The Baha'i Faith promotes a context defining purpose in common with other genuine religious movements:
"The religion of God is love and unity; make it not the cause of enmity
and dissension"
(Baha'u'llah: Kitab-i-Ahd, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, Page: 220)
Independant Investigation of Truth:
"O SON OF SPIRIT! The best beloved of all things in My sight
is Justice; turn not away therefrom if thou desirest Me, and neglect it not that
I may confide in thee. By its aid thou shalt see with thine own eyes and not
through the eyes of others, and shalt know of thine own knowledge and not
through the knowledge of thy neighbor. Ponder this in thy heart; how it
behooveth thee to be. Verily justice is My gift to thee and the sign of My
loving-kindness. Set it then before thine eyes."
(Baha'u'llah: Arabic Hidden Words, Page: 2)
(Baha'u'llah: Tablets of Baha'u'llah, Page: 37)
The source of all religions is One.
"No one truth can contradict another truth. Light is good in whatsoever
lamp it is burning! A rose is beautiful in whatsoever garden it may bloom! A
star has the same radiance if it shines from the East or from the West. Be free
from prejudice, so will you love the Sun of Truth from whatsoever point in the
horizon it may arise! You will realize that if the Divine light of truth shone
in Jesus Christ it also shone in Moses and in Buddha."
(`Abdu'l-Baha: Paris Talks, Page: 137)
Unity in Diversity
"Wherefore, O ye beloved of the Lord, bestir yourselves, do all in your
power to be as one, to live in peace, each with the others: for ye are all the
drops from but one ocean, the foliage of one tree, the pearls from a single
shell, the flowers and sweet herbs from the same one garden. And achieving that,
strive ye to unite the hearts of those who follow other faiths."
(`Abdu'l-Baha: Selections ... `Abdu'l-Baha, Page: 280)
The Harmony of Science and Religion
"Religion which consists only of rites and ceremonies of prejudice is not
the truth. Let us earnestly endeavour to be the means of uniting religion and
science. Ali, the son-in-law of Muhammad, said: `That which is in conformity
with science is also in conformity with religion'. Whatever the intelligence of
man cannot understand, religion ought not to accept. Religion and science walk
hand in hand, and any religion contrary to science is not the truth."
(`Abdu'l-Baha: Paris Talks, Page: 131)
The Equality of Men and Women
"[…]there must be an equality of rights between men and women. Women shall
receive an equal privilege of education. This will enable them to qualify and
progress in all degrees of occupation and accomplishment. For the world of
humanity possesses two wings: man and woman. If one wing remains incapable and
defective, it will restrict the power of the other, and full flight will be
impossible. Therefore, the completeness and perfection of the human world are
dependent upon the equal development of these two wings."
(`Abdu'l-Baha: Promulgation of Universal Peace, Page: 318)
Abolition of Prejudice
"Baha'u'llah declares that all forms of prejudice among mankind must be
abandoned and that until existing prejudices are entirely removed, the world of
humanity will not and cannot attain peace, prosperity and composure."
(`Abdu'l-Baha: Promulgation of Universal Peace, Page: 434)
Universal Peace:
Inner Peace:
"For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will
forgive you;
but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father
forgive your trespasses."
(Matthew 6:14-15)
“You must follow the example and footprints of Jesus Christ. Read the
Gospels. Jesus Christ was mercy itself, was love itself. He even prayed on
behalf of His executioners - for those who crucified Him - saying, "Father,
forgive them; for they know not what they do." If they knew what they were
doing, they would not have done it. Consider how kind Jesus Christ was, that
even upon the cross He prayed for His oppressors. We must follow His example.”
(`Abdu'l-Baha: Promulgation of Universal Peace, Page: 42)
Outer Peace:
"You realize the need of unity and know the great harm which comes from
prejudice and superstition. I ask you, is not fellowship and brotherhood
preferable to enmity and hatred in society and community? The answer is
self-evident. Love and fellowship are absolutely needful to win the good
pleasure of God, which is the goal of all human attainment. We must be united.
