This is an angry and frustrated world we live in today. Can you feel it as you move about your day, or watch the news and social media stories? Evidence of the dire state of the world is apparent in ongoing wars, the battle against crime, overwhelming social concerns like homelessness and hunger, and ongoing prejudice that seem never ending. Personal greed for luxuries and power have replaced compassion. No one is free from the suffering, uncertainty and anxiety that are pervasive and cause fear and distrust of each other. The world does not have a political or social solution that unites people. Until people across the globe see their survival and future bound up with unifying goals, the spiral of destructive forces will continue.
It would seem that the world order is coming apart at the seams. And yet, this is a time of great hope because it raises the possibility that good people can revise those social and political structures that are at the core of all of this anger. As the Western world moves away from the essence of the ‘me’ generation where concern for personal well-being and welfare became prevalent, the potential for a spiritual revival is at hand. It will involve a paradigm shift away from the way the political and social systems operate today. Clearly these systems are not effectively working to build a peaceful world.
Religions around the world are united in the belief that God has provided the teaching that speaks of an essence of life that can lead to peace and justice: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”, “Love thy neighbour”. True religion relies on the belief that we are all part of one human family. There certainly is something significant and very powerful in the fact that the historic progressive revelations of all major world religions call for the recognition of humanity’s oneness. Until we agree to strive for equal rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness we will not fulfill the essential principles of the faiths of the world.
How we can accomplish this depends on our willingness to refresh the way we conduct ourselves in our personal and public lives. In one example, the Baha’i faith teaches us that consultation is the backbone necessary to build families and communities that thrive and are resilient against destructive forces. At the heart of Baha’i teachings on consultation is the importance of listening with open hearts to each other and looking for solutions to problems that embrace differences. It means disavowing ourselves of the notion that ‘what is good for me is good for everyone else.’ Filling our hearts with concern for the world rather than for our own selfish desires is paramount to any discussion.
Defining consultation as the process of taking time to consider all points of view after letting go personal agendas promotes an environment of just and equitable discourse. Seeking out the best possible solution instead of holding onto patterns, thoughts, or feelings that reflect personal goals is necessary.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, son of the founder of the Bahá’i faith wrote in The Promulgation of Universal Peace (1912): “Therefore, true consultation is spiritual conference in the attitude and atmosphere of love. Members must love each other in the spirit of fellowship in order that good results may be forthcoming. Love and fellowship are the foundation.”
Seeking truth means giving up prejudices in order to maintain a receptive mind.
Recognition of our common humanity that promotes love and harmony in our actions builds strength and character and lays the foundation for decision-making that propels us forward in a positive direction to benefit everyone. Peace is not only possible, but also inevitable, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá says. We can get there because we decide to make the necessary changes that will unite us or we can get there after unimaginable events that eventually destroy the current world order so that there is a more obvious need to facilitate justice and equity for everyone.
A spiritual solution with ‘spiritual consultation’ is the only answer that will guide us and lead us into the future with peace and harmony. A Baha’i prayer for unity begins, “Unite the hearts of Thy servants and reveal to them Thy great purpose.”
