovered. Quinine occurs naturally in a south American plant, and the cure was discovered by Native Americans. But what we take from the forest has to be subject to the law of moderation. Bahá’u’lláh advised: “It is incumbent upon them who are in authority to exercise moderation in all things. Whatsoever passeth beyond the limits of moderation will cease to exert a beneficial influence.” At present, humans tend to think that economic growth should be never-ending, whereas what is most needed is for the lives of the poorest to be made more comfortable.

A Bahá’í sees nature as part of God’s plan for our care and well-being. As Bahá’u’lláh puts it: “Nature in its essence is the embodiment of My Name, the Maker, the Creator… Nature is God's Will and is its expression in and through the contingent world.” The planet itself is part of the natural world, and nature is part of our planetary home. Some years ago, the Universal House of Justice, which is the elected body of the Bahá’ís, called upon the world at large to add World Citizenship into the school curriculum, as a response to Bahá’u’lláh’s statement that “The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens.” This subject would teach our young people to regard themselves as citizens of the world, with all which that entails. Such an education would, for instance, help the people who live near forests to understand how they are keeping them on behalf of the whole of humanity, not to mention the planet’s wildlife. The fact that many people who live in countries with rainforests have no idea how special these forests and their wildlife are, was brought home to me very forcefully recently. My brother teaches educated people from Nigeria who come to Britain for various purposes. He finds that they are simply not aware of the importance of what their country holds. On one occasion, he was speaking to a group about the remaining forests in Nigeria, and the demise of the African elephant. One of these highly educated professional people said, “Why do we always have to hear about the African elephant? Why can’t we hear about how you treat your elephants?” My brother, who was totally taken aback, managed to respond with: “I am very sorry. We managed to kill all our elephants about thirty-seven thousand years ago!” His audience was amazed - they did not regard elephants as special at all!

In the same way, most of us in the UK do not realise that we use far more than our fair share of the world’s resources and that we need to reduce this drastically. Bahá’u’lláh said: “Take from this world only to the measure of your needs, and forgo that which exceedeth them.” Unfortunately, we cut down most of our forests in the UK many years ago, so, in this respect, our contribution must be to plant as many trees in our country as is practically possible.

An important part of World Citizenship is surely highlighting the different responsibilities of different countries as part of the coherent whole. Each nation needs to understand the importance of what it has, and what they are keeping in trust for all of mankind. This would be a big part of achieving a sense of balance in the life of the world. Bahá’u’lláh, speaking about the common desire to put one’s nation above all others, stated: “Let not a man glory in this, that he loves his country; let him rather glory in this, that he loves his kind.”

There is currently a strange situation. People in some countries who have forests nearby wish to destroy them, to create more grazing land or more arable crops; while people in other countries which are suffering from droughts and flooding are rushing to plant saplings which will take years to grow. This problem will not be solved unless all mankind is in unity, with some form of global co-operation and co-ordination established. The good of the part should be seen in the good of the whole. Bahá’u’lláh puts it like this: “The well-being of mankind, its peace and security, are unattainable unless and until its unity is firmly established.” If we work together we can combat climate change, and one aspect of this is protecting and increasing our forest cover.

The well-being of mankind demands that the rate of deforestation should be drastically reduced, and the natural balance should be restored.

               

Television or reality?

Recently, in the United Kingdom, a gentleman appeared on a “reality television” programme called “The Jeremy Kyle Show”. The show specialises in challenging people over their behaviour, and this gentleman was challenged to take a lie detector test. He “failed” the test, and was apparently so distraught by this that he seems to have taken his own life a few days later.

Many of these programmes have concentrated on relationships – between husband and wife, parent and child, and so on. They therefore reflect the many unresolved relationships which can develop within families. As society has somewhat lost its relationship with God, so people often put their whole faith in other people, making themselves vulnerable when other people’s acts fall short of their expectations. Families, like the world as a whole, need to be in harmony. Selfishness, or self-centredness, can disrupt the ordered life of a family. According to Abdul-Bahá: “The family, being a human unit, must be educated according to the rules of sanctity. All the virtues must be taught the family. The integrity of the family bond must be constantly considered, and the rights of the individual members must not be transgressed. The rights of the son, the father, the mother - none of them must be transgressed, none of them must be arbitrary... All these rights and prerogatives must be conserved… the unity of the family must be sustained.”

