In Newfoundland and Labrador, our society and economy are facing unprecedented challenges, unimaginable even a decade ago.
We have seen the sacrifice of our natural resources to an unwillingness to follow environmental or economic common sense, as evidenced by the collapse of the ground fishery. Equally disturbing has been the erosion of standards of behaviour, such as is reflected in the increasing reports of violence in our schools. These are the dividends of a society that is becoming increasingly more materialistic.
In resonance with these concerns, we are witness to the emergence of our province as an integral part of a global society. This is accompanied by an appreciation for our responsibility to be wise caretakers of our rich resources; steady advances in the academic and technical training and education of children and adults; and a greater willingness to discuss, openly, the relationship between "values" or spiritual principles, and the goals of social and economic well being.
Some of the best qualities which characterize Newfoundland society - our generosity and friendliness, our ability to endure hardship - have been borne of spiritual values nurtured over a difficult history. They have sustained us over that long history into the troubled present. However, if we are to take up our role in this global society and deal with the problems of moral decay, we are called upon to both renew these qualities, and develop new spiritual capacities directed towards cooperation, consultation and conflict resolution.
We are writing this letter to you now because we feel we have a valuable perspective for understanding the difficulties and challenges facing our society and, furthermore, we would like to offer a method for problem solving and societal development.
In considering the connection between these spiritual qualities and the progress of society, it is helpful to recall how the world's great religions have guided humanity in the past. The moral code of the Ten Commandments and the Golden Rule, that we should treat others as we ourselves wish to be treated, both of which find their expression in nearly every religious tradition serve both as ethical guidelines and a summons to individual spiritual achievement.
Today, our understanding of spirituality must embrace not only personal development and growth, but also the collective progress of humanity as a whole. More than a century ago, Bahá'u'lláh, Prophet-Founder of the Bahá'í Faith, declared, "The wellbeing of mankind, its peace and security, are unattainable unless and until its unity is firmly established."
So long as disunity, antagonism, and personal gain characterize the social, political, and economic relations among people and groups within society, the social and material progress we seek will remain an unachievable goal. We must secure the institutions of collaboration and co-operation on the foundation of genuine unity, harmony, and understanding among the diverse peoples and groups, that is, to establish unity in diversity.
The administrative bodies of the Bahá'í Faith at all levels use a distinctive method of non-adversarial decision-making, known as "consultation". The principles of Bahá'í consultation provide a unique method for building consensus; they encourage diversity of opinion and replace the struggle for power and dominance with the skills of collaboration and cooperation.
Bahá'í consultation is based on the following principles:
Bahá'u'lláh's statement of the oneness of humankind is both a statement of principle, and a basis for social organization. It implies the abandonment of prejudices (whether racial, ethnic, or religious) and the establishment of institutions and policies that safeguard the dignity and well-being of all people, and not just a privileged group or a fortunate few.
Recent mineral and resource developments, and the remarkable expansion of innovative, technology-based businesses speak to the reality that we, in this province, possess the material resources and human capabilities to further our development. However, the capacity for all to share the benefits of the enormous financial, technical, human, and moral resources necessary, for creating a sustainable society, will only be released when this ethic of unity in diversity is fully embraced.
Bahá'u'lláh urges, "regard ye not one another as strangers. Ye are the fruits of one tree, and the leaves of one branch." "The earth is but one country," He proclaims, "and mankind its citizens." This principle of the oneness speaks to a reawakening of the spirit of brotherhood and goodwill, but it also suggests something much deeper. We need an organic change in the structure of present-day society, such as the world has not yet experienced.
The relevant personal spiritual qualities such as honesty, a willingness to work, and a spirit of cooperation can be successfully harnessed to the benefit of all when every individual, indeed every group within society, can trust that they are united and protected by common values - principles and standards of community behaviour - and are assured of access to opportunities that apply equally to all.
Such an atmosphere of unity will have a sweeping effect in reordering people's relations to the work they do, and their understanding of the place of economic activity in their lives will be sweeping.
The security of the family and the home, the ownership of property, and the right to privacy are all implied in such a trusteeship. The community has an obligation to create an environment in which individuals are able to meet such fundamental needs as employment, mental and physical health care, social security, fair wages, rest and recreation, and a host of other reasonable expectations on the part of the individual members of society.
The obligations on the part of all of us, as individuals, are to realize the capacities inherent in our spiritual nature, and to act in unity with others, to develop and utilize those capacities for the well-being of the community.
The people of Newfoundland and Labrador manifest strong traditions arising from a devotion to certain spiritual values, among them a strong work ethic, and a capacity for charity and generosity borne of a sense of responsibility for our neighbours, values which have helped us to display an admirable dignity in the face of adversity.
Bahá'ís desire for our fellow Newfoundlanders that we respond to Bahá'u'lláh's vision of humanity, to develop new spiritual capacities so that if we encounter fear, our hearts will find courage; if we have been held back by ignorance, our path will be illumined by the light of knowledge; if we have been thrown into frustration and disunity, we will acquire and share the skills of consultation, cooperation and collaboration; and if we have been isolated and separated, we will, as a diverse and united people, emerge into full and confident participation in this ever advancing civilization.
The experience of the Bahá'í community may be seen as an example of this enlarging unity. It is a community drawn from many nations, cultures, classes and creeds, representative of the diversity of the human family, conducting its affairs through the principles of consultation, and cherishing all the great outpourings of divine guidance in human history. If the Bahá'í experience can contribute in whatever measure to reinforcing hope in the unity of the human race, we are happy to offer it as a model for study. May we work together to contribute to the peaceful and prosperous future that is well within our province's grasp and one, indeed, that is destined for the entire human race.
With warmest greetings,
The Bahá'ís of Newfoundland and Labrador
January 1996
