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Who Is Writing the Future?=20
Reflections on the Twentieth Century

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0n May 28, 1992, Brazil's Chamber of Deputies met in special session to =
commemorate the centenary of the passing of Bah=E1'u'll=E1h, whose =
influence is becoming an increasingly familiar feature of the world's =
social and intellectual landscape. His message of unity had clearly =
struck a deep chord with the Brazilian legislators. During the course of =
the proceedings, speakers representing all parties in the Chamber paid =
tribute to a body of writings which one deputy described as "the most =
colossal religious work written by the pen of a single Man," and to a =
conception of our planet's future which, "transcending material =
frontiers", in the words of another, "reached out to humanity as a =
whole, without petty differences of nationality, race, limits, or =
beliefs." 1=20
The tribute was all the more striking because of the fact that, in the =
land of his birth, Bah=E1'u'll=E1h's work continues to be bitterly =
condemned by the Muslim clergy who rule Iran. Their predecessors had =
been responsible for his banishment and imprisonment in the middle years =
of the nineteenth century, and for the massacre of thousands of those =
who shared his ideals for the transforming of human life and society. =
Even as the proceedings in Brasilia were under way, refusal to deny =
beliefs that have won high praise throughout most of the rest of the =
world was bringing the 300,000 Bah=E1'=EDs living in Iran persecution, =
privation, and, in all too many cases, imprisonment and death.=20

Similar opposition characterized the attitudes of various totalitarian =
regimes over the past century.=20

What is the nature of the body of thought that has aroused such sharply =
divergent reactions?=20




I
The mainspring of Bah=E1'u'll=E1h's message is an exposition of reality =
as fundamentally spiritual in nature, and of the laws that govern that =
reality's operation. It not only sees the individual as a spiritual =
being, a "rational soul", but also insists that the entire enterprise =
that we call civilization is itself a spiritual process, one in which =
the human mind and heart have created progressively more complex and =
efficient means to express their inherent moral and intellectual =
capacities.=20

Rejecting the reigning dogmas of materialism, Bah=E1'u'll=E1h asserts an =
opposing interpretation of the historical process. Humanity, the =
arrowhead of the evolution of consciousness, passes through stages =
analogous to the periods of infancy, childhood, and adolescence in the =
lives of its individual members. The journey has brought us to the =
threshold of our long-awaited coming of age as a unified human race. The =
wars, exploitation, and prejudice that have marked immature stages in =
the process should not be a cause of despair but a stimulus to assuming =
the responsibilities of collective maturity.=20

Writing to the political and religious leaders of his own day, =
Bah=E1'u'll=E1h said that new capacities of incalculable power--beyond =
the conception of the generation then living--were awakening in the =
earth's peoples, capacities which would soon transform the material life =
of the planet. It was essential, he said, to make of these coming =
material advances vehicles for moral and social development. If =
nationalistic and sectarian conflicts prevented this from happening, =
then material progress would produce not only benefits, but unimagined =
evils. Some of Bah=E1'u'll=E1h's warnings awaken grim echoes in our own =
age: "Strange and astonishing things exist in the earth", he cautioned. =
"These things are capable of changing the whole atmosphere of the earth =
and their contamination would prove lethal."2=20




II
The central spiritual issue facing all people, Bah=E1'u'll=E1h says, =
whatever their nation, religion, or ethnic origin, is that of laying the =
foundations of a global society that can reflect the oneness of human =
nature. The unification of the earth's inhabitants is neither a remote =
utopian vision nor, ultimately, a matter of choice. It constitutes the =
next, inescapable stage in the process of social evolution, a stage =
toward which all the experience of past and present is impelling us. =
Until this issue is acknowledged and addressed, none of the ills =
afflicting our planet will find solutions, because all the essential =
challenges of the age we have entered are global and universal, not =
particular or regional.=20

The many passages of Bah=E1'u'll=E1h's writings dealing with humanity's =
coming of age are permeated by his use of light as a metaphor to capture =
the transforming power of unity: "So powerful is the light of unity", =
they insist, "that it can illuminate the whole earth".3 The assertion =
places current history in a perspective sharply different from the one =
that prevails at the end of the twentieth century. It urges us to =
find--within the suffering and breakdown of our times--the operation of =
forces that are liberating human consciousness for a new stage in its =
evolution. It calls on us to re-examine what has been happening over the =
past one hundred years and the effect that these developments have had =
on the heterogeneous mass of peoples, races, nations, and communities =
who have experienced them.=20

If, as Bah=E1'u'll=E1h asserts, "the well-being of mankind, its peace =
and security, are unattainable unless and until its unity is firmly =
established",4 it is understandable why Bah=E1'=EDs view the twentieth =
century--with all its disasters--as "the century of light".5 For these =
one hundred years witnessed a transformation in both the way the earth's =
inhabitants have begun to plan our collective future and in the way we =
are coming to regard one another. The hallmark of both has been a =
process of unification. Upheavals beyond the control of existing =
institutions compelled world leaders to begin putting in place new =
systems of global organization that would have been unthinkable at the =
century's beginning. As this was occurring, rapid erosion was overtaking =
habits and attitudes that had divided peoples and nations through =
unnumbered centuries of conflict and that had seemed likely to endure =
for ages to come.=20

At the midpoint of the century, these two developments produced a =
breakthrough whose historic significance only future generations will =
properly appreciate. In the stunned aftermath of World War II, =
far-sighted leaders found it at last possible, through the United =
Nations organization, to begin consolidating the foundations of world =
order. Long dreamed of by progressive thinkers, the new system of =
international conventions and related agencies was now endowed with =
crucial powers that had tragically been denied to the abortive League of =
Nations. As the century advanced, the system's primitive muscles of =
international peacekeeping were progressively exercised in such a way as =
to demonstrate persuasively what can be accomplished. With this came the =
steady expansion throughout the world of democratic institutions of =
governance. If the practical effects are still disappointing, this in no =
way diminishes the historic and irreversible change of direction that =
has taken place in the organization of human affairs.=20

As with the cause of world order, so with the rights of the world's =
people. Exposure of the appalling suffering visited on the victims of =
human perversity during the course of the war produced a worldwide sense =
of shock--and what can only be termed deep feelings of shame. Out of =
this trauma emerged a new kind of moral commitment that was formally =
institutionalized in the work of the United Nations Commission on Human =
Rights and its associated agencies, a development inconceivable to the =
nineteenth century rulers to whom Bah=E1'u'll=E1h had addressed himself =
on the subject. Thus empowered, a growing body of nongovernmental =
organizations have set out to ensure that the Universal Declaration of =
Human Rights is established as the foundation of normative international =
standards and is enforced accordingly.=20

A parallel process took place with respect to economic life. During the =
first half of the century, as a consequence of the havoc wrought by the =
great depression, many governments adopted legislation that created =
social welfare programs and systems of financial control, reserve funds, =
and trade regulations that sought to protect their societies from a =
recurrence of such devastation. The period following World War II =
brought the establishment of institutions whose field of operation is =
global: the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the General =
Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, and a network of development agencies =
devoted to rationalizing and advancing the material prosperity of the =
planet. At century's end--whatever the intentions and however crude the =
present generation of tools--the masses of humanity have been shown that =
the use of the planet's wealth can be fundamentally reorganized in =
response to entirely new conceptions of need.=20