In the Bahá’í view, we all need to work towards unity, rather than concentrating on the faults of others. We need to be able to accept people as they are, rather than criticising them for not being perfect. Abdu’l-Bahá said: “If a man has ten good qualities and one bad one, look at the ten and forget the one. And if a man has ten bad qualities and one good one, look at the one and forget
the ten.” He said that we should “never allow ourselves to speak one unkind word about another.” Each of us is unique, and we should recognise and welcome this human diversity. He also said, “In reality all are members of one human family - children of one Heavenly Father. Humanity may be likened unto the vari-coloured flowers of one garden. There is unity in diversity. Each sets off and enhances the other's beauty.”

Over the last few years, television has shown a lot of “reality” TV shows. People have been put into artificial situations – wife swaps, living in a house with about nine total strangers, living on an island with unfamiliar conditions, and so on – and the programme-makers, who do not seem to be interested in promoting the well-being of every member of humankind, rely on the fact that something will go wrong between the participants. Even preparing a meal has become a competition, with artificial time restraints and with observers present trying to make it more difficult than it should be. The meal is then critically judged, rather than thankfully consumed as something to keep us alive. And yet all this is asserted as “reality”.

The Bahá’í Faith teaches that in addition to the material world within which we live, there are spiritual planes of existence, which form a higher reality. Mankind was created to grow spiritually, to be ready to progress in spiritual ways. We should be concentrating not on the shortcomings of other people, but on developing good qualities in ourselves, so that we can grow more towards the perfection of God. Only if we align ourselves with the underlying Cause of the Universe will we be achieving any sort of reality – it does not come out of the television set.

[Picture courtesy of Getty Images.]

Krishna, The Buddha, Jesus and Muhammad

On Easter Sunday, 2019, a series of explosions took place at churches and hotels in Sri Lanka. Over 250 people were killed. Clearly, the Christian community was being specifically targeted, and the terrorists probably thought that the hotels tended to receive visitors from the Western world.

Most of the Sri Lankan population belongs to one of the four older religions of the world: Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam or Christianity. Although much-misunderstood by outsiders, Hinduism has at its core a moral code, enshrined in a book called “The Laws of Manu”. Many, but not all, Hindus regard Krishna as an “Incarnation of Vishnu” – in other words, as a manifestation of God in person. According to the text of the “Bhagavad-Gita”, Krishna Himself (or the divine spirit which He represented) said: “Whenever there is a decline of righteousness or religion, and a rise of unrighteousness… then I send forth Myself. For the protection of the good, for the destruction of the wicked and for the establishment of righteousness, I come into being from age to age.”

Gautama Buddha, the Enlightened One, taught The Middle Way, between materialism and extreme asceticism. A major part of His Teaching was the Noble Eightfold Path, which includes Right Understanding, Right Mindfulness and Right Conduct. In the Buddha’s words: “He in whom there is truth, virtue, pity, restraint, moderation, he who is free from impurity and is wise, he is called an elder.” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, discussing teachings on personal behaviour, explained that “The real teaching of Buddha is the same as the teaching of Jesus Christ. The teachings of all the Prophets are the same in character.”

So, in the same way as the Buddha spent His time emphasising how His followers should behave, Jesus did so too. Much of Jesus’s teaching was in the form of parables. These were stories which illustrated a point of understanding or of conduct. Jesus taught: “Love thy neighbour as thyself”. He said: "Happy are those who are merciful to others; God will be merciful to them! … Happy are those who work for peace; God will call them His children!” Bahá’u’lláh, referring to Jesus, stated: “Know thou that when the Son of Man yielded up His breath to God, the whole creation wept with a great weeping. By sacrificing Himself, however, a fresh capacity was infused into all created things. Its evidences, as witnessed in all the peoples of the earth, are now manifest before thee.”

Muhammad, recognised by a fifth of mankind as another of God’s Messengers, was likewise very meek in His behaviour towards others. He suffered years of persecution in silence, and never retaliated. He only allowed actions of self-defence when the entire city of Medina was being attacked. He set out Teachings on how both the individual and the community should behave: “Take not life, which God hath made sacred, except by way of justice and law.” A high standard of behaviour was expected from His followers: “Verily, the most honoured of you in the sight of God is he who is the most righteous of you.”

