BAHÁ'Í TEACHINGS ON THE WORLD TODAY

Bahá'u'lláh explains the growth of society is like the growth of an individual. As individuals, we grow through the stages of infancy, childhood, adolescence to adulthood. Bahá'u'lláh explains that society has grown and matured to the threshold of adulthood - ready to recognise its reality as a global civilisation.

A mark of recognising ourselves as a global civilisation is realising that it is not our differences that keep us in conflict but our attitudes towards those differences. There is extensive guidance in the Bahá'í Writings to assist us in eliminating prejudice and establishing unity in ourselves, our families, our societies and our world.

So the unity which is central to Bahá'í teachings is not about uniformity but rather about unity in diversity. This diversity is described in the Bahá'í Writings in this way:

"...This diversity, this difference is like the naturally created ... variety of the limbs and organs of the human body, ... each one contributes to the beauty, efficiency and perfection of the whole."

One of the major sources of conflict in our world is that many people blindly and uncritically follow various beliefs. God has given each human being a mind and the capacity to differentiate truth from falsehood. Bahá'ís believe that individuals have a moral responsibility to personally search for truth.

Some other teachings central to the Bahá'í Faith include the equality of women and men, the fundamental unity of science and religion, the elimination of the extremes of wealth and poverty and universal education for all.

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