Tag: voluntary/informal sector

Daily Frameworks for 03 July 2026

Istiqlál, 10 Raḥmat (Mercy), 183 B.E.

Quotes for Reflection

The purpose is to emphasize the statement that consultation must have for its object the investigation of truth. He who expresses an opinion should not voice it as correct and right but set it forth as a contribution to the consensus of opinion, for the light of reality becomes apparent when two opinions coincide. A spark is produced when flint and steel come together. Man should weigh his opinions with the utmost serenity, calmness and composure. Before expressing his own views he should carefully consider the views already advanced by others. If he finds that a previously expressed opinion is more true and worthy, he should accept it immediately and not willfully hold to an opinion of his own. By this excellent method he endeavors to arrive at unity and truth. Opposition and division are deplorable. It is better then to have the opinion of a wise, sagacious man; otherwise, contradiction and altercation, in which varied and divergent views are presented, will make it necessary for a judicial body to render decision upon the question. Even a majority opinion or consensus may be incorrect. A thousand people may hold to one view and be mistaken, whereas one sagacious person may be right. Therefore, true consultation is spiritual conference in the attitude and atmosphere of love. Members must love each other in the spirit of fellowship in order that good results may be forthcoming. Love and fellowship are the foundation. — ‘Abdu’l-Bahá [1]

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? [2]

Perplexity Deep Research Response: Part IIc

Spiritual Principles as the Organizing Logic of Voluntary Action

The Bahá’í writings identify a cluster of spiritual principles that, when applied within voluntary communities, generate fundamentally different patterns of human relationship from those produced by materialism. These are not abstract ideals but operational values that shape how people associate, decide, and act together.

Consultation as a Decision-Making Culture

One of the most distinctive Bahá’í contributions to the voluntary sector is the practice of consultation — a mode of collective decision-making that is principled, candid, fact-based, and directed toward the search for truth rather than the defense of predetermined positions. In consultation, “once you express an idea or an opinion during the consultative process, that concept belongs not just to one person, but to the entire group”; participants seek unity through a genuine search rather than through voting or negotiation. [3] [4]

This stands in sharp contrast to both the top-down authority structures of bureaucratic public institutions and the competitive power dynamics common in private organizations. The Ruhi Institute’s training materials explicitly cultivate consultation as a life skill and a community practice. When voluntary groups demonstrate that complex decisions can be made through principled dialogue — across lines of difference, without domination by the most powerful voices — they offer a living proof of concept that can inspire reform in other sectors. [5] [6] [7]

Footnotes

[1] ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. THE PROMULGATION OF UNIVERSAL PEACE. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/507894527

[2] Perplexity Deep Research. “The Voluntary/Informal Sector as a Laboratory: Bahá’í Spiritual Principles and the Transformation of Society.” Edited by Steve Bosserman. July 2, 2026. https://www.perplexity.ai/computer/a/9ecfa362-6f2c-499e-b451-8198a188f127

[3] Sheppherd, Joseph Roy. “Letting Go of Your Ideas for the Benefit of Others.” BahaiTeachings.org. https://bahaiteachings.org/letting-go-your-ideas-benefit-others/

[4] Universal House of Justice. “Naw-Rúz 181 – To the Bahá’ís of Iran.” Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/283121780

[5] Lambshead, Jeremy. “Five helpful habits for effective consultation.” Bahá’ís of the United States, April 16, 2025. https://www.bahai.us/five-helpful-habits-for-effective-consultation/

[6] Australian Baha’i Community Staff. “Training Institute.” Bahai.Org.Au. https://bahai.org.au/index.php/what-bahais-do/building-vibrant-communities/training-institute/

[7] Universal House of Justice. “19 May 2009 – To the Believers in the Cradle of the Faith.” Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/959906385

Be the Voice of…

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.

Daily Frameworks for 02 July 2026

Istijlál, 09 Raḥmat (Mercy), 183 B.E.

