Spiritual Upliftment and Conversation
Join us in offering prayers for the healing and upliftment of the world, and conversation on topics that challenge the establishment of unity and peace. “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”. (Bahá’u’lláh)
We are three local Baha’i friends who meet in the evening on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month. Note that we are not meeting in July but look forward to welcoming you in August. Please see the August edition of the Cowichan Valley Voice for details. “The well-being of mankind, its peace and security, are unattainable unless and until its unity is firmly established.” (Bahá’u’lláh) 50
Reconfirming the Oneness of Humanity
F
rom an early age I felt a connection with others, that I was part of one great family. As I grew, this feeling, which many saw as little more than a childhood notion, was repeatedly challenged by what I was taught and experienced. The reality of the decades that followed shattered my confidence in humanity’s ability to find unity, to act like we were one people. It was many years later that I was introduced to the teaching of Bahá’u’lláh, the prophet founder of the Bahá’í Faith. For Bahá’ís the principle of the oneness of humankind is “the pivot round which all the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh revolve”. Bahá’ís believe that each individual is essentially noble and that we share a common purpose ̶ to carry forward an ever-advancing material and spiritual civilization. We believe that together we all share the rights and responsibilities as co-stewards of one planet. (excerpts from What Bahá’ís Believe, www.bahai.org/ beliefs) Year by year I have watched as a growing awareness of our common heritage and our interdependent future has taken hold and is redefining
our understanding of who we are as a single human race ̶ one widely diverse family ̶ in the process challenging many of the worn-out ways of contemporary society. For example, why must we live with the adversarial approaches of partisan politics, the highly competitive approaches dominating economic activity, and the countless situations in which conflict is accepted as the driving force of human interactions? We know we can do better. The emergence in diverse settings of communities and organizations guided by values of cooperation and reciprocity serves to challenge notions that human nature is essentially selfish, competitive, and driven by material consideration. One can see the growing trend highlighted in this magazine and elsewhere ̶ the many positive actions underway in so many areas, from social housing, food distribution, regenerative agriculture, green economic recovery, to name a few. For me, these initiatives showcase a growing recognition of the equality and oneness of all peoples. Together they are reconfirming my childhood feeling ̶ that we can become one human family.
Submitted by Tim Mock