The effect of these developments was enormously amplified by the =
accelerating extension of education to the masses. Apart from the =
willingness of national and local governments to allocate greatly =
increased resources to this field and the society's ability to mobilize =
and train armies of professionally qualified teachers, two twentieth =
century advances at the international level were particularly =
influential. The first was the series of development plans focussed on =
educational needs and massively financed by such bodies as the World =
Bank, government agencies, major foundations and several branches of the =
United Nations system. The second was the information technology =
explosion that has made all of the earth's inhabitants potential =
beneficiaries of the whole of the race's learning.=20

This process of structural reorganization on a planetary scale was =
animated and reinforced by a profound shift of consciousness. Entire =
populations found themselves abruptly compelled to face the costs of =
ingrained habits of mind that breed conflict--and to do so in the full =
glare of worldwide censure of what were once considered acceptable =
practices and attitudes. The effect was to stimulate revolutionary =
change in the way that people regard one another.=20

Throughout history, for example, experience seemed to demonstrate--and =
religious teaching to confirm--that women are essentially inferior in =
nature to men. Overnight, in the historical scheme of things, this =
prevailing perception was suddenly everywhere in retreat. However long =
and painful may be the process of giving full effect to =
Bah=E1'u'll=E1h's assertion that women and men are in every sense equal, =
intellectual and moral support for any opposing view steadily =
disintegrates.=20

Yet another fixture of humanity's view of itself throughout past =
millennia was a celebration of ethnic distinctions which, in recent =
centuries, had hardened into various racist fantasies. With a swiftness =
that is breathtaking in the perspective of history, the twentieth =
century saw the unity of the human race establish itself as a guiding =
principle of international order. Today, the ethnic conflicts that =
continue to wreak havoc in many parts of the world are seen not as =
natural features of the relations among diverse peoples, but as willful =
aberrations that must be brought under effective international control.=20

Throughout humanity's long childhood, it was also assumed--again with =
the full concurrence of organized religion--that poverty was an enduring =
and inescapable feature of the social order. Now, however, this =
mind-set, an assumption that had shaped the priorities of every economic =
system the world had ever known, has been universally rejected. In =
theory at least, government has come to be everywhere regarded as =
essentially a trustee responsible to ensure the well-being of all of =
society's members.=20

Particularly significant--because of its intimate relationship with the =
roots of human motivation--was the loosening of the grip of religious =
prejudice. Prefigured in the "Parliament of Religions" that attracted =
intense interest as the nineteenth century was drawing to a close, the =
process of interfaith dialogue and collaboration reinforced the effects =
of secularism in undermining the once impregnable walls of clerical =
authority. In the face of the transformation in religious conceptions =
that the past hundred years witnessed, even the current outburst of =
fundamentalist reaction may come, in retrospect, to be seen as little =
more than desperate rear-guard actions against an inevitable dissolution =
of sectarian control. In the words of Bah=E1'u'll=E1h, "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 =
subjects of one God." 6=20

During these critical decades the human mind was also experiencing =
fundamental changes in the way that it understood the physical universe. =
The first half of the century saw the new theories of relativity and =
quantum mechanics--both of them intimately related to the nature and =
operation of light--revolutionize the field of physics and alter the =
entire course of scientific development. It became apparent that =
classical physics could explain phenomena within only a limited range. A =
new door had suddenly opened into the study of both the minute =
constituents of the universe and its large cosmological systems, a =
change whose effects went far beyond physics, shaking the very =
foundations of a world view that had dominated scientific thinking for =
centuries. Gone forever were the images of a mechanical universe run =
like a clock and a presumed separation between observer and observed, =
between mind and matter. Against the background of the far-reaching =
studies thus made possible, theoretical science now begins to address =
the possibility that purpose and intelligence are indeed intrinsic to =
the nature and operation of the universe.=20

In the wake of these conceptual changes, humanity entered an era in =
which interaction among physical sciences--physics, chemistry, and =
biology, along with the nascent science of ecology--opened breathtaking =
possibilities for the enhancement of life. The benefits in such vital =
areas of concern as agriculture and medicine became dramatically =
apparent as did those brought about by success in tapping new sources of =
energy. Simultaneously, the new field of materials science began =
providing a wealth of specialized resources unknown when the century =
opened--plastics, optical fibers, carbon fibers.=20

Such advances in science and technology were reciprocal in their =
effects. Grains of sand--the most humble and ostensibly worthless of =
materials--metamorphosed into silicon wafers and optically pure glass, =
making possible the creation of worldwide communications networks. This, =
together with the deployment of ever more sophisticated satellite =
systems, has begun providing access to the accumulated knowledge of the =
entire human race for people everywhere, without distinction. It is =
apparent that the decades immediately ahead will see the integration of =
telephone, television, and computer technologies into a single, unified =
system of communication and information, whose inexpensive appliances =
will be available on a mass scale. It would be difficult to exaggerate =
the psychological and social impact of the anticipated replacement of =
the jumble of existing monetary systems--for many, the ultimate fortress =
of nationalist pride--by a single world currency operating largely =
through electronic impulses.=20

Indeed, the unifying effect of the twentieth century revolution is =
nowhere more readily apparent than in the implications of the changes =
that took place in scientific and technological life. At the most =
obvious level, the human race is now endowed with the means needed to =
realize the visionary goals summoned up by a steadily maturing =
consciousness. Viewed more deeply, this empowerment is potentially =
available to all of the earth's inhabitants, without regard to race, =
culture, or nation. "A new life", Bah=E1'u'll=E1h prophetically saw, =
"is, in this age, stirring within all the peoples of the earth; and yet =
none hath discovered its cause or perceived its motive." 7 Today, more =
than a century after these words were written, the implications of what =
has since taken place begin to be apparent to thoughtful minds =
everywhere.=20




III
To appreciate the transformations brought about by the period of history =
now ending is not to deny the accompanying darkness that throws the =
achievements into sharp relief: the deliberate extermination of millions =
of helpless human beings, the invention and use of new weapons of =
destruction capable of annihilating whole populations, the rise of =
ideologies that suffocated the spiritual and intellectual life of entire =
nations, damage to the physical environment of the planet on a scale so =
massive that it may take centuries to heal, and the incalculably greater =
damage done to generations of children taught to believe that violence, =
indecency, and selfishness are triumphs of personal liberty. Such are =
only the more obvious of a catalogue of evils, unmatched in history, =
whose lessons our era will leave for the education of the chastened =
generations who will follow us.=20

Darkness, however, is not a phenomenon endowed with some form of =
existence, much less autonomy. It does not extinguish light nor diminish =
it, but marks out those areas that light has not reached or adequately =
illumined. So will twentieth century civilization no doubt be assessed =
by the historians of a more mature and dispassionate age. The ferocities =
of animal nature, which raged out of control through these critical =
years and seemed at times to threaten society's very survival, did not =
in fact prevent the steady unfoldment of the creative potentialities =
which human consciousness possesses. On the contrary. As the century =
advanced, growing numbers of people awakened to how empty were the =
allegiances and how insubstantial the fears that had held them captive =
only short years before.=20

