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Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Baha'i Faith, provided an outline of Baha'u'llah's New World Order: (2:1) The unity of the human race, as envisaged by Baha'u'llah, implies the establishment of a world commonwealth in which all nations, races, creeds, and classes are closely and permanently united, and in which the autonomy of its state members and the personal freedom and initiative of the individuals that compose them are definitely and completely safeguarded. This commonwealth must, as far as we can visualize it, consist of a world legislature...A world executive, backed by an international Force, will carry out the decisions arrived at, and apply the laws enacted by, this world legislature...A world tribunal will...deliver its compulsory and final verdict in all and any disputes that may arise between the various elements constituting this universal system. A mechanism of world inter-communication will be devised, embracing the whole planet...A world metropolis will act as the nerve center of a world civilization...The economic resources of the world will be organized, its sources of raw materials will be tapped and fully utilized, its markets will be coordinated and developed, and the distribution of its products will be equitably regulated.13 (2:2) This is the plan prepared for the whole earth, this is the hand stretched out over all the nations. For the Lord of Hosts has prepared his plan: who shall frustrate it? His is the hand stretched out, and who shall turn it back? Isaiah 14:26-27 (2:3) A universal auxiliary language. According to one source, the people of our planet speak 6,000 languages and dialects. As the world shrinks, communication between its inhabitants becomes more critical. A universal auxiliary language is an essential medium for fostering fellowship and understanding among nations. (2:4) We have enjoined upon the Trustees of the House of Justice either to choose one language from among those now existing or to adopt a new one, and in like manner to select a common script, both of which should be taught in all the schools of the world. Thus will the earth be regarded as one country and one home. The most glorious fruit of the tree of knowledge is this exalted word: Of one tree are all ye the fruit, and of one bough the leaves. Let not man glory in this that he loveth his country, let him rather glory in this that he loveth his kind.14 Baha'u'llah (2:5) Lack of communication not only breaks down marriages but also nations. (2:6) People don't get along because they fear each other. People fear each other because they don't know each other. They don't know each other because they have not properly communicated with each other. Martin Luther King (2:7) In a global language lies enormous powers: (2:8) And the Lord said, behold, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do; and now nothing they have imagined they can do will be impossible to them. Genesis 11:6 (2:9) We are, in essence, spiritual beings. Our souls depend on spiritual nourishment as much as our bodies on physical. Whether it is the cell or the soul, starvation eventually leads to death. Spirituality is the salt of the soul; without it, the soul spoils. It must be sprinkled on everyone, every day. A 5-year-old boy was watching his mother change the baby. When she overlooked sprinkling the tot's backside with talcum powder, the 5-year-old reminded her, 'Hey, Mom, you forgot to salt him!' (2:10) From the very beginning, the children must receive divine education and must continually be reminded to remember their God. Let the love of God pervade their inmost being, commingled with their mother's milk.15 'Abdu'l-Baha (2:11) References: |