1.@@@@@ "Blessed is he who in the prime of
his youth and heyday of his life will arise to serve the Cause of the Lord of
the beginning and the end, and adorn his heart with his love. The manifestation
of such a grace is greater than the creation of the heavens and of the earth.h
(Bahá'u'lláh:
Unrestrained as the Wind, x)
2. @@@@ "The endurance of youth under arduous
conditions, their vitality and vigour, and their ability to adapt themselves to
local situations, to meet new challenges, and to impart their warmth and
enthusiasm to those they visit, combined [sic] with the standard of conduct
upheld by Bahá'í Youth, make them potent instruments for the execution of the
contemplated projects.
"Indeed
through these distinctive qualities they can become the spearhead of any
enterprise and the driving force of any undertaking in which they participate,
whether local or national. Our expectant eyes are fixed on Baháfí youth.h
(From the
Universal House of Justice to National Spiritual Assemblies, 5/25/75: Lights of Guidance, p. 507)
3.@@@@@ This Cause, although it embraces with
equal esteem all ages, has a special message and mission for the youth of your
generation. It is their charter for their future, their hope, and their
guarantee of better days to come. Therefore, the Guardian is especially happy
that the young Baháfís are active in the pioneer work.
(Letter on
behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, 6/16/42: Lights of Guidance, p. 507)
4. @@@@ "He feels that the youth, in
particular, must constantly and determinedly strive to exemplify a Baháfí life.
In the world around us we see moral decay, promiscuity, indecency, vulgarity,
and bad manners. The Baháfí young people must be the opposite of these things,
and by their chastity, their uprightness, their decency, their consideration
and good manners, attract others, old and young, to the Faith. The world is
tired of words, it wants example, and it is up to the Baháfí youth to furnish
it."
(Letter on
behalf of Shoghi Effendi to youth at Green Acre Summer School, 9/19/46: Lights of Guidance, p. 507)
5. @@@@ g...From the beginning of the Baháfí Era,
youth have played a vital part in the promulgation of God's Revelation. The Báb
Himself was but twenty-five years old when He declared His Mission, while many
of the Letters of the Living were even younger. The Master, as a very young
man, was called upon to shoulder heavy responsibilities in the service of His
Father in Iraq and Turkey; and His brother, he Purest Branch, yielded up his
life to God in the Most Great Prison at the age of twenty-two that the servants
o God might 'be quickened and all that dwell on earth be united.' Shoghi
Effendi was a student at Oxford when called to the throne of his Guardianship
and many of the Knights of Baháfuflláh,
who won imperishable fame during the Ten Year Crusade, were young people. Let
it, therefore, never be imagined that youth must await their years of maturity
before they can render invaluable services to the Cause of God."
(From the
Universal House of Justice to Baháfí Youth in Every Land 6/10/66: Lights of Guidance, p. 513)
6. @@@@ "Young men and women in the Faith must
be deep and thoughtful scholars of its teachings, so that they can teach in a
way that will convince people that all the problems facing them have a remedy.
"They must grasp the administration, so that they can wisely and
efficiently administer the ever-growing affairs of the Cause; and they must
exemplify the Baháfí way of livingc"
(Letter
written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, 5/12/44: Lights of Guidance, p. 509)
7. @@@@ "The Cause needs more Baháfí scholars,
people who not only are devoted to it and believe in it and are anxious to tell
others about it, but also who have a deep grasp of the Teachings and their
significance and who can correlate its beliefs with the current thoughts and problems
of the people of the world. The Cause has the remedy for all the worldfs ills.
The reason why more people don't accept it is because the Baháfís are not
always capable of presenting it to them in a way that meets the immediate needs
of their minds. Young Baháfís like yourself must prepare themselves to really
bring the Message to their generation who needs it so desperately and who can
understand the language it speaks so well. He would advise you among other
books to study the Talks of eAbdufl-Bahá, as His method of approaching the mind
of the public cannot be surpassed...He also advises you to develop yourself as
a public speaker so you will be increasingly able to teach the Cause..."