"Peerless is this Day," Bah=E1'u'll=E1h insists, "for it is as the eye =
to past ages and centuries, and as a light unto the darkness of the =
times." 8 In this perspective, the issue is not the darkness that slowed =
and obscured the progress achieved in the extraordinary hundred years =
now ending. It is, rather, how much more suffering and ruin must be =
experienced by our race before we wholeheartedly accept the spiritual =
nature that makes us a single people, and gather the courage to plan our =
future in the light of what has been so painfully learned.=20




IV
The conception of civilization's future course laid out in =
Bah=E1'u'll=E1h's writings challenges much that today imposes itself on =
our world as normative and unchangeable. The breakthroughs made during =
the century of light have opened the door to a new kind of world. If =
social and intellectual evolution is in fact responding to a moral =
intelligence inherent in existence, a great deal of the theory =
determining contemporary approaches to decision-making is fatally =
flawed. If human consciousness is essentially spiritual in nature--as =
the vast majority of ordinary people have always been intuitively =
aware--, its development needs cannot be understood or served through an =
interpretation of reality that dogmatically insists otherwise.=20

No aspect of contemporary civilization is more directly challenged by =
Bah=E1'u'll=E1h's conception of the future than is the prevailing cult =
of individualism, which has spread to most parts of the world. Nurtured =
by such cultural forces as political ideology, academic elitism, and a =
consumer economy, the "pursuit of happiness" has given rise to an =
aggressive and almost boundless sense of personal entitlement. The moral =
consequences have been corrosive for the individual and society =
alike--and devastating in terms of disease, drug addiction and other =
all-too-familiar blights of century's end. The task of freeing humanity =
from an error so fundamental and pervasive will call into question some =
of the twentieth century's most deeply entrenched assumptions about =
right and wrong.=20

What are some of these unexamined assumptions? The most obvious is the =
conviction that unity is a distant, almost unattainable ideal to be =
addressed only after a host of political conflicts have been somehow =
resolved, material needs somehow satisfied, and injustices somehow =
corrected. The opposite, Bah=E1'u'll=E1h asserts, is the case. The =
primary disease that afflicts society and generates the ills that =
cripple it, he says, is the disunity of a human race that is =
distinguished by its capacity for collaboration and whose progress to =
date has depended on the extent to which unified action has, at various =
times and in various societies, been achieved. To cling to the notion =
that conflict is an intrinsic feature of human nature, rather than a =
complex of learned habits and attitudes, is to impose on a new century =
an error which, more than any other single factor, has tragically =
handicapped humanity's past. "Regard the world", Bah=E1'u'll=E1h advised =
elected leaders, "as the human body which, though at its creation whole =
and perfect, hath been afflicted, through various causes, with grave =
disorders and maladies." 9=20

Intimately related to the issue of unity is a second moral challenge =
that the past century has posed with ever increasing urgency. In the =
sight of God, Bah=E1'u'll=E1h insists, justice is the "best beloved of =
all things".10 It enables the individual to see reality through his or =
her own eyes rather than those of others and endows collective decision =
making with the authority that alone can ensure unity of thought and =
action. However gratifying is the system of international order that has =
emerged from the harrowing experiences of the twentieth century, its =
enduring influence will depend on acceptance of the moral principle =
implicit in it. If the body of humankind is indeed one and indivisible, =
then the authority exercised by its governing institutions represents =
essentially a trusteeship. Each individual person comes into the world =
as a trust of the whole, and it is this feature of human existence that =
constitutes the real foundation of the social, economic and cultural =
rights that the United Nations Charter and its related documents =
articulate. Justice and unity are reciprocal in their effect. "The =
purpose of justice", Bah=E1'u'll=E1h wrote, "is the appearance of unity =
among men. The ocean of divine wisdom surgeth within this exalted word, =
while the books of the world cannot contain its inner significance." 11=20

As society commits itself--however hesitantly and fearfully--to these =
and related moral principles, the most meaningful role it will offer the =
individual will be that of service. One of the paradoxes of human life =
is that development of the self comes primarily through commitment to =
larger undertakings in which the self--even if only temporarily--is =
forgotten. In an age that opens up to people of every condition an =
opportunity to participate effectively in the shaping of the social =
order itself, the ideal of service to others assumes entirely new =
significance. To exalt such goals as acquisition and self-assertion as =
the purpose of life is to promote chiefly the animal side of human =
nature. Nor can simplistic messages of personal salvation any longer =
address the yearnings of generations who have come to know, with deep =
certainty, that true fulfillment is as much a matter of this world as it =
is of the next. "Be anxiously concerned with the needs of the age ye =
live in," is Bah=E1'u'll=E1h's counsel, "and center your deliberations =
on its exigencies and requirements." 12=20

Such perspectives have profound implications for the conduct of human =
affairs. It is obvious, for example, that, whatever its past =
contributions, the longer the nation state persists as the dominant =
influence in determining the fate of humankind, the longer will the =
achievement of world peace be delayed and the greater will be the =
suffering inflicted on the earth's population. In humanity's economic =
life, no matter how great the blessings brought by globalization, it is =
apparent that this process has also created unparalleled concentrations =
of autocratic power that must be brought under international democratic =
control if they are not to produce poverty and despair for countless =
millions. Similarly, the historic breakthrough in information and =
communication technology, which represents so potent a means to promote =
social development and the deepening of people's sense of their common =
humanity, can, with equal force, divert and coarsen impulses vital to =
the service of this very process.=20




V
What Bah=E1'u'll=E1h is speaking of is a new relationship between God =
and humankind, one that is in harmony with the dawning maturity of the =
race. The ultimate Reality that has created and sustains the universe =
will forever remain beyond the reach of the human mind. Humanity's =
conscious relationship with it, to the extent that one has been =
established, has been the result of the influence of the Founders of the =
great religions, Moses, Zoroaster, Buddha, Jesus, Muhammad and earlier =
figures whose names are, for the most part, lost to memory. Through =
responding to these impulses of the Divine, the earth's peoples have =
progressively developed the spiritual, intellectual, and moral =
capacities that have combined to civilize human character. This =
millennia-long, cumulative process has now reached the stage =
characteristic of all the decisive turning points in the evolutionary =
process, when previously unrealized possibilities suddenly emerge: "This =
is the Day", Bah=E1'u'll=E1h asserts, "in which God's most excellent =
favors have been poured out upon men, the Day in which His most mighty =
grace hath been infused into all created things." 13=20

Viewed through Bah=E1'u'll=E1h's eyes, the history of tribes, peoples, =
and nations has effectively reached its conclusion. What we are =
witnessing is the beginning of the history of humankind, the history of =
a human race conscious of its own oneness. To this turning point in the =
course of civilization, his writings bring a redefinition of the nature =
and processes of civilization and a reordering of its priorities. Their =
aim is to call us back to spiritual awareness and responsibility.=20

There is nothing in Bah=E1'u'll=E1h's writings to encourage the illusion =
that the changes envisioned will come about easily. Far otherwise. As =
the events of the twentieth century have already demonstrated, patterns =
of habit and attitude which have taken root over thousands of years are =
not abandoned either spontaneously or in response simply to education or =
legislative action. Whether in the life of the individual or that of =
society, profound change occurs more often than not in response to =
intense suffering and to unendurable difficulties that can be overcome =
in no other way. Just so great a testing experience, Bah=E1'u'll=E1h =
warned, is needed to weld the earth's diverse peoples into a single =
people.=20

