Bahá'í Faith and Social Action

BAHÁ'Í FAITH AND SOCIAL ACTION

The Bahá'í is an independent world religion that pro- motes social justice through social action by advanc- ing processes leading to world peace. In the Bahá'í value-hierarchy, social justice is the cardinal principle of human society. On the theory that all human actions flow from consciousness, Bahá'ís believe that world peace can only be established on a foundation of human solidarity—the harmony of races, religions, and nations. The purpose of justice, according to Bahá'u'lláh (1817–1892), prophet-founder of the Bahá'í Faith, is the achievement of unity in human society. International peace and security are unattain- able, Bahá'u'lláh counsels, unless and until world unity is firmly established. Acting globally through interfaith alliances and national and international agencies, including the United Nations, Bahá'ís actively promote race unity, human rights, social and economic development, moral development, and the advancement of women. They draw international attention, in particular, to human rights violations against the Bahá'ís in Iran while advocating universal human rights for all. Bahá'ís aim to achieve these humanitarian goals through practical applications of Bahá'í principles of unity. Bahá'í philosopher Alain Locke (1885–1954), whose work is cited here to depends on discovering necessary common values scale. World democracy thus entails building infra- structures that can best canalize efforts to achieve

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social justice, to which Bahá'í institutions and pro- partisan politics as polarizing and divisive. While grams of social action contribute. exercising their civic obligation in voting, individual Bahá'ís distance themselves from the political theater Bahá'ís at the United Nations of party politics. Embracing democracy, they shun campaigning. Instead, Bahá'ís work with the body Ethics-based and religious non-governmental organi- politic, applying Bahá'í principles to better society. zations (RNGOs) are playing increasingly significant These principles include the following: roles in their consultative collaborations with the United Nations. As a RNGO, the Bahá'í International 1. Human unity Community (BIC) represents a network of 182 demo- 2. Social justice cratically elected National Spiritual Assemblies that act on behalf of over 5.5 million Bahá'ís worldwide. 3. Racial harmony Accordingly, the BIC is the voice of the worldwide 4. Interfaith cooperation Bahá'í community in international affairs. On the 60th 5. Gender equality anniversary of the United Nations in October 2005, 6. Wealth equity (economic justice) the Bahá'í International Community issued a state- ment, "The Search for Values in an Age of Transition," 7. Social and economic development presenting its recommendations for human rights, 8. International law development, democracy, and collective security. 9. Human rights Commending the international community's commit- ment to democracy, the BIC stressed that democracy 10. Freedom of conscience is good governance—an essentially moral exercise 11. Individual responsibility (what Alain Locke calls a "moral democracy"). 12. Harmony of science and religion Democracy will succeed only if it is coefficient with 13. International scientific cooperation personal integrity (gaining respect of the governed), moral principles, transparency, objective need assess- 14. International standards/world intercommunication ments, and ethical applications of scientific resources. 15. International language Democracy, according to the BIC, must be rooted in 16. Universal education moral values that promote social welfare both within and beyond the nation-state. Without this principled 17. Environmentalism anchor, democracy falls prey to the excesses of indi- 18. World commonwealth vidualism and nationalism, which tear at the fabric 19. World tribunal of the community, both nationally and globally. As 20. World peace sociomoral forces, Bahá'í principles of unity serve as a moral bedrock for building a world democracy. 21. Search after truth 22. Freedom of conscience

Principles of Unity 23. Love of God 24. Nobility of character (acquiring virtues) In his epistle to Queen Victoria (c. 1869), Bahá'u'lláh endorsed parliamentary democracy as an ideal form of 25. Advancing civilization (individual purpose) governance. Referring to his own mission as that of a 26. Work as worship "World Reformer," Bahá'u'lláh promulgated social 27. Ideal marriage principles that are wider in scope than the process of electing governments. The Bahá'í community, in a 28. Family values measured participation in political democracy, eschews 29. Model communities