(Letter from
Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, l0/21/43: Lights of
Guidance, p. 515)
8.@@@@@ "It is to the youth the Guardian is
today eagerly looking, and it is upon their shoulders that he is laying all the
responsibility for the promotion of the Faith. Theirs is the opportunity to
arise and serve to their utmost this great Cause of God."
(Letter
written on behalf of the Guardian to the Baháfí Youth of India, 6/6/33: Lights of Guidance, p. 509)
9. @@@@ "The present condition of the world,
its economic instability, social dissensions, political dissatisfaction and
international distrust should awaken the Youth from their slumber and make them
inquire what the future is going to bring. It is surely they who will suffer
most if some calamity sweeps over the world. They should therefore open their
eyes to the existing conditions, study the evil forces that are at work and
then with a concerted effort arise and bring about the necessary
reforms---reforms that shall contain within their scope the spiritual as well
as the social and political phase of human life."
(Letter
written on behalf of the Guardian to an individual believer, 3/13/32: Lights of Guidance, p. 508)
10. @@@ "Teaching the youth, like teaching this
Divine Revelation to anyone else, is a very subtle problem. The people of the
world are submerged in an atmosphere, which is the very antithesis, morally, of
the Baháfí atmosphere; we must teach them. If we are too strict in the
beginning most---not all---types will be rebuffed and veer away from what they
might otherwise be led to accept. On the other hand, we don't want Baháfís who
do not seriously try to live up to the Teachings. We must therefore use great
tact and challenge strong souls and lead weak souls."
(Letter on
behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, 8/7/50: Lights of Guidance, p. 512)
@
11. @@@ "The first, the heartwarming upsurge of
Baháfí youth, has changed the face of teaching work; impenetrable barriers have
been broken or over passed by eager teams of young Baháfís, dedicated and
prayerful, presenting the Divine Message in ways acceptable to their own
generation from which it has spread and is spreading throughout the social
structure. The entire Baháfí world has been thrilled by this development.
Having rejected the values and standards of the old world, Baháfí Youth are
eager to learn and adapt themselves to the standards of Baháfuflláh and so to
offer the Divine Programme to fill the gap left by the abandonment of the old
order.h
(Message from
the Universal House of Justice to the Baháfís of the World, Ridvan, 1973: Lights of Guidance, p. 514)
12.@@@@ g...These expectations reinforce the
immediate, vast opportunities begging our attention. To visualize, however
imperfectly, the challenges that engage us now, we have only to reflect, in the
light of our sacred Writings, upon the confluence of favorable circumstances
brought about by the accelerated unfolding of the Divine Plan over nearly five
decades, by the untold potencies of the spiritual drama being played out in
Iran, and by the creative energy stimulated by awareness of the approaching end
of the twentieth century. Undoubtedly, it is within your power to contribute
significantly to shaping the societies of the coming century; youth can move
the world."
(Message from
the Universal House of Just ice to the Baháfí Youth of the World, l/3/84: Unrestrained as the Wind, p. 183)
13.@@@@ "A very great responsibility for the
future peace and well being of the world is borne by the youth of today. Let
the Baháfí youth by the power of the Cause they espouse be the shining example
for their companions."
(From letter
from the Universal House of Justice to the National Spiritual Assembly of the
United States, 4/15/65: Lights of Guidance,
p. 517)
14. @@@ "What promises He gave us all regarding
the future of the Cause in that Land at the close of almost every supplication
I read to Him! Let me state, straightway, the most emphatic, the most inspiring
of them all. These are His very words, that still keep ringing in my
ears:---'Japan will turn ablaze! Japan is endowed with a most remarkable
capacity for the spread of the Cause of God! Japan, with (another country whose
name He stated but bade us conceal it for the present) will take the lead in
the spiritual reawakening of the peoples and nations that the world shall soon
witness!' On another occasion,---how vividly I recall it!---as He reclined on
His chair, with eyes closed and with bodily fatigue, He waved His hand and uttered
vigorously and cheerfully these words in the presence of His friends:---'Here
we are seated calm, quiet and inactive, but the Hand of the Unseen is ever
active and triumphant in lands, even as distant as Japan. '"
(From letter
from Shoghi Effendi to the Baháfís in Japan, 1/26/22: Japan Will Turn Ablaze!, p. 58)
15. @@@ Baháfí youth should be encouraged to think
of their studies and of their training for a trade or profession as part of
their service to the Cause of God and in the context of a life-time that will
be devoted to advancing the interests of the Faith.
