Daily Frameworks for 12 March 2025

’Idál, 12 ‘Alá’ (Loftiness), 181 B.E.

Walking Together on a Path of Service

Quotes for Reflection:

The purpose of the one true God in manifesting Himself is to summon all mankind to truthfulness and sincerity, to piety and trustworthiness, to resignation and submissiveness to the Will of God, to forbearance and kindliness, to uprightness and wisdom. His object is to array every man with the mantle of a saintly character, and to adorn him with the ornament of holy and goodly deeds. — Bahá’u’lláh ¹

The Lord of the world saith: O servants! Forsake your own desires and seek that which I have desired for you. Walk ye not without one to guide you on the way, and accept ye not the words of every guide. How numerous the guides who have gone astray and failed to discover the straight Path! He alone is a guide who is free from the bondage of this world and whom nothing whatsoever can deter from speaking the truth.
O servants! Follow the path of truthfulness and turn not away from the needy. Make mention of Me before the great ones of the earth and fear not.
O servants! Be pure in your deeds, and conduct yourselves in accordance with the words of God. Such are the counsels of the incomparable Lord. — Bahá’u’lláh ²

Consider that the worst of all qualities and the most odious of all attributes, and the very foundation of all evil, is lying, and that no more evil or reprehensible quality can be imagined in all existence. It brings all human perfections to naught and gives rise to countless vices. There is no worse attribute than this, and it is the foundation of all wickedness. Now, all this notwithstanding, should a physician console a patient and say, “Thank God, you are doing better and there is hope for your recovery”, although these words may be contrary to the truth, yet sometimes they will ease the patient’s mind and become the means of curing the illness. And this is not blameworthy. — ‘Abdu’l-Bahá ³

The building of capacity in individuals and institutions goes hand in hand with the development of communities. In villages and neighbourhoods throughout the world, Bahá’ís are engaged in activities that enrich the devotional character of their communities, that tend to the spiritual education of children, that enhance the spiritual perception of junior youth and strengthen their powers of expression, and that enable increasing numbers to explore the application of the teachings of the Faith to their individual and collective lives. A process of community development, however, needs to reach beyond the level of activity and concern itself with those modes of expression and patterns of thought and behaviour that are to characterize a humanity which has come of age. In short, it must enter into the realm of culture. Viewed in this light, social action can become an occasion to raise collective consciousness of such vital principles as oneness, justice, and the equality of women and men; to promote an environment distinguished by traits such as truthfulness, equity, trustworthiness, and generosity; to enhance the ability of a community to resist the influence of destructive social forces; to demonstrate the value of cooperation as an organizing principle for activity; to fortify collective volition; and to infuse practice with insight from the teachings. For, in the final analysis, many of the questions most central to the emergence of a prosperous global civilization are to be addressed at the level of culture. — Universal House of Justice ⁴

Question for Consideration

The question, “Is it possible to lie to oneself?” in Section 4, Unit 1, “Understanding the Bahá’í Writings” in Book 1, Reflections on the Life of the Spirit ⁵, is one of many questions throughout the courses intended simply to stimulate thinking and consultation. Rather than hoping to create consensus around such issues, tutors should be content to help study circle participants advance in their understanding. With this in mind, it is often useful with these questions for a tutor to give examples of certain situations and ask the group to decide whether each represents a case of lying to oneself or not. What examples could you offer to the members of a study circle in order to stimulate their thinking? ⁶

Perplexity Pro Response ⁷

To stimulate thinking and consultation in a study circle on the question, “Is it possible to lie to oneself?” from Book 1, Reflections on the Life of the Spirit, you can use examples that encourage participants to reflect on the nature of self-deception and truthfulness. Here are some examples you might consider:

• Rationalizing Behavior: Imagine someone who consistently says they are committed to environmental causes but frequently uses single-use plastics. They might rationalize their actions by saying they need these plastics for convenience, even though they know it contradicts their values. Is this a form of lying to oneself?
• Avoiding Reality: Consider a person who is struggling financially but continues to spend beyond their means, convincing themselves that their financial situation will improve soon without making any changes. Are they lying to themselves about their financial reality?
• Denial of Emotions: Think of someone who claims to be happy in a relationship but feels unfulfilled and unhappy. They might deny these feelings to themselves, fearing the consequences of acknowledging them. Is this denial a form of self-deception?
• Self-Justification: Picture a person who promises to help a friend but consistently fails to follow through. They might justify their lack of action by telling themselves that they are too busy, even though they have time for other activities. Is this self-justification a form of lying to oneself?
• Idealized Self-Image: Imagine someone who believes they are more spiritually advanced than they actually are, ignoring their own flaws and shortcomings. Are they lying to themselves about their spiritual state?
  

These examples can help participants explore the complexities of self-deception and truthfulness, encouraging them to reflect on how these concepts relate to their own lives and spiritual growth.

Perplexity Pro Response — Deeper Dive

The Ruhi Institute’s Book 1, “Reflections on the Life of the Spirit,” explores profound questions about truthfulness and self-deception, challenging participants to examine their own thoughts and behaviors in light of spiritual teachings on honesty and personal growth.

Purpose of God’s Manifestation

The divine purpose of God’s manifestation, as revealed by Bahá’u’lláh, is to call humanity to noble qualities and virtuous deeds. This celestial summons encompasses truthfulness, sincerity, piety, trustworthiness, and submission to God’s will, as well as forbearance, kindliness, uprightness, and wisdom. The ultimate aim is to clothe each individual with a saintly character and adorn them with holy and goodly actions, transforming the collective consciousness of humanity [1].