30. Religious teleology (Progressive Revelation) employment if they identify themselves as Bahá'ís, to 31. Bahá'í doctrinal integrity bar their promotion to any position of influence, and to deny to all Bahá'ís the right to a higher education. No 32. Bahá'í institutional support (the "Covenant") Bahá'í can, in practice, attend university in Iran. Iranian 33. Promoting Bahá'í values columnist Iqbal Latif calls Iran's denial of Bahá'ís' access to a university education "intellectual cleansing" In 1925, Alain Locke stated that Bahá'í principles— of their ethnic brothers by the clergy-dominated and the leavening of America's national life with its regime. This phase of the anti-Bahá'í campaign has power—are to be regarded as the salvation of democ- aptly been described as civil death—a cultural expurga- racy. Only in this way can the fine professions of tion that collectively affects a community estimated to American ideals best be realized. include more than 300,000 Iranians. On March 20, 2006, the U.N. Special Reporter on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Asma Jahangir, issued Bahá'ís in Iran a press release regarding a confidential letter sent The Bahá'í Faith originated in Persia, now Iran, October 29, 2005, by the Chairman of the Command where the Bahá'í community has experienced a cen- Headquarters of the Armed Forces in Iran. The press tury and a half of persecution. In the years immedi- release informed government officials that the ately following the 1979 Islamic revolution in Iran, Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, had instructed clerics, with state sanction, ordered the arbitrary Command Headquarters to identify all Bahá'ís and arrest of Bahá'ís, the use of torture, and the execution closely monitor their activities. In the wake of mount- of more than 200 members (particularly elected ing media attacks on the Bahá'ís, such surveillance members of Bahá'í administrative councils)— aggravates an already dangerous situation. Anti- sometimes demanding that families pay for the bul- Bahá'í propaganda campaigns have typically pre- lets used to kill their loved ones. Other actions taken ceded government-led assaults on the Bahá'ís in Iran. against Bahá'ís include confiscation of property; In 2006, another U.N. special reporter reported that seizure of bank assets; expulsion from schools and the regime is now confiscating family homes, thereby universities; denial of employment; cancellation of worsening the economic strangulation. pensions and demands that the government be reim- bursed for past pension payments; desecration and A New Model of Local Democracy destruction of Bahá'í cemeteries and holy places; criminalization of Bahá'í activities, thereby forcing In marked contrast to Iran's efforts to extirpate the the dissolution of Bahá'í institutions; and pronounce- Bahá'í community, the Bahá'í Faith, as a global, ment that Bahá'í marriages were illegal acts of pros- supranational community, represents a new social titution. State-instigated incitements to violence took experiment. In its joint RNGO statement, "Family and the form of relentless propaganda campaigns aimed Social Development" (1994), the BIC stresses that the at inflaming anti-Bahá'í passions to instigate mob values of democracy and social justice must first be violence and crimes against Bahá'ís. taught at home. The family, says the BIC, is the first A new and insidious anti-Bahá'í strategy was environment to teach the values of local democracy, formalized in a secret 1991 memorandum from the human rights, social responsibility, tolerance, and Iranian Supreme Revolutionary Cultural Council on "the peace, thus enabling individual members to become Bahá'í question." Personally endorsed by Ayatollah Ali advocates for social justice. These values, seen as the Khamenei on February 25, 1991, this document advises spirit of democracy, extend to each local Bahá'í government officials to expel Bahá'ís from universities community. The Universal House of Justice (the once Bahá'í identity becomes known. The directive— world Bahá'í governing body) speaks of the Nineteen- still in force—instructs officials to refuse Bahá'ís Day Feast (a Bahá'í worship service and consultative

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meeting held roughly every 3 weeks throughout the the first nation to proclaim the unity of mankind. May year) as an arena of democracy at the very root of it be the first to unfurl the standard of the Most Great society. This is where the Local Spiritual Assembly Peace." This prayer envisions America's role in build- (the Bahá'í council annually elected by plurality vote ing a world democracy—not by force, but by exam- with no campaigning allowed) and the members of the ple, in accordance with universal, moral principles. community meet on common ground, where individ- uals are free to offer their gifts of thought, whether Strengthening Human Rights new ideas or constructive criticism, to the building processes of an advancing civilization. Based on these The BIC notes that the rise of democracy worldwide is and similar practices, the Universal House of Justice a positive trend wherever nations have adopted free speaks of Bahá'u'lláh having prescribed a system that elections, representational governance, and strong combines democratic practices with the application of human rights standards. In promoting social democracy, knowledge through consultative processes. American Bahá'ís have taken leadership roles in advo- cating U.S. ratification of U.N. human rights treaties, including the U.N. Convention to Eliminate Racial Interfaith Cooperation Discrimination; the International Covenant on Civil and In accordance with Bahá'u'lláh's call to peace and Political Rights; the International Convention on the fellowship among religions, Bahá'ís have taken part Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide; in the Parliament of the World's Religions, the World and the International Convention against Torture and Bank's World Faiths Development Dialogue, and the Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Committee of RNGOs at the United Nations. In 1950, Punishment. Current ratification efforts center on the the annually elected governing body of the American Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Bahá'í community, the National Spiritual Assembly Discrimination Against Women and the Convention of of the Bahá'ís of the United States (NSA) inaugurated the Rights of the Child. World Religion Day to promote interfaith ecumenism. In April 2002, the Universal House of Justice issued Promoting Race Unity a public letter addressed "To the World's Religious Leaders." This letter called on religious leaders world- In 1921, the NSA of the United States and Canada wide to achieve common cause through a greater inaugurated a series of race amity conferences in appreciation of their common ground and to unequiv- Washington, D.C., and throughout the United States, ocally renounce all claims to exclusivity or finality, as in a historic contribution to what Alain Locke (who such claims have precluded religious unity and have joined the Bahá'í Faith in 1918) called a "racial been the single greatest factor in justifying religious democracy" or, more broadly, a "social democracy." hatred and violence. The spirit of efforts (which Locke personally helped organize) to promote interracial harmony lives on today. In 1957, the NSA inaugurated Race Unity America's World Role Day (second Sunday in June)—an event now recog- On December 23, 2001, shortly after the infamous nized by the United Nations—to promote interracial 9/11 terrorist attacks, the NSA of the Bahá'ís of the harmony. In 1991, the NSA issued "The Vision of United States published a statement, "The Destiny of Race Unity," a statement addressed to all Americans. America and the Promise of World Peace," as a full- Since racism is really a global issue, the NSA had page advertisement in the New York Times. It closes urged the United States to become a party to the with an excerpt from a Bahá'í prayer: "May this International Convention on the Elimination of American Democracy be the first nation to establish All Forms of Racial Discrimination, which was the foundation of international agreement. May it be finally ratified in 1994. In 1997, sponsored by the

