True peace and tranquillity will only be realized when every soul will have become the well-wisher of all mankind.
Bahá’u’lláh, The Tabernacle of Unity
by Christine Muller
There is much merit to investigating social and environmental issues in depth, such as climate change, racism, the decimation of wild plants and animals, appalling poverty and extreme wealth, the legacy of colonization, the roots of war and violence, the drug epidemic, and the widespread toxic pollution of our water, air, and food. We must understand the science and reality of all these issues. We need individuals who will dedicate their lives to studying these problems, advocating for their solutions, and sharing their knowledge with civil society and government so that fact-based decisions can be made.
At the same time, we also need to recognize that all these problems are interconnected and that we must cultivate a holistic approach to problem-solving that transcends scientific silos and social theories. The Universal House of Justice explained:
“Humanity is gripped by a crisis of identity, as various peoples and groups struggle to define themselves, their place in the world, and how they should act. Without a vision of shared identity and common purpose, they fall into competing ideologies and power struggles. Seemingly countless permutations of “us” and “them” define group identities ever more narrowly and in contrast to one another. Over time, this splintering into divergent interest groups has weakened the cohesion of society itself. Rival conceptions about the primacy of a particular people are peddled to the exclusion of the truth that humanity is on a common journey in which all are protagonists. Consider how radically different such a fragmented conception of human identity is from the one that follows from a recognition of the oneness of humanity. In this perspective, the diversity that characterizes the human family, far from contradicting its oneness, endows it with richness. Unity, in its Bahá’í expression, contains the essential concept of diversity, distinguishing it from uniformity. It is through love for all people, and by subordinating lesser loyalties to the best interests of humankind, that the unity of the world can be realized and the infinite expressions of human diversity find their highest fulfilment.” (18 January 2019 – To the Bahá’ís of the World)
Recognizing our shared identity as human beings and the oneness of humankind seems to be a prerequisite for solving the world’s problems. Bahá’u’lláh taught: “Let your vision be world-embracing, rather than confined to your own self.” (Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh XLIII)
In the author’s view, these words are the key to the spiritual development of individual souls and communities and to solving humanity’s problems. They are the foundation for spiritual well-being, the healing of social divisions, bringing people together in unity, and meaningfully addressing humanity’s numerous social and environmental problems.
In secular circles, such a perspective is often called altruism or solidarity. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said: “We must recognize that humanity’s very future depends on solidarity, trust, and our ability to work together as a global family to achieve common goals.” (António Guterres, in his speech at an event that launched Our Common Agenda)
The Universal House of Justice points out the practical applications of such a holistic view:
“The welfare of any segment of humanity is inextricably bound up with the welfare of the whole. Humanity’s collective life suffers when any one group thinks of its own well-being in isolation from that of its neighbours or pursues economic gain without regard for how the natural environment, which provides sustenance for all, is affected.” (Universal House of Justice, 1 March 2017 – To the Bahá’ís of the World)
Here is an example of how environmental and social issues are interconnected: It is impossible to tackle climate change without addressing the extremes of poverty and wealth. Poor people are suffering the most from the impacts of climate change because they don’t have the financial means to shield themselves from more extreme heat, droughts, flooding events, and storms or from higher food prices. Rich people are contributing the most carbon emissions by their luxurious lifestyles and by their financial investments in projects and companies that cause environmental destruction.
So, let’s get back to this call from Bahá’u’lláh: “Let your vision be world-embracing, rather than confined to your own self.” (Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh XLIII) These words can provide us with everything we need to improve the conditions of the world:
- A strong motivation to overcome the paralysis of will that has, for example, prevented the far-reaching climate actions that are necessary to save humanity from a climate catastrophe;
- A unifying methodology that avoids “adversarial approaches to problem-solving” (1) and the emphasis on identities;
- Equity and fairness/justice, not only as an end goal to be achieved, but also as a guiding principle in all actions; and
- A vision for a future civilization where these words find full expression and to which it is worth dedicating our lives.
Much could be said about the practical implications of these words by Bahá’u’lláh, but you probably have many thoughts of your own about them, which you are very welcome to share. (Send an email to cmuller@wilmetteinstitute.org.)
Reference: Bahá’í International Community, Embracing Interdependence: Foundations for a World in Transition
