We are embarking on a period of change, not only in the United Kingdom, but throughout the world. But what will the future be like? Is the future dark? There are plenty of people who are offering us “doom and gloom”. There is a fierce war in Eastern Europe, which, apart from the suffering of the two nations involved, has led to major economic destabilisation across the world. Gas and other fuel supplies have been scarce and costs have risen. The availability of basic items such as grain and cooking oil for millions of people have been disrupted. The threat of nuclear weapons is a very real one, with one nation openly talking about using them.
Indeed, this war, having been started whilst countries were still emerging from the COVID pandemic, has been so destabilising that it is cited as a major factor in a cost of living crisis which is seriously affecting a number of countries. Food prices are rising, fuel prices are rising, but wages are rising much more slowly. In some countries, there is a very real possibility of recession. There is no doubt whatever that if any sort of nuclear weapon was used, it would not only poison both the ground and the atmosphere, but would further destabilise the political situation. That is fairly certain to have further negative repercussions on the economic situation of the world.
The war in Europe also reminds us of the current paralysis of the United Nations. Because five countries, which happened to be on the winning side in the Second World War, granted themselves permanent seats of the United Nations Security Council, and the right to veto anything the Council might wish to decide, there is a universal acceptance that the United Nations cannot do anything to directly prevent the continued course of this war.
All this is against the backdrop of rising evidence for actual impact from climate change, caused apparently by human behaviour. This year there have been heatwaves on several different continents, accompanied by droughts, which then give way to floods as the next weather system – warmer than usual, and therefore carrying more water - crosses. The hurricanes and typhoons are getting stronger and even more dangerous for exactly this reason.
But not everything in the world portrays doom and gloom. There are areas of hope. There has been a marked shift towards the ready acceptance of people, regardless of colour or background. This can be seen in television studios, on sports pitches and in government. The new king in London, who is the Head of State of thirteen countries and the Leader of a Commonwealth of fifty-six nations, has vowed to be the Defender of Faiths – assisting the followers of all religions towards acceptance by the world.
All these Faiths promise a glorious future, although it may not always be spelled out clearly in the religion as it is practised today. In the nineteenth century, Bahá’u’lláh, in His books and letters, did spell it out. Anticipating (and advocating) a time of general literacy, universal education, and an increasing awareness of the processes of social and material development, Bahá’u’lláh wrote about the glorious future of mankind. It is clear from His writings that He foresaw that the world would go through great trials which would lead directly to the realisation of the need for unity. He was confident of the ultimate triumph of good because: “There is no force on earth that can equal in its conquering power the force of justice and wisdom....”.
Bahá’u’lláh’s son, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, speaking in Paris in the early 20th century said: “When perfect justice reigns in every country of the Eastern and Western World, then will the earth become a place of beauty. The dignity and equality of every servant of God will be acknowledged; the ideal of the solidarity of the human race, the true brotherhood of man, will be realised…”
In a talk in London he further explained:
“This is a new cycle of human power. All the horizons of the world are luminous, and the world will become indeed as a garden and a paradise. It is the hour of unity of the sons of men and of the drawing together of all races and all classes. You are loosed from ancient superstitions which have kept men ignorant, destroying the foundation of true humanity. The gift of God to this enlightened age is the knowledge of the oneness of mankind and of the fundamental oneness of religion. War shall cease between nations, and by the will of God the Most Great Peace shall come; the world will be seen as a new world, and all men will live as brothers.”
So – the times are changing, but which way will the world go now? For the Bahá’ís, the answer is clear: forwards. The governments of the world need to create a universal peace treaty. An outline of how a world peace conference can be instituted was given by Bahá’u’lláh, along with its very specific goals. In the Bahá’í view, the present state of things, though deplorable, will give way to a glorious future for humanity, based on a more spiritual approach to other people, and to the environment on the planet. We could call it heaven on earth.
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In February, I posted a blog about the universal peace treaty:
https://paddyvickers.blogspot.com/2022/02/it-doesnt-have-to-be-like-this.html
Excellent and timely :)
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