Spiritual and materialistic conceptions of the nature of reality are =
irreconcilable with one another and lead in opposite directions. As a =
new century opens, the course set by the second of these two opposing =
views has already carried a hapless humanity far beyond the outermost =
point where an illusion of rationality, let alone of human well-being, =
could once be sustained. With every passing day, the signs multiply that =
great numbers of people everywhere are awakening to this realization.=20

Despite widely prevalent opinion to the contrary, the human race is not =
a blank tablet on which privileged arbiters of human affairs can freely =
inscribe their own wishes. The springs of the spirit rise up where they =
will, as they will. They will not indefinitely be suppressed by the =
detritus of contemporary society. It no longer requires prophetic =
insight to appreciate that the opening years of the new century will see =
the release of energies and aspirations infinitely more potent than the =
accumulated routines, falsities, and addictions that have so long =
blocked their expression.=20

However great the turmoil, the period into which humanity is moving will =
open to every individual, every institution, and every community on =
earth unprecedented opportunities to participate in the writing of the =
planet's future. "Soon", is Bah=E1'u'll=E1h's confident promise, "will =
the present-day order be rolled up, and a new one spread out in its =
stead." 14=20



    =20



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Notes
  1.. Remarks by Deputy Luis Gushiken and Deputy Rita Camata. "Sess=E3o =
Solene da C=E2mara Federal em Homenagem ao Centen=E1rio da Ascens=E3o de =
Bah=E1'u'll=E1h", Brasilia, 28 May 1992.=20

  b.. Bah=E1'u'll=E1h, Tablets of Bah=E1'u'll=E1h Revealed after the =
Kit=E1b-i-Aqdas (Wilmette: Bah=E1'=ED Publishing Trust, 1997), p. 69.=20

  c.. Bah=E1'u'll=E1h, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf (Wilmette: =
Bah=E1'=ED Publishing Trust, 1988), p. 14.=20

  d.. Bah=E1'u'll=E1h, Gleanings from the Writings of Bah=E1'u'll=E1h, =
section CXXXI.=20

  e.. 'Abdu'l-Bah=E1, The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks =
Delivered by `Abdu'l-Bah=E1 during His Visit to the United States and =
Canada in 1912, rev. ed. (Wilmette: Bah=E1'=ED Publishing Trust, 1982), =
pp. 74, 126.=20

  f.. Bah=E1'u'll=E1h, Gleanings from the Writings of Bah=E1'u'll=E1h, =
section CXI.=20

  g.. Bah=E1'u'll=E1h, Gleanings from the Writings of Bah=E1'u'll=E1h, =
section XCVI.=20

  h.. Bah=E1'u'll=E1h, quoted in Shoghi Effendi, The Advent of Divine =
Justice (Wilmette: Bah=E1'=ED Publishing Trust, 1990), p. 79.=20

  i.. Bah=E1'u'll=E1h, Gleanings from the Writings of Bah=E1'u'll=E1h, =
section CXX.=20

  j.. Bah=E1'u'll=E1h, The Hidden Words, no. 2 from the Arabic.=20

  k.. Bah=E1'u'll=E1h, Tablets of Bah=E1'u'll=E1h Revealed after the =
Kit=E1b-i-Aqdas (Wilmette: Bah=E1'=ED Publishing Trust, 1997), p. 67.=20

  l.. Bah=E1'u'll=E1h, Gleanings from the Writings of Bah=E1'u'll=E1h, =
section CVI.=20

  m.. Bah=E1'u'll=E1h, Gleanings from the Writings of Bah=E1'u'll=E1h, =
section IV.=20

  n.. Bah=E1'u'll=E1h, Gleanings from the Writings of Bah=E1'u'll=E1h, =
section IV.=20


Copyright =A91999, Bah=E1'=ED International Community.
All rights reserved.=20

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<DIV align=3Dcenter>Who Is Writing the Future?=20
<H2>Reflections on the Twentieth Century</H2></DIV></STRONG></FONT>
<HR>
<FONT color=3D#0066cc size=3D7>0</FONT>n May 28, 1992, Brazil's Chamber =
of Deputies=20
met in special session to commemorate the centenary of the passing of=20
Bah=E1'u'll=E1h, whose influence is becoming an increasingly familiar =
feature of the=20
world's social and intellectual landscape. His message of unity had =
clearly=20
struck a deep chord with the Brazilian legislators. During the course of =
the=20
proceedings, speakers representing all parties in the Chamber paid =
tribute to a=20
body of writings which one deputy described as "the most colossal =
religious work=20
written by the pen of a single Man," and to a conception of our planet's =
future=20
which, "transcending material frontiers", in the words of another, =
"reached out=20
to humanity as a whole, without petty differences of nationality, race, =
limits,=20
or beliefs." <SUP><A=20
href=3D"http://www.bahai.org/bworld/main.cfm?token=3D118274&amp;DocumentI=
D=3D381#1">1</A></SUP>=20

<P>The tribute was all the more striking because of the fact that, in =
the land=20
of his birth, Bah=E1'u'll=E1h's work continues to be bitterly condemned =
by the=20
Muslim clergy who rule Iran. Their predecessors had been responsible for =
his=20
banishment and imprisonment in the middle years of the nineteenth =
century, and=20
for the massacre of thousands of those who shared his ideals for the=20
transforming of human life and society. Even as the proceedings in =
Brasilia were=20
under way, refusal to deny beliefs that have won high praise throughout =
most of=20
the rest of the world was bringing the 300,000 Bah=E1'=EDs living in =
Iran=20
persecution, privation, and, in all too many cases, imprisonment and =
death.=20
<P>Similar opposition characterized the attitudes of various =
totalitarian=20
regimes over the past century.=20
<P>What is the nature of the body of thought that has aroused such =
sharply=20
divergent reactions?=20
<P><BR>
<CENTER>
<H3>I</H3></CENTER>
<P><FONT color=3D#0066cc size=3D7>T</FONT>he mainspring of =
Bah=E1'u'll=E1h's message is=20
an exposition of reality as fundamentally spiritual in nature, and of =
the laws=20
that govern that reality's operation. It not only sees the individual as =
a=20
spiritual being, a "rational soul", but also insists that the entire =
enterprise=20
that we call civilization is itself a spiritual process, one in which =
the human=20
mind and heart have created progressively more complex and efficient =
means to=20
express their inherent moral and intellectual capacities.=20
<P>Rejecting the reigning dogmas of materialism, Bah=E1'u'll=E1h asserts =
an opposing=20
interpretation of the historical process. Humanity, the arrowhead of the =

evolution of consciousness, passes through stages analogous to the =
periods of=20
infancy, childhood, and adolescence in the lives of its individual =
members. The=20
journey has brought us to the threshold of our long-awaited coming of =
age as a=20
unified human race. The wars, exploitation, and prejudice that have =
marked=20
immature stages in the process should not be a cause of despair but a =
stimulus=20
to assuming the responsibilities of collective maturity.=20
<P>Writing to the political and religious leaders of his own day, =
Bah=E1'u'll=E1h=20
said that new capacities of incalculable power--beyond the conception of =
the=20
generation then living--were awakening in the earth's peoples, =
capacities which=20
would soon transform the material life of the planet. It was essential, =
he said,=20
to make of these coming material advances vehicles for moral and social=20
development. If nationalistic and sectarian conflicts prevented this =
from=20
happening, then material progress would produce not only benefits, but=20
unimagined evils. Some of Bah=E1'u'll=E1h's warnings awaken grim echoes =
in our own=20
age: "Strange and astonishing things exist in the earth", he cautioned. =
"These=20
things are capable of changing the whole atmosphere of the earth and =
their=20
contamination would prove lethal."<SUP><A=20
href=3D"http://www.bahai.org/bworld/main.cfm?token=3D118274&amp;DocumentI=
D=3D381#2">2</A></SUP>=20