"At
the same time, during their years of study, youth are often able to offer
specific periods of weeks or months, or even of a year or more, during which
they can devote themselves to travel teaching or to serving the Baháfí
community in other ways, such as conducting childrenfs classes in remote
villages. They should be encouraged to offer such service, which will in itself
be admirable experience for the future and the National Assembly should
instruct an appropriate committee to receive such offers and to organize their
implementation so as to derive the greatest possible advantage from them."
(From the
Universal House of Justice to all National Spiritual Assemblies, Naw-Ruz, 1974:
Lights of Guidance, pp. 512-513)
16.@@@@ gHow to attain spirituality is indeed a
question to which every young man and woman must sooner or later try to find a
satisfactory answer. It is precisely because no such satisfactory answer has
been given or found, that the modern youth finds itself bewildered, and is
being consequently carried away by the materialistic forces that are so
powerfully undermining the foundations of manfs moral and spiritual life...It
is this condition so sadly morbid, into which society has fallen, that religion
seeks to improve and transform.
"For
the core of religious faith is that mystic feeling which unites man with God.
This state of spiritual communion can be brought about and maintained by means
of meditation and prayer. And this is the reason why Baháfuflláh has so much
stressed the importance of worship.
"It
is not sufficient for a believer merely to accept and observe the teachings. He
should, in addition, cultivate the sense of spirituality which he can acquire
chiefly by means of prayer...h
gThe
believers, particularly the young ones, should therefore fully realize the
necessity of praying. For prayer is absolutely indispensable to their inner
spiritual development, and this, as already stated, is the very foundation and
purpose of the religion of God."
(Letter from
the Guardian to an Individual believer, 12/8/35: Lights of
Guidance, p. 510)
17.@@@@ "You who are at present in your teens,
or twenties, must realize that tomorrow, to a large extent, the burden of the
Cause will rest on your shoulders; you will have to be the administrators
teachers and teachers and scholars of the Faith. Now is the time to prepare
yourselves for your future duties.
"He
hopes you will study the teachings deeply, their spiritual, moral, and
administrative precepts, and at the same time take as active a part as possible
in the life of your respective Baháfí communities."
(Letter
written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi: Lights of Guidance,
p. 511)
@
18.
"Baháfuflláh has stated quite clearly in His Writings the essential
requisites for our spiritual growth, and these are stressed again and again by
eAbdufl-Bahá in His talks and Tablets. One can summarize them briefly in this
way:
1. The recital each day of one of the Obligatory Prayers with
pure-hearted devotion.
2. The regular reading of the, Sacred Scriptures, specifically at
least each morning and evening, with reverence, attention and thought.
3. Prayerful meditation on the teachings, so that we may understand
them more deeply, fulfill them more faithfully, and convey them more accurately
to others.
4. Striving every day to bring our behavior more into accordance with
the high standards that are set forth in the teachings.
5. Teaching the Cause of God.
6.
Selfless
service in the work of the Cause and in the carrying on of our trade or
profession.
g...It is
striking how private and personal the most fundamental spiritual exercises of
prayer and meditation are in the Faith. Baháfís do, of course, have meetings
for devotions, as in the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar or at Nineteen Day Feasts, but the
daily obligatory prayers are ordained to be said in the privacy of one's
chamber, and meditation on the Teachings is, likewise, a private individual
activity, not a form of group therapy..."
(Letter from
the Universal House of Justice to an European National Spiritual Assembly: Irish Baháfí News, gNew Dayh, No. 41,
Nov/Dec, 1983)
Arise, Baháfí Youth!