Quotes for Reflection

“O Son of Spirit! The best beloved of all things in My sight is Justice; turn not away therefrom if thou desirest Me, and neglect it not that I may confide in thee. By its aid thou shalt see with thine own eyes and not through the eyes of others, and shalt know of thine own knowledge and not through the knowledge of thy neighbor. Ponder this in thy heart; how it behooveth thee to be. Verily justice is My gift to thee and the sign of My loving-kindness. Set it then before thine eyes.” — Bahá’u’lláh [1]

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? [2]

Perplexity Deep Research Response: Part IIb

Spiritual Principles as the Organizing Logic of Voluntary Action

The Bahá’í writings identify a cluster of spiritual principles that, when applied within voluntary communities, generate fundamentally different patterns of human relationship from those produced by materialism. These are not abstract ideals but operational values that shape how people associate, decide, and act together.

Justice as the Governing Principle

Justice, in Bahá’í thought, is not primarily a redistributive mechanism but the quality that allows each person to “see with thine own eyes and not through the eyes of others” [1] — a foundation of authentic participation and self-determination. Applied to the voluntary sector, this means that initiatives must be designed and led by the communities they are meant to serve, not delivered to them by outside agents, however well-intentioned. [3] [4]

The Universal House of Justice has stated: “Social change is not a project that one group of people carries out for the benefit of another.” [5] “Every member of the human family has not only the right to benefit from a materially and spiritually prosperous civilisation, but also an obligation to contribute towards its construction.” [6] This insight distinguishes authentic voluntary service from charitable paternalism — a distinction with profound implications for how voluntary organizations are designed, governed, and evaluated. [7]

Justice also requires that the voluntary sector hold itself to higher standards of transparency and equity than the sectors it seeks to transform. An organization that preaches justice while practicing internal inequality, secrecy, or favoritism has no moral credibility as a catalyst for wider change.

Footnotes

[1] Bahá’u’lláh. TABLETS OF BAHÁ’U’LLÁH REVEALED AFTER THE KITÁB-I-AQDAS. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/961412317

[2] Perplexity Deep Research. “The Voluntary/Informal Sector as a Laboratory: Bahá’í Spiritual Principles and the Transformation of Society.” Edited by Steve Bosserman. July 1, 2026. https://www.perplexity.ai/computer/a/9ecfa362-6f2c-499e-b451-8198a188f127

[3] Bahá’í International Community-Office of Public Information. “The Prosperity of Humankind, Part II: Justice (in simplified language).” https://yabaha.net/dahl/bahai/P_H/Prosperity3.pdf

[4] International Environment Forum Staff. “The Economy: A Bahá’í Perspective.” IEFWorld. https://iefworld.org/economy_comp

[5] Universal House of Justice. “Riḍván 2010 – To the Bahá’ís of the World.” Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/977686651

[6] Universal House of Justice. “26 November 2012 – To all National Spiritual Assemblies.” Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/903031424

[7] Australian Baha’i Community Staff. “Engaging in social and economic development.” Bahai.Org.Au. https://bahai.org.au/index.php/what-bahais-do/engaging-social-action/

Be the Voice of…

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.

Daily Frameworks for 01 July 2026

‘Idál, 08 Raḥmat (Mercy), 183 B.E.

Quotes for Reflection

A foundational concept to explore in this context is the spiritual reality of man. In the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh, the nobility inherent to every human being is unequivocally asserted; it is a fundamental tenet of Bahá’í belief, upon which hope for the future of humankind is built. The soul’s capacity to manifest all the names and attributes of God—He Who is the Compassionate, the Bestower, the Bountiful—is repeatedly affirmed in the Writings. Economic life is an arena for the expression of honesty, integrity, trustworthiness, generosity, and other qualities of the spirit. The individual is not merely a self-interested economic unit, striving to claim an ever-greater share of the world’s material resources. “Man’s merit lieth in service and virtue”, Bahá’u’lláh avers, “and not in the pageantry of wealth and riches.” And further: “Dissipate not the wealth of your precious lives in the pursuit of evil and corrupt affection, nor let your endeavours be spent in promoting your personal interest.” [1] By consecrating oneself to the service of others, one finds meaning and purpose in life and contributes to the upliftment of society itself. — 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 IIa

Spiritual Principles as the Organizing Logic of Voluntary Action

The Bahá’í writings identify a cluster of spiritual principles that, when applied within voluntary communities, generate fundamentally different patterns of human relationship from those produced by materialism. These are not abstract ideals but operational values that shape how people associate, decide, and act together.