The Bahá’í Faith recognises the divine spirit present in all four of these Founders of religion. Some of the practical details of each religion will be different, because they appeared in different contexts, and at different times. But Bahá’u’lláh said: “If thou wilt observe with discriminating eyes, thou wilt behold Them all abiding in the same tabernacle, soaring in the same heaven, seated upon the same throne, uttering the same speech, and proclaiming the same Faith.” In other words, in essence, they are all One.

Bahá’u’lláh warned against religious fanaticism and hatred, which He described as “a world-devouring fire”. He urged people to, “consort with the followers of all religions in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship”. What the world really needs now is for people to recognise the essential oneness of the world’s religions, which will in turn help people to recognise the oneness and wholeness of the entire human race.

(Photograph courtesy of Getty Pictures.)

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In March, 2019, I wrote a blog post about the attack on Muslim worshippers in Christchurch, New Zealand, under the title, “Why?”

Why?

A national memorial service has been held in Christchurch, New Zealand, to remember the lives lost in the mosque shootings of 15^th March. At 1.40 p.m. on that day, a man opened fire on the worshippers at the Al Noor mosque in Christchurch, apparently trying to kill as many of them as possible. He then drove to the Linwood mosque, where he repeated his actions. At these two buildings, he managed to put an end to fifty people’s lives.  Apparently on his way to a third target, his car was rammed by a police car, and the man was arrested, after a struggle. Why did he do this? He seemed to regard the Muslim worshippers as foreigners, as strangers, as interlopers.

The theme of the memorial service was “We Are One”, which is exactly the Bahá’í attitude.   Bahá’u’lláh teaches the oneness of all humanity, saying: “The incomparable Creator hath created all men from one same substance…” He teaches the oneness of all religions, writing: “There can be no doubt whatever that the peoples of the world, of whatever race or religion, derive their inspiration from one heavenly Source, and are the subject of one God.”

Bahá’u’lláh stresses that all the religions were given to man for the same reason, which is the spread of good: “The purpose underlying the revelation of every heavenly Book, nay, of every divinely-revealed verse, is to endue all men with righteousness and understanding, so that peace and tranquillity may be firmly established amongst them.” Although, over the centuries, this purpose has often been lost, Bahá’u’lláh now re-emphasises it, and makes it central to all human behaviour: “O people! Consort with the followers of all religions in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship.”

Bahá’u’lláh teaches that all humanity is descended from one original stock. His Son, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, explained how evolution is God’s chosen method, and asserts the oneness of mankind as follows: “God, the Almighty, has created all mankind... He has fashioned them all from the same elements; they are descended from the same race and live upon the same globe. He has created them to dwell beneath the one heaven… He has made no distinction in mercies and graces among His children.” The Universal House of Justice, which is the elected world body of the Bahá’ís, wrote: “Anthropology, physiology, psychology, recognise only one human species… Recognition of this truth requires abandonment of prejudice of every kind – race, class, colour, creed… everything which enables people to consider themselves superior to others.” 

The Bahá’í teachings warn against the danger of becoming too involved in contradictory opinions and viewpoints: “Do not allow differences of opinion, or diversity of thought to separate you from your fellowmen, or to be the cause of dispute, hatred and strife in your hearts. Rather, search diligently for the truth and make all men your friends.”

And as for the question, who has the right to live in New Zealand? The native Maoris, and the incoming British-based population, have accepted people from many other countries onto the islands. Bahá’u’lláh made it clear that land belongs not to one people, but to all people. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá stated it as follows: “This earth is one home and native land. God has created mankind with equal endowment and right to live upon the earth.” This is the basic Bahá’í principle of seeing the planet as one, as the home for all mankind. As Bahá’u’lláh put it: “The earth is one country, and mankind its citizens.”

