| Bahá'u'lláh explains the growth of society is
like the growth of an individual. As individuals, we grow through
the stages of infancy, childhood, adolescence to adulthood. Bahá'u'lláh
explains that society has grown and matured to the threshold of adulthood
- ready to recognise its reality as a global civilisation.
A mark of recognising ourselves as a global civilisation is
realising that it is not our differences that keep us in conflict
but our attitudes towards those differences. There is extensive
guidance in the Bahá'í Writings to assist us in eliminating
prejudice and establishing unity in ourselves, our families, our
societies and our world.
So the unity which is central to Bahá'í teachings
is not about uniformity but rather about unity in diversity. This
diversity is described in the Bahá'í Writings in this
way:
"...This diversity, this difference is like the naturally
created ... variety of the limbs and organs of the human body, ...
each one contributes to the beauty, efficiency and perfection of
the whole."
One of the major sources of conflict in our world is that many
people blindly and uncritically follow various beliefs. God has
given each human being a mind and the capacity to differentiate
truth from falsehood. Bahá'ís believe that individuals
have a moral responsibility to personally search for truth.
Some other teachings central to the Bahá'í Faith
include the equality of women and men, the fundamental unity of
science and religion, the elimination of the extremes of wealth
and poverty and universal education for all.
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