19. "We
sincerely hope that the forefront of pioneers, the Baháfí youth will arise for
the sake of God and, through their driving force, their ability to endure
inhospitable and arduous conditions and their contentment with the bare
necessities of life, they will offer an inspiring example to the peoples and
communities they set out to serve, will exert an abiding influence on their
personal lives, and will promote with distinction the vital interests of Godfs
Cause at this crucial stage in the fortunes of the Plan."
(Letter from
the Universal House of Justice, 3/25/75: Lights of Guidance,
p. 514)
20. @@@ "The activities, hopes and ideals of
the Baháfí Youth in America, as well as in all other parts of the world are
close and dear to my heart. Upon them rests the supreme and challenging
responsibility to promote the interests of the Cause of God in the days to
come, to co-ordinate its worldwide activities, to extend its scope, to
safeguard its integrity, to exalt its virtues, define its purpose, and
translate its ideals and aims into memorable and abiding achievements. Theirs
is a mighty task, at once holy, stupendous and enthralling. May the spirit of
Baháfuflláh protect, inspire and sustain them in the prosecution of their
divinely-appointed task!"
(Shoghi
Effendi, postscript to letter dated 10/26/32 to an individual believer: Unrestrained as the Wind, p. 83)
21.@@@@ "It is on young and active Baháfís
like you, that the Guardian centers all his hopes for the future progress and
expansion of the Cause, and it is on their shoulders that he lays the
responsibility for the upkeep of the spirit of selfless service among their
fellow-believers. Without that spirit no work can be successfully achieved.
With it triumph, though hardly won is but inevitable. You should therefore try
all your best to carry aflame within you the torch of faith, for through it you
will surely find guidance, strength and eventual success.
"...every
one of them is able, In his own measure, to deliver the Message...Everyone is a
potential teacher. He has only to use what God has given him and thus prove
that he is faithful to his trust."
(Letter
written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 9/1/33: Unrestrained
as the Wind, p. 83)
22.@@@@ "This generation of Baháfí youth
enjoys a unique distinction. You will live your lives in a period when the
forces of history are moving to a climax when mankind will see the
establishment of the Lesser Peace, and during which the Cause of God will play
an increasingly prominent role in the reconstruction of human society. It is
you who will be called upon in the years to come to stand at the helm of the
Cause in the face of conditions and developments, which can, as yet, scarcely
be imagined...
g...Now
is an opportunity to awaken the interest, set afire the hearts and enlist the
active support of young people of every nation, class and creed in that
continent. The key to success in this endeavor is, firstly, to deepen your
understanding of the Teachings of the Cause so that you will be able to apply
them to the problems of individuals and society, and explain them to your peers
in ways that they will understand and welcome; secondly, to strive to model
your behavior in every way after the high standards of honesty,
trustworthiness, courage, loyalty, forbearance, purity and spirituality set
forth in the Teachings; and, above all, to live in continual awareness of the
presence and all-conquering power of Baháfuflláh, which will enable you to
overcome every temptation and surmount every obstacle."
(The
Universal House of Justice, letter dated 7/4/83 to European Youth Conference,
Innsbruck, Austria: Unrestrained as the Wind,
p. 85)
23. @@@ "...He quite agrees...that the dangers
facing the modern youth are becoming increasingly grave, and call for immediate
solution. But as experience clearly shows, the remedy to this truly sad and
perplexing situation is not to be found in traditional and ecclesiastical
religion. The dogmatism of the church has been discarded once for all. What can
control youth and save it from the pitfalls of the crass materialism of the age
is the power of a genuine, constructive and living Faith such as the one
revealed to the world by Baháfuflláh. Religion, as in the past is still the
worldfs sole hope, but not that form of religion, which our ecclesiastical
leaders strive vainly to preach. Divorced from true religion, morals lose their
effectiveness and cease to guide and control manfs individual and social life.
But when true religion is combined with true ethics, then moral progress
becomes a possibility and not a mere ideal.
"The
need of our modern youth is for such a type of ethics founded on pure religious
faith. Not until these two are rightly combined and brought into full action
can there be any hope for the future of the race."
