April 28, 2001
Esteemed men of Baha:
I apologize, in advance, for taking up your time with this matter.
However, if I may, I would like to ask a few questions.
Before reading your recent letter on the lesser peace (April 19,
2001), written on your behalf to an individual believer, my personal
understanding, for what little it is worth, had been that the
establishment **stage** of the lesser peace had commenced in 1989,
with the effective end of the Cold War.
I assumed this establishment stage might continue on for some time
and, at some point, include the formation of a Supreme Tribunal by the
nations of the world, the adoption of a universal auxiliary language,
etc.
Now having seen your letter, and the accompanying memorandum from
your Research Department, I have been studying it and trying to readjust
my thinking in light of the information you have provided.
First, the following is contained in the memorandum:
"In response to a question from an individual, the House of Justice
stated, in a letter written on its behalf on 31 January 1985, that:
"= 'Baha'u'llah's principal mission in appearing at this time in human
history is the realization of the oneness of mankind and the
establishment of peace among the nations; therefore, all the forces
which are focused on accomplishing these ends are influenced by His
Revelation. We know, however, that peace will come in stages. First,
there will come the Lesser Peace, when the unity of nations will be
achieved, then gradually the Most Great Peace--the spiritual as well
as social and political unity of mankind, when the Baha'i World
Commonwealth, operating in strict accordance with the laws and
ordinances of the Most Holy Book of the Baha'i Revelation, will have
been established through the efforts of the Baha'is.'"
In the above paragraph, you appear to connect the unity of nations
with the lesser peace. (Unless the "achievement" of the unity of
nations refers to some later development.) However, in your recent
letter on the Lesser Peace, you have distinguished between the unity
of nations and the Lesser Peace.
Second, there is the following excerpt from another letter written by
you, or on your behalf, and contained in the compilation, "Lights of
Guidance":
"2144. The Baha'i Youth of Today Have the Distinction of Seeing the
Establishment of the Lesser Peace and the Reconciliation of Society
"'This generation of Baha'i 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 face of conditions and developments which can, as yet,
scarcely be imagined.'" (From a letter of the Universal House of
Justice to the European Youth Conference in Innsbruck, July 4, 1983)
In the above letter, you appear to be saying that the youth living in
1983 would "see the establishment of the Lesser Peace."
Third, although you wrote that the unity of nations and the lesser
peace are distinct, the following (perhaps unauthenticated) excerpt
from one of `Abdu'l-Baha's talks was included in the memorandum
from your Research Department:
"I am most hopeful that in this century these lofty thoughts shall be
conducive to human welfare. Let this century be the sun of previous
centuries, the effulgences of which shall last forever, so that in
times to come they shall glorify the twentieth century, saying the
twentieth century was the century of lights, the twentieth century was
the century of life, the twentieth century was the century of
international peace...." [The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks
Delivered by 'Abdu'l-Baha during His Visit to the United States and
Canada in 1912, 2nd ed. (Wilmette: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1982), pp.
125-126.]
Thus, in the above talk, `Abdu'l-Baha reportedly connected the
twentieth century with international peace and not with the unity of
nations per se.
Even more specifically, the Research Department quotes the following:
"Are there any signs that the permanent peace of the world will be
established in anything like a reasonable period?", 'Abdu'l-Baha was
asked. "It will be established in this century," He answered. "It will
be universal in the twentieth century. All nations will be forced into
it." ['Abdu'l-Baha in Canada (Ontario: Baha'i Canada Publications,
1987), p. 35.]
The Research Department then writes:
"In commenting on other pronouncements of the Master on this theme,
the House of Justice stated the following in a letter written on its
behalf on 29 July 1974:
"= 'It is true that 'Abdu'l-Baha made statements linking the
establishment of the unity of nations to the twentieth century. For
example: "The fifth candle is the unity of nations--a unity which, in
this century, will be securely established, causing all the peoples of
the world to regard themselves as citizens of one common fatherland."
And, in The Promised Day Is Come, following a similar statement quoted
from Some Answered Questions, Shoghi Effendi makes this comment:
"This is the stage which the world is now approaching, the stage of world
unity, which, as 'Abdu'l-Baha assures us, will, in this century, be
securely established." However, attainment of the unity of nations
should not be regarded as being synonymous with the establishment of
the Lesser Peace. In answer to a question about the timing of the
Lesser Peace, Shoghi Effendi stated, in a letter written on his behalf
in 1946, that: "All we know is that the Lesser Peace and the Most
Great Peace will come--their exact dates we do not know."'"
On the surface, the above statement appears to be inconsistent with
the passage from "`Abdu'l-Baha in Canada" immediately preceding it
in the memorandum.
With deep respect and gratitude,
Mark A. Foster, PhD, Assoc. Prof. of Sociology
Johnson County Community College (Kansas)
My 12 domains and 8 sites: http://MarkFoster.net
The response from the Secretariat is here. Please note that it is in Adobe
PDF format.
I then wrote the following followup letter:
Beloved Men of the House of Justice:
I recently received a response from the Secretariat to my letter dated
April 28, 2001. Since the letter did not address most of the questions
I asked, and it did address a subject I did not ask (the connection
between World War I and the Most Great Peace), I am wondering whether
I might have accidentally received a letter intended for someone else.