Bahá’u’lláh further counsels His followers to forsake personal desires and seek divine guidance, emphasizing the importance of discernment in choosing spiritual guides. He exhorts believers to follow the path of truthfulness, attend to the needs of others, and fearlessly proclaim their faith. These teachings underscore the transformative power of aligning one’s conduct with divine principles, fostering a society characterized by integrity, compassion, and spiritual awareness [1].

Truthfulness and Moral Conduct

Truthfulness stands as the cornerstone of moral conduct, with ‘Abdu’l-Bahá describing lying as “the worst of all qualities” and “the very foundation of all evil.” This stark characterization underscores the profound impact of dishonesty on individual and collective spiritual development. However, the Bahá’í teachings also recognize nuanced situations where compassionate communication may take precedence, such as a physician consoling a patient with hopeful words to aid in their recovery [1]. This example illustrates the delicate balance between absolute truthfulness and the application of wisdom in human interactions, encouraging believers to cultivate discernment in their pursuit of spiritual virtues.

Exploring Self-Deception

Self-deception is a complex psychological phenomenon where individuals unconsciously convince themselves of false beliefs or ideas, often to avoid discomfort or maintain a positive self-image. This concept is particularly relevant in the context of spiritual growth and self-reflection. Examples of self-deception include rationalizing unethical behavior, denying personal shortcomings, or maintaining an idealized self-image that doesn’t align with reality [3] [6]. Recognizing and addressing self-deception is crucial for personal development, as it can hinder genuine spiritual progress and prevent individuals from addressing areas that need improvement [4] [7].

Community Development and Spiritual Growth

The Ruhi Institute’s approach to community development intertwines spiritual growth with practical action, fostering a culture of service and collective advancement. This process encompasses activities that enrich community devotional life, provide spiritual education for children, enhance junior youth’s spiritual perception and expressive abilities, and enable individuals to apply Bahá’í teachings in their daily lives. By extending beyond mere activities, this approach aims to transform patterns of thought and behavior, shaping a mature humanity through the promotion of principles such as oneness, justice, and gender equality. Social action becomes a vehicle for raising collective consciousness, promoting virtues like truthfulness and generosity, and strengthening communities against destructive forces. Ultimately, this holistic approach to community building seeks to address fundamental questions of global civilization at the cultural level, recognizing that true progress emerges from the harmonious development of both individuals and society.

Citations

[1] Book 7: Walking Together on a Path of Service (PDF) – Ruhi Institute

[2] Book 6: Teaching the Cause (PDF) – Ruhi Institute

[3] Skill #23 Self-Deception: The Problem of Not Knowing You Have a Problem

[4] Honest Liars: Using Psychological Theory to Understand Self-Deception

[5] Why We Lie To Ourselves

[6] Self-Deception Examples: A Deeper Look at the Common Tricks We Play on Ourselves

[7] A Psychologist Explains Why We Lie To Ourselves—And Offers 2 Fixes

Follow-Up Questions Proposed by Perplexity

• How can one cultivate truthfulness and sincerity in daily life?
• What are some practical ways to develop piety and trustworthiness?
• How does resignation and submissiveness to God’s Will contribute to personal growth?
• What role does forbearance and kindliness play in building strong communities?
• How can one embody the qualities of uprightness and wisdom in their actions?
• How can community development contribute to spiritual growth?
• What are the key elements of community development that foster spiritual growth?
• How does spiritual growth influence community development?
• Can spiritual practices enhance community cohesion?
• What role does leadership play in the spiritual growth of a community?

1. Bahá’u’lláh. Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh. Translated by Shoghi Effendi. Bahá’í Reference Library, 1935. https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/bahaullah/gleanings-writings-bahaullah/7#953729665. ↩
2. Bahá’u’lláh. The Tabernacle of Unity. Haifa: Bahá’í World Centre, 2006. https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/bahaullah/tabernacle-unity/6#966422141. ↩
3. ’Abdu’l-Bahá. Some Answered Questions. Bahá’í Reference Library. Accessed March 10, 2025. https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/abdul-baha/some-answered-questions/10#228364906. ↩
4. Universal House of Justice. “26 November 2012 – To all National Spiritual Assemblies.” Bahá’í Reference Library, Accessed March 10, 2025. https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/the-universal-house-of-justice/messages/20121126_001/1#452975597. ↩
5. Ruhi Institute. Reflections on the Life of the Spirit. 4.1.2.PE May 2020. Vol. Book 1. 6 vols. Embarking on a Path of Service. Cali, Columbia: Ruhi Institute, 2020, 7. https://www.ruhi.org/en/walking-a-path-of-service/#RLS. ↩
6. Ruhi Institute. Walking Together on a Path of Service. 2.1.1.PE February 2024. Vol. Book 7. 14 vols. Embarking on a Path of Service. Cali, Columbia: Ruhi Foundation, 2024, 115-117. https://www.ruhi.org/en/walking-a-path-of-service/#WLK. ↩
7. Perplexity Pro. “The Purpose of God’s Manifestation” Edited by Steve Bosserman. March 10, 2025. https://www.perplexity.ai/search/the-purpose-of-the-one-true-go-OZ9SPZEMS82JTd_smt4deg. ↩