We must love each other. We must ever praise each other. We must bestow
commendation upon all people, thus removing the discord and hatred which have
caused alienation amongst men. Otherwise, the conditions of the past will
continue, praising ourselves and condemning others; religious wars will have no
end, and religious prejudice, the prime cause of this havoc and tribulation,
will increase. This must be abandoned, and the way to do it is to investigate
the reality which underlies all the religions. This underlying reality is the
love of humanity. For God is one and humanity is one, and the only creed of the
Prophets is love and unity."
(`Abdu'l-Baha: Promulgation of Universal Peace, Page: 410)
Universal Education:
"The Great Being saith: Regard man as a mine rich in gems of inestimable
value. Education can, alone, cause it to reveal its treasures, and enable
mankind to benefit therefrom. If any man were to meditate on that which the
Scriptures, sent down from the heaven of God's holy Will, have revealed, he
would readily recognize that their purpose is that all men shall be regarded as
one soul, so that the seal bearing the words `The Kingdom shall be God's' may be
stamped on every heart, and the light of Divine bounty, of grace, and mercy may
envelop all mankind. The One true God, exalted be His glory, hath wished nothing
for Himself. The allegiance of mankind profiteth Him not, neither doth its
perversity harm Him."
(Baha'u'llah: Tablets of Baha'u'llah, Page: 162)
Spiritual Solution to Economic Problems:
"The first Taraz and the first effulgence which hath dawned from the
horizon of the Mother Book is that man should know his own self and recognize
that which leadeth unto loftiness or lowliness, glory or abasement, wealth or
poverty. Having attained the stage of fulfilment and reached his maturity, man
standeth in need of wealth, and such wealth as he acquireth through crafts or
professions is commendable and praiseworthy in the estimation of men of wisdom,
and especially in the eyes of servants who dedicate themselves to the education
of the world and to the edification of its peoples. They are, in truth,
cup-bearers of the life-giving water of knowledge and guides unto the ideal way.
They direct the peoples of the world to the straight path and acquaint them with
that which is conducive to human upliftment and exaltation. The straight path is
the one which guideth man to the dayspring of perception and to the
dawning-place of true understanding and leadeth him to that which will redound
to glory, honour and greatness."
(Baha'u'llah: Tablets of Baha'u'llah, Pages: 34-35)
Universal Auxiliary Language:
"O members of parliaments throughout the world! Select ye a single
language for the use of all on earth, and adopt ye likewise a common script.
God, verily, maketh plain for you that which shall profit you and enable you to
be independent of others. He, of a truth, is the Most Bountiful, the
All-Knowing, the All-Informed. This will be the cause of unity, could ye but
comprehend it, and the greatest instrument for promoting harmony and
civilization, would that ye might understand!"
(Baha'u'llah: The Kitab-i-Aqdas, Page: 88)
International Parliament:
"The Great Being, wishing to reveal the prerequisites of the peace and
tranquillity of the world and the advancement of its peoples, hath written: The
time must come when the imperative necessity for the holding of a vast, an
all-embracing assemblage of men will be universally realized. The rulers and
kings of the earth must needs attend it, and, participating in its
deliberations, must consider such ways and means as will lay the foundations of
the world's Great Peace amongst men. Such a peace demandeth that the Great
Powers should resolve, for the sake of the tranquillity of the peoples of the
earth, to be fully reconciled among themselves. Should any king take up arms
against another, all should unitedly arise and prevent him. If this be done, the
nations of the world will no longer require any armaments, except for the
purpose of preserving the security of their realms and of maintaining internal
order within their territories. This will ensure the peace and composure of
every people, government and nation. We fain would hope that the kings and
rulers of the earth, the mirrors of the gracious and almighty name of God, may
attain unto this station, and shield mankind from the onslaught of tyranny."
(Baha'u'llah: CXVII, Gleanings, Page: 249)
(Baha'u'llah: Proclamation of Baha'u'llah, Page: 115)
(Baha'u'llah: Tablets of Baha'u'llah, Pages: 165)