I am attaching the letter (.pdf) I received from the Secretariat and
pasting my original letter below.
With deep respect and gratitude,
Mark A. Foster
---------------------------------
Esteemed men of Baha:
I apologize, in advance, for taking up your time with this matter.
However, if I may, I would like to ask a few questions.
Before reading your recent letter on the lesser peace (April 19,
2001), written on your behalf to an individual believer, my personal
understanding, for what little it is worth, had been that the
establishment **stage** of the lesser peace had commenced in 1989,
with the effective end of the Cold War.
I assumed this establishment stage might continue on for some time
and, at some point, include the formation of a Supreme Tribunal by the
nations of the world, the adoption of a universal auxiliary language,
etc.
Now having seen your letter, and the accompanying memorandum from your
Research Department, I have been studying it and trying to readjust my
thinking in light of the information you have provided.
First, the following is contained in the memorandum:
"In response to a question from an individual, the House of Justice
stated, in a letter written on its behalf on 31 January 1985, that:
"= 'Baha'u'llah's principal mission in appearing at this time in human
history is the realization of the oneness of mankind and the
establishment of peace among the nations; therefore, all the forces
which are focused on accomplishing these ends are influenced by His
Revelation. We know, however, that peace will come in stages. First,
there will come the Lesser Peace, when the unity of nations will be
achieved, then gradually the Most Great Peace--the spiritual as well
as social and political unity of mankind, when the Baha'i World
Commonwealth, operating in strict accordance with the laws and
ordinances of the Most Holy Book of the Baha'i Revelation, will have
been established through the efforts of the Baha'is.'"
In the above paragraph, you appear to connect the unity of nations
with the lesser peace. (Unless the "achievement" of the unity of
nations refers to some later development.) However, in your recent
letter on the Lesser Peace, you have distinguished between the unity
of nations and the Lesser Peace.
Second, there is the following excerpt from another letter written by
you, or on your behalf, and contained in the compilation, "Lights of
Guidance":
"2144. The Baha'i Youth of Today Have the Distinction of Seeing the
Establishment of the Lesser Peace and the Reconciliation of Society
"'This generation of Baha'i 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 face of conditions and developments which can, as yet,
scarcely be imagined.'" (From a letter of the Universal House of
Justice to the European Youth Conference in Innsbruck, July 4, 1983)
In the above letter, you appear to be saying that the youth living in
1983 would "see the establishment of the Lesser Peace."
Third, although you wrote that the unity of nations and the lesser
peace are distinct, the following (perhaps unauthenticated) excerpt
from one of `Abdu'l-Baha's talks was included in the memorandum from
your Research Department:
"I am most hopeful that in this century these lofty thoughts shall be
conducive to human welfare. Let this century be the sun of previous
centuries, the effulgences of which shall last forever, so that in
times to come they shall glorify the twentieth century, saying the
twentieth century was the century of lights, the twentieth century was
the century of life, the twentieth century was the century of
international peace...." [The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks
Delivered by 'Abdu'l-Baha during His Visit to the United States and
Canada in 1912, 2nd ed. (Wilmette: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1982), pp.
125-126.]
Thus, in the above talk, `Abdu'l-Baha reportedly connected the
twentieth century with international peace and not with the unity of
nations per se.
Even more specifically, the Research Department quotes the following:
"Are there any signs that the permanent peace of the world will be
established in anything like a reasonable period?", 'Abdu'l-Baha was
asked. "It will be established in this century," He answered. "It will
be universal in the twentieth century. All nations will be forced into
it." ['Abdu'l-Baha in Canada (Ontario: Baha'i Canada Publications,
1987), p. 35.]
The Research Department then writes:
"In commenting on other pronouncements of the Master on this theme,
the House of Justice stated the following in a letter written on its
behalf on 29 July 1974:
"= 'It is true that 'Abdu'l-Baha made statements linking the
establishment of the unity of nations to the twentieth century. For
example: "The fifth candle is the unity of nations--a unity which, in
this century, will be securely established, causing all the peoples of
the world to regard themselves as citizens of one common fatherland."
And, in The Promised Day Is Come, following a similar statement quoted
from Some Answered Questions, Shoghi Effendi makes this comment: "This
is the stage which the world is now approaching, the stage of world
unity, which, as 'Abdu'l-Baha assures us, will, in this century, be
securely established." However, attainment of the unity of nations
should not be regarded as being synonymous with the establishment of
the Lesser Peace. In answer to a question about the timing of the
Lesser Peace, Shoghi Effendi stated, in a letter written on his behalf
in 1946, that: "All we know is that the Lesser Peace and the Most Gr!
eat Peace will come--their exact dates we do not know."'"
On the surface, the above statement appears to be inconsistent with
the passage from "`Abdu'l-Baha in Canada" immediately preceding it in
the memorandum.
With deep respect and gratitude,
Mark A. Foster, PhD, Assoc. Prof. of Sociology
Johnson County Community College (Kansas)
My 13 Domains & 8 Sites: http://MarkFoster.net
The response from the Secretariat is here. Again, please
note that it is in Adobe PDF format.
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