Bahai Civilization - Moojan Momen

• 1. THE CALL OF CIVILIZATION BUILDING A NEW FUTURE

2.

• All men have been created

• to carry forward an

• ever-advancing civilization.

• (Bahullh)

3. CIVILIZATION

• civilizev.Also -ise.

• [(O)Fr. f. Lcivilis, f. civis citizen: see -il, -ile.]

• citizen /"sItIz(@)n/n. & a.

• [ANcitesein, -zein alt. (prob. after deinzein denizen n. & a.) of OFr. citeain (mod. citoyen) f. Proto-Romance, f. L civitas city.]

• 1v.t.Bring out of barbarism;

• bring to conformity with the standards of behaviour and the tastes of a highly developed society;

• refine and educate.e17 .

• 2v.t.Subject to civil authority.

4. BUILDING CIVILISATION 5. RELIGION AND THE ADVANCE OF CIVILISATION- CASE OF ISLAM

• Before Islam:

• • tribal feuding would go on for generations;

• • if one did not belong to a tribe, one was of no consequence and could be killed with impunity;

• • the only law that existed was what each tribe could impose;

• • they are reported to have thought nothing of burying baby daughters alive;

6. RELIGION AND THE ADVANCE OF CIVILISATION- CASE OF ISLAM

• With the rise of Islam:

• • a new civilisation

• • tolerance of religious minorities;

• • with respect to the rights and position given towomen and slaves;

• • and with respect to openness to truth and a desire to seek out knowledge

• • > scientific advances in astronomy, chemistry, medicine

7. RELIGION AND THE ADVANCE OF CIVILISATION

• Cyclical nature of History

• Civilisations rise and fall

• Religion gives the impetus for the rise of civilisation

• But after a time, civilisation decays

• What causes the rise and decay?

• Religion > morality, unity, openness

• Decay caused by loss of these people use religion to gain power - corruption, sects and divisions, narrow-mindedness and rigidity

8. EVER-ADVANCING CIVILIZATION

• All men have been created to carry forward an

• ever-advancing civilization.

• The Almighty beareth Me witness:

• To act like the beasts of the field is unworthy of man.

• Those virtues that befit his dignity are forbearance, mercy, compassion and loving-kindness towards all the peoples and kindreds of the earth.

• (Baha'u'llah,Gleanings,p. 215 )

9. MATERIAL CIVILIZATIONSPIRITUAL CIVILIZATION

• No matter how far the material world advances, it cannot establish the happiness of mankind.Only when material and spiritual civilization are linked and coordinated will happiness be assured . . . for in material civilization good and evil advance together and maintain the same pace . . . Therefore, the material and the divine civilizations must progress together until the highest aspirations and desires of humanity shall become realized.

• ( `Abdu'l-Baha:Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 109)

10. WHAT IS WRONG WITH OUR PRESENT CIVILISATION?

• Lack of spirituality and morality

• Lack of unity

• Hierarchical nature of society

• Women do not have an equal position or opportunity

• Minorities and poorer classes do not have an equal position

• Competitiveness > anxiety, pollution, corruption

11. HOW DID WE GET HERE?

• Pushed religion aside in the 19 thCentury

• 20 thCentury: series of ideologies to replace religion:

• • Nationalism> World War I

• • Racism> World War II

• • Communism> Cold War

• Now left with:

• • religious fundamentalism

• • free-market capitalism

12. WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? Material civilization is like the body and spiritual civilization is like the soul.Body without soul cannot live. (`Abdul-Baha) 13. HOW DO BAHAIS PROPOSE TO BUILD A NEW CIVILISATION?

• Global vision

• Global unity > global institutions

• But not global totalitarianism

• Local and National autonomy

• Spiritual and moral basis for society

• Empowerment of the individual

14. WHAT DO WE NEED TO MOVE AWAY FROM?

• . . . the mode of religious activity that characterizes the general society--in which the believer is a member of a congregation, leadership comes from an individual or individuals presumed to be qualified for the purpose, and personal participation is fitted into a schedule dominated by concerns of a very different nature."

• • (Letter of the Universal House of Justice to an individual, dated 22 August 2002)

15. 1. THE BELIEVER IS A MEMBER OF A CONGREGATION

• Empowering the individual - Ruhi programme

• • > taking responsibility for the community

• Core activities:

• • devotional meetings

• • children's classes

• • study circles,

• • junior youth

• Active community

• Universal participation

16. 2. LEADERSHIP COMES FROM AN INDIVIDUAL OR INDIVIDUALS PRESUMED TO BE QUALIFIED FOR THE PURPOSE,

• Breaking down patterns of hierarchy

• Oppression, injustice

• Women, ethnic minorities, religious minorities

• Dignity, justice

17. 3. PERSONAL PARTICIPATION IS FITTED INTO A SCHEDULE DOMINATED BY CONCERNS OF A VERY DIFFERENT NATURE

• > commitment

• > new patterns of community life

18. NEW PATTERNS OF COMMUNITY LIFE

• Cluster Meeting:

• Consultation on plan of action

• Create a Plan of Action

• Carry out Plan

• Meet to reflect upon the results

• Consultation on new plan

• Feed in guidance from NSA, ITC and House of Justice

• Feed in prayers and guidance from Bahai scriptures

19. A scientific way of proceeding

• Cluster Meeting:

• Consultation on plan of action

• Create a Plan of Action

• Carry out Plan of Action

• Meet to reflect upon the results

• Consultation on new plan

• Scientific Method:

• Consider facts and create a hypothesis

• Devise experiment to test hypothesis

• Carry out experiment

• Assess the results of the experiment

• Create a new hypothesis

20.

• Scientific manner of proceeding

• Used now for Expansion

• Once enough people

• Can be used for tackling social problems

• Can also be used for Social and Economic Development

• Enter and engage in public discourse

21. Features of a Bahai Civilization

• Decentralization

• No individuals in power

• Breaking down of power hierarchies

• Empowerment of disadvantaged groups

• Universal participation

• Prevent alienation

• Harness the power of consultation

• Spiritual society

• > Build the civilization of the future