<P><BR>
<CENTER>
<H3>II</H3></CENTER>
<P><FONT color=3D#0066cc size=3D7>T</FONT>he central spiritual issue =
facing all=20
people, Bah=E1'u'll=E1h says, whatever their nation, religion, or ethnic =
origin, is=20
that of laying the foundations of a global society that can reflect the =
oneness=20
of human nature. The unification of the earth's inhabitants is neither a =
remote=20
utopian vision nor, ultimately, a matter of choice. It constitutes the =
next,=20
inescapable stage in the process of social evolution, a stage toward =
which all=20
the experience of past and present is impelling us. Until this issue is=20
acknowledged and addressed, none of the ills afflicting our planet will =
find=20
solutions, because all the essential challenges of the age we have =
entered are=20
global and universal, not particular or regional.=20
<P>The many passages of Bah=E1'u'll=E1h's writings dealing with =
humanity's coming of=20
age are permeated by his use of light as a metaphor to capture the =
transforming=20
power of unity: "So powerful is the light of unity", they insist, "that =
it can=20
illuminate the whole earth".<SUP><A=20
href=3D"http://www.bahai.org/bworld/main.cfm?token=3D118274&amp;DocumentI=
D=3D381#3">3</A></SUP>=20
The assertion places current history in a perspective sharply different =
from the=20
one that prevails at the end of the twentieth century. It urges us to=20
find--within the suffering and breakdown of our times--the operation of =
forces=20
that are liberating human consciousness for a new stage in its =
evolution. It=20
calls on us to re-examine what has been happening over the past one =
hundred=20
years and the effect that these developments have had on the =
heterogeneous mass=20
of peoples, races, nations, and communities who have experienced them.=20
<P>If, as Bah=E1'u'll=E1h asserts, "the well-being of mankind, its peace =
and=20
security, are unattainable unless and until its unity is firmly=20
established",<SUP><A=20
href=3D"http://www.bahai.org/bworld/main.cfm?token=3D118274&amp;DocumentI=
D=3D381#4">4</A></SUP>=20
it is understandable why Bah=E1'=EDs view the twentieth century--with =
all its=20
disasters--as "the century of light".<SUP><A=20
href=3D"http://www.bahai.org/bworld/main.cfm?token=3D118274&amp;DocumentI=
D=3D381#5">5</A></SUP>=20
For these one hundred years witnessed a transformation in both the way =
the=20
earth's inhabitants have begun to plan our collective future and in the =
way we=20
are coming to regard one another. The hallmark of both has been a =
process of=20
unification. Upheavals beyond the control of existing institutions =
compelled=20
world leaders to begin putting in place new systems of global =
organization that=20
would have been unthinkable at the century's beginning. As this was =
occurring,=20
rapid erosion was overtaking habits and attitudes that had divided =
peoples and=20
nations through unnumbered centuries of conflict and that had seemed =
likely to=20
endure for ages to come.=20
<P>At the midpoint of the century, these two developments produced a=20
breakthrough whose historic significance only future generations will =
properly=20
appreciate. In the stunned aftermath of World War II, far-sighted =
leaders found=20
it at last possible, through the United Nations organization, to begin=20
consolidating the foundations of world order. Long dreamed of by =
progressive=20
thinkers, the new system of international conventions and related =
agencies was=20
now endowed with crucial powers that had tragically been denied to the =
abortive=20
League of Nations. As the century advanced, the system's primitive =
muscles of=20
international peacekeeping were progressively exercised in such a way as =
to=20
demonstrate persuasively what can be accomplished. With this came the =
steady=20
expansion throughout the world of democratic institutions of governance. =
If the=20
practical effects are still disappointing, this in no way diminishes the =

historic and irreversible change of direction that has taken place in =
the=20
organization of human affairs.=20
<P>As with the cause of world order, so with the rights of the world's =
people.=20
Exposure of the appalling suffering visited on the victims of human =
perversity=20
during the course of the war produced a worldwide sense of shock--and =
what can=20
only be termed deep feelings of shame. Out of this trauma emerged a new =
kind of=20
moral commitment that was formally institutionalized in the work of the =
United=20
Nations Commission on Human Rights and its associated agencies, a =
development=20
inconceivable to the nineteenth century rulers to whom Bah=E1'u'll=E1h =
had addressed=20
himself on the subject. Thus empowered, a growing body of =
nongovernmental=20
organizations have set out to ensure that the Universal Declaration of =
Human=20
Rights is established as the foundation of normative international =
standards and=20
is enforced accordingly.=20
<P>A parallel process took place with respect to economic life. During =
the first=20
half of the century, as a consequence of the havoc wrought by the great=20
depression, many governments adopted legislation that created social =
welfare=20
programs and systems of financial control, reserve funds, and trade =
regulations=20
that sought to protect their societies from a recurrence of such =
devastation.=20
The period following World War II brought the establishment of =
institutions=20
whose field of operation is global: the International Monetary Fund, the =
World=20
Bank, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, and a network of =
development=20
agencies devoted to rationalizing and advancing the material prosperity =
of the=20
planet. At century's end--whatever the intentions and however crude the =
present=20
generation of tools--the masses of humanity have been shown that the use =
of the=20
planet's wealth can be fundamentally reorganized in response to entirely =
new=20
conceptions of need.=20
<P>The effect of these developments was enormously amplified by the =
accelerating=20
extension of education to the masses. Apart from the willingness of =
national and=20
local governments to allocate greatly increased resources to this field =
and the=20
society's ability to mobilize and train armies of professionally =
qualified=20
teachers, two twentieth century advances at the international level were =

particularly influential. The first was the series of development plans =
focussed=20
on educational needs and massively financed by such bodies as the World =
Bank,=20
government agencies, major foundations and several branches of the =
United=20
Nations system. The second was the information technology explosion that =
has=20
made all of the earth's inhabitants potential beneficiaries of the whole =
of the=20
race's learning.=20
<P>This process of structural reorganization on a planetary scale was =
animated=20
and reinforced by a profound shift of consciousness. Entire populations =
found=20
themselves abruptly compelled to face the costs of ingrained habits of =
mind that=20
breed conflict--and to do so in the full glare of worldwide censure of =
what were=20
once considered acceptable practices and attitudes. The effect was to =
stimulate=20
revolutionary change in the way that people regard one another.=20
<P>Throughout history, for example, experience seemed to =
demonstrate--and=20
religious teaching to confirm--that women are essentially inferior in =
nature to=20
men. Overnight, in the historical scheme of things, this prevailing =
perception=20
was suddenly everywhere in retreat. However long and painful may be the =
process=20
of giving full effect to Bah=E1'u'll=E1h's assertion that women and men =
are in every=20
sense equal, intellectual and moral support for any opposing view =
steadily=20
disintegrates.=20
<P>Yet another fixture of humanity's view of itself throughout past =
millennia=20
was a celebration of ethnic distinctions which, in recent centuries, had =

