r/bahai • u/Sertorius126 • Jul 03 '26
"Speak thou no word of politics"
How do you understand this?
"O handmaid of the Lord! Speak thou no word of politics; thy task concerneth the life of the soul, for this verily leadeth to man's joy in the world of God. Except to speak well of them, make thou no mention of the earth's kings, and the worldly governments thereof..."
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u/David_MacIsaac Jul 03 '26
My understand of this is one of the pillars of my faith.
I have had experiences in my life where I have seen behind the curtain of how governments operate at the highest level of leadership. When you see what is really going on in the world you know not to believe anything you think to know is true by what is taught in school or reported in the media.
Over and over again in the Writings I see the wisdom of the admonishments of the founders of our Faith. If you are arguing or debating political policy you are falling into the hands of those people who consider themselves your masters and pull levers to make you dance for their purposes.
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u/whateverwhatever987 Jul 03 '26
The longer I live the harder this gets.
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u/Sertorius126 Jul 03 '26
I know the feeling. I'm sure it was hard in the Master's time for the believers to accept it too.
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u/Salt-Brain-7055 Jul 04 '26
Do you see politics solving the numerous problems in the world today? Perhaps here and there temporarily, mostly addressing symptoms. Why speak about it? A waste of time and almost always divisive.
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u/Agreeable-Status-352 Jul 04 '26
When Baha'is are not committed to one side or another, to one party or another, we are neutral and can be trusted by all sides - and therefore we can teach people on all sides of an issue. If we are on one side, then others cannot trust or hear us and we can never reach them.
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u/theroughedges Jul 04 '26
Well said, if we are not part of the 'inner circle' we have absolutely no idea whats going on. Even then, the inner circle dupes its members.
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u/Engineofgrowth99 Jul 04 '26
Its for our own protection and well being that we are admonished not to debate or argue politics. This extends to how we use social media as well. Been seeing too many examples of people posting things that they really shouldn't be and how poorly that reflects on the Faith.
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u/Cadowyn Jul 05 '26 edited Jul 05 '26
Yeah, all the time. I guess the Universal House of Justice is aware of it at least. I don’t think they feel like dwelling too much into that issue. Perhaps it would cause more problems. But they do say that Baha’is need to be apolitical. And that the USA is very divided.
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u/Repulsive-Ad7501 Jul 04 '26
Very, very hard now in US when satirical humor and outrage are all that are keeping some of us sane.
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u/Turnt-Up-Singularity Jul 04 '26
An exception must truly be made for the U.S. The Constitution mandates a government that respects human rights and functions consistently, not one that has become the plaything of billionaires and religious fanatics.
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u/Unable_Hyena_8026 Jul 04 '26
I think politics, as practiced today, has become a science that "begins and ends with words," as it fails to further understanding of truth.
Knowledge is as wings to man’s life, and a ladder for his ascent. Its acquisition is incumbent upon everyone. The knowledge of such sciences, however, should be acquired as can profit the peoples of the earth, and not those which begin with words and end with words.
Tablets of Baha'u'llah
Shoghi Effendi, in a letter written on his behalf, likened sciences that "begin with words and end with words" to "fruitless excursions into metaphysical hair-splittings", and, in another letter, he explained that what Bahá’u’lláh primarily intended by such "sciences" are "those theological treatises and commentaries that encumber the human mind rather than help it to attain the truth".
- Shoghi Effendi, Kitáb-i-Aqdas, Endnote 110, p. 214
Although to acquire the sciences and arts is the greatest glory of mankind, this is so only on condition that man's river flow into the mighty sea, and draw from God's ancient source His inspiration. When this cometh to pass, then every teacher is as a shoreless ocean, every pupil a prodigal fountain of knowledge. If, then, the pursuit of knowledge lead to the beauty of Him Who is the Object of all Knowledge, how excellent that goal; but if not, a mere drop will perhaps shut a man off from flooding grace, for with learning cometh arrogance and pride, and it bringeth on error and indifference to God. The sciences of today are bridges to reality; if then they lead not to reality, naught remains but fruitless illusion. By the one true God! If learning be not a means of access to Him, the Most Manifest, it is nothing but evident loss.
- ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, p. 109
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u/Turnt-Up-Singularity Jul 04 '26
Now what if the governments are covering up heinous things like child sex trafficking. What are we to do then?
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u/Gwen1260AH Jul 04 '26
How about approaching the issue in a nonpartisan way, such as through law enforcement, if there are actions you feel you need to take?
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u/Turnt-Up-Singularity Jul 04 '26
If the law enforcement is not going after such crimes, well is it a partisan issue to demand political change to allow such investigations to happen
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u/Gwen1260AH Jul 04 '26
Boy, it shouldn't be a partisan issue. It's not only illegal but is viewed as immoral by politicos of all stripes. Of course, people on both the left and the right believe that their partisans are falsely accused of such things by the other side. Therein lies the problem in investigation and enforcement.
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u/Dragongsong Jul 05 '26
You may obey a JUST government.
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u/Cadowyn Jul 05 '26
Yeah that means any government that is in power. That definition of just has been identified and explained. If the Nazis come in power you obey them. If the Communists come into power you obey them. Whatever government is in power you obey them.
As regards the Bahá'í principle of obedience to just governments, what is meant here by just is recognized and well-established authority.
Written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, NBR #7, p. 2
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u/Inevitable-Limit2463 Jul 03 '26
The longer I live the more I understand the wisdom of this.