NATIONAL SPIRITUAL
ASSEMBLY
OF
THE
BAHÁ’ÍS OF THE UNITED
STATES
1320 Nineteenth St., N.W., Suite 701 • Washington, D.C.
20036-1610 • (202) 833-8990 Fax: (202) 833-8988
Office of External Affairs
Email: usnsa-oea@usbnc.org
January 3, 2003
Dear Baha'i Friends,
The National Spiritual Assembly
received your letter of December 1, 2002, and has asked us to
reply.
In your letter you report that
reaction at the local level to anticipated policies of the U.S. government has
resulted in an increase in anti-war and anti-government activities, and that
these activities have contributed to divisive sentiments and tensions in and
around your county. You also observe how members of the Bahá'í community in your area seem uncertain as to what the
proper Bahá'í attitude should be with regard to their
involvement in these matters, and you describe how some Bahá'ís have even participated in anti-war demonstrations
and still others have asserted their “right and responsibility” to
protest.
Your Spiritual Assembly’s sense that
Bahá'ís should exercise extreme caution in any active
involvement in demonstrations is correct. Although there is no prohibition
against individual Bahá'ís joining in marches and
demonstrations as long as they are legal, nonviolent, and politically
nonpartisan, one would hope that individuals would be guided by their Bahá'í principles when considering the implications of their
participation in this type of activity. In the case that you mention in your
letter, the overarching principle is that the Bahá'í
Faith does not take sides in conflicts between countries, and participating in a
march or demonstration for or against military action
in another country presupposes taking sides.
It may be helpful to remember the
guidance issued by the National Spiritual Assembly in 1991 regarding the Gulf
War, which still applies to today’s situation. It
stated:
“As Bahá'ís, we are aware that there will be great turmoil in
the world before world peace is attained. The Bahá'í
Faith teaches that through the development of collective security and of
international law the means will be found to control
aggression.
If you are asked for the Bahá'í position on the crisis in the Middle East, you should
respond that the Bahá'í Faith does not take positions
on particular crises or conflicts. We hope and pray that all such conflicts will
be resolved quickly and as peacefully as possible. We are confident, in spite of
conflicts which erupt in the world, that world peace is inevitable. Bahá'ís support international law and the role of the United
Nations.
It would not be appropriate for
Bahá'í institutions or individuals
representing Bahá'í institutions to participate
in demonstrations regarding the crisis in the Middle
East.
Bahá'ís are encouraged to study The
World Order of Bahá'u'lláh, especially pages 64-
67 and pages 191-193, The Advent of Divine Justice, especially pages
72-77, “The Promise of World Peace”, The Promised Day is Come, pages
114-124, and Citadel of Faith, pages
30-38.”
Your suggestion that Bahá'ís may instead wish to consider channeling their
energies into more positive actions, particularly those which at the local level
allow Bahá'ís to “participate in building peace
without becoming entangled with political interests”, is highly commendable, and
your Spiritual Assembly is certainly free to explore the possibilities of
pursuing, in accordance with its financial and human resources, any
opportunities it deems appropriate.
We are grateful to the Spiritual
Assembly for its thoughtful analysis of these difficult issues, and for the
priority it has given to communicating with and seeking guidance from the Bahá'í institutions. Please do not hesitate to write to us
if we may be of any further assistance.
With loving Bahá'í greetings,
Office of External
Affairs