hardened into various racist fantasies. With a swiftness that is =
breathtaking in=20
the perspective of history, the twentieth century saw the unity of the =
human=20
race establish itself as a guiding principle of international order. =
Today, the=20
ethnic conflicts that continue to wreak havoc in many parts of the world =
are=20
seen not as natural features of the relations among diverse peoples, but =
as=20
willful aberrations that must be brought under effective international =
control.=20
<P>Throughout humanity's long childhood, it was also assumed--again with =
the=20
full concurrence of organized religion--that poverty was an enduring and =

inescapable feature of the social order. Now, however, this mind-set, an =

assumption that had shaped the priorities of every economic system the =
world had=20
ever known, has been universally rejected. In theory at least, =
government has=20
come to be everywhere regarded as essentially a trustee responsible to =
ensure=20
the well-being of all of society's members.=20
<P>Particularly significant--because of its intimate relationship with =
the roots=20
of human motivation--was the loosening of the grip of religious =
prejudice.=20
Prefigured in the "Parliament of Religions" that attracted intense =
interest as=20
the nineteenth century was drawing to a close, the process of interfaith =

dialogue and collaboration reinforced the effects of secularism in =
undermining=20
the once impregnable walls of clerical authority. In the face of the=20
transformation in religious conceptions that the past hundred years =
witnessed,=20
even the current outburst of fundamentalist reaction may come, in =
retrospect, to=20
be seen as little more than desperate rear-guard actions against an =
inevitable=20
dissolution of sectarian control. In the words of Bah=E1'u'll=E1h, =
"There can be no=20
doubt whatever that the peoples of the world, of whatever race or =
religion,=20
derive their inspiration from one heavenly Source, and are the subjects =
of one=20
God." <SUP><A=20
href=3D"http://www.bahai.org/bworld/main.cfm?token=3D118274&amp;DocumentI=
D=3D381#6">6</A></SUP>=20

<P>During these critical decades the human mind was also experiencing=20
fundamental changes in the way that it understood the physical universe. =
The=20
first half of the century saw the new theories of relativity and quantum =

mechanics--both of them intimately related to the nature and operation =
of=20
light--revolutionize the field of physics and alter the entire course of =

scientific development. It became apparent that classical physics could =
explain=20
phenomena within only a limited range. A new door had suddenly opened =
into the=20
study of both the minute constituents of the universe and its large =
cosmological=20
systems, a change whose effects went far beyond physics, shaking the =
very=20
foundations of a world view that had dominated scientific thinking for=20
centuries. Gone forever were the images of a mechanical universe run =
like a=20
clock and a presumed separation between observer and observed, between =
mind and=20
matter. Against the background of the far-reaching studies thus made =
possible,=20
theoretical science now begins to address the possibility that purpose =
and=20
intelligence are indeed intrinsic to the nature and operation of the =
universe.=20
<P>In the wake of these conceptual changes, humanity entered an era in =
which=20
interaction among physical sciences--physics, chemistry, and biology, =
along with=20
the nascent science of ecology--opened breathtaking possibilities for =
the=20
enhancement of life. The benefits in such vital areas of concern as =
agriculture=20
and medicine became dramatically apparent as did those brought about by =
success=20
in tapping new sources of energy. Simultaneously, the new field of =
materials=20
science began providing a wealth of specialized resources unknown when =
the=20
century opened--plastics, optical fibers, carbon fibers.=20
<P>Such advances in science and technology were reciprocal in their =
effects.=20
Grains of sand--the most humble and ostensibly worthless of=20
materials--metamorphosed into silicon wafers and optically pure glass, =
making=20
possible the creation of worldwide communications networks. This, =
together with=20
the deployment of ever more sophisticated satellite systems, has begun =
providing=20
access to the accumulated knowledge of the entire human race for people=20
everywhere, without distinction. It is apparent that the decades =
immediately=20
ahead will see the integration of telephone, television, and computer=20
technologies into a single, unified system of communication and =
information,=20
whose inexpensive appliances will be available on a mass scale. It would =
be=20
difficult to exaggerate the psychological and social impact of the =
anticipated=20
replacement of the jumble of existing monetary systems--for many, the =
ultimate=20
fortress of nationalist pride--by a single world currency operating =
largely=20
through electronic impulses.=20
<P>Indeed, the unifying effect of the twentieth century revolution is =
nowhere=20
more readily apparent than in the implications of the changes that took =
place in=20
scientific and technological life. At the most obvious level, the human =
race is=20
now endowed with the means needed to realize the visionary goals =
summoned up by=20
a steadily maturing consciousness. Viewed more deeply, this empowerment =
is=20
potentially available to all of the earth's inhabitants, without regard =
to race,=20
culture, or nation. "A new life", Bah=E1'u'll=E1h prophetically saw, =
"is, in this=20
age, stirring within all the peoples of the earth; and yet none hath =
discovered=20
its cause or perceived its motive." <SUP><A=20
href=3D"http://www.bahai.org/bworld/main.cfm?token=3D118274&amp;DocumentI=
D=3D381#7">7</A></SUP>=20
Today, more than a century after these words were written, the =
implications of=20
what has since taken place begin to be apparent to thoughtful minds =
everywhere.=20
<P><BR>
<CENTER>
<H3>III</H3></CENTER>
<P><FONT color=3D#0066cc size=3D7>T</FONT>o appreciate the =
transformations brought=20
about by the period of history now ending is not to deny the =
accompanying=20
darkness that throws the achievements into sharp relief: the deliberate=20
extermination of millions of helpless human beings, the invention and =
use of new=20
weapons of destruction capable of annihilating whole populations, the =
rise of=20
ideologies that suffocated the spiritual and intellectual life of entire =

nations, damage to the physical environment of the planet on a scale so =
massive=20
that it may take centuries to heal, and the incalculably greater damage =
done to=20
generations of children taught to believe that violence, indecency, and=20
selfishness are triumphs of personal liberty. Such are only the more =
obvious of=20
a catalogue of evils, unmatched in history, whose lessons our era will =
leave for=20
the education of the chastened generations who will follow us.=20
<P>Darkness, however, is not a phenomenon endowed with some form of =
existence,=20
much less autonomy. It does not extinguish light nor diminish it, but =
marks out=20
those areas that light has not reached or adequately illumined. So will=20
twentieth century civilization no doubt be assessed by the historians of =
a more=20
mature and dispassionate age. The ferocities of animal nature, which =
raged out=20
of control through these critical years and seemed at times to threaten=20
society's very survival, did not in fact prevent the steady unfoldment =
of the=20
creative potentialities which human consciousness possesses. On the =
contrary. As=20
the century advanced, growing numbers of people awakened to how empty =
were the=20
allegiances and how insubstantial the fears that had held them captive =
only=20
short years before.=20
<P>"Peerless is this Day," Bah=E1'u'll=E1h insists, "for it is as the =
eye to past=20
ages and centuries, and as a light unto the darkness of the times." =
<SUP><A=20
href=3D"http://www.bahai.org/bworld/main.cfm?token=3D118274&amp;DocumentI=
D=3D381#8">8</A></SUP>=20
In this perspective, the issue is not the darkness that slowed and =
obscured the=20
progress achieved in the extraordinary hundred years now ending. It is, =
rather,=20
how much more suffering and ruin must be experienced by our race before =
we=20
wholeheartedly accept the spiritual nature that makes us a single =
people, and=20
gather the courage to plan our future in the light of what has been so =
painfully=20
learned.=20
<P><BR>
<CENTER>
<H3>IV</H3></CENTER>
<P><FONT color=3D#0066cc size=3D7>T</FONT>he conception of =
civilization's future=20
course laid out in Bah=E1'u'll=E1h's writings challenges much that today =
imposes=20
itself on our world as normative and unchangeable. The breakthroughs =
made during=20
the century of light have opened the door to a new kind of world. If =
social and=20
intellectual evolution is in fact responding to a moral intelligence =
inherent in=20
existence, a great deal of the theory determining contemporary =
approaches to=20
decision-making is fatally flawed. If human consciousness is essentially =

