Catharino James Elijio, MALIC
Within the past two months it has been further impressed on our minds that the world of humanity has merged into a global village, in fact into a neighbourhood, and that humanity’s fundamental desire for a world of wellbeing, peace, security and justice remains intact.This reassurance has been evidently brought about by the war in Ukraine, Eastern Europe.
It is clear to every thinking human being that what essentially separates humanity from the virtuous, virtue-based world we all desire is unreserved commitment to building it for the benefit of all: wellbeing, peace, security and justice are a few of the basic elements of the World Order desired by people from all over the world regardless of cultural, economic, religious background, genderor ideological persuasion. Having a country to consciously set an example of building a virtue-based society will more and more become a recognized need. It is here that Belize can certainly help, particularly given the national and constitutional value and protectionofthe diversity of itsspiritual capital. The relatively small, but highly culturally diverse population of Belize can be an advantage in this regard.
The peoples and nations of the world, in various ways, have demonstrated their dislike, and even fear, for war, and such is justified for various evident reasons, in addition to the possibility of widespread nuclear disaster. It is apparent, however, that humanity will not be able to build a virtuous world, a world of wellbeing, of peace, of security and of justice unless and until individuals, institutions and communities – local, national, regional and international — commit to true unity, a condition that is essentially grounded in each person recognizing the innate nobility of every other person and committing to treating others as he or she would like to be treated, a condition promulgated by every World Religion andevery concerned citizen of the world conscious that justice is an indispensable element of a united, healthy, progressive and civilized society. “The light of men is Justice. Quench it not with the contrary winds of oppression and tyranny. The purpose of justice is the appearance of unity among men’’1 (Bahá’u’lláh, Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 28—29).It is laudable that this verity is indicated by the constitutions of the various countries of the world and other documents intended to enhance the proper functioning of humanity, such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
At times when our discussions veer towards the desire fora virtuous world, it may be regarded or referred to as mere utopia. However, such a perspective is bound to change when we realize that the desire for such a world, in the last analysis, is a basic characteristic of every human being,including every Belizean, regardless of background and orientation, and that there are signs in the world and in humanity’s history that human beings are capable of high levels of true civilization and divine or spiritualcharacter. When we ask people what are the qualities of the people they would like to have in their Desired World, their specific words may vary, but in the last analysis the answer is the same: people, in truth, desire to build and inhabit a virtue-based world, a world governed by divine qualities.A close look at the writings of the various World Religions, including Judaism, Christianity, Islam and the Baha’i Faith, convey the understanding that one of their main purposes is the establishment of a world that predominantly operates on the basis of divine virtues and standards.The Baha’i writings explicitly state that every human being has been “created to carry forward an ever-advancing civilization’’2(Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 215) and that each person “has individual endowment, power and responsibility in the creative plan of God’’3(‘Abdu’l‑Bahá,The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 76). An essential question in this regard is this: If people naturally desire to build and inhabit a virtue-based world, why have not we built such a world to date? There are certainly many answers to this question. Suffice it to say that, in addition to the absence of unreserved commitment to build such a world,one of the other main reasons humanity has not yet built the virtue-based world it desires is that there is not yet an adequate appreciation of the far-reaching social and spiritual value of justice and other virtues of humanity, and hence the indispensable role of divine virtues in generating human happiness, that is, including social and economic wellbeing, is not yet well-recognized.Humanity is in need of recognizing that every good experience one has may be linked to a divine virtue. For example, when a person helps another, what is being exercised is the virtue of helpfulness; when a person tells the truth, that individual is practicing of the virtue of truthfulness; when a person makes an effort to resolve conflicts that have arisen among people, we can say that that person is exercising the virtues of peace and unity. All these virtues, we are informed by Divine Teachings,are present within the human soul; what is important is to give due attention to developing and practicing them. In essence, the world is not yet what we would like it to be, because we have not yet adequately appreciated our true reality, our divine reality, and our natural celestial aspirations: “Were man to appreciate the greatness of his station and the loftiness of his destiny he would manifest naught save goodly character, pure deeds, and a seemly and praiseworthy conduct’’4(Bahá’u’lláh, Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 172).
