And now we wish to address a few words to parents, who bear the primary responsibility for the upbringing of their children. We appeal to them to give constant attention to the spiritual education of their children. Some parents appear to think that this is the exclusive responsibility of the community; others believe that in order to preserve the independence of children to investigate truth, the Faith should not be taught to them. Still others feel inadequate to take on such a task. None of this is correct. The beloved Master has said that “it is enjoined upon the father and mother, as a duty, to strive with all effort to train the daughter and the son,” adding that, “should they neglect this matter, they shall be held responsible and worthy of reproach in the presence of the stern Lord.” [1] Independent of the level of their education, parents are in a critical position to shape the spiritual development of their children. They should not ever underestimate their capacity to mold their children’s moral character. For they exercise indispensable influence through the home environment they consciously create by their love of God, their striving to adhere to His laws, their spirit of service to His Cause, their lack of fanaticism, and their freedom from the corrosive effects of backbiting. Every parent who is a believer in the Blessed Beauty has the responsibility to conduct herself or himself in such a way as to elicit the spontaneous obedience to parents to which the Teachings attach so high a value. Of course, in addition to the efforts made at home, the parents should support Bahá’í children’s classes provided by the community. It must be borne in mind, too, that children live in a world that informs them of harsh realities through direct experience with the horrors already described or through the unavoidable outpourings of the mass media. Many of them are thereby forced to mature prematurely, and among these are those who look for standards and discipline by which to guide their lives. Against this gloomy backdrop of a decadent society, Bahá’í children should shine as the emblems of a better future. — Universal House of Justice [2]
Question for Consideration
From a Bahá’í perspective, how can spiritual principles be applied in the voluntary/informal sector to find ways that work and begin to transform the public and private sectors? [3]
Perplexity Deep Research Response: Part III-b
The Bahá’í Community’s Actual Practice in the Voluntary Sector
The worldwide Bahá’í community has, over several decades, developed a coherent body of practice in the voluntary sector that embodies these principles. This practice is not merely theoretical; it operates in thousands of localities on every continent and is subject to ongoing systematic learning and refinement. [4]
Children’s Classes and Junior Youth Groups
Bahá’í children’s classes and the Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program (JYSEP) represent a systematic, volunteer-led investment in the moral and spiritual formation of the next generation. The junior youth program, serving young adolescents (ages 11–15), explicitly aims to develop moral agency — the capacity to distinguish between the forces of integration and disintegration in their societies and to align their energies with constructive purposes. [5] [6] [7]
This is precisely the opposite of what a consumerist culture does to adolescents: instead of positioning them as targets for market exploitation, it invites them to see themselves as protagonists of change. The Universal House of Justice has stated that “the junior youth spiritual empowerment programme encourages thoughtful discernment at an age when the call of materialism grows more insistent.” [8] Young people who develop moral discernment in voluntary settings carry those capacities into their eventual roles in schools, businesses, governments, and civil society. [9]
[5] Universal House of Justice. “27 December 2005 – To the Conference of the Continental Boards of Counsellors.” Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/673611695
[8] Universal House of Justice. “1 March 2017 – To the Bahá’ís of the World.” Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/963073955
[9] Dahl, Arthur Lyon. “Rethinking Business and the Economy based on Spiritual Principles.” IEFWorld, November 20, 2018. https://iefworld.org/ddahl18k
Be the Voice of…
Deutsche Welle reports on the escalating persecution of Iran's Baha'i minority, with prisoner numbers surging since the war began. The article details the ordeal of 19-year-old Parsa Najafi, arrested in a June 6 raid, and highlights the broader crackdown on Baha’is involving… pic.twitter.com/HpOGEgta0d
— Bahá'í International Community – Human Rights (@BahaiBIC_Rights) July 7, 2026
Therefore, all souls should consider it incumbent upon them to investigate reality. Reality is one; and when found, it will unify all mankind. Reality is the love of God. Reality is the knowledge of God. Reality is justice. Reality is the oneness or solidarity of mankind. Reality is international peace. Reality is the knowledge of verities. Reality unifies humanity. — ‘Abdu’l-Bahá The Promulgation of Universal Peace | Bahá’í Reference Library.