National Spiritual Assembly, a video, called "The in all facets of governance as a practical necessity. Power of Race Unity," was broadcast on the Black These Bahá'í-sponsored initiatives represent, but do Entertainment Network and on other networks not exhaust, efforts by the worldwide Bahá'í commu- across America. The video characterizes the Bahá'í nity and its democratically elected institutions to pro- Faith as a "spiritual democracy." mote social justice through social action. —Christopher G. Buck Social and Economic Development See also Democracy; Human Rights Watch; Religious Economic solutions to global poverty require that eco- Activism nomic values be predicated on spiritual values. In pro- moting economic justice and prosperity (what Alain Locke calls "economic democracy"), Bahá'í commu- Further Readings nities have launched more than 1,500 development Bahá'í International Community. (2005, April 30). Bahá'í projects worldwide, including more than 600 schools International Community response to the Secretary and seven radio stations broadcasting educational, General's Report, "In Larger Freedom: Towards health, and agricultural programs. Projects are tracked Development, Security and Human Rights for All." http://www.bahai.ch/pdf/LargerFreedom.pdf by the Bahá'í Office of Social and Economic Bahá'í International Community. (2005, October). The search Development, an agency of the Bahá'í World Center for values in an age of transition: A statement of the Bahá'í in Haifa, Israel. Published in December 2004, In International Community on the occasion of the 60th Service to the Common Good: The American Bahá'í anniversary of the United Nations (BIC Document No. Community's Commitment to Social Change profiled, 05-1002). http://www.bic-un.bahai.org/pdf/05-1002.pdf from among more than 400 Bahá'í-sponsored initia- Bahá'í International Community. (2006, January). A new framework for global prosperity: Bahá'í International tives, a handful of projects in the fields of education, Community's submission to the 2006 Commission on health care, race unity, community development, and Social Development on the review of the First United women's rights. These projects include, among Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty (BIC others: Health for Humanity, Tahirih Justice Center, Document No. 06-0101). http://www.bic-un.bahai Women for International Peace and Arbitration, .org/pdf/06-0101.pdf Bahá'í Institute for Race Unity, Native American Berger, J. (2003, March). Religious nongovernmental organizations: An exploratory analysis. Voluntas: Bahá'í Institute, Children's Theater Company, and International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Parent University. In what Locke calls "cultural Organizations, 14(1), 15–39. democracy," one must not forget the various Bahá'í Buck, C. (2003). Islam and minorities: The case of the artists, American Indian dancers, Bahá'í-sponsored Bahá'ís [Special issue]. Studies in Contemporary Islam, musical groups, ballets, and youth dance workshops 5(1–2). English: http://www.iranian.com/Opinion/ that reinforce progressive social values. 2005/June/Bahai/Images/BuckBahais2005Eng.pdf; Farsi: http://www.iranian.com/Opinion/2005/June/Bahai/Images/ BuckBahais2005.pdf Advancement of Women Buck, C. (2005). Alain Locke: Faith and philosophy. Los Angeles: Kalimát Press. In "The Search for Values in an Age of Transition: Gervais, M. (2004). The Baha'i curriculum for peace A Statement of the Bahá'í International Community education. Journal of Peace Education, 1(2), 205–224. on the Occasion of the 60th Anniversary of the United Ghanea, N. (2003). Human rights, the UN and the Bahá'ís in Nations" (October 2005), the BIC states that a healthy Iran. Leiden, Netherlands: Martinus Nijhoff. Hassall, G. (2000). Rights to human and social development: democracy must be founded on the principle of the A survey of the activities of the Bahá'í International equality of men and women. Member states of the Community. In T. Tahririha-Danesh (Ed.), Bahá'í-inspired United Nations, in their efforts to promote democ- perspectives on human rights (pp. 102–122). Hong Kong: racy, must vigilantly work for the inclusion of women Juxta. http://www.juxta.com/main.cfm?SID=22