On race relations...

[arthra]

The following are attitudes of Abdu’l-Baha recorded on the subject of race:

Abdu’l-Baha was recorded as saying this about racism:

“The love of race is limited; there is some union here, but that is insufficient. Love must be free from boundaries! To love our own race may mean hatred of all others, and even people of the same race often dislike each other.”

Authoritative Writings and Guidance

In Paris Abdu’l-Baha said:

“Concerning the prejudice of race: it is an illusion, a superstition pure and simple! For God created us all of one race. There were no differences in the beginning, for we are all descendants of Adam. In the beginning, also, there were no limits and boundaries between the different lands; no part of the earth belonged more to one people than to another. In the sight of God there is no difference between the various races. Why should man invent such a prejudice? How can we uphold war caused by an illusion?”

Authoritative Writings and Guidance

“STRIVE with heart and soul in order to bring about union and harmony among the white and the black and prove thereby the unity of the Bahá’í world wherein distinction of color findeth no place, but where hearts only are considered. Praise be to God, the hearts of the friends are united and linked together, whether they be from the east or the west, from north or from south, whether they be German, French, Japanese, American, and whether they pertain to the white, the black, the red, the yellow or the brown race. Variations of color, of land and of raceare of no importance in the Bahá’í Faith; on the contrary, Bahá’í unity overcometh them all and doeth away with all these fancies and imaginations.”

Authoritative Writings and Guidance

Also read this:

Abdu'l-Baha Takes On American Racism

 

[Cino]

I like the spirit of this, and the Baha'i principles behind it.

I would like to ask you respectfully regarding your opinion on the tablet of Abdul Baha where he quotes wise men (in support of his argument) as stating that Africa was utterly uncivilized, its inhabitants scarcely better than animals, no wise men to be found there.

My own spiritual journey away from institutionalized religions was motivated in no small part by statements and doctrines of their authorities which I felt were deeply at odds with their own words.

I am genuinely interested in your thought on this, this is not a facetious question.

 

[arthra]

Yes Cino and welcome in "interfaith.org" thanks for posting on the Baha'i Forum.

Abdul-Baha did not speak or write in English. He spoke Farsi and the translations were made early in the twentieth century. In a book covering Abdul-Baha's visit to London the following exchange is recorded:

A COLOURED man from South Africa who was visiting 'Abdu'l-Bahá, said that even now no white people really cared very much for the black man.

'Abdu'l-Bahá replies: Compare the present time and the feeling towards the coloured people now, with the state of feeling two or three hundred years ago, and see how much better it is at present. In a short time the relationship between the coloured and white people will still further improve, and bye and bye no difference will be felt between them. White doves and purple doves exist, but both kinds are doves.

Bahá'u'lláh once compared the coloured people to the black pupil of the eye surrounded by the white. In this black pupil you see the reflection of that which is before it, and through it the light of the Spirit shines forth.

In the sight of God colour makes no difference at all, He looks at the hearts of men. That which God desires from men is the heart. A black man with a good character is far superior to a white man with a character that is less good.

~ Abdu'l-Baha, Abdu'l-Baha in London, p. 67 this book was first published in 1912.

One translation that was made in 2014 and published in "Some Answered Questions" on page 133 has the following:

"A man who has been deprived of spiritual education is even as an animal, like those inhabitants of Africa whose actions, manners and morals are purely instinctual and who act according to the dictates of nature..."

The term "savages" isn't used.

So I would say the conventions of terms used in English early in the twentieth century have changed.

 

[Cino]

Arthra, thanks for your answer. Yes, language changes over time, and translation is a complicated process.

Abdul Baha comes across as a very kind and benevolent person in his writings. I do not want to slander his memory or be crassly disrespectful. Reading religious texts is fascinating to me, and I like discussing the rough edges, not to prove anything, b to understand better.

Here's the tablet I was referring to.

http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/ab/TAB/tab-625.html

He is putting the passage under discussion in quores, and attributing it to "wise men". Maybe he is being ironic? That does not seem to be in character.

If you think this is a case of "lost in translation", then I'm happy to leave it at that.

 

[Ahanu]

See Sen's analysis here.

 

[Cino]

Thank you, Ahanu. I'll read the blog you linked.

 

[Cino]

So this is to be understood in the context of early 20th century preconceptions about Africa. I can relate to that.

On re-reading the tablet in this light, I was reminded of another passage which I found hard to understand the first time around (not related to race relations, but rather, to the value of education):

It is for this reason that, in this New Cycle, education and training are recorded in the Book of God as obligatory and not voluntary. That is, it is enjoined upon the father and mother, as a duty, to strive with all effort to train the daughter and the son, to nurse them from the breast of knowledge and to rear them in the bosom of sciences and arts. Should they neglect this matter, they shall, be held responsible and worthy of reproach in the presence of the stern Lord.

This is a sin unpardonable, for they have made that poor babe a wanderer in the Sahara of ignorance, unfortunate and tormented; to remain during a lifetime a captive of ignorance and pride, negligent and without discernment. Verily, if that babe depart from this world at the age of infancy, it is sweeter and better. In this sense, death is better than life; deprivation than salvation; non-existence lovelier than existence; the grave better than the spacious, regal home; for in the sight of mankind that child is abased and degraded and in the sight of God weak and defective. In gatherings it is ashamed and humiliated and in the arena of examination subdued and defeated by young and old. What a mistake is this! What an everlasting humiliation!

On one level, it is a stern exhortation to ensure the education of children (and further down, he specially emphasizes girls' education), which I wholeheartedly agree with. Education is really important!

And then there is the passage I emphasized, which I'm unsure whether it is just clumsy translation of Persian elocution (where in English we'd make do with "depriving a child of education is a horrible thing"). Is he really saying that a child unfortunate enough to be deprived of education is defective in God's sight? The parents are to blame, he is saying, that God will think worse of the child?

Again, interested in your take, bad translation of the Persian mind-set and rhetoric? How do you understand this?

 

[arthra]

"O ye beloved of God and the maid-servants of the Merciful! Teaching and learning, according to the decisive texts of the Blessed Beauty (Baha’o’llah), is a duty. Whosover is indifferent therein depriveth himself of the great bounty.
Beware! Beware! that ye fail not in this matter. Endeavor with heart, with life, to train your children, especially the daughters. No excuse is acceptable in this matter."...

Universal education is a cardinal principle of the Faith as women are the first educators of the children:

In this respect, the Baha'i Writings stress the unique advantages that educated girls bring to their roles as mothers and first educators of the next generation, not only as the most effective diffusers of knowledge throughout society, but as transmitters of core cultural and social values.5 It is time that the women of the world, at least, add a plea for education of the human spirit to the call for educational reform.

https://www.bic.org/statements/educating-girls-and-women

If the family has minimal means and choice occurs as to whom should be educated in our Faith the women should be given priority:

Because of the importance of the education of women, the education of daughters takes precedence over that of sons when financial resources do not exist to educate all of the children of a family.[9]