Oneness and the Nobility of the Human Being

The foundational Bahá’í principle is the oneness of humankind — not as a sentiment but as “the pivot around which all the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh revolve,” implying “an organic change in the structure of present-day society.” Applied in the voluntary sector, this principle transforms the very motive and method of service: those being served are not “beneficiaries” but co-participants in a shared project of civilization-building. [4] [5] [6] [7]

This connects to the principle of the inherent nobility of every person. The Universal House of Justice writes: “The nobility inherent to every human being is…a fundamental tenet…upon which hope for the future of humankind is built. Economic life is an arena for the expression of honesty, integrity, trustworthiness, generosity, and other qualities of the spirit. The individual is not merely a self-interested economic unit, striving to claim an ever-greater share of the world’s material resources.” [1] Voluntary organizations that genuinely operate from this premise — treating everyone as a source of wisdom and potential, regardless of class, ethnicity, gender, or formal credential — model a form of human relationship that both the public and private sectors urgently need but rarely achieve. [8] [9]

Footnotes

[1] Bahá’u’lláh. TABLETS OF BAHÁ’U’LLÁH REVEALED AFTER THE KITÁB-I-AQDAS. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/091419613

[2] Universal House of Justice. “1 March 2017 – To the Bahá’ís of the World.” Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/842659657

[3] Perplexity Deep Research. “The Voluntary/Informal Sector as a Laboratory: Bahá’í Spiritual Principles and the Transformation of Society.” Edited by Steve Bosserman. June 30, 2026. https://www.perplexity.ai/computer/a/9ecfa362-6f2c-499e-b451-8198a188f127

[4] Effendi, Shoghi. THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ’U’LLÁH. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/264008982

[5] Universal House of Justice. “28 July 2008 – To the Believers in the Cradle of the Faith.” Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/331315662

[6] Universal House of Justice. “27 December 2017 – [To an individual].” Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/248638652

[7] Research Department of the Universal House of Justice. SOCIAL ACTION. August 2020. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/596242626

[8] Dahl, Arthur Lyon. “Rethinking Business and the Economy based on Spiritual Principles.” IEFWorld, November 20, 2018. https://iefworld.org/ddahl18k

[9] Gopaul, V. M. “Striving Towards Our Innate Spiritual Nobility.” BahaiTeachings.org. https://bahaiteachings.org/striving-towards-our-innate-spiritual-nobility/

Be the Voice of…

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.

Daily Frameworks for 30 June 2026

Fidál, 07 Raḥmat (Mercy), 183 B.E.

Quotes for Reflection

To state the matter briefly, the Teachings of Bahá’u’lláh advocate voluntary sharing, and this is a greater thing than the equalization of wealth. For equalization must be imposed from without, while sharing is a matter of free choice.
Man reacheth perfection through good deeds, voluntarily performed, not through good deeds the doing of which was forced upon him. And sharing is a personally chosen righteous act: that is, the rich should extend assistance to the poor, they should expend their substance for the poor, but of their own free will, and not because the poor have gained this end by force. For the harvest of force is turmoil and the ruin of the social order. On the other hand voluntary sharing, the freely chosen expending of one’s substance, leadeth to society’s comfort and peace. It lighteth up the world; it bestoweth honor upon humankind. — ‘Abdu’l-Bahá [1]

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? [2]

Perplexity Deep Research Response: Part I

Why the Voluntary/Informal Sector Is the Right Starting Point

The Structural Argument

The Bahá’í International Community has described the failure of modern development in frank terms: “The failure to place economics into the broader context of humanity’s social and spiritual existence has led to a corrosive materialism in the world’s more economically advantaged regions, and persistent conditions of deprivation among the masses of the world’s peoples.” [3] Both the public and private sectors are deeply embedded in this failure. Their structures, funding mechanisms, performance metrics, and incentive systems were largely designed within — and reinforce — a materialist worldview that equates progress with economic growth, efficiency with profit, and success with the accumulation of power or wealth. [4]

The voluntary/informal sector, by contrast, is not governed by quarterly earnings reports or electoral cycles. It is animated, at least potentially, by intrinsic motivation: the desire to serve, to belong to something meaningful, and to contribute to the common good. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá noted that “the Teachings of Bahá’u’lláh advocate voluntary sharing, and this is a greater thing than the equalization of wealth,” [1] furthermore, “voluntary sharing, the freely-chosen expending of one’s substance, leadeth to society’s comfort and peace. It lighteth up the world; it bestoweth honour upon humankind.” [1] [4] [5] This is the language of the voluntary sector at its best.

