How do you change the world if...

[Darz]

How are Baha'is supposed to change the world if the Baha'i Faith discourages any involvement in politics (other than voting)?
Don't you have to work within the governmental system to actually change it?
If the majority of the population in a country are Baha'is, wouldn't that mean that they would be governed entirely by the minority non-Baha'i population?

 

[arthra]

How are Baha'is supposed to change the world if the Baha'i Faith discourages any involvement in politics (other than voting)?
Don't you have to work within the governmental system to actually change it?
If the majority of the population in a country are Baha'is, wouldn't that mean that they would be governed entirely by the minority non-Baha'i population?

Hello Darz! I haven't seen yo post lately.. hope you are doing alright.

What is discouraged Darz is PARTISAN politics...so we don't register to vote as say Republicans or Democrats or Socialists or etc. We register as Nonpartisan or independents...then we vote for whoever we think is the best candidate.. Baha'is also don't run for partisan offices... Some Baha'is have been judges though. Baha'is can serve on non-partisan commissions and advise governments on issues. What we stress is building a representative world government founded on law and justice with an international tribunal to settle disputes.

I've always personally believed that if there were a place that even approached a majority of Baha'is in a country then Baha'i culture would be influential and if that were so we would be most supportive of a non-partisan kind of governance so most likely, we would not support say the sort of politician who is a partisan only candidate and who engages in the kind of political harangues most common today.

In the future our Baha'i governing institutions would also become stronger and have more influence.. this in a society where the majority of people happen to be Baha'is..Baha'is also are opposed to racism as well as class prejudice and support the equality of men and women and so these principles would also be influential in changing society.

Thanks for your questions!!!

- Art

 

[Darz]

I'm doing fine (just a little busy is all). Thanks for noticing.

Are there any guidelines for the Universal House of Justice to use when evaluating governments to decide if they are acceptable enough for Baha'is to take office and govern (since Baha'u'llah, Abdu'l-Baha, and Shoghi Effendi all supported separation of church and state thus ruling out a theocracy)?

Does the Baha'i Faith also take a non-partisan approach to world conflicts? I've noticed a lack of response regarding the recent events in the Gaza Strip.

 

[arthra]

I'm doing fine (just a little busy is all). Thanks for noticing.

Are there any guidelines for the Universal House of Justice to use when evaluating governments to decide if they are acceptable enough for Baha'is to take office and govern (since Baha'u'llah, Abdu'l-Baha, and Shoghi Effendi all supported separation of church and state thus ruling out a theocracy)?

Does the Baha'i Faith also take a non-partisan approach to world conflicts? I've noticed a lack of response regarding the recent events in the Gaza Strip.

Thanks for your post! and again welcome..

Baha'is don't take sides Darz.. that includes the issues of Palestine and Israel.

Generally you will find though that Baha'is do align most often with the United Nations as a nascent world government.

For a long range view of the future and how we Baha'is see it I'd recommend to you World Order of Baha'u'llah by Shoghi Effendi..

See:

The World Order of Bahá'u'lláh

When the time is right we Baha'is believe the Universal House of Justice will provide the guidance for a future Baha'i state but you will learn a lot of our views from the book above..

- Art

 

[Steinninn]

So what jobs are ok? Is it ok to be a president, policeman, lawer. I know there was one king that became bahá'í.

 

[arthra]

So what jobs are ok? Is it ok to be a president, policeman, lawer. I know there was one king that became bahá'í.

There was the King of Samoa that became a Baha'i and Queen Marie of Romania became a Baha'i but for state reasons this was not widely known.

Partisan offices are out for us... So that includes most all political offices.
President is partisan as well as Congressmen and Senators so no Baha'is there.

A judge in most places is considered nonpartisan so there have been a few judges who were Baha'is. Consultative nonpartisan Commissions are open to Baha'is say that advise municipal, state or federal governments.

Lawyers, policemen are non-partisan and civil service employees so they are open to Baha'is.

When Baha'is register to vote we are non-partisan, decline to state or indenpendent.. We are not to register as partisans suchas Democrats, Republicans or Socialists or what ever.

- Art

 

[GabrielWithoutWings]

Partisan offices are out for us... So that includes most all political offices. President is partisan as well as Congressmen and Senators so no Baha'is there.

That doesn't strike you as counter-productive?

If you strike out the legislature, then all you can do is hope that a non-Baha'i will listen to your issues, and you certainly can't approve Baha'i-oriented executive orders if no Baha'i will ever serve as President.

Judges can only interpret laws that are already on the books.

 

[BruceDLimber]

Greetings!

That doesn't strike you as counter-productive?

Not in the least!

What you're overlooking is that we have our own non-partisan and very unific administrative system; it's already in use internally (and globally!) in the Baha'i Faith, and we see it as a model for eventual government generally! Our system functions very well WITHOUT parties, nominations, campaigning, or discussion of individual personalities, please note!

As to Baha'i judges, BTW, there are already a number of them (as was already noted), including a member of the California Supreme Court and the Federal Court of Appeals.

Best,

Bruce

 

[arthra]

That doesn't strike you as counter-productive?

If you strike out the legislature, then all you can do is hope that a non-Baha'i will listen to your issues, and you certainly can't approve Baha'i-oriented executive orders if no Baha'i will ever serve as President.

Judges can only interpret laws that are already on the books.

Thanks for your post Gabriel! and welcome to the Forum..

If we were just out for personal interest and represented say a particular agenda or philosophy I can see your point.. but you see the Baha'i Faith is much more than that and our appeal is holistic or shall we say very "broad band"..

We have an "agenda" for the next thousand years rather than being near sighted or short sighted for the next few years.

Some of our principles such as the oneness of humanity and the equality of men and women are already being embraced but it goes farther than that..

We also support a one world government based on democratic representation and justice... You could say the United Nations is a nascent form of that..

but it goes farther than that!

We don't really need a political agenda and as far from a partisan agenda as you can go!

We're after a total cultural and spiritual make over of humanity.

- Art

 

[Jonsul]

That's one thing that I noticed, I think it'd be best to allow involvement in partisan politics only for the leading to non-partisan politics. Because it's pretty nearly impossible to get elected unless your part of a party. The completely overshadow the competition by giving funding to their candidates and running commercials and such. As an independent you'd have to do this all yourself.

Other then that, because I'm a rather big republican, I love the Baha'i Faith

But I do see the value of a country built on non-partisan politics, regretibly much of the world is not based on that.

 

[arthra]

Thanks for your post Jonsul and welcome to the Baha'i Forum.. Baha'is today are not interested in getting elected .. We're perfectly happy though to see the Baha'i principles being adopted or being better understood by society... We believe in the long run more can be accomplished outside partisan politics.

- Art