Alláh-u-Abhá! Praise be to God! I have spent a number of days among you, associating with you in love and fragrance. Praise be to God! Your hearts are pure, your faces radiant, your spirits exhilarated through the glad tidings of God. I pray in your behalf, seeking heavenly confirmations for you that each one may become a radiant candle, shedding light in the world of humanity. May you become the quintessence of love. May you prove to be the effulgence of God, replete with the efficacy of the Holy Spirit and the cause of unity and fellowship in the world of humanity, for today mankind has the greatest need of love and agreement. If the world should remain as it is today, great danger will face it. But if reconciliation and unity are witnessed, if security and confidence be established, if with heart and soul we strive in order that the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh may find effective penetration in the realities of humankind, inducing fellowship and accord, binding together the hearts of the various religions and uniting divergent peoples, the world of mankind shall attain peace and composure, the will of God will become the will of man and the earth a veritable habitation of angels. Souls shall be educated, vice be dispelled, the virtues of the world of humanity prevail, materialism pass away, religion be strengthened and prove to be the bond which shall cement together the hearts of men. — ‘Abdu’l-Bahá [1]
Question for Consideration
What is the Bahá’í perspective on materialism as it impacts individuals, communities and institutions? [2]
Perplexity Computer Response
The Bahá’í perspective sees materialism as a profound distortion of human purpose that harms individuals, communities, and institutions, and proposes a balanced, spiritually grounded approach to material life as the remedy. [3]
Core Bahá’í view of materialism
Bahá’í writings describe “crude materialism” as what happens when science, technology, economics, or daily life are cut off from moral and spiritual principles. Religion without science degenerates into superstition, but science without religion becomes an instrument of materialism that reduces human progress to consumption and power. Materialism is not simply “having things”; it is a mindset that treats matter, wealth, status, and pleasure as ultimate realities, denying the primacy of spirit, moral responsibility, and the deeper meaning of life. [4] [6] [3]
From a Bahá’í standpoint, this mindset produces social and psychological pathologies: extreme wealth and poverty, consumerism, corruption, and a pervasive sense of discontent and purposelessness. The Faith therefore advocates a “dynamic coherence” between the spiritual and material dimensions of life, so that material means are consciously used to serve justice, unity, and human flourishing rather than self‑gratification or domination. [6] [5]
Impact on individuals
Materialism is understood to distort the inner life of the person: their identity, motivations, and capacity for service. When success is defined mainly by possessions, status, or power, individuals: [7] [6]
Become trapped in cycles of comparison, anxiety, and dissatisfaction, because desires continually outpace acquisitions. [6]
Are encouraged to see themselves as primarily consumers rather than as moral agents and “protagonists” of their own development and their community’s well‑being. [5]
Lose sight of questions of meaning—who they are, why they exist, and how they should act toward others—which Bahá’í writings regard as the real foundation of well‑being. [7]
Bahá’í texts stress that people “desperately need to know how to live their lives…who they are, to what purpose they exist, and how they should act towards one another,” and that this knowledge must be applied gradually to everyday behavior. A materialistic culture answers these questions inadequately by equating life’s purpose with comfort, consumption, and self‑interest, leaving individuals spiritually undernourished even when materially supplied. [5] [6] [7]
At the same time, the Bahá’í perspective is not ascetic: believers are urged to acquire a trade or profession, earn a livelihood, and use material resources in ways that benefit others, rather than pursuing work that is harmful or purely self‑serving. Thus the problem is not material well‑being itself, but a materialistic orientation that detaches material life from moral and spiritual aims. [7]
Impact on communities
Bahá’í analyses of development and community life emphasize that materialism corrodes trust, solidarity, and justice at the local level. When communities absorb values like admiration for power, pursuit of status, and self‑gratification: [8]
Young people’s hearts and minds are shaped by norms that quietly condone exploitation, inequality, and indifference to others. [5]
Bonds of trust and reciprocity weaken, making cooperation and collective problem‑solving more difficult. [5]
Community priorities skew toward short‑term gain—consumption, image, and competition—rather than the long‑term nurturing of capacities for justice, honesty, and freedom from prejudice. [9]
Bahá’í statements to international bodies describe “corrosive materialism” as a major reason economics has been detached from the broader context of humanity’s social and spiritual existence. This leads communities to confuse prosperity with the sheer increase of goods and services, without adequate attention to environmental limits, ethical responsibilities, or the moral atmosphere in which children grow up. [3]
In contrast, vibrant communities are portrayed as those that deliberately cultivate capacities such as cooperation, truthfulness, and justice, and that see their obligations as including employment with fair wages, health care, rest, and opportunities for meaningful participation. Material arrangements—economic, social, and environmental—are consciously shaped to reflect spiritual principles, so that prosperity is shared and tied to collective moral growth rather than conspicuous consumption. [9]
Impact on institutions