The teaching that we should be kind to others even extends to ensuring that we do not even hurt anybody’s feelings: “Beware, beware, lest ye offend the feelings of another…”

So why did this man kill so many of his fellow human beings? ‘Abdu’l-Bahá said: “All men are the leaves and fruit of one same tree… they all have the same origin… The only differences that keep them apart are these: there are the children who need guidance, the ignorant to be instructed, the sick to be tended and healed…” It seems that this man did not understand the fundamental truth that we are all one human race. Perhaps he is one of the lost souls who need guiding to a better understanding.

(Photograph courtesy of Reuters)

The midnight sighing of the poor

On Christmas Day, 2018, a homeless man called Joby Sparrey died in the doorway of a shop in the small country town of Malvern, in England. He was one of several thousand people counted as homeless in the United Kingdom. There is no exact statistic, and no exact definition of homelessness, but a shop doorway is not a comfortable place to live at any time.

Joby Sparrey was born and raised in Malvern, and was therefore known to a lot of people in the town. I do not actually know how he came to be without a home, but the important point is that society allows this to happen. All human beings are inter-related, so he was a distant cousin of mine.

In addition to those sleeping on the streets, under bridges, and in one-man tents, there are thousands more people “sofa-surfing” in the homes of friends, or in hostels, hotels, “bed and breakfast” accommodation and the like, because they have no home of their own. Some of these people are more likely to appear on an official statistic than are the nameless people on the streets, especially if they have children with them. Bahá’u’lláh, Who had His home and possessions taken from Him, had direct experience of being homeless when He was in the mountains of Kurdistan. He also suffered from imprisonment, torture and exile. He wrote: “O children of dust! Tell the rich of the midnight sighing of the poor, lest heedlessness lead them into the path of destruction, and deprive them of the Tree of Wealth.” Knowing that the physical conditions in which a person lives are usually due to external factors, He urged us not to judge, even if we suspect a person to be in error: “He should forgive the sinful, and never despise his low estate, for none knoweth what his own end shall be.”

When humanity has sorted out its political divisions, and created a world-wide economic system, there will be a universal net of protection for the most vulnerable people. Among the list of fundamental principles of the Bahá’í Faith is the elimination of both extreme wealth and extreme poverty. No-one should be destitute. One of the most basic roles of the Local House of Justice – the elected Bahá’í body of the future - is to ensure the welfare of the most needy. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Bahá’u’lláh’s Son, stated that “They must do their utmost to extend at all times the helping hand to the poor, the sick, the disabled, the orphan, the widow, irrespective of colour, caste and creed.” This “helping hand” surely includes help for those who have become addicted to harmful substances. In Iran, where the Bahá’í community developed much earlier than in most countries, the Bahá’ís built up a model welfare system which worked for decades, until it was disrupted by hostile government forces. Bahá’ís foresee that in the future every town and village will have a local “storehouse” which will make payments to those whose necessary expenditure exceeds their income. (The storehouses of local, national and global communities will of course be interlinked.)

Crucially, however, a new spirit of mutual love and understanding must pervade the human race. One of the most basic Bahá’í principles is the oneness of humanity. This has fundamental implications for social conditions, according to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá:  "You must turn attention more earnestly to the betterment of the conditions of the poor. Do not be satisfied until each one with whom you are concerned is to you as a member of your family. Regard each one either as a father, or as a brother, or as a sister, or as a mother, or as a child. If you can attain to this, your difficulties will vanish, you will know what to do.” He also stated that in the future, people would not be able to sleep if they knew that someone in another part of the world was without basic necessities. Homelessness, as experienced by people living on the streets in the richer countries, takes other forms in other parts of the world. Many cities have enormous areas on their outer edges occupied by shanty towns or favelas – thousands of homes constructed  of branches, corrugated iron sheets, pieces of plastic or old sacks. Hundreds of thousands live as refugees in camps, in tents kindly provided by others, but with little in the way of dignity or possessions. There are many causes of homelessness across the world, but surely in the richer countries at least, it should be within our capacity to eliminate the problem in our own small towns and cities.