It is apparent that, generally speaking, we need to go beyond the thought that human beings are merelyrealities such as sinners and consumers, and back to exploring the revealed thoughts that “God is love’’5 (1 John 4:8) and that human beings are created in the image and likeness of God. It is here that the character of Belize as a country becomes very important, for such an exploration may be carried out more easily in a predominantly spiritually oriented country. This is not to say that this same conversation cannot take place in other countries. However, in a secular country the entry point of the conversation may need to be more universal in nature, and then lead into exploring the direct spiritual implications thereof. Most people in Belize believe in the existence of a Creator and belong to a certain religious community. Christians, Muslims, Baha’is, Hindusinhabit Belize. This is the basis of the diverse and high spiritual capital of Belize; therefore, the exploration of our natural desire for a virtue-based world can be more direct.
The exploration of our true reality,our spiritual reality,and natural divine aspirations, can have as their foundation the following thoughts:
If we accept that “God is love’’6 (1 John 4:8) and that He created us in His image and likeness,it follows that we are embodiments of divine love, not merely animals, sinners and consumers, or bad people.It is written that “anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love’’7 (1 John 4:8).
The idea that love is the sum of all divine virtues, given that God is love,supports seeing our soul as a carrier, as a mirror, of all the virtues of God:
“In a word, the image and likeness of God constitute the virtues of God, and man is intended to become the recipient of the effulgences of divine attributes. This is the essential foundation of all the divine religions, the reality itself, common to all. Abraham promulgated this; Moses proclaimed it. Christ and all the Prophets upheld this standard and aspect of divine religion’’8 (‘Abdu’l‑Bahá,The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 404).
As we will see, learning to convert love-born virtues into wholesomebehaviour andlifestyle is of utmost importance if virtues are to be appreciated for what they really are: indispensable elements of a functional and healthy life. The following statements provide insights and implications in this regard:
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails’’9 (1 Corinthians 13:4-8).
“Love is the one means that ensureth true felicity both in this world and the next. Love is the light that guideth in darkness, the living link that uniteth God with man, that assureth the progress of every illumined soul’’10(‘Abdu’l‑Bahá, Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá, p. 27).
Self-image certainly has much to do with the lifestyle that a person lives and the kind of decisions a person is bound tomake. It follows that if we accept that we are sinners, we will be prone to carrying out actions that are contrary to our divine nature, contrary to divine love. In fact, by accepting that we are sinners, without knowing or intending it, we set the foundation to live a sinful lifestyle, a lifestyle bound to chaos, confusion and distress, not only to ourselves but also to others and society.In a widely distributed letter written by the Universal House of Justice, the supreme governing Body of the Baha’i Faith,to the peoples of the world entitled The Promise of World Peace (1985),thatinstitution states the following:
“Indeed, so much have aggression and conflict come to characterize our social, economic and religious systems, that many have succumbed to the view that such behavior is intrinsic to human nature and therefore ineradicable’’11(The Universal House of Justice, October 1985 – To the Peoples of the World, p. 2).
In that same letter, however, speaking of the role of virtues(referred to as “spiritual principles’’ and “human values’’) in humanity’s governance and decision-making, the House of Justice made the following statement:
“There are spiritual principles, or what some call human values, by which solutions can be found for every social problem. Any well-intentioned group can in a general sense devise practical solutions to its problems, but good intentions and practical knowledge are usually not enough. The essential merit of spiritual principle is that it not only presents a perspective which harmonizes with that which is immanent in human nature, it also induces an attitude, a dynamic, a will, an aspiration, which facilitate the discovery and implementation of practical measures. Leaders of governments and all in authority would be well served in their efforts to solve problems if they would first seek to identify the principles involved and then be guided by them’’12(The Universal House of Justice, October 1985 – To the Peoples of the World, p. 9).
These foregoing words indicate that disharmony at the level of the individual, which is, not committing to treating others with the same virtues that one would like to experience, can multiply and have far-reaching negative effects on the stage of the world. Given that the world continues to merge, forming one social reality, the failure to act on the basis of justice in this Age can lead to immeasurable distress and devastation. Consider the ease with which nukes can be used and the possible devastating outcome.It follows that one of the best ways that an individual can contribute to the building of a virtue-based world, a world of peace, of fairness, of truthfulness, of care, is to strive on a daily basis to be an unreserved and steadfastexample of the divine virtues he or she greatly values, and to make daily practical and intellectual effort for the betterment of the world.We can do this by committing to treat our family members, neighbours, community members and all with whom we come into contact with the one, two or three virtues we would like all in our Desired World to always express. It is only by doing so that we reflect harmony with our having been created as embodiments of divine love, the sum of all virtues.
