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SECTION NINE
ATTAINMENT TARGET THREESKILLS APPROPRIATE TO THE LIFE OF A BAHÁ’Í
c. SOCIAL SKILLS
The Bahá’í Faith is pre-eminently the religion of community, whether it be the community in miniature - the family - or the global community of the whole human race.
There is ample provision for individual spiritual needs, but the emphasis of the Faith does not lie in a passive or solitary mode of being. Monasticism is abolished, asceticism is annulled, priesthoods are abrogated. Bahá’ís must live in the world, though not be of it. Marriage is encouraged, having children is given as the principal reason for marriage. Service to others is raised to the level of worship. Salvation is no longer simply personal but collective. The primary obligation of Bahá’ís is to share their Faith with others and thus enrol new believers. All these underline the social nature of the Faith.
With such an emphasis, social skills are of paramount importance. Young Bahá’ís must therefore be raised to be at home in the widest possible range of social circumstances, among people of every conceivable origin, type and way of life, regardless of sex, age, ethnicity, education, belief, occupation or interest.
At the same time, they must also be prepared to cope with the negative aspects of association with the full gamut of humanity. The ugliness of gossip, backbiting, prejudice, easy familiarity, irreligion and immorality must be met with a combination of strength, love, tact and unwavering adherence to the Bahá’í standard.
With the grace and composure that come with well-developed social skills, a pure and devoted Bahá’í would be a pillar of their community and attract others to the Faith. To the extent that a Bahá’í individual can interact with others in a quality way, they will receive affirmation and fulfilment, and provide these for their fellows.
Programme of Study for Social Skills
Human beings as social creatures
Interacting with others: purposes and manner
The socialising of the young: importance and methods
Community
Courtesy, hospitality and entertaining skills
Fostering love and unity in the community
Enhancing equality in the community
The rôle of arts and crafts in enhancing community life
Enhancing cultural heritage in relation to the community
Education
Training and upbringing of children as community members
Teaching social skills to the young
Bahá’í education of children and youth (in general)
Deepening of fellow adults
Setting up and running training institutes
Teaching
Proclaiming the Faith
Teaching the Faith
Enrolling new believers
Consolidating the Faith
Conducting firesides
Giving public talks
Conversing at non-Bahá’í functions
The rôle of the arts and crafts in teaching
Relating the teachings to current concerns and academic standpoints
Challenges
Avoiding gossip
Shunning backbiting
Eschewing the company of the ungodly
Overcoming prejudice
Remaining neutral in a partisan environment
Remaining moral amidst immorality
Remaining chaste in a promiscuous environment
Assisting fellow souls to come closer to their God
Seeing the face of God in everyone one meets
Regarding the soul of a person rather than their personality, deeds or appearance
Overcoming likes / dislikes with love for others
Avoiding pigeon-holing / categorising people - seeing everyone afresh
Putting oneself in the place of others
KEY STAGE APPROPRIACY
KS 0, KS 1: Here social skills might chiefly be approached through such avenues as interactive games, always trying to think of good things to say about people, setting tables and eating together, etc.
KS 2: Introduce basic community and teaching skills, encouraging students to be loving and hospitable and to adopt small-scale teaching projects such as telling friends about being a Bahá’í and giving short presentations at their full-time school on the Faith, etc.
KS 3: Broaden the range of skills to include education and challenges. Make use of story and drama and task-based activities to allow students to exercise their developing skills in situations that closely mimic real life, or in real situations where possible.
KS 4: Enable students to be confident in exercising all social skills at a basic but effective level in those real situations where they might expect to participate and to be able to assist others in acquiring those same skills.
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