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BahaiTeachings.org Announces Advisory Council on Racial Unity

From the Editors | Mar 1, 2018

The views expressed in our content reflect individual perspectives and do not represent the official views of the Baha'i Faith.

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From the Editors | Mar 1, 2018

The views expressed in our content reflect individual perspectives and do not represent the official views of the Baha'i Faith.

In its contribution to bring about the Baha’i vision of the oneness of humanity, BahaiTeachings.org announced the formation of a new voluntary Advisory Council on Racial Unity.

Designed and formed to focus on issues surrounding race and the eradication of racism, the Advisory Council on Racial Unity met for the first time a few weeks ago.

The Council agreed that racism represents an entire set of highly complex issues, but at its heart lies something fundamentally dissonant with the central principles of the Baha’i Faith: the lack of acknowledgement that all humans are created equally noble:

O Son of Spirit! Noble have I created thee, yet thou hast abased thyself. Rise then unto that for which thou wast created. – Baha’u’llah, The Hidden Words, p. 9.

The Advisory Council, created with the intention of guiding BahaiTeachings.org on all efforts and content relating to issues of race, will endeavor to pursue the vision of the Guardian of the Baha’i Faith, when he predicted that in the future:

… racial animosity and prejudice will be replaced by racial amity, understanding and co-operation. – Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha’u’llah, p. 204.

In pursuing that vision, the Advisory Council recognizes that too often, people of color are overlooked and misrepresented, which impacts everyone negatively, regardless of race. Consistent lack of diversity stunts our growth and fosters subconscious practices that are exclusive and unwelcoming to entire groups of people. Moving forward, BahaiTeachings.org hopes to play a more active role in racial healing.

“We’ve realized,” said Payam Zamani, the editor-in-chief of BahaiTeachings.org, “that to do this, we need to be more intentional with the viewpoints we reflect on BahaiTeaching.org, especially when it comes to highlighting the important views of our African American brothers and sisters.”

The BahaiTeachings.org Advisory Council on Racial Unity also recognizes that today the “most vital and challenging issue” of racism still requires more work than our simply writing and talking about it. The Council’s sincere hope is that we will all—no matter what our racial background or ethnicity—become motivated and inspired to take actions that will ultimately begin to wipe away this patent evil: 

Let neither think that anything short of genuine love, extreme patience, true humility, consummate tact, sound initiative, mature wisdom, and deliberate, persistent, and prayerful effort, can succeed in blotting out the stain which this patent evil has left on the fair name of their common country. – Shoghi Effendi, The Advent of Divine Justice, p. 40.

The initial membership of the BahaiTeachings.org Advisory Council on Racial Unity includes five volunteer members who have graciously offered their time, energy and insight:

The council will advise and accompany BahaiTeachings.org on its journey of teaching the Baha’i Faith in a welcoming way to people from all walks of life. Members of the council will produce and review articles, along with identifying new, diverse contributors and speakers who will enrich the BahaiTeachings.org platform, and attempt to frankly and forthrightly address racial prejudice.

Please join us in welcoming the new members of the BahaiTeachings.org Advisory Council on Racial Unity.

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Comments

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  • Roland Robert-Leblanc
    Mar 7, 2018
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    Very interesting article; in my view, I can see that unity can be part of a plan that each individual can participate to: "Discovering that within will enable to recognize the Oneness of Humanity' ... Thus , the effect of this attention and time devoted to doing this will produce an improvement in each and everyone ... What do you think?
  • Linell
    Mar 5, 2018
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    The 2018 Parliament of the World's Religions is calling for programs until April 1st. Maybe this group should consider presenting? https://parliamentofreligions.org/rfp
  • Britt Mitchell
    Mar 3, 2018
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    This is wonderful news! Thank you so much for prioritizing racial unity and including the extensive expertise of these new advisors. Thank you so much to the board members for the service you'll give and what you'll teach us. Please include the voices of our indigenous brothers and sisters in the advisory board soon! We also need to learn from their experiences!
  • Sara Jones Bagby
    Mar 3, 2018
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    Welcome Advisory Council. Such impressive bios!. How genuinely loving of you 5 to volunteer your efforts to enlighten, motivate & lead us less accomplished noble spiritual beings to actions by understanding & being able to address the more complex issues of racism.
  • Sara Jones Bagby
    Mar 3, 2018
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    Welcome Advisory Council. It will be interesting to read what articles are created & offered that might inspire motivation & action by those of "ordinary" noble friends who utilize BT.org to deepen in our Faith who don't have the noted accomplishments & professional resumes. What a blessing to be offering us friends who practice prayerful channeling genuine love, meeting & greeting others as noble spiritual beings, walk in an attitude of learning from others to discover & find joy in what we have in common that unites us & affirms God's Kingdom on Earth as it is in Heaven thru ...the power of the Holy Spirit of the Word of God.
    Read more...
  • Rosslyn and Steven Osborne
    Mar 3, 2018
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    Thrilled to meet you all and some I have enjoyed articles from as well. This is so very important to me too and feel we need all the help where we can get extra guidance to assist us to squashing this division in God's garden. Looking forward to hearing from each of you and praying you will enjoy the challenge and be guided to areas we need to rise to. God bless.
  • Alan
    Mar 2, 2018
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    I applaud this effort. I trust that the advisory council will aid your effort to penetrate minority communities with the healing and unifying message of Baha'u'llah and encourage them to reach beyond their own numbers as they carry out their function.
  • Craig Rothman
    Mar 2, 2018
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    Why don't you have any white folks on this. White Men are critical to change in race in America. People that understand owning this and the inheritance of privilege. Please consider this
    • Kieran C Murray
      Mar 5, 2018
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      My take on this is that white folks, particularly wealthy and powerfull white men, have been running America and pretty much the whole 'western world' since Turtle Island was colonised. And look at the mess. White folks have had long enough to stop racism, yet still it continues... perhaps it is time we listened more.
  • Alek Swanson
    Mar 2, 2018
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    Please bring in Indigenous voices as well.
  • Christopher Bogan
    Mar 2, 2018
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    Bravo. I enjoy this site but this is long overdo.
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