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I wrote much more about the proposed “storehouse” system in my blog post entitled “There *is* a better way”, published in April 2016: https://paddyvickers.blogspot.com/2016/04/

Turn your radio on

Both Prince William and Prince Harry have made it their business to support causes relating to mental health and to encourage people to seek help, specifically via their “Heads Together” charity. But unfortunately it seems that the gap between the professional help available and the need among the UK population is widening. Between 2003 and 2015 the number of people in the British Isles being treated for mental health issues almost doubled to 1.8 million. Significantly, these figures include growing numbers of children and young people. In 2008 it was estimated that around 10% of the children in Britain have a clinically diagnosable mental health problem. The number of 10-14 year-olds attending Accident and Emergency departments because of self-harming has risen by 70% since 2014. The British government announced this week a Ten Year Plan for the National Health Service, a major part of which is to improve mental health care for young people as a consequence of the growing concern.

There are many things which affect a person’s mental health, but one of the underlying problems must surely be that fewer people nowadays realise their own worth, their own place in the universe, and their own capacity for making a difference. The Bahá’í Writings say: “Know thou that every soul is fashioned after the nature of God, each being pure and holy at his birth.” But people often do not recognise this and do not nurture the spiritual side of life. Many people do not have a conscious relationship with God. In the past, when most people believed that God cared for individual people, they believed that He cared for them personally. They may, or may not, have felt that their parents and wider family really cared, but they felt that they were part of a creation cared for (in some measure) by its Creator. Bahá’u’lláh, speaking as the mouthpiece of God, announced: “O Son of Being! Love Me, that I may love thee. If thou lovest Me not, My love can in no wise reach thee.” He seems to be saying that the individual has to turn towards God in order to recognise the love with which God surrounds each soul. A possible parallel is with radio reception. Radio waves are everywhere around us but a radio is incapable of receiving anything until it is switched on. In the same way, the individual human being needs to take a positive step and turn towards God, thereby opening a channel of communication.

When we listen to the radio, we tend to give it due attention and respect. In religious terms, regarding something with respect is termed “worship”. Bahá’u’lláh gave a short prayer which can be said every day, preferably around the middle part of the day: “I bear witness, O my God, that Thou hast created me to know Thee and to worship Thee. I testify, at this moment, to my powerlessness and to Thy might, to my poverty and to Thy wealth. There is none other God but Thee, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.” There is an awful lot in this short prayer, but someone saying it makes a very positive affirmation that they have a role, that they have a purpose. They affirm that they have been deliberately created, and are not simply some worthless accident. They affirm that God is their help when they are in danger – and surely one of the dangers people face at the present stage of humanity is the danger of falling apart mentally. The message is that God is there for them, and that they do matter.

If our purpose in life is to know God, this means that we have to recognise the good qualities which God possesses in perfect measure: perfect love, for example. Bahá’ís believe that we are here on earth to learn, to develop these good qualities so that we become more perfect, more like God. We are told that if we do not develop these good qualities, such as kindness and generosity, then we will be lacking in the next world. Bahá’ís therefore establish classes for children which start by teaching these virtues, and discuss ways in which they can put them into practice. Each child needs to have a healthy balance between having regard to their own happiness and having regard to the needs of others. Human beings of any age gain satisfaction and pleasure from being of service to others. Directing ourselves outwards, towards the society of which we form a part, helps us to have a healthy mind, spirit and body. Instead of facing the danger of becoming trapped in a cycle of introspection, if we go out and help others, we find that we are actually helping ourselves as well. The Bahá’í Writings say: “Turn all your thoughts toward bringing joy to hearts” and “Think ye at all times of rendering some service to every member of the human race.” In this context, the Junior Youth Groups which the Bahá’ís are now running world-wide not only give the young people a sense of their own worth, and a friendly space in which to talk about any problems, but also give them direct experience of looking at society to see what needs there are, and then setting out deliberately to do something to solve them. They learn how to make a difference, and that has a positive effect on their own well-being.

For older teenagers and adults to be able to improve their spiritual connections, Bahá’í communities have developed what are called “study circles”. It was found that the first and most fundamental subjects for study were topics such as what the nature of the soul might be, the nature of prayer, the purpose of life and what happens to the soul in the next world. Obviously, each person who participates in these study circles brings their own understanding, but it is the sharing of ideas with others which is so important. By discussing these spiritual subjects, people see that there is a meaning to life and they have a definite goal.

To move in a positive direction, each person needs to establish a relationship not just with society, as part of a community, but also with the Creator. We need to turn our radios on.

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Heads Together   www.headstogether.org.uk