From a Bahá’í standpoint, institutions are crucial actors in either reinforcing materialism or helping societies transcend it. Public and social institutions that operate primarily on the basis of power, status, and self‑interest tend to: [10]
Foster corruption, where office becomes a pathway to personal enrichment and influence rather than service to the common good. [10]
Exercise authority in a top‑down, dominating manner, instead of consulting with the populations they serve. [10]
Project an image of “success” measured by budgets, infrastructure, or military and economic power, rather than integrity, justice, and the genuine well‑being of their people. [4]
Bahá’í institutions are explicitly designed to guard against these materialistic distortions by refusing pathways to personal power, emphasizing collective decision‑making, and cultivating a culture of consultation, humility, and transparency. A Bahá’í statement on integrity in public institutions notes that because Bahá’í administration does not allow the imposition of arbitrary individual will or leadership, it cannot be used as a route to personal power. [11]
The Bahá’í International Community argues that institutions should embody a “high sense of duty, justice and devotion to public welfare” in order to win the confidence and esteem of those they serve. Their role is not to dictate, but to consult and to create environments in which individuals and communities can develop their capacities and participate meaningfully in shaping their future. Material resources, in this view, are tools to support education, health, employment, and cultural life, not levers for domination or self‑glorification. [5]
Moving beyond materialism: coherence of spiritual and material
The remedy proposed by the Bahá’í teachings is not withdrawal from material life but a reordering of priorities in which spiritual principles consciously govern how material means are acquired and used. Several themes recur: [3]
Dynamic coherence: true prosperity requires coherence between the spiritual and material dimensions of life; efforts to eradicate poverty must consider ethical and social resources as much as material ones. [4]
Centrality of moral and spiritual education: transforming spiritual conditions—values, motives, and relationships—is seen as the necessary foundation for lasting change in material affairs. [7]
Focus on building the good rather than only fighting scattered evils: Bahá’í writings counsel against a “quixotic tournament” of attacking problems one by one, and instead advocate building a strong, unified world order based on justice and spiritual principles which will progressively remove injustices. [7]
In practical terms, this means individuals striving to align their professions, consumption habits, and use of wealth with service and justice; communities organizing activities that develop capacities and provide social support; and institutions embodying integrity, consultation, and long‑term responsibility for both people and planet. Material civilization is thus re‑imagined as the outward expression of inner spiritual progress, not its replacement. [8]
[4] International Environment Forum Staff. “The Economy: A Bahá’í Perspective.” International Environment Forum. https://iefworld.org/economy_comp
[5] Bahá’í International Community Staff. “Oral Statement to the 49th Session of the United Nations Commission for Social Development.” United Nations, February 14, 2011. https://www.un.org/esa/socdev/csocd/2011/bahai.pdf
[7] Universal House of Justice. “19 November 1974 – The National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Italy.” Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/091392946
[8] International Environment Forum Staff. “Baha’i Quotations on Environment and Sustainable Development.” International Environment Forum. https://iefworld.org/cmpquotes.htm
[12] International Environment Forum Staff. “Scientific and Spiritual Dimensions of Climate Change – Unit 6: Materialism.” International Environment Forum. https://iefworld.org/ssdcc6b
[14] Saiedi, Nader. “’Abdu’l-Bahá’s Critique of Materialist Philosophy.” Bahá’í Faith Modern Perspectives on YouTube, August 13, 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SExC9z0mdnU
[15] Universal House of Justice. “2 April 2010 – To the Believers in the Cradle of the Faith.” Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/389489026
— Bahá'í International Community – Human Rights (@BahaiBIC_Rights) June 25, 2026
Therefore, all souls should consider it incumbent upon them to investigate reality. Reality is one; and when found, it will unify all mankind. Reality is the love of God. Reality is the knowledge of God. Reality is justice. Reality is the oneness or solidarity of mankind. Reality is international peace. Reality is the knowledge of verities. Reality unifies humanity. — ‘Abdu’l-Bahá The Promulgation of Universal Peace | Bahá’í Reference Library.
“MY GREATEST HAPPINESS THIS morning is this,” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá told a reporter from the San Francisco Chronicle on October 3, 1912, “That I have come to such a modern and progressive city. Praise be to God everything is beautiful and there seems to be much joy here.” …
On the other hand, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá asserted, “The American democracy is not founded upon warlike doctrines. Hence it becomes this democracy to uphold international peace and spread it throughout the world.” But he was advocating more than diplomatic niceties. America, he said, had the ability to use its moral suasion and industrial power to forge an international court of arbitration backed by a binding global collective security agreement that could banish international war. “In case any Government or nation should prove rebellious concerning any decision of the court,” he told the Chronicle, “the other nations should coalesce to force it into obedience.”
“A more fervent hope and a fonder desire concerning the American people,” he concluded, “is that their instrumentality shall be such as to enlarge the scope of this scheme and that earnest concerted action from the nations of the world will result therefrom.”
