Appendix 2
The
Purpose of Religion
religion / n. me. [AN religiun,
(O)Fr. religion f. L religio(n-) obligation, bond, scruple, reverence,
(in late L) religious (monastic) life, prob. f. religare: see religate,
-ion.]
3 Belief in or
sensing of some superhuman controlling power or powers, entitled to
obedience, reverence, and worship, or in a system defining a code of living,
esp. as a means to achieve spiritual
or material improvement; acceptance of such belief (esp. as
represented by an organized Church) as a
standard of spiritual and practical life; the expression of this
in worship etc. Also (now rare), action or conduct indicating such
belief; in pl., religious rites. me.
(New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary
- CD Edition, Version 1.0.3)
The purpose of
religion as revealed from the heaven of God's holy Will is to
establish unity and concord amongst the peoples of the world; make it
not the cause of dissension and strife. The religion of God and
His divine law are the most potent instruments and the surest of all
means for the dawning of the light of unity amongst men. The
progress of the world, the development of nations, the tranquillity of
peoples, and the peace of all who dwell on earth are among the
principles and ordinances of God. Religion bestoweth upon man the
most precious of all gifts, offereth the cup of prosperity, imparteth
eternal life, and showereth imperishable benefits upon mankind.
It behoveth the chiefs and rulers of the world, and in particular the
Trustees of God's House of Justice, to endeavour to the utmost of their
power to safeguard its position, promote its interests and exalt its
station in the eyes of the world. In like manner it is incumbent
upon them to enquire into the conditions of their subjects and to
acquaint themselves with the affairs and activities of the divers
communities in their dominions. We call upon the manifestations of the
power of God - the sovereigns and rulers on earth - to bestir
themselves and do all in their power that haply they may banish discord
from this world and illumine it with the light of concord.
(Baha'u'llah: Tablets of Baha'u'llah, pp. 129-130)
Likewise, the
divine religions of the holy Manifestations of God are in reality one,
though in name and nomenclature they differ. Man must be a lover of the
light, no matter from what dayspring it may appear. He must be a
lover of the rose, no matter in what soil it may be growing. He
must be a seeker of the truth, no matter from what source it
come. Attachment to the lantern is not loving the light.
Attachment to the earth is not befitting, but enjoyment of the rose
which develops from the soil is worthy. Devotion to the tree is
profitless, but partaking of the fruit is beneficial. Luscious
fruits, no matter upon what tree they grow or where they may be found,
must be enjoyed. The word of truth, no matter which tongue utters
it, must be sanctioned. Absolute verities, no matter in what book
they be recorded, must be accepted. If we harbor prejudice, it
will be the cause of deprivation and ignorance. The strife
between religions, nations and races arises from
misunderstanding. If we investigate the religions to discover the
principles underlying their foundations, we will find they agree; for
the fundamental reality of them is one and not multiple. By this
means the religionists of the world will reach their point of unity and
reconciliation. They will ascertain the truth that the purpose of religion is the acquisition
of praiseworthy virtues, the betterment of morals, the spiritual
development of mankind, the real life and divine bestowals.
All the Prophets have been the promoters of these principles; none of
Them has been the promoter of corruption, vice or evil. They have
summoned mankind to all good. They have united people in the love
of God, invited them to the religions of the unity of mankind and
exhorted them to amity and agreement. For example, we mention
Abraham and Moses. By this mention we do not mean the limitation
implied in the mere names but intend the virtues which these names
embody. When we say Abraham, we mean thereby a manifestation of
divine guidance, a center of human virtues, a source of heavenly
bestowals to mankind, a dawning point of divine inspiration and
perfections. These perfections and graces are not limited to
names and boundaries. When we find these virtues, qualities and
attributes in any personality, we recognize the same reality shining
from within and bow in acknowledgment of the Abrahamic
perfections. Similarly, we acknowledge and adore the beauty of
Moses. Some souls were lovers of the name Abraham, loving the
lantern instead of the light, and when they saw this same light shining
from another lantern, they were so attached to the former lantern that
they did not recognize its later appearance and illumination.