(Letter
written on behalf of the Guardian to an individual believer, 4/17/26: Lights of Guidance, pp. 511-512)
24. @@@ "If the Baháfís want to be really
effective in teaching the Cause they nee to be much better informed and able to
discuss intelligently, intellectually, the present condition of the world and
its problems. We need Baháfí scholars, not only people far, far more deeply
aware of what our teachings really are, but also well read and well educated
people, capable of correlating our teachings to the current thoughts of the
leaders of society.
"We
Baháfís should, in other words arm our minds with knowledge in order to better
demonstrate to, especially, the educated classes, the truths enshrined in our
Faith."
(Letter written
on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, 7/5/49: Importance of Deepening, p. 49)
25. @@@ "The Universal House of Justice regards
Baháfí scholarship as of great potential importance for the development and
consolidation of the Baháfí community as it emerges from obscurity."
(Letter
written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer,
1/3/79: Unrestrained as the Wind, p. 59)
26.@@@@ "Moreover, while aiming at mastering
the unifying concepts and swiftly advancing technologies of this era of
communications, they can, indeed they must also guarantee the transmittal to
the future of those skills which will preserve the marvelous, indispensable
achievements of the past. The transformation which is to occur in the
functioning of society will certainly depend to a great extent on the
effectiveness of the preparations the youth make for the world they
inherit."
(From the
Universal House of Justice to the Baháfí Youth of the World, 5/8/85: Unrestrained as the Wind, pp 187-188)
27. "The
obligation to teach is essentially the responsibility of young believers. Their
training should therefore be directed in such a way as to make them competent
teachers. It is for this very purpose that Baháfí summer schools, which
constitute the very basis upon which the Baháfí universities of the future will
be established, should be widely attended by young believers.h
(Letter
written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 5/15/36: Unrestrained
as the Wind, pp. 83-84)
28.
"Shall I continue my education, or should I pioneer now? Undoubtedly this
same question is in the mind of every young Baháfí wishing to dedicate his life
to the advancement of the Faith. There is no stock answer, which applies to all
situations; the beloved Guardian gave different answers to different
individuals on this question. Obviously circumstances vary with each individual
case. Each individual must decide how he can best serve the Cause. In making
this decision it will be helpful to weigh the following factors:
Upon
becoming a Baháfí onefs whole life is, or should become devoted to the progress
of the Cause of God, and every talent or faculty he possesses is ultimately
committed to this overriding life objective. Within this framework he must
consider among other things, whether by continuing his education now he can be
a more effective pioneer later, or alternatively whether urgent need for
pioneers, while possibilities for teaching are open outweighs an anticipated
increase in effectiveness. This is not an easy decision, since oftentimes the
spirit, which prompts the pioneering offer, is more important than one's
academic attainments.
One's
liability for military service may be a factor in timing the offer of pioneer
service.
One
may have outstanding obligations to others, including those who may be
dependent on him for support.
It
may be possible to combine a pioneer project with a continuing educational program.
Consideration may also be given to the possibility that a pioneering
experience, even though it interrupts the formal educational program, may prove
beneficial in the long run in that studies would later be resumed with a more
mature look.
The
urgency of a particular goal which one is especially qualified to fill and for
which there are no other offers.
The
fact that the need for pioneers will undoubtedly be with us for many
generations to come, and that therefore there will be many calls in future for
pioneering service.
The
principle of consultation also applies. One may have the obligation to consult
others, such as onefs parents, onefs Local and National Assemblies, and the
pioneering committees.
Finally,
bearing in mind the principle of sacrificial service and the unfailing promises
Baháfuflláh ordained for those who arise to serve His Cause, one should pray
and meditate on what his course of action will be. Indeed, it often happens
that the answer will be found in no other way.
We
assure the youth that we are mindful of the many important decisions they must
make as they tread the path of service to Baháfuflláh. We will offer our ardent
supplications at the Holy Threshold that all will be divinely guided and that
they will attract the blessings of the All-Merciful."
(From the
Universal House of Justice to Baháfí Youth in Every Land, l0/9/68: Unrestrained as the Wind, pp. 106-l07)