#BlackLivesMatter has brought the topic of racism to the fore in a way that offers an important window of opportunity for change. The movement has swept the world and shows no signs of losing impact or importance. When there are issues of injustice and strong emotions maintaining the energy around those issues, It is easy to be caught up in either anger or self-righteousness. Considering spiritual guidance and principles as a way to guide wise and sustained action, can be helpful.
Let’s begin by affirming that one of the foundational principles of the Baha’i Faith is the elimination of prejudice. In fact, this principle is so enshrined in the Baha’i teachings, that Baha’is are encouraged to marry across races so that they come to love people of all colours and cultures. Secondly, there has been guidance sent to communities around the world over the past two hundred years since the start of the Baha’i Faith to assist with the goal of establishing the oneness of humankind by celebrating the diversity of the human race, preserving cultural practices and indigenous languages and working collaboratively to solve mutual problems. A large part of this body of guidance was sent to the United States and Canada from 1912 onwards.
For example, in the service of healing racism using wise and sustainable strategies,Shoghi Effendi wrote to both the white and black races of the United States in the early part of the 20th century :
“Let neither think that the solution of so vast a problem can either easily or immediately be resolved…Let neither think that anything short of genuine love, extreme patience, true humility, consummate tact, sound initiative, mature wisdom, and deliberate, persistent, and prayerful effort, can succeed in blotting out the stain which this patent evil [racism] has left on the fair name of their common country.”
He went on to give specific instructions to white Baha’is telling them to:
“make a supreme effort in their resolve…to abandon once and for all their usually inherent and at times subconscious sense of superiority, to correct their tendency towards revealing a patronizing attitude towards members of the other race.”
He told the white Baha’is that they should “through their intimate spontaneous and informal association” show “the genuineness of their friendship” and to “master their impatience of any lack of responsiveness on the part of a people who have received, for so long a period, such grievous and slow-healing wounds.[2]”
Shoghi Effendi insisted that white Baha’is study their own attitudes and ensure that they freely invite black people to their homes and are true friends.
He then turned his attention to the black Baha’is giving them the responsibility of teaching the Faith to the members of their own race, to show true love to all the Baha’is irrespective of race, and to stay focused on the teachings of Baha’u’llah rather than dwelling on the shortcomings of fellow Baha’is.
This theme of taking care of our own responsibilities as individual Baha’is instead of deflecting energy and attention to the deficiencies of others extends to guidance on correcting the tendency of people to blame institutions and governing bodies for their shortcomings. On this topic, the Universal House of Justice wrote in 6 August 2018,
“turn your attention away from what you believe are the inadequacies – real or perceived – of Baha’i institutions in addressing the issues of concern to you and instead focus your spiritual and intellectual energies on the contribution that you, an individual believer, can directly offer in service to the people in your immediate surroundings.”
This letter to an individual concludes with a call to action; “advance in your own efforts with some like-minded friends in your local area to pursue your noble aims and to test and refine your ideas in practical action”.
A part of this practical action is to learn together with others and to deepen connections with people from a variety of racial and ethnic backgrounds. The Universal House of Justice explains in its 4 February, 2018 letter:
“As a result of their training and deepening, a growing number of believers will draw insights from the Writings to sensitively and effectively address issues of racial prejudice that arise within their personal lives and families, among community members, and in social settings and the workplace.”
As they do so they must appreciate their own efforts over the years, show constructive resilience to overcoming obstacles, and seek to “by word and by deed, elevate the existing conversation and set in motion constructive approaches that will prove ever more effective over time.”
Baha’is are called to “address the question of race unity as a part of life in all of the social spaces in which they are engaged” showing that “freedom from racial prejudice must be the watchword of Baha’is in the social spaces in which they are engaged… In such intimate settings, people of diverse racial backgrounds encounter the Word of God, and in their efforts to translate the Teachings into practical action, are able to generate bonds of love, affection and unity, and to learn what it means to establish a true interracial fellowship that is powerful enough to overcome the forces of racism that afflict them and their society.”
As you can see from this short collection of the Baha’i Writings on overcoming racial prejudice, to truly address racism at its foundation, we must see it as a spiritual problem that can primarily be remedied using spiritual tools. In our efforts, it is important to stay focused on the Word of God, to study and learn in groups so we can practice interracial friendship skills in a real context, to stay consistent, dedicated, firm and resilient over time and to continuously self-examine to see if our own thoughts and behaviors, words and deeds reflect the high standards of the Baha’i teachings. Allow me to conclude with two more points regarding the character we are called to develop in service of the oneness of humanity.
In our efforts, we must take care not to be drawn into the growing and polarizing contention and confrontation that intensifies the flames of hatred between races. The following quote from the Universal House of Justice 10 August 2018, explains this concept beautifully:
“There are many well-meaning people who are striving to improve society by fighting its evils, which usually means contending against individuals, groups or institutions who are seen as oppressive, unjust or corrupt. Yet no matter how high-minded a particular cause might be, if it is advanced through contention and confrontation, it merely provokes and intensifies the flame of a counter movement initiated by others who act on what they consider their own high-minded beliefs. Real solutions remain elusive. The cycle of contention continues without end, with one group after the other seizing enough power to implement its views before becoming overcome by those in opposition. One need only look to the endless mutations of racist oppression over hundreds of years, adapting so as to undermine every social advance in that area.”
The second theme is that to eliminate racial prejudice we have to both “regenerate the inward life of our own communities” and “assail the long-standing evils that have entrenched themselves in the life of their nation.”
This means doing what we say and being honest, trustworthy and transparent in all things. It means being pure and spotless in all our interactions with others so that they know they can depend on us in complete safety and true friendship between the races.
This is not a retreat to passivity. It is a difficult, tireless, and sacrificial effort of systematic action over time. And it is an effort that can only be sustained through regular spiritual sustenance with prayer, reading the Writings, consulting in groups, deepening our understanding and practically applying efforts until there is not even a trace of prejudice to be found.
That is the mandate given to Baha’is, and to anyone who wishes to take on the difficult work of building a world where racism is completely unthinkable. In closing, a recent call to action from the Universal House of Justice explains how as we increasing focus on transforming our relationships through divine love, we will create societies so characterized by love that no trace of exclusion, animosity or prejudice can be found.
“Ultimately, the power to transform the world is effected by love, love originating from the relationship with the divine, love ablaze among members of a community, love extended without restriction to every human being. This divine love, ignited by the Word of God, is disseminated by enkindled souls through intimate conversations that create new susceptibilities in human hearts, open minds to moral persuasion, and loosen the hold of biased norms and social systems so that they can gradually take on a new form in keeping with the requirements of humanity’s age of maturity. You are channels for this divine love; let it flow through you to all who cross your path. Infuse it into every neighborhood and social space in which you move to build capacity to canalize the society-building power of Bahá’u’lláh’s Revelation. There can be no rest until the destined outcome is achieved.” (Universal House of Justice, July 22, 2020)
If you wish to join us in our ongoing efforts to eliminate racial prejudice and to establish the oneness of humankind, here are some options:
- Join our mailing list for upcoming posts and announcements like this one
- Send a message to inquire about Edmonton Baha’i activities you could participate in or learn more about
- Tell us about your activities so we can support them
- Suggest topics for upcoming blog posts
- Follow us on social media @edmontonbahai and participate in the discussions