The Bahá'í Friendship Club at The University of North Texas, Denton
future Bahá'í House of Worship, Chile
Quotes relating to Bahá'í Principles:
"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." --Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 250.
"All these divisions we see on all sides, all these disputes and opposition, are caused because men cling to ritual and outward observances, and forget the simple, underlying truth. It is the outward practices of religion that are so different, and it is they that cause disputes and enmity -- while the reality is always the same, and one. The Reality is the Truth, and truth has no division. Truth is God's guidance, it is the light of the world, it is love, it is mercy. These attributes of truth are also human virtues inspired by the Holy Spirit." --Abdul-Baha, Paris Talks, pp. 120-1.
Independent Investigation of Truth
"Furthermore, know ye that God has created in man the power of reason, whereby man is enabled to investigate reality. God has not intended man to imitate blindly his fathers and ancestors. He has endowed him with mind, or the faculty of reasoning, by the exercise of which he is to investigate and discover the truth, and that which he finds real and true he must accept." --Abdul-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 291.
"He (Bahá'u'lláh) sets forth a new principle for this day in the announcement that religion must be the cause of unity, harmony and agreement among mankind. If it be the cause of discord and hostility, if it leads to separation and creates conflict, the absence of religion would be preferable in the world." --Abdul-Baha, Bahá'í World Faith, p. 247.
Harmony between Religion, Science, and Reason
"Religion and science are the two wings upon which man's intelligence can soar into the heights, with which the human soul can progress. It is not possible to fly with one wing alone! Should a man try to fly with the wing of religion alone he would quickly fall into the quagmire of superstition, whilst on the other hand, with the wing of science alone he would also make no progress, but fall into the despairing slough of materialism." -- Abdul-Baha, Paris Talks, p.143.
An International Auxiliary Language
"It behoveth the sovereigns of the world -- may God assist them -- or the ministers of the earth to take counsel together and to adopt one of the existing languages or a new one to be taught to children in schools throughout the world, and likewise one script. Thus the whole earth will come to be regarded as one country." --Bahá'u'lláh, Tablet of Bisharat (Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 22.)
"Unto every father hath been enjoined the instruction of his son and daughter in the art of reading and writing and in all that hath been laid down in the Holy Tablet. He that putteth away that which is commanded unto him, the Trustees of the House of Justice are then to recover from him that which is required for their instruction, if he be wealthy, and if not the matter devolveth upon the House of Justice. Verily, have We made it a shelter for the poor and needy. He that bringeth up his son or the son of another, it is as though he hath brought up a son of Mine; upon him rest My Glory, My Loving-Kindness, My Mercy, that have compassed the world." --Bahá'u'lláh, Tablet of Ishraqat (Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh, p.128).
The Elimination of all Forms of Prejudice
"...again, as to religious, racial, national and political bias: all these prejudices strike at the very root of human life; one and all they beget bloodshed, and the ruination of the world. So long as these prejudices survive, there will be continuous and fearsome wars." --Selections from the Writings of Abdul-Baha, p.249.
"To accept and observe a distinction which God has not intended in creation is ignorance and superstition. The fact which is to be considered, however, is that woman, having formerly been deprived, must now be allowed equal opportunities with man for education and training. There must be no difference in their education. Until the reality of equality between man and woman is fully established and attained, the highest social development of mankind is not possible." -- Abdul-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p.76.
The Abolition of the Extremes of Wealth and Poverty
"O Ye Rich Ones on Earth!
The poor in your midst are My trust; guard ye My trust, and be not intent only on your own ease." --The Hidden Words of Bahá'u'lláh, p.41.
"We see amongst us men who are overburdened with riches on the one hand, and on the other those unfortunate ones who starve with nothing; those who possess several stately palaces, and those who have not where to lay their head. Some we find with numerous courses of costly and dainty food; whilst others can scarce find sufficient crusts to keep them alive. Whilst some are clothed in velvets, furs and fine linen, others have insufficient, poor and thin garments with which to protect them from the cold. This condition of affairs is wrong and must be remedied. Now the remedy must be carefully undertaken. It cannot be done by bringing to pass absolute equality between men." - Abdul-Baha, Paris Talks, p.151.
On the Situation in the Holy Land
"The Bahá'í Faith is entirely non-political and we neither take sides in the present tragic dispute going on over the future of the Holy Land and its peoples nor have we any statement to make or advice to give as to what the nature of the political future of this country (Israel/Palestine) should be. Our aim is the establishment of universal peace in this world and our desire to see justice prevail in every domain in human society, including the domain of politics. As many of the adherents of your Faith are of Jewish and Moslem extraction we have no prejudice towards either of these groups and are most anxious to reconcile them for their mutual benefit and for the good of the country." -- From a letter quoted in The Priceless Pearl (Ruhiyyih Rabbani) from Shoghi Effendi to Mr. Justice Sandstrom, Chairman, United Nations Special Committee on Palestine, 14th July 1947