Crucially, the Bahá’í teachings do not advocate for a withdrawal from material engagement or a purely charitable model of voluntary action. Rather, they point toward a sector that can pioneer new forms of cooperation, consultation, and purposeful service — demonstrating at small scale what can later become standard in society at large. As the Universal House of Justice stated, each person who participates in economic life in accordance with spiritual principles adds to “a growing storehouse of knowledge” [4] [6] that benefits all.

The Epistemological Argument

The voluntary sector also offers freedom to learn — to experiment, fail, reflect, and try again — without the catastrophic consequences that attend failed experiments in state policy or corporate strategy. The Bahá’í model of social change is explicitly organized around what it calls a “culture of learning“: “characterized by constant action, reflection, consultation, and study,” [7] carried out at the community level. [7] “Baháʼís do not pretend to have all the solutions to the problems facing humanity. Rather, we seek to learn our way forward by applying first principles to the systematic generation, application, and diffusion of knowledge about social transformation.” [8]

This epistemological humility — grounded in service rather than ideology — is uniquely possible in a voluntary context. Participants are free to ask: “What actually cultivates human dignity, cooperation, and justice?” rather than “What maximizes revenue?” or “What wins votes?” [9]

Footnotes

[1] ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. SELECTIONS FROM THE WRITINGS OF ‘ABDU’L-BAHÁ. Bahá’i Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/957373581

[2] Perplexity Deep Research. “The Voluntary/Informal Sector as a Laboratory: Bahá’í Spiritual Principles and the Transformation of Society.” Edited by Steve Bosserman. June 29, 2026. https://www.perplexity.ai/computer/a/9ecfa362-6f2c-499e-b451-8198a188f127

[3] Bahá’í International Community Staff. “Valuing Spirituality in Development.” Bahá’í International Community, February 18, 1998. https://www.bic.org/statements/valuing-spirituality-development

[4] International Environment Forum Staff. “The Economy: A Bahá’í Perspective.” IEFWorld. https://iefworld.org/economy_comp

[5] Research Department of the Universal House of Justice. SOCIAL ACTION. August 2020. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/331917610

[6] Universal House of Justice. “1 March 2017 – To the Bahá’ís of the World.” Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/904550633

[7] Universal House of Justice. “26 November 2012 – To all National Spiritual Assemblies.” Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/045714051

[8] Zabihi, Selvi Adaikkalam. “The Baháʼí Experience: Religious Community and Social Change.” Great Transition Initiative, November 2023. https://greattransition.org/gti-forum/movement-experiments-adaikkalam-zabihi/

[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…

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.

Daily Frameworks for 29 June 2026

Kamál, 06 Raḥmat (Mercy), 183 B.E.

Quotes for Reflection

The time has come when those who preach the dogmas of materialism, whether of the east or the west, whether of capitalism or socialism, must give account of the moral stewardship they have presumed to exercise. Where is the “new world” promised by these ideologies? Where is the international peace to whose ideals they proclaim their devotion? Where are the breakthroughs into new realms of cultural achievement produced by the aggrandizement of this race, of that nation or of a particular class? Why is the vast majority of the world’s peoples sinking ever deeper into hunger and wretchedness when wealth on a scale undreamed of by the Pharaohs, the Caesars, or even the imperialist powers of the nineteenth century is at the disposal of the present arbiters of human affairs? — Universal House of Justice [1]

Question for Consideration

Materialism is deeply rooted in the structures, systems, processes, tools that drive the public and private sectors of modern society. Materialism also influences social behaviors in society’s voluntary/informal sector. However, people participating in it can choose to give their time, knowledge, know-how, and resources for the greater good without direct material benefit. That makes this sector a viable candidate in which to experiment with alternatives for “moving beyond materialism” and establishing a “coherence of spiritual and material”. 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? [2]

Perplexity Deep Research Response: Introduction

This report takes the above framing seriously and develops it through Bahá’í sources in considerable depth — treating the voluntary/informal sector not merely as a charitable supplement to public and private life but as the primary arena for civilizational experimentation.

