![]()
CHAPTER 1
Why and How Civilizations Continually Progress
Were You Thinking That the Era of Sovereign Nations Would Go on Forever?
We have been living in this “era of nations” and “secular governments” for so long that you might conclude that nations have always existed and will exist forever with their national sovereignty intact. Not so!
The concept of a nation was born a little over 1,000 years ago, matured in the 18th and 19th centuries, becoming dominate in the 20th century. Going way back in time, a family, consisting of a mother and father and children, was probably the basic building block during our ancestor’s existence in cave man times, then at various times in various places, the breadth of unity expanded as families united into tribes, tribes into villages, thence cities, eventually becoming part of empires, and then nations. All of which raises the question: “Were all of those changes just a bunch of random events haphazardly occurring at different times in different places, or was there an evolving process down through the eons that got us to the point where we are today?”
Along with our evolving social order, humans also have evolved to the noble creatures that now inhabit all the livable continents here on planet earth. Archaeologists and scientists have found overwhelming evidence that about 3 million years ago in northern Africa, our ancestors stood up and habitually started to walk around on our two hind legs. Archaeologists have given the name “Lucy” to the bones that remain from that earliest identified hominoid. What is equally amazing is that Lucy was only about four foot tall, which raises the question: “What were her ancestors like before she decided to stand up?”
An alternate title for this essay might have included not only nations but nationalism. When I use the word “nation” I am referring to an autonomous region, sovereign within its recognized boundary, which is just a line drawn in the sand by man, inhabited with people who generally have a common culture, language, history, and willingly agree to abide by the laws of the land. And when I use the word “nationalism” I am thinking of the emotion and sense of loyalty that citizens feel toward their country, which is quite often accompanied by the belief that it is better and more important than other nations. Additionally, throughout this essay, when I use the word “civilization”, I’m thinking of an organized society with a comparatively high level of cultural and technological development, with an appreciation of art, science, writing, reading, and keeping written records.
In 1816, Commodore Stephen Decatur, Jr., one of the founding fathers of the American Navy, after a resounding and victorious battle off the Barbary Coast, coined the following phrase to express his loyalty to the United States: “Our country! In her intercourse with other nations, may she always be in the right: but our country, right or wrong.” Since then, many have shortened it to; “My country, right or wrong, my country”.
Nationalism is a two edged sword; on one hand it can bind us together with a sense of unity, but on the other, it can separate us from people in other nations and become a source of dispute and war between nations.
This essay is:
• Not a history book: but you will read about important historical events,
• Not a book about the debate between “creationists” and “evolutionists”: but you will read about how and why both humans and humankind have evolved in a manner that you probably have not thought about,
• Not a science book: but you will read about the invention of “science” and its influence on humankind’s development,
• Not a book on ecumenicalism: but you will read about the relationship among Hinduism, Buddhism, Zoroasterism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and the Baha’i Faith.
• Not about collecting a lot of facts in order to prove a theory: for some theories are unprovable,
• Not a book about the “past”, nor the “future”: but about “now” with a better understanding of the past, and a new perspective for the future.
Up until 1844, it was generally recognized that while, Hinduism, Buddhism, Zorasterism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam had many similarities and teachings, essentially they were separate and stand-alone religions. I can imagine a room with a Jew, a Christian, and a Muslim standing there, each one looking at the other two and thinking that he can get along without the other two religions, and if they were to disappear he would not be any worse off: however, the Baha’i Faith brought a new teaching called “Progressive Revelation” which gives religion a history.
In the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attack on the Twin Trade Towers, this nation was quick to criticize our intelligence community and insisted that they find a way to protect us from terrorism. To their credit, they developed a process, albeit with flaws, to interpret and analyze seemingly unconnected actions to predict possible terrorist threats. While this process has its detractors, a new phrase entered into our national vocabulary: “Connecting the dots”.
Previously no astute religious scholar or historian had ever analyzed all the information readily available in history books, “connected the dots”, and identified the similarities and developed a theory about the connectivity of “God’s Revealed Religions.” In this essay, using Baha’i teachings as a foundation, I have searched through 100s of history books, written by non-Baha’i authors, and found 46 which contained 126 relevant references to collect information that was always there, and “connected the dots.”
