Bahai Faith; Peace -- Religious aspects -- Bahai Faith
The unity which is productive of unlimited results is first a unity of
mankind which recognizes that all are sheltered beneath the overshadowing
glory of the All-Glorious, that all are servants of one God; for all
breathe the same atmosphere, live upon the same earth, move beneath the
same heavens, receive effulgence from the same sun and are under the
protection of one God. This is the most great unity, and its results are
lasting if humanity adheres to it; but mankind has hitherto violated it,
adhering to sectarian or other limited unities such as racial, patriotic
or unity of self-interests; therefore, no great results have been
forthcoming. Nevertheless, it is certain that the radiance and favors of
God are encompassing, minds have developed, perceptions have become acute,
sciences and arts are widespread, and capacity exists for the proclamation
and promulgation of the real and ultimate unity of mankind, which will
bring forth marvelous results. It will reconcile all religions, make
warring nations loving, cause hostile kings to become friendly and bring
peace and happiness to the human world. It will cement together the Orient
and Occident, remove forever the foundations of war and upraise the ensign
of the Most Great Peace. These limited unities are, therefore, signs of
that great unity which will make all the human family one by being
productive of the attractions of conscience in mankind.
Another unity is the spiritual unity which emanates from the breaths of
the Holy Spirit. This is greater than the unity of mankind. Human unity or
solidarity may be likened to the body, whereas unity from the breaths of
the Holy Spirit is the spirit animating the body. This is a perfect unity.
It creates such a condition in mankind that each one will make sacrifices
for the other, and the utmost desire will be to forfeit life and all that
pertains to it in behalf of another’s good. This is the unity which
existed among the disciples of Jesus Christ and bound together the
Prophets and holy Souls of the past. It is the unity which through the
influence of the divine spirit is permeating the Bahá’ís so that each
offers his life for the other and strives with all sincerity to attain his
good pleasure. This is the unity which caused twenty thousand people in
Persia to give their lives in love and devotion to it. It made the Báb the
target of a thousand arrows and caused Bahá’u’lláh to suffer exile and
imprisonment forty years. This unity is the very spirit of the body of the
world. It is impossible for the body of the world to become quickened with
life without its vivification. Jesus Christ—may my life be a sacrifice to
Him!—promulgated this unity among mankind. Every soul who believed in
Jesus Christ became revivified and resuscitated through this spirit,
attained to the zenith of eternal glory, realized the everlasting life,
experienced the second birth and rose to the acme of good fortune.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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