As we begin a new year, let us reflect on contributions we can each make towards building better communities. A few thoughts come to mind when considering building an ideal and exemplary community.
In such a community there will be unity, peace, and security. We would treat one another with love, respect, and understanding. There would be high regard for the rights and dignity of every individual and group.
Bahá’u’lláh, the founder of the Bahá’í Faith, states that “The well-being of mankind, its peace, and security, are unattainable unless and until its unity is firmly established” and that “So powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth”.
Accordingly, unity in our families, communities, in our nation and in the world, are the requirements for well-being, peace and security.
Bahá’u’lláh further states: “The purpose for which mortal men have, from utter nothingness, stepped into the realm of being, is that they may work for the betterment of the world and live together in concord and harmony.”
In an ideal and exemplary community, we progress spiritually and materially together and simultaneously. In our world today, material civilisation has progressed considerably, but spiritual civilisation has been left behind.
“Material civilisation”, according to the Bahá’í Writings, “is like unto the lamp, while spiritual civilisation is the light in that lamp. If the material and spiritual civilisation become united, then we will have the light and the lamp together, and the outcome will be perfect. For material civilisation is like unto a beautiful body, and spiritual civilisation is like unto the spirit of life. If that wondrous spirit of life enters this beautiful body, the body will become a channel for the distribution and development of the perfections of humanity.”
The need for spiritual education, to build moral capacity, cannot be over-emphasised. This should, however, be combined with academic education, as both are required to enable us to realise our full potential as contributing members of socially and spiritually advancing communities.
In an ideal and exemplary community, the intellectual and spiritual education of all our children is considered a priority, by their families, at their schools, or in their neighbourhoods. Currently, little emphasis is placed on the moral and spiritual education of our children, often leading to undesirable results, not easy to reverse.
It is through the acquisition of spiritual virtues that individuals and communities are reformed and transformed.
In an ideal and exemplary community, everyone is treated equally, regardless of nationality, race, religion, gender, or ethnic origin. The building of a peaceful global community will not be achievable without embracing human diversity.
According to the Baha’i Writings: “The diversity in the human family should be the cause of love and harmony, as it is in music where many different notes blend together in the making of a perfect chord.”
Due to such diversity, our world is a beautiful place to live in.
Achievement of unity in diversity calls for fundamental changes in all aspects of behaviour: individual, interpersonal, corporate, and international, and by overcoming any lingering feelings of racism or prejudice that we may, consciously or unconsciously, harbour.
In an ideal and exemplary community, individuals would be empowered to express their God-given talents and capacities in service to humanity.
According to the Bahá’í Writings, peace and justice will only be firmly established in the world when all people “become united and coordinated in service to the world of humanity”.
Flora Teckie is a professional architect, a Bahá’í Faith follower, and spiritual columnist.