Merely blaming each other for wrongs committed will not solve problems, but taking decisive steps to bring into being that country andworld grounded in what make human beings nobleis a sure way to establish the Divine Civilization for which every Belizean and every human soul aspires. It is best to avoid any compromises in this regard, for such compromises weaken the capacity and determination required to sustain a united, healthy, functionaland orderly society.
It does well to keep in mind that the words “Our Father in heaven,hallowed be your name,your kingdom come,your will be done,on earth as it is in heaven,’’12(Matt. 6: 9—10, New International Version)clearly imply that divine virtues are not only to be applied to interpersonal relationships, but are to pervade every aspect and stratum of society: every family, every neighborhood, every village, every town, every city, every educational, legal, scientific, technological, financial and other institutions of the society. In brief, for humanity’s wellbeing, peace, and security,the practice of divine virtues needs to become a basic standard of the lifestyle of each individual, every citizen; every human being has capacity to advance along this noble path. That the various World Religions call upon us to behave towards others as we would like others to behave towards us indicates the capacity of very individual to live a just, a virtue-based lifestyle. The practice of justice is indispensable for the health and proper functioning of the human spirit and society. Belize can certainly take a lead in this regard.
Given humanity’s history and much of present-day experience,it is easy to neglect the role of virtues in our daily life and decision-making. Nonetheless, our collective history and present-day situation demonstrate that if a decision that we make is not virtue-based, such a decision is bound to manifest its weaknesses and limitations as the circumstances it has given rise to unfold, thereby clearly demonstrating the following:
“The primary purpose, the basic objective, in laying down powerful laws and setting up great principles and institutions dealing with every aspect of civilization, is human happiness; and human happiness consists only in drawing closer to the Threshold of Almighty God, and in securing the peace and well-being of every individual member, high and low alike, of the human race; and the supreme agencies for accomplishing these two objectives are the excellent qualities with which humanity has been endowed’’13(‘Abdu’l‑Bahá, The Secret of Divine Civilization, p. 60).
From all that has been shared,the far-reaching wisdom of the following is made clear: “We must …labour to destroy the animal condition, till the meaning of humanity cometh to light’’14(Bahá’u’lláh, The Seven Valleys And the Four Valleys, p. 34) and recognize that humanity’s desire for a virtue-based world is one of the many signs of humanity’s natural love for God. In fact, it is written that “the love of God is the inmost reality of the virtues of the world of humanity’’15 (‘Abdu’l‑Bahá, Additional Tablets, Extracts and Talks, https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/abdul-baha/additional-tablets-extracts-talks/852330138/1#790710735).
As a Belizeanwho grew up in Belize, Dangriga in particular, and having had the opportunity to interact with many Belizeans andtrain leaders across the country, I am keenly aware of the extent to which the Belizean people tend to be inclined to align with Divine Standards.This is a crucial element of being truly civilized; it is a quality fit enough to be eternally grateful for.It is fitting that we do not shy away from identifying ourselves as believers in God, but stand firm in our belief knowing that,given that it is God’s Will, humanity will evolve to the point of manifesting, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that every soul was created in the image and likeness of God:
“The reality of man shall develop and come forth as the image of God, his Creator. The thoughts of man shall take such upward flight that former accomplishments shall appear as the play of children, for the ideas and beliefs of the past and the prejudices regarding race and religion have ever lowered and been destructive to human evolution’’16 (‘Abdu’l‑Bahá,The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 234).
As every country in the world, Belize is going through the birth pangs associated with the birth of a better society, a better world. It does well in this regard that we not only count our blessings, but use the blessings born ofdivine wisdom as our launching pad into the future. As a spiritually oriented country, Belize has a high spiritual capital. Let us invest that capital into continuing the building of the country we desire, a country characterized by individuals, institutions and communities whose decision-making framework is virtue-based, conducive to peace, to security, to justice, to happiness and unity. This is the best way that we can together rise to our destiny and help the world to do the same.
Let us strive on a daily basis to let our spiritual lightshine and let the divine radiance of Belize illumine the community of nations, and thereby quickenthe rise of a better, safer, more peaceful world.
Written by Catharino James Elijio, Master in Leading Innovation and Change (MALIC), 2 May, 2022.