spiritual in nature--as the vast majority of ordinary people have always =
been=20
intuitively aware--, its development needs cannot be understood or =
served=20
through an interpretation of reality that dogmatically insists =
otherwise.=20
<P>No aspect of contemporary civilization is more directly challenged by =

Bah=E1'u'll=E1h's conception of the future than is the prevailing cult =
of=20
individualism, which has spread to most parts of the world. Nurtured by =
such=20
cultural forces as political ideology, academic elitism, and a consumer =
economy,=20
the "pursuit of happiness" has given rise to an aggressive and almost =
boundless=20
sense of personal entitlement. The moral consequences have been =
corrosive for=20
the individual and society alike--and devastating in terms of disease, =
drug=20
addiction and other all-too-familiar blights of century's end. The task =
of=20
freeing humanity from an error so fundamental and pervasive will call =
into=20
question some of the twentieth century's most deeply entrenched =
assumptions=20
about right and wrong.=20
<P>What are some of these unexamined assumptions? The most obvious is =
the=20
conviction that unity is a distant, almost unattainable ideal to be =
addressed=20
only after a host of political conflicts have been somehow resolved, =
material=20
needs somehow satisfied, and injustices somehow corrected. The opposite, =

Bah=E1'u'll=E1h asserts, is the case. The primary disease that afflicts =
society and=20
generates the ills that cripple it, he says, is the disunity of a human =
race=20
that is distinguished by its capacity for collaboration and whose =
progress to=20
date has depended on the extent to which unified action has, at various =
times=20
and in various societies, been achieved. To cling to the notion that =
conflict is=20
an intrinsic feature of human nature, rather than a complex of learned =
habits=20
and attitudes, is to impose on a new century an error which, more than =
any other=20
single factor, has tragically handicapped humanity's past. "Regard the =
world",=20
Bah=E1'u'll=E1h advised elected leaders, "as the human body which, =
though at its=20
creation whole and perfect, hath been afflicted, through various causes, =
with=20
grave disorders and maladies." <SUP><A=20
href=3D"http://www.bahai.org/bworld/main.cfm?token=3D118274&amp;DocumentI=
D=3D381#9">9</A></SUP>=20

<P>Intimately related to the issue of unity is a second moral challenge =
that the=20
past century has posed with ever increasing urgency. In the sight of =
God,=20
Bah=E1'u'll=E1h insists, justice is the "best beloved of all =
things".<SUP><A=20
href=3D"http://www.bahai.org/bworld/main.cfm?token=3D118274&amp;DocumentI=
D=3D381#10">10</A></SUP>=20
It enables the individual to see reality through his or her own eyes =
rather than=20
those of others and endows collective decision making with the authority =
that=20
alone can ensure unity of thought and action. However gratifying is the =
system=20
of international order that has emerged from the harrowing experiences =
of the=20
twentieth century, its enduring influence will depend on acceptance of =
the moral=20
principle implicit in it. If the body of humankind is indeed one and=20
indivisible, then the authority exercised by its governing institutions=20
represents essentially a trusteeship. Each individual person comes into =
the=20
world as a trust of the whole, and it is this feature of human existence =
that=20
constitutes the real foundation of the social, economic and cultural =
rights that=20
the United Nations Charter and its related documents articulate. Justice =
and=20
unity are reciprocal in their effect. "The purpose of justice", =
Bah=E1'u'll=E1h=20
wrote, "is the appearance of unity among men. The ocean of divine wisdom =
surgeth=20
within this exalted word, while the books of the world cannot contain =
its inner=20
significance." <SUP><A=20
href=3D"http://www.bahai.org/bworld/main.cfm?token=3D118274&amp;DocumentI=
D=3D381#11">11</A></SUP>=20

<P>As society commits itself--however hesitantly and fearfully--to these =
and=20
related moral principles, the most meaningful role it will offer the =
individual=20
will be that of service. One of the paradoxes of human life is that =
development=20
of the self comes primarily through commitment to larger undertakings in =
which=20
the self--even if only temporarily--is forgotten. In an age that opens =
up to=20
people of every condition an opportunity to participate effectively in =
the=20
shaping of the social order itself, the ideal of service to others =
assumes=20
entirely new significance. To exalt such goals as acquisition and =
self-assertion=20
as the purpose of life is to promote chiefly the animal side of human =
nature.=20
Nor can simplistic messages of personal salvation any longer address the =

yearnings of generations who have come to know, with deep certainty, =
that true=20
fulfillment is as much a matter of this world as it is of the next. "Be=20
anxiously concerned with the needs of the age ye live in," is =
Bah=E1'u'll=E1h's=20
counsel, "and center your deliberations on its exigencies and =
requirements."=20
<SUP><A=20
href=3D"http://www.bahai.org/bworld/main.cfm?token=3D118274&amp;DocumentI=
D=3D381#12">12</A></SUP>=20

<P>Such perspectives have profound implications for the conduct of human =

affairs. It is obvious, for example, that, whatever its past =
contributions, the=20
longer the nation state persists as the dominant influence in =
determining the=20
fate of humankind, the longer will the achievement of world peace be =
delayed and=20
the greater will be the suffering inflicted on the earth's population. =
In=20
humanity's economic life, no matter how great the blessings brought by=20
globalization, it is apparent that this process has also created =
unparalleled=20
concentrations of autocratic power that must be brought under =
international=20
democratic control if they are not to produce poverty and despair for =
countless=20
millions. Similarly, the historic breakthrough in information and =
communication=20
technology, which represents so potent a means to promote social =
development and=20
the deepening of people's sense of their common humanity, can, with =
equal force,=20
divert and coarsen impulses vital to the service of this very process.=20
<P><BR>
<CENTER>
<H3>V</H3></CENTER>
<P><FONT color=3D#0066cc size=3D7>W</FONT>hat Bah=E1'u'll=E1h is =
speaking of is a new=20
relationship between God and humankind, one that is in harmony with the =
dawning=20
maturity of the race. The ultimate Reality that has created and sustains =
the=20
universe will forever remain beyond the reach of the human mind. =
Humanity's=20
conscious relationship with it, to the extent that one has been =
established, has=20
been the result of the influence of the Founders of the great religions, =
Moses,=20
Zoroaster, Buddha, Jesus, Muhammad and earlier figures whose names are, =
for the=20
most part, lost to memory. Through responding to these impulses of the =
Divine,=20
the earth's peoples have progressively developed the spiritual, =
intellectual,=20
and moral capacities that have combined to civilize human character. =
This=20
millennia-long, cumulative process has now reached the stage =
characteristic of=20
all the decisive turning points in the evolutionary process, when =
previously=20
unrealized possibilities suddenly emerge: "This is the Day", =
Bah=E1'u'll=E1h=20
asserts, "in which God's most excellent favors have been poured out upon =
men,=20
the Day in which His most mighty grace hath been infused into all =
created=20
things." <SUP><A=20
href=3D"http://www.bahai.org/bworld/main.cfm?token=3D118274&amp;DocumentI=
D=3D381#13">13</A></SUP>=20

