Categories
baha'i

The maturity of the human race

The Bahá’í perspective on this time in history is, in part, that humanity is collectively in adolescence, with a vision of maturity on the horizon, but inability so far to actually act accordingly. The world’s reactions to the Russian invasion of Ukraine demonstrate this, I think — we’re doing better than in the past, but not yet there.

One glaring problem is the danger of a single individual having sole power over others, or a nation. This was normal in 19th century Europe (well, nominally in most cases) but isn’t safe or helpful now. Quoting from footnote 194 in Bahá’u’lláh’s Kitáb-i-Aqdas (Book of Laws):

… Further insight into this process of mankind’s coming of age and proceeding to maturity is provided by the following statement of Bahá’u’lláh:

One of the signs of the maturity of the world is that no one will accept to bear the weight of kingship. Kingship will remain with none willing to bear alone its weight. That day will be the day whereon wisdom will be manifested among mankind.

The coming of age of the human race has been associated by Shoghi Effendi with the unification of the whole of mankind, the establishment of a world commonwealth, and an unprecedented stimulus to “the intellectual, the moral, and spiritual life of the entire human race.”

Of course a group of leaders could go off the rails too, but it surely seems more likely that one isolated person can develop fever dreams. We can also see that nationalism by itself no longer works.

Another quote from Bahá’u’lláh, in the Súriy-i-Mulúk (Tablet to the Kings):

Be united, O concourse of the sovereigns of the world, for thereby will the tempest of discord be stilled amongst you, and your peoples find rest. Should any one among you take up arms against another, rise ye all against him, for this is naught but manifest justice.

This principle actually worked when Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990, and you can see it is what leaders now are trying to do, but there is still some disunity, and the threat of nuclear reprisal (which could happen anyway).