On October 4, after an afternoon visit to Golden Gate Park, Abdu’l-Bahá sent one of His frequent telegrams to the Persian friends, informing them of the events of His historic journey. This time He reported, “‘We are in utmost joy among the friends of San Francisco. The confirmations are really overwhelming and the happiness overflowing.’”
After morning prayers, two Japanese Bahá’ís came to see ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. The Master expressed His happiness on seeing their faith and sincerity in the Cause, saying:
“This is an historic event. It is out of the ordinary that an Iranian should meet Japanese people in San Francisco with such love and harmony. This is through the power of Bahá’u’lláh and calls for our thankfulness and happiness. If it be said that Bahá’u’lláh brought a man from heaven and another from earth and caused them to meet midway between the earth and heaven, do not be surprised. The power of Bahá’u’lláh makes all difficulties simple. I like the Japanese greatly because they are audacious and intelligent. Whatever they turn their attention to, it becomes a success.”
The visitors invited the Master to come to Japan to promote the potential of the Japanese people and asked His permission to contribute articles on the Faith to the Japanese newspapers. He readily granted their request and showed them great kindness.
In the afternoon a representative from the [San Francisco] Post came to interview the Master, who said to him:
“In this enlightened age everything has been renewed — sciences have been renewed, new arts have come into being, new skills have appeared, new thoughts have been expressed, new inventions have come to light and new discoveries have been made. In reality, the world of being has become a new world. Thus, the principles of religion also must be renewed.”
To a journalist from the [San Francisco] Bulletin He said:
“God created man after His own image and likeness . . . but now, behaving contrarily, man has become more merciless and fearless than rapacious beasts. A beast kills only one animal each day for his food, while merciless man tears apart a hundred thousand people in a day merely for fame and dominion. Should a wolf tear a sheep apart, they would kill it; but if a man massacres a hundred thousand men in blood and dust, he is given an ovation and is pronounced a marshall or a general. If a man kills another or sets fire to a house, he is condemned as a murderer; but if he annihilates an army and overturns a country, he is called a conqueror and is admired. If a man steals a dollar he is thrown into prison but if he plunders the homes of people and lays waste a city he is called a commander and is praised.”
25 September 1912, Talk at Second Divine Science Church, 3929 West Thirty-eighth Avenue, Denver, Colorado 4
In the early part of the nineteenth century the horizon of Persia was shrouded in great darkness and ignorance. The people of that country were in a condition of barbarism. Hatred and bigotry prevailed among the various religions; bloodshed and hostility were frequent among sects and denominations of belief. There were no evidences of affiliation and unity; violent prejudice and antagonism ruled the hearts of men. At such a time as this Bahá’u’lláh proclaimed the first principle of His mission and teaching—the oneness of the world of humanity. His second announcement was the investigation of reality; the third was the oneness of the foundations of the divine religions. Through spiritual education He led the people out of darkness and ignorance into the clear light of truth, illuminated their hearts with the splendor of knowledge, laid a true and universal basis for religious teachings, cultivated the virtues of humanity, conferred spiritual susceptibilities, awakened inner perceptions and changed the dishonor of prejudiced souls to the highest degree of honor and capacity. Today in Persia and the Orient you will find the followers of Bahá’u’lláh united in the closest ties of fellowship and love. They have abandoned religious prejudices and have become as one family. When you enter their meetings, you will find Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Zoroastrians, Jews and representatives of other beliefs present, all conjoined in a wonderful unity without a trace of bigotry or fanaticism, and the light of the oneness of the world of humanity reflected in their faces. Day by day they are advancing, manifesting greater and still greater love for each other. Their faith is fixed upon the unification of mankind, and their highest purpose is the oneness of religious belief. They proclaim to all humanity the sheltering mercy and infinite grace of God. They teach the reconciliation of religion with science and reason. They show forth in words and deeds the reality of love for all mankind as the servants of one God and the recipients of His universal bounty. These are their thoughts, their beliefs, their guiding principles, their religion. No trace of religious, racial, patriotic or political prejudice can be found among them, for they are real servants of God and obedient to His will and command.
’Abdu’l-Bahá in America, 1912-2012: Calling America to It’s Spiritual Destiny
Ward, Allan L. 239 Days: ʻAbdu’l-Bahá’s Journey in America. Wilmette, Ill: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1979, 166. ↩
’Abdu’l-Bahá, and Mirza Mahmud-i-Zarqani. Mahmúd’s Diary: The Diary of Mírzá Mahmúd-i-Zarqání Chronicling ’Abdu’l-Bahá’s Journey to America. Edited by Shirley Macias. Translated by Mohi Sobhani. Oxford: George Ronald, 1998. https://bahai-library.com/zarqani_mahmuds_diary&chapter=8#section195↩
Frameworks for Understanding the World 