tag name Public discourse (discourses of society) type: Miscellaneous; Institute process; Science: natural, social, and applied web link bahai-library.com/tags/Public_discourse_(discourses_of_society) related tags - Concepts; - Institute process; Discourse (general); Society; State of the world (global issues) referring tags Involvement with society; Sharing knowledge and insights notes See also:
– Bahai org: Participation in the Discourses of Society
– Ruhi Book 14: Participating in Public Discourse
selected quotations
(authoritative sources)These quotations reflect common presentations of Bahá’í views; the materials below may show a wider range of interpretations and contexts:
"... When the Bahá’í community was small, its contribution to social well-being was naturally limited. In 1983 the House of Justice announced that the growth of the Faith had given rise to the need for a greater involvement in the life of society. Bahá’ís began to engage more systematically in the work of social and economic development through activities of varying degrees of complexity. Efforts to contribute to social transformation also include participation in the public discourse on issues of concern to humanity, such as peace, the elimination of prejudices of all kinds, the spiritual and moral empowerment of youth, and the promotion of justice. These two types of activity have steadily increased over the past twenty-five years and will grow in scope and influence in the future... Involvement in social discourse and action will at times require that Bahá’ís become associated with the development of public policy. In this regard, the term “policy,” like the term “politics,” has a broad meaning. While refraining from discussion of policies pertaining to political relations between nations or partisan political affairs within a country, Bahá’ís will no doubt contribute to the formulation and implementation of policies that address certain social concerns. Examples of such concerns are safeguarding the rights of women, extending effective education to all children, curbing the spread of infectious disease, protecting the environment, and eliminating the extremes of wealth and poverty..."
– Universal House of Justice, letter dated 23 December 2008, to an individual"... While eschewing partisan political activity, Bahá’ís are to vigorously engage in constructive public discourse and in a wide range of social endeavours aimed at the betterment of the world and the progress of their respective nations. They undertake such activities with humility, discernment and respect for prevailing laws and social conditions, in a spirit of learning and in collaboration with like-minded groups and individuals, fully confident in the power inherent in the principle of unity in diversity and in the efficacy of mutual aid and cooperation..."
– Universal House of Justice, letter dated 22 January 2010, to an individual"... Effective social action serves to enrich participation in the discourses of society, just as the insights gained from engaging in certain discourses can help to clarify the concepts that shape social action. At the level of the cluster, involvement in public discourse can range from an act as simple as introducing Bahá’í ideas into everyday conversation to more formal activities such as the preparation of articles and attendance at gatherings, dedicated to themes of social concern—climate change and the environment, governance and human rights, to mention a few. It entails, as well, meaningful interactions with civic groups and local organizations in villages and neighbourhoods..."
– Universal House of Justice, Ridván message 2010"... Bahá’ís must be careful not to be swept up in a spiral of fear and darkness engendered by prevailing conditions but, rather, devote their energies to building up a new world and promoting an environment of serenity and courage. An avenue for thoughtful believers who, as well-wishers of humanity, desire to offer a different perspective on the changes affecting their societies is through participation in relevant discourses in the various social spaces in which they are involved. Of course, in so doing, it is important that the friends steer away from becoming entangled in the political dimensions of any particular issue and instead strive to uplift people’s vision by calling attention to the root causes of the issues at hand and the principles of the Faith that address them. In sharing insights from the Bahá’í teachings, the friends can indeed become a beacon of hope so that those who are experiencing the inevitable breakdown of the lamentably defective old world order can at the same time gain understanding and draw inspiration from the teachings for the building of a new world order..."
– Universal House of Justice, On the Calamitous State of World Affairs and the Material Sustainability of Communities, 3 December 2020"... Naturally, there is a clear distinction to be made between expressing political views about an active conflict, which Bahá’ís refrain from doing, and making constructive contributions to the discourses of society, which Bahá’ís are urged to do in an effort to bring insights emerging from the study of the Revelation and from the community’s own experience to bear on the problems facing the world. Although some themes of discourse are the focus of such intense controversy and heated political disagreement that they must simply be avoided, there are many important discourses, including broader themes related to peace, to which Bahá’ís can and do make significant and valuable contributions at all levels, from the grassroots to the international stage. Bahá’ís also engage in projects of social action, through which, in a myriad ways, issues related to peace, justice, and unity can be practically addressed. Many Bahá’í youth will already be familiar with the 2 March 2013 message of the House of Justice to the Bahá’ís of Iran, which explores what it means to be “a force of constructive change” and how this relates to the principle of non-involvement in politics. Study of this message will help any follower of Bahá’u’lláh appreciate why certain kinds of action and public statement by Bahá’ís are likely to contribute to unity and why others, however much they might be prompted by sincere concern about human suffering, would risk doing more to deepen and exacerbate the divisions in the world. Discernment is needed to distinguish between them..."
– Universal House of Justice, letter dated 26 May 2024, to the Institute for Studies in Global Prosperity
references en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_sphere; bahaipedia.org/Discourse; www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/search#q=Public discourse
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