Unbridled nationalism, as distinguished from a sane and legitimate
patriotism, must give way to a wider loyalty, to the love of humanity as a
whole. Bahá’u’lláh’s statement is: “The earth is but one country, and
mankind its citizens.” The concept of world citizenship is a direct result
of the contraction of the world into a single neighbourhood through
scientific advances and of the indisputable interdependence of nations.
Love of all the world’s peoples does not exclude love of one’s country.
The advantage of the part in a world society is best served by promoting
the advantage of the whole. Current international activities in various
fields which nurture mutual affection and a sense of solidarity among
peoples need greatly to be increased.
Religious strife, throughout history, has been the cause of innumerable
wars and conflicts, a major blight to progress, and is increasingly
abhorrent to the people of all faiths and no faith. Followers of all
religions must be willing to face the basic questions which this strife
raises, and to arrive at clear answers. How are the differences between
them to be resolved, both in theory and in practice? The challenge facing
the religious leaders of mankind is to contemplate, with hearts filled
with the spirit of compassion and a desire for truth, the plight of
humanity, and to ask themselves whether they cannot, in humility before
their Almighty Creator, submerge their theological differences in a great
spirit of mutual forbearance that will enable them to work together for
the advancement of human understanding and peace.
The emancipation of women, the achievement of full equality between the
sexes, is one of the most important, though less acknowledged
prerequisites of peace. The denial of such equality perpetrates an
injustice against one half of the world’s population and promotes in men
harmful attitudes and habits that are carried from the family to the
workplace, to political life, and ultimately to international relations.
There are no grounds, moral, practical, or biological, upon which such
denial can be justified. Only as women are welcomed into full partnership
in all fields of human endeavour will the moral and psychological climate
be created in which international peace can emerge.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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