Selected Readings for Devotional Gatherings On the theme: Protecting the Most Vulnerable Compiled by the U.S. Bahá'í Office of Public Affairs for the Interfaith Power and Light Preach-in on Global Warming February 8-10, 2013 To the hosts: These materials are offered as a resource for reflection and meditation on the theme of protecting the most vulnerable from the impacts of climate change. The selections have been drawn from the Sacred Texts of the Bahá í Faith, which are sources of guidance relevant to the needs of the age we live in. While the excerpts may not give explicit instructions on how to aid those communities that are vulnerable to climate change, meditating on the passages will inspire and assist those who arise to take action, whether as individual initiative or collective response. In preparing for your devotional program, you may wish to choose holy writings from this compilation, add prayers and scripture from any of the world s great religious traditions, and intersperse the readings with befitting musical selections. The last several passages are extracts from documents published by the Bahá í International Community that introduce the Bahá í perspective on protecting the most vulnerable and on ushering in an era of planetary justice, prosperity and unity. They can be shared either beforehand to put the selection of prayers and writings into context or after the devotional program to stimulate discussion. Bahá'í Sacred Writings Protecting the Most Vulnerable 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 behoveth 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, The Arabic Hidden Words, #2 Blessed is the ruler who succoureth the captive, and the rich one who careth for the poor, and the just one who secureth from the wrong doer the rights of the downtrodden, and happy the trustee who observeth that which the Ordainer, the Ancient of Days hath prescribed unto him. -- Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 69 There is no force on earth that can equal in its conquering power the force of justice and wisdom. I, verily, affirm that there is not, and hath never been, a host more mighty than that of justice and wisdom. Blessed is the king who marcheth with the ensign of wisdom unfurled before him, and the battalions of justice massed in his rear. He verily is the ornament that adorneth the brow of peace and the countenance of security. There can be no doubt whatever that if the day-star of justice, which the
clouds of tyranny have obscured, were to shed its light upon men, the face of the earth would be completely transformed. -- Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 164 If ye stay not the hand of the oppressor, if ye fail to safeguard the rights of the downtrodden, what right have ye then to vaunt yourselves among men? What is it of which ye can rightly boast? Is it on your food and your drink that ye pride yourselves, on the riches ye lay up in your treasuries, on the diversity and the cost of the ornaments with which ye deck yourselves? If true glory were to consist in the possession of such perishable things, then the earth on which ye walk must needs vaunt itself over you, because it supplieth you, and bestoweth upon you, these very things, by the decree of the Almighty. In its bowels are contained, according to what God hath ordained, all that ye possess. From it, as a sign of His mercy, ye derive your riches. Behold then your state, the thing in which ye glory! Would that ye could perceive it! -- Baha'u'llah, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts...until material achievements, physical accomplishments and human virtues are reinforced by spiritual perfections, luminous qualities and characteristics of mercy, no fruit or result shall issue therefrom, nor will the happiness of the world of humanity, which is the ultimate aim, be attained. For although, on the one hand, material achievements and the development of the physical world produce prosperity, which exquisitely manifests its intended aims, on the other hand dangers, severe calamities and violent afflictions are imminent... Progress and barbarism go hand in hand, unless material civilization be confirmed by Divine Guidance... and be reinforced by spiritual conduct... -- 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, 225, p. 283-284 No deed of man is greater before God than helping the poor. Each one of you must have great consideration for the poor and render them assistance. Organize in an effort to help them and prevent increase of poverty. The greatest means for prevention is that whereby the laws of the community will be so framed and enacted that it will not be possible for a few to be millionaires and many destitute. One of Bahá'u'lláh's teachings is the adjustment of means of livelihood in human society. Under this adjustment there can be no extremes in human conditions as regards wealth and sustenance. For the community needs financier, farmer, merchant and laborer just as an army must be composed of commander, officers and privates. All cannot be commanders; all cannot be officers or privates. Each in his station in the social fabric must be competent; each in his function according to ability; but justness of opportunity for all. -- Abdu'l-Baha, Foundations of World Unity, p. 36 We cherish the hope that the light of justice may shine upon the world and sanctify it from tyranny. If the rulers and kings of the earth, the symbols of the power of God, exalted be His glory, arise and resolve to dedicate themselves to whatever will promote the highest interests of the whole of humanity, the reign of justice will assuredly be established amongst the children of men, and the effulgence of its light will envelop the whole earth. -- Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 164 And among the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh is voluntary sharing of one's property with others among mankind. This voluntary sharing is greater than equality, and consists in this, that man should not prefer himself to others, but rather should sacrifice his life and property for others. But this should not be introduced by coercion so that it becomes a law and man is compelled to follow it. Nay, rather, man should voluntarily and of his own choice sacrifice his property and life for others, and spend willingly for the poor... -- 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, 227, p. 302
