“He quite agrees that the dangers facing the modern youth are becoming
increasingly grave, and call for immediate solution. But, as experience
clearly shows, the remedy to this truly sad and perplexing situation is
not to be found in traditional and ecclesiastical religion. The dogmatism
of the Church has been discarded once for all. What can control youth and
save it from the pitfalls of the crass materialism of the age is the power
of a genuine, constructive and living Faith such as the one revealed to
the world by Bahá’u’lláh. Religion as in the past, is still the world’s
sole hope, but not that form of religion which our ecclesiastical leaders
strive vainly to preach. Divorced from true religion, morals lose their
effectiveness and cease to guide and control man’s individual and social
life. But when true religion is combined with true ethics, then moral
progress becomes a possibility and not a mere ideal.
“The need of our modern youth is for such a type of ethics founded on pure
religious faith. Not until these two are rightly combined and brought into
full action can there be any hope for the future of the race.”
“The world that lies ahead of us after this war is going to be in a
terrible condition, and if the believers are going to accomplish their
duty and present the Divine Solution to mankind, they must prepare
themselves for the great tasks that lie ahead. This particularly applies
to Bahá’í youth. Young men and women in the Faith must be deep and
thoughtful scholars of its teachings, so that they can teach in a way that
will convince people that all the problems facing them have a remedy. They
must grasp the Administration, so that they can wisely and efficiently
administer the ever-growing affairs of the Cause; and they must exemplify
the Bahá’í way of living. All this is not easy--but the Guardian is always
greatly encouraged to see the spirit animating such young believers as
yourself. He has high hopes of what your generation will accomplish.”
222: YOUTH (REGARDING THE AGE OF FIFTEEN)
“Regarding the age of fifteen fixed by Bahá’u’lláh: This relates only to
purely spiritual functions and obligations and is not related to the
degree of administrative capacity and fitness which is a totally different
thing, and is, for the present, fixed at twenty-one.”
“Bahá’í youth under twenty-one may serve on Committees.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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