<P>Viewed through Bah=E1'u'll=E1h's eyes, the history of tribes, =
peoples, and=20
nations has effectively reached its conclusion. What we are witnessing =
is the=20
beginning of the history of humankind, the history of a human race =
conscious of=20
its own oneness. To this turning point in the course of civilization, =
his=20
writings bring a redefinition of the nature and processes of =
civilization and a=20
reordering of its priorities. Their aim is to call us back to spiritual=20
awareness and responsibility.=20
<P>There is nothing in Bah=E1'u'll=E1h's writings to encourage the =
illusion that the=20
changes envisioned will come about easily. Far otherwise. As the events =
of the=20
twentieth century have already demonstrated, patterns of habit and =
attitude=20
which have taken root over thousands of years are not abandoned either=20
spontaneously or in response simply to education or legislative action. =
Whether=20
in the life of the individual or that of society, profound change occurs =
more=20
often than not in response to intense suffering and to unendurable =
difficulties=20
that can be overcome in no other way. Just so great a testing =
experience,=20
Bah=E1'u'll=E1h warned, is needed to weld the earth's diverse peoples =
into a single=20
people.=20
<P>Spiritual and materialistic conceptions of the nature of reality are=20
irreconcilable with one another and lead in opposite directions. As a =
new=20
century opens, the course set by the second of these two opposing views =
has=20
already carried a hapless humanity far beyond the outermost point where =
an=20
illusion of rationality, let alone of human well-being, could once be =
sustained.=20
With every passing day, the signs multiply that great numbers of people=20
everywhere are awakening to this realization.=20
<P>Despite widely prevalent opinion to the contrary, the human race is =
not a=20
blank tablet on which privileged arbiters of human affairs can freely =
inscribe=20
their own wishes. The springs of the spirit rise up where they will, as =
they=20
will. They will not indefinitely be suppressed by the detritus of =
contemporary=20
society. It no longer requires prophetic insight to appreciate that the =
opening=20
years of the new century will see the release of energies and =
aspirations=20
infinitely more potent than the accumulated routines, falsities, and =
addictions=20
that have so long blocked their expression.=20
<P>However great the turmoil, the period into which humanity is moving =
will open=20
to every individual, every institution, and every community on earth=20
unprecedented opportunities to participate in the writing of the =
planet's=20
future. "Soon", is Bah=E1'u'll=E1h's confident promise, "will the =
present-day order=20
be rolled up, and a new one spread out in its stead." <SUP><A=20
href=3D"http://www.bahai.org/bworld/main.cfm?token=3D118274&amp;DocumentI=
D=3D381#14">14</A></SUP>=20

<P>
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<H2>Notes</H2>
<OL>
  <LI><A name=3D1>Remarks by Deputy Luis Gushiken and Deputy Rita =
Camata. "Sess=E3o=20
  Solene da C=E2mara Federal em Homenagem ao Centen=E1rio da Ascens=E3o =
de=20
  Bah=E1'u'll=E1h", Brasilia, 28 May 1992.=20
  <P></P>
  <LI><A name=3D2>Bah=E1'u'll=E1h, <EM>Tablets of Bah=E1'u'll=E1h =
Revealed after the=20
  Kit=E1b-i-Aqdas</EM> (Wilmette: Bah=E1'=ED Publishing Trust, 1997), p. =
69.=20
  <P></P>
  <LI><A name=3D3>Bah=E1'u'll=E1h, <EM>Epistle to the Son of the =
Wolf</EM> (Wilmette:=20
  Bah=E1'=ED Publishing Trust, 1988), p. 14.=20
  <P></P>
  <LI><A name=3D4>Bah=E1'u'll=E1h, <EM>Gleanings from the Writings of=20
  Bah=E1'u'll=E1h</EM>, section CXXXI.=20
  <P></P>
  <LI><A name=3D5>'Abdu'l-Bah=E1, <EM>The Promulgation of Universal =
Peace: Talks=20
  Delivered by `Abdu'l-Bah=E1 during His Visit to the United States and =
Canada in=20
  1912</EM>, rev. ed. (Wilmette: Bah=E1'=ED Publishing Trust, 1982), pp. =
74, 126.=20
  <P></P>
  <LI><A name=3D6>Bah=E1'u'll=E1h, <EM>Gleanings from the Writings of=20
  Bah=E1'u'll=E1h</EM>, section CXI.=20
  <P></P>
  <LI><A name=3D7>Bah=E1'u'll=E1h, <EM>Gleanings from the Writings of=20
  Bah=E1'u'll=E1h</EM>, section XCVI.=20
  <P></P>
  <LI><A name=3D8>Bah=E1'u'll=E1h, quoted in Shoghi Effendi, <EM>The =
Advent of Divine=20
  Justice</EM> (Wilmette: Bah=E1'=ED Publishing Trust, 1990), p. 79.=20
  <P></P>
  <LI><A name=3D9>Bah=E1'u'll=E1h, <EM>Gleanings from the Writings of=20
  Bah=E1'u'll=E1h</EM>, section CXX.=20
  <P></P>
  <LI><A name=3D10>Bah=E1'u'll=E1h, <EM>The Hidden Words</EM>, no. 2 =
from the Arabic.=20
  <P></P>
  <LI><A name=3D11>Bah=E1'u'll=E1h, <EM>Tablets of Bah=E1'u'll=E1h =
Revealed after the=20
  Kit=E1b-i-Aqdas</EM> (Wilmette: Bah=E1'=ED Publishing Trust, 1997), p. =
67.=20
  <P></P>
  <LI><A name=3D12>Bah=E1'u'll=E1h, <EM>Gleanings from the Writings of=20
  Bah=E1'u'll=E1h</EM>, section CVI.=20
  <P></P>
  <LI><A href=3D"http://www.bahai.org" name=3D13>Bah=E1'u'll=E1h, =
<EM>Gleanings from the=20
  Writings of Bah=E1'u'll=E1h</EM>, section IV.=20
  <P></P>
  <LI><A href=3D"http://www.bahai.org" name=3D14>Bah=E1'u'll=E1h, =
<EM>Gleanings from the=20
  Writings of Bah=E1'u'll=E1h</EM>, section IV. </LI></OL><BR =
clear=3Dleft>
<DIV align=3Dcenter><FONT color=3Dred size=3D2><EM>Copyright =A91999, =
Bah=E1'=ED=20
International Community.<BR>All rights reserved.=20
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