A few highlights of the argument:

Why the voluntary sector is structurally ideal: It is not governed by profit imperatives or electoral cycles, so participants are free to let spiritual principles — rather than material incentives — govern how they associate, decide, and evaluate success. [3] [4]

The four-level framework: The report traces how transformation moves from (1) individual moral formation, through (2) community-level culture (consultation, mutual aid, inclusion), to (3) new institutional models, and finally to (4) active contribution to the broader social discourse that shapes how public and private actors define progress. [5] [6] [7]

The key transmission mechanisms: Transformation doesn’t leap from the voluntary sector to public and private sectors by proclamation. It travels through demonstration (visible proof that alternatives work), individual carriers (people who bring new capacities to their professional roles), discourse influence (patient reshaping of the conceptual frameworks of policy and business), and moral authority earned through consistent integrity. [8] [9] [10]

Real Bahá’í practice: The report grounds the argument in actual Bahá’í voluntary-sector work — the Ruhi Institute’s capacity-building courses, the Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program, grassroots social action projects, and EBBF (Ethical Business Building the Future), which explicitly bridges the voluntary and private sectors by cultivating principled business leaders. [11] [12] [13] [14]

The key caution: The voluntary sector is not immune to materialism itself, and cannot substitute for systemic reform in the other sectors. The Bahá’í vision is of all three sectors eventually aligned around spiritual principles, each transforming and being transformed by the others. [4] [15]

Footnotes

[1] Universal House of Justice. “October 1985 – To the Peoples of the World.” Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/434890667

[2] Perplexity Deep Research. “The Voluntary/Informal Sector as the Primary Arena for Civilizational Experimentation.” Edited by Steve Bosserman. June 28, 2026. https://www.perplexity.ai/search/c3ff785b-c0b3-4cf0-a1e3-e99bff378e56?preview=1#1

[3] International Environment Forum Staff. “The Economy: A Bahá’í Perspective.” IEFWorld. https://iefworld.org/economy_comp

[4] Dahl, Arthur Lyon. “Rethinking Business and the Economy based on Spiritual Principles.” IEFWorld, November 20, 2018. https://iefworld.org/ddahl18k

[5] Zabihi, Selvi Adaikkalam. “The Baháʼí Experience: Religious Community and Social Change.” Great Transition Initiative, November 2023. https://greattransition.org/gti-forum/movement-experiments-adaikkalam-zabihi/

[6] Momen, Moojan. “Building a Global Culture of Learning.” BahaiTeachings.org. https://bahaiteachings.org/building-global-culture-learning/

[7] Research Department of the Universal House of Justice. SOCIAL ACTION. August 2020. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/974297387

[8] Bahá’í International Community-Office of Public Information. “The Prosperity of Humankind, Part II: Justice (in simplified language).” https://yabaha.net/dahl/bahai/P_H/Prosperity3.pdf

[9] Australian Baha’i Community Staff. “Engaging in social and economic development.” Bahai.Org.Au. https://bahai.org.au/index.php/what-bahais-do/engaging-social-action/

[10] Research Department of the Universal House of Justice. SOCIAL ACTION. August 2020. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/331917610

[11] The Ruhi Institute Staff. “The Ruhi Institute-Home.” Ruhi.org. https://www.ruhi.org/en/

[12] Australian Baha’i Community Staff. “Training Institute.” Bahai.Org.Au. https://bahai.org.au/index.php/what-bahais-do/building-vibrant-communities/training-institute/

[13] Bowers, Kenneth E.. “How Baha’is Would Eliminate the Extremes of Wealth and Poverty.” BahaiTeachings.org. https://bahaiteachings.org/bahais-eliminate-extremes-wealth-poverty/

[14] Bahá’ís of Canada Staff. “Educational Endeavors.” Bahai.Ca. https://www.bahai.ca/en/what-we-do/educational-endeavours/

[15] The Bahá’í Faith Singapore Staff. “Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program.” Bahai.Org.Sg. https://bahai.org.sg/home/jysep/

Be the Voice of…

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.