It behoveth every ruler to weigh his own being every day in the balance of equity and justice and then to judge between men and counsel them to do that which would direct their steps unto the path of wisdom and understanding. -- Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 166 The light of men is justice; quench it not with the contrary winds of oppression and tyranny. -- Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha u llah, p. 66-67 Be a helper of every oppressed one, the protector of every destitute one, be ye ever mindful to serve any soul of mankind. -- Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'i World Faith - Abdu'l-Baha Section, p. 216 Justice and equity are twin Guardians that watch over men. From them are revealed such blessed and perspicuous words as are the cause of the well-being of the world and the protection of the nations. -- Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 12 Oh, friends of God! If ye will trust in the Word of God and be strong; if ye will follow the precepts of Bahá'u'lláh to tend the sick, raise the fallen, care for the poor and needy, give shelter to the destitute, protect the oppressed, comfort the sorrowful and love the world of humanity with all your hearts, then I say unto you that ere long this meeting-place will see a wonderful harvest. -- Abdu'l- Baha, Paris Talks, p. 73 And among the teachings of His Holiness Bahá'u'lláh is justice and right. Until these are realized on the plane of existence, all things shall be in disorder and remain imperfect. The world of mankind is a world of oppression and cruelty, and a realm of aggression and error. -- Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'i World Faith - Abdu'l-Baha Section, p. 290 We must look upon our enemies with a sin-covering eye and act with justice when confronted with any injustice whatsoever, forgive all, consider the whole of humanity as our own family, the whole earth as our own country, be sympathetic with all suffering, nurse the sick, offer a shelter to the exiled, help the poor and those in need, dress all wounds and share the happiness of each one. Be compassionate, so that your actions will shine like unto the light streaming forth from the lamp. -- Abdu'l-Baha, Divine Philosophy, p. 41 Be ye loving fathers to the orphan, and a refuge to the helpless, and a treasury for the poor, and a cure for the ailing. Be ye the helpers of every victim of oppression, the patrons of the disadvantaged. Think ye at all times of rendering some service to every member of the human race. Pay ye no heed to aversion and rejection, to disdain, hostility, injustice: act ye in the opposite way. Be ye sincerely kind, not in appearance only. -- Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l- Baha, p. 3
Excerpts of statements of the Bahá'í International Community...in the face of the destructive impacts of climate change exacerbated by the extremes of wealth and poverty a need for new approaches centred on the principles of justice and equity is apparent... The challenge before the world community, then, is not only a technical one but a moral one, which calls for the transformation of thoughts and behaviours so as to allow our economic and social structures to extend the benefits of development to all people. -- Bahá'í International Community, Seizing the Opportunity: Redefining the challenge of climate change, 2008 A fundamental component of resolving the climate change challenge will be the cultivation of values, attitudes and skills that give rise to just and sustainable patterns of human interaction with the environment. -- Bahá'í International Community, Seizing the Opportunity: Redefining the challenge of climate change, 2008 Bahá'ís believe that progress in the development field depends on and is driven by stirrings at the grass roots of society rather than from an imposition of externally developed plans and programmes... Different communities will likely devise different approaches and solutions in response to similar needs. It is for each community to determine its goals and priorities in keeping with its capacity and resources. Given the diversity of communities around the world, the plan encourages innovation and a variety of approaches to the environment appropriate to the rhythm of life in the community. -- Bahá'í International Community's Seven Year Plan of Action on Climate Change, 2009 Nothing short of a world federal system, guided by universally agreed upon and enforceable laws, will allow nation states to manage cooperatively an increasingly interdependent and rapidly changing world, thereby ensuring peace and social and economic justice for all the world's peoples. -- Baha'i International Community, Earth Charter, 1992 The fundamental spiritual truth of our age is the oneness of humanity. Universal acceptance of this principle -- with its implications for social and economic justice, universal participation in nonadversarial decision-making, peace and collective security, equality of the sexes, and universal education -- will make possible the reorganization and administration of the world as one country, the home of humankind. -- Baha'i International Community, Sustainable Development and the Human Spirit, 1993 Until justice is valued over greed, the gap between the rich and the poor will continue to widen, and the dream of sustainable economic growth, peace and prosperity will elude our grasp. -- Baha'i International Community, Human Rights and Extreme Poverty, 1994 Justice is the one power that can translate the dawning consciousness of humanity's oneness into a collective will through which the necessary structures of global community life can be confidently erected. An age that sees the people of the world increasingly gaining access to information of every kind and to a diversity of ideas will find justice asserting itself as the ruling principle of successful social organization. With ever greater frequency, proposals aiming at the development of the planet
will have to submit to the candid light of the standards it requires. -- Baha'i International Community, The Prosperity of Humankind, 1995 Concern for justice protects the task of defining progress from the temptation to sacrifice the well-being of the generality of humankind -- and even of the planet itself -- to the advantages which technological breakthroughs can make available to privileged minorities. -- Baha'i International Community, The Prosperity of Humankind, 1995 The classical economic models of impersonal markets in which human beings act as autonomous makers of self-regarding choices will not serve the needs of a world motivated by ideals of unity and justice. -- Baha'i International Community, The Prosperity of Humankind, 1995 Equity and justice are the twin guardians of society. Equity is the standard by which policy and resource commitment decisions should be made. Justice is the vehicle through which equity is applied, its practical expression in the life of the individual and society. It is only through the exercise of true justice that trust will be established among the diverse peoples, cultures and institutions of an increasingly interdependent world. -- Baha'i International Community, Valuing Spirituality in Development, 1998 Prepared by the U.S. Bahá'í Office of Public Affairs for the IPL Preach-in on Global Warming, 2013. Further Information: U.S. Bahá'í Office of Public Affairs 1320 19 th St. NW, Suite 701 Washington, DC 20036 202-833-8990 bahaisus@usbnc.org www.bahai.us/sustainable-development/