Bahá'u'lláh taught that there is one God whose successive revelations of His will to humanity have been the chief civilizing force in history. The agents of this process have been the Divine Messengers whom people have seen chiefly as the founders of separate religious systems but whose common purpose has been to bring the human race to spiritual and moral maturity.
Humanity is now coming of age. It is this that makes possible the unification of the human family and the building of a peaceful, global society. Among the principles which the Baha'i Faith promotes as vital to the achievement of this goal are:
- the abandonment of all forms of prejudice;
- assurance to women of full equality of opportunity with men;
- recognition of the unity and relativity of religious truth;
- the elimination of extremes of poverty and wealth;
- the realization of universal education;
- the responsibility of each person to independently search for truth;
- the establishment of a global commonwealth of nations; and
- recognition that true religion is in harmony with reason and the pursuit of scientific knowledge.
In proclaiming the pivotal principle of the oneness of humankind, Bahá'u'lláh outlines a body of social precepts which He says must guide the future development of society. Strong emphasis is placed on the abolition of prejudices of all kinds. There is, Bahá'u'lláh insists, but one human race; notions that a particular racial or ethnic group is in some way superior to the rest of humanity are without foundation. Women and men are fully equal in the sight of God, and society must reorganize its life so as to give practical effect to this reality.
The era has dawned, Bahá'u'lláh says, for the establishment of justice in human affairs, and considerable attention is given in His writings to the responsibility of society to ensure economic justice among its component groups. Closely related to these concerns is the obligation of parents to educate their children and the assertion that it is the responsibility of society to make certain that the means for universal education are provided. Every human being must be trained to "look into all things with a searching eye" so that truth can be independently ascertained. The resources of both science and faith must be tapped if the capacities of the world's peoples are to reach the levels needed to address the problems of the present hour.
Reliance on consultative decision-making "bestoweth greater awareness and transmuteth conjecture into certitude" - thereby providing the means for effecting meaningful change where social progress has been inhibited. The adoption of the principle of collective security and the establishment of institutions of governance at the global level will ensure permanent stability and peace in international relations.
The moral and spiritual transformation of society, the relief of the diverse peoples of the earth from conflict, injustice, and suffering, and the birth of a progressive and peaceful global civilization are not only possible, Bahá'u'lláh says, but inevitable.
