Who Are The Bahá'ís? (continued)

roots into the mind and heart?

When we strive in our daily lives through prayer, education, and deeds of service to others, we can gradually free our hearts and minds from prejudices of race, sex, nationality, appearance, age, education, class, religion, and culture.

Human Diversity Creates Beauty

The Bahá'ís regard differences of race, nationality, and culture as factors that give beauty and strength to the whole of humanity. We believe that every individual has a contribution to make to an advancing world civilization.

Unity in Diversity

Bahá'u'lláh has revealed that the true unity of the human family can only be achieved through unity in diversity, which means the acceptance and respect for differences of culture, race, sex, age, education, class and individuality.

This principle is a necessary complement to the concept of oneness, because without it unity could lead to sameness and conformity.

New Social Laws for a New Era

The teachings of the Bahá'í Faith are intelligent and progressive. Fanaticism is forbidden, and Bahá'ís are counselled to prefer others to themselves. These are among the animating principles of this fast-emerging faith community:

Oneness: one God, one Humankind, and one Evolving Faith
Elimination of all forms of prejudice
Complete equality of women and men in all aspects of human society
Belief that truth is one and, therefore, scientific and religious truths are in harmony
Universal compulsory education for all children throughout the world
Establishment of a world language that everyone will learn in addition to their native language
World peace through world governance
Elimination of the extremes of wealth and poverty
Free and independent investigation of truth by every individual

A Giant Step Forward in Moral and Spiritual Evolution

These key principles of the Bahá'í Faith address the needs of the modern age. Putting these principles into practice will greatly advance human moral and spiritual evolution.

A New World Order

Our social organization has evolved over the course of history from families to clans and tribes, and from city-states to nations. The Bahá'í Faith teaches that the culmination of this age-long evolution is a world united into one global homeland. Only a world commonwealth of nations can ultimately ensure human prosperity and security.

No Unity without Economic Justice

We cannot achieve peace and the unity of humanity without justice. And justice is impossible if humanity continues to be divided between rich and poor, the "haves" and "have-nots".

Bahá'ís believe that the elimination of the extremes of wealth and poverty should happen through a combination of personal transformation, voluntary giving by wealthy individuals who are motivated by generosity and service to humankind, and government policies and laws. Voluntary sharing as a spiritual solution is preferable to government decree because it binds humanity together through the spirit of love and sharing.

A Respect for Individual Rights

The Bahá'í Faith does not put forward a vision of tyrannical global governance. Rather, the mode of operation, at every level from local to global, must ensure the dignity of the individual, and universal participation in spiritual and practical affairs.