Therefore, those who were attached and held tenaciously to the name
Abraham were deprived when the Abrahamic virtues reappeared in
Moses. Similarly, the Jews were believers in Moses, awaiting the
coming of the Messiah. The virtues and perfections of Moses
became apparent in Jesus Christ most effulgently, but the Jews held to
the name Moses, not adoring the virtues and perfections manifest in
Him. Had they been adoring these virtues and seeking these
perfections, they would assuredly have believed in Jesus Christ when
the same virtues and perfections shone in Him. If we are lovers
of the light, we adore it in whatever lamp it may become manifest, but
if we love the lamp itself and the light is transferred to another
lamp, we will neither accept nor sanction it. Therefore, we must
follow and adore the virtues revealed in the Messengers of God -
whether in Abraham, Moses, Jesus or other Prophets - but we must not
adhere to and adore the lamp. We must recognize the sun, no
matter from what dawning point it may shine forth, be it Mosaic,
Abrahamic or any personal point of orientation whatever, for we are
lovers of sunlight and not of orientation. We are lovers of
illumination and not of lamps and candles. We are seekers for
water, no matter from what rock it may gush forth. We are in need
of fruit in whatsoever orchard it may be ripened. We long for
rain; it matters not which cloud pours it down. We must not be
fettered. If we renounce these fetters, we shall agree, for all
are seekers of reality. The counterfeit or imitation of true
religion has adulterated human belief, and the foundations have been
lost sight of. The variance of these imitations has produced
enmity and strife, war and bloodshed. Now the glorious and
brilliant twentieth century has dawned, and the divine bounty is
radiating universally. The Sun of Truth is shining forth in intense
enkindlement. This is, verily, the century when these imitations
must be forsaken, superstitions abandoned and God alone
worshiped. We must look at the reality of the Prophets and Their
teachings in order that we may agree.
(`Abdu'l-Baha: Promulgation of Universal Peace,
pp. 151-153)
The purpose of all
the divine religions is the establishment of the bonds of love
and fellowship among men, and the heavenly phenomena of the revealed
Word of God are intended to be a source of knowledge and illumination
to humanity. So long as man persists in his adherence to
ancestral forms and imitation of obsolete ceremonials, denying higher
revelations of the divine light in the world, strife and contention
will destroy the purpose of religion and make love and fellowship
impossible. Each of the holy Manifestations announced the glad
tidings of His successor, and each One confirmed the message of His
predecessor. Therefore, inasmuch as They were agreed and united
in purpose and teaching, it is incumbent upon Their followers to be
likewise unified in love and spiritual fellowship. In no other
way will discord and alienation disappear and the oneness of the world
of humanity be established.
(`Abdu'l-Baha: Promulgation of Universal Peace,
pp. 339-340)
The Baha'i Faith upholds the unity of God,
recognizes the unity of His Prophets, and inculcates the principle of
the oneness and wholeness of the entire human race. It proclaims
the necessity and the inevitability of the unification of mankind,
asserts that it is gradually approaching, and claims that nothing short
of the transmuting spirit of God, working through His chosen Mouthpiece
in this day, can ultimately succeed in bringing it about. It,
moreover, enjoins upon its followers the primary duty of an unfettered
search after truth, condemns all manner of prejudice and superstition,
declares the purpose of religion to
be the promotion of amity and concord, proclaims its essential
harmony with science, and recognizes it as the foremost agency for the
pacification and the orderly progress of human society....
(Shoghi Effendi: The Promised Day is Come, pp. rm
5-rm 6)
If the world of
nature were perfect and complete in itself, there would be no need of
such training and cultivation in the human world - no need of teachers,
schools and universities, arts and crafts. The revelations of the
Prophets of God would not have been necessary, and the heavenly Books
would have been superfluous. If the world of nature were perfect and
sufficient for mankind, we would have no need of God and our belief in
Him. Therefore, the bestowal of all these great helps and
accessories to the attainment of divine life is because the world of
nature is incomplete and imperfect. Consider this Canadian country
during the early history of Montreal when the land was in its wild,
uncultivated and natural condition. The soil was unproductive,
rocky and almost uninhabitable - vast forests stretching in every
direction. What invisible power caused this great metropolis to
spring up amid such savage and forbidding conditions? It was the
human mind. Therefore, nature and the effect of nature's laws
were imperfect. The mind of man remedied and removed this
imperfect condition, until now we behold a great city instead of a
savage unbroken wilderness. Before the coming of Columbus America
itself was a wild, uncultivated expanse of primeval forest, mountains
and rivers - a very world of nature. Now it has become the world
of man. It was dark, forbidding and savage; now it has become
illumined with a great civilization and prosperity. Instead of
forests, we behold productive farms, beautiful gardens and prolific
orchards. Instead of thorns and useless vegetation, we find
flowers, domestic animals and fields awaiting harvest. If the
world of nature were perfect, the condition of this great country would
have been left unchanged.
(`Abdu'l-Baha: Promulgation of Universal Peace,
pp. 310-311)
A Message from `Abdu'l-Baha
Written for The Christian Commonwealth
and published September 29th, 1911
GOD sends Prophets
for the education of the people and the progress of mankind.
Each such Manifestation of God has raised humanity. They serve
the whole world by the bounty of God. The sure proof that they are the
Manifestations of God is in the education and progress of the people.
(`Abdu'l-Baha: `Abdu'l-Baha
in London, p. 42)
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