Regarding your question about children fighting: the statement of the Master, not to strike back, should not be taken so extremely literally that Bahá’í children must accept to be bullied and thrashed. If they can manage to show a better way of settling disputes than by active self-defence, they should naturally do so. (From a letter dated 11 May 1945 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer) [132] “133: You ask him about the fear of God: perhaps the friends do not realize...” You ask him about the fear of God: perhaps the friends do not realize that the majority of human beings need the element of fear in order to discipline their conduct? Only a relatively very highly evolved soul would always be disciplined by love alone. Fear of punishment, fear of the anger of God if we do evil, are needed to keep people’s feet on the right path. Of course we should love God—but we must fear Him in the sense of a child fearing the righteous anger and chastisement of a parent; not cringe before Him as before a tyrant, but know His mercy exceeds His justice! (From a letter dated 26 July 1946 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer) [133] “134: He is sorry to hear your little boy is not developing satisfactorily;...” He is sorry to hear your little boy is not developing satisfactorily; very few children are really bad. They do, however, sometimes have complicated personalities and need very wise handling to enable them to grow into normal, moral, happy adults. If you feel convinced your son will really benefit from going to Father Flanagan’s school you could send him there. But in general we should certainly always avoid sending Bahá’í children to orthodox religious schools, especially Catholic, as the children receive the imprint of religious beliefs we as believers know are outdated and no longer for this age. He will especially pray for the solution of this problem. (From a letter dated 30 May 1947 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer) [134] “135: Regarding the questions you asked him: there is no objection to children...” Regarding the questions you asked him: there is no objection to children who are as yet unable to memorize a whole prayer learning certain sentences only. He does not feel that the friends should make a practice of saying grace or of teaching it to children. This is not part of the Bahá’í Faith, but a Christian practice, and as the Cause embraces members of all races and religions we should be careful not to introduce into it the customs of our previous beliefs. Bahá’u’lláh has given us the obligatory prayers, also prayers before sleeping, for travellers, etc. We should not introduce a new set of prayers He has not specified, when He has given us already so many, for so many occasions. Your work for child education is certainly important, and he urges you to keep it up.