Understanding the Grand Design
The Baha’i Faith is a world religion whose purpose
is to unite the diverse peoples of the world into
one universal cause and one common Faith. 1
From my perspective as a Baha’i, I have come to understand that Progressive Revelation is the grand design, the grand strategy, the divinely ordained process, that from the beginning that hath no beginning, has as its purpose, the guiding and training of humans to enable us to develop God’s Kingdom on Earth. Humans will continue, for ever and ever, to develop our spirituality, both here on earth and in the spiritual domains; however, in the collective sense, the development of God’s Kingdom on Earth represents the ultimate and highest level of society here on planet earth.
In its essence, “Progressive Revelation” is the “Divinely Ordained Process” that God uses to educate and guide humans, so that with our free will, we will choose to follow God’s Will. Each Manifestation of God (Moses, Jesus, and Others) brings a two part message, the first, eternal and unchanging, reminds us that God loves us and asks that we love and worship Him, the second, tailored to fit the times and conditions of the people, guides us to advance our personal development, the cause of unity, and the advance of civilization.
Each revelation is progressive and God’s Manifestations can be likened to teachers in schools. While a teacher in second grade may teach arithmetic so that the students can learn to add, subtract, mulitiply, and divide, that does not mean that the teacher does not know about trigonometry and geometry, but that the teacher knows that if those advanced subjects were brought up it would only lead to confusion and bewilderment; a later teacher will guide them to learn those advanced subjects when they have grown and have the ability to comprehend them. So too, down through the ages, each of God’s Manifestions have revealed more of God’s Will, tailored to fit the conditions of people and yet advancing the cause of God.
We Baha’is are followers of Baha’u’llah, a title meaning the “Glory of God,” whom we believe is the Promised One of All Ages. We believe that He fulfills the prophecies of the revealed religions that speak of a time when peace, harmony, and prosperity will be established for all peoples on earth.
That which the Lord hath ordained as the sovereign remedy and mightiest instrument for the healing of all the world is the union of all its peoples in one universal Cause, one common Faith. This can in no wise be achieved except through the power of a skilled, an all-powerful and inspired Physician. This, verily, is the truth, and all else naught but error.2
We Baha’is believe that God is unknowable in His Essence and that He is the Ordainer and Creator of all things including the heavens and the earth with all of its minerals, vegetation, animals, and humans. Baha’u’llah reveals to us that we were created out of God’s love:
O SON OF MAN! I loved thy creation, hence I created thee. Wherefore, do thou love me that I may name thy name and fill thy soul with the spirit of life. 3
Even though God is beyond our understanding, He demonstrates His love through His Ancient and Eternal Covenant with humankind. In His Covenant, God stated that He would never leave humankind alone and that He would send a Prophet or Teacher with unerring guidance to lead the people so that we might come closer to Him. As our part of the Covenant we are counseled to recognize and follow the guidance given to us by His divine Teachers.
Whenever we stray too far from His Teachings, God sends a Manifestation of Himself to guide us to return and once again follow His Will and Teachings. Thus, when we respond to these Manifestations, we are responding to the call of God. These Manifestations first appeared long before recorded history to guide humankind to advance the Cause of God and to live a life according to the Will of God.4
Our forefathers lived in the “Adamic Age” or “Age of Prophecy” which started with Adam. During the Adamic Age, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad are the most familiar Manifestations in the Western World, and Krishna, Buddha, and Zoroaster, are the most familiar Manifestations in the Eastern World. The Age of Prophesy came to its conclusion with Muhammad, who was the Seal (or End) of the Prophets.5,6
Muhammad’s dispensation ended in 1844 when the Bab (the Gate) announced the beginning of His Dispensation and the beginning of the “Age of Fulfillment” (the time when prophesies will be fulfilled). His role was to prepare the way for Baha’u’llah, who fulfilled prophesies of the previous Manifestations and guides us to the next, last, and final stage in the development of civilization; that being an age of worldwide peace, harmony, and prosperity for all of humankind. 7
Baha’u’llah brought the message that “… The purpose of the religion of God is the education of humanity and the unity and fellowship of mankind”.8 It is this ever-expanding unity and fellowship that has provided the basis for the advance...
