Conservation of the Earth's Resources
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Conservation of the Earth's Resources

Bahá'u'lláh

Abdu'l-Bahá

Shoghi Effendi

Universal House of Justice

published in

Compilation of Compilations

Volume 1,  pp. 65-91

1991

Contents

Introduction

1.
FOUNDATION PRINCIPLES

1.1 Nature as a Reflection of the Divine
...................... 67

1.2 The Earth One Country
..................................... 67

1.3 Man's Station and Responsibility
.......................... 68

1.4 Approach Toward the Physical World -
Interaction of Spiritual and Material
..................... 69
2.
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MAN AND NATURE

2.1 Characteristics of Nature

2.1.1 A Unified System
........................................ 71

2.1.2 Subject to Law and Organization
........................ 72

2.1.3 Change and Motion
...................................... 73

2.1.4 Diversity
.............................................. 74

2.1.5 Serves the Human World
................................. 75

2.1.6 Imperfection of Nature
................................. 76
2.2
Attitudes and Values

2.2.1 Appreciation ........................................... 77

2.2.2 Moderation ............................................. 78

2.2.3 Kindness to Animals
.................................... 79

2.2.4 Development of Nature
................................... 80

2.2.5 Importance of Agriculture
.............................. 81

2.2.6 Use of Science
......................................... 82
3.
PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT

3.1 Preservation of Resources
.................................... 83

3.2 Control of Natural Resources
................................. 83

3.3 Approaches to Protecting the Environment
..................... 84
4.
PROSPECT FOR THE FUTURE
.......................................... 86
5.
REFERENCES
....................................................... 87

THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE

BAHA'I WORLD CENTRE

Department of the Secretariat

To all National Spiritual Assemblies

Dear Bahá'í Friends,

We enclose a copy of a new compilation entitled activities aimed at supporting endeavours to
protect the environment.

The compilation was assembled, primarily, to deepen the believers' appreciation of the
Bahá'í concept of nature and to enhance their understanding of both man's relationship to
nature and his responsibility to preserve the world's ecological balance. It could also serve
as a valuable tool for use with non-Bahá'ís who have some knowledge of the Bahá'í Faith and
its approach to the solution of pressing social problems.

It is the hope of the Universal House of Justice that the National Spiritual Assemblies will
make the material in the compilation available to the believers and that, armed with
increased knowledge of this important subject, the friends will be inspired to lend their
assistance to those who are striving to make this world an earthly paradise.

With great pleasure the House of Justice takes this opportunity to announce the
establishment of an Office of the Environment, which will conduct the external relations of
the Bahá'í International Community with regard to environmental matters. Thus it will
foster relations with the World Wide Fund for Nature and other like-minded non-
governmental organizations and will work in collaboration with the Office of Social and
Economic Development. The new Office operates alongside the other offices of the Bahá'í
International Community in New York, namely, the United Nations Office and the Office of
Public Information.

With loving Bahá'í greetings,

xxx

For Department of the Secretariat

Enclosure

cc:
The Hands of the Cause of God

The International Teaching Centre

Counsellors

Bahá'í International Community, 7/1989

Office of the Environment, New York

1.

Foundation Principles

The approach of the world-wide
Bahá'í community to the
conservation and protection of the earth's resources is based on a number of
fundamental principles derived from the Bahá'í
Writings.  These include:

1.1    Nature As A
Reflection Of The Divine

Nature is held in high regard.
Bahá'u'lláh states that the contemplation

of nature creates an awareness of the "signs"

[1]

and "tokens"

[2]

of God and
constitutes proof of His existence.  Thus:

...whatever I behold I readily discover that it maketh Thee
known unto me, and it remindeth me of Thy signs, and of Thy tokens, and
of Thy testimonies.  By Thy glory! Every time I lift up mine eyes unto
Thy heaven, I call to mind Thy highness and Thy loftiness, and Thine
incomparable glory and greatness; and every time I turn my
gaze to Thine
earth, I am made to recognize the evidences of Thy power and the tokens
of Thy bounty.  And when I behold the sea, I find that it
speaketh to me
of Thy majesty, and of the potency of Thy might, and of Thy sovereignty
and Thy grandeur.  And at whatever time I contemplate the mountains, I
am led to discover the ensigns of Thy victory and the standards of
Thine omnipotence.

[3]

Nature reflects the "names and
attributes of God".

[4]

It is the expression
of "God's Will ... in ... the contingent world".

[5]

Bahá'u'lláh writes:

Say: Nature in its essence is the embodiment of
My Name, the
Maker, Creator.  Its manifestations are diversified by
varying causes, and
in this diversity there are signs for men of discernment.
Nature is God's
Will and is its expression in and through the contingent
world.  It is a
dispensation of Providence ordained by the Ordainer, the All-Wise.

[6]

1.2    The Earth Is One
Country

Bahá'u'lláh expounds a
world view which acknowledges that the "earth is but
one country, and mankind its citizens"

[7]

and He calls for the
promotion of
"the best interests of the peoples and kindreds of the earth".

[8]

'Abdu'l-Bahá draws attention
to the increasing
interdependence of the world and the fact that "self-
sufficiency"

[9]

is no
longer possible.  He envisages that the trend towards a
united world will
increase and will manifest itself in the form of "unity of
thought in world
undertakings"

[10]

and in other important realms of existence.
One critical area
for unified action is that of preserving the resources of the
planet.

1.3    Man's Station And
Responsibility

'Abdu'l-Bahá indicates that
man, "by reason
of the ideal and heavenly force latent and manifest in him",

[11]

occupies
a station that is "higher and nobler"

[12]

than nature, that "man is ruler
over nature's sphere and province".

[13]

It is evident, therefore, that man is ruler over nature's
sphere and province.  Nature is inert; man is progressive.  Nature has
no consciousness; man is endowed with it.  Nature is without
volition and
acts perforce, whereas man possesses a mighty will.  Nature
is incapable
of discovering mysteries or realities, whereas man is especially fitted
to do so.  Nature is not in touch with the realm of God; man is attuned
to its evidences.  Nature is uninformed of God; man is
conscious of Him.
Man acquires divine virtues; nature is denied them.  Man can
voluntarily
discontinue vices; nature has no power to modify the influence of its
instincts.  Altogether it is evident that man is more noble
and superior,
that in him there is an ideal power surpassing nature.  He
has consciousness,
volition, memory, intelligent power, divine attributes and
virtues of which
nature is completely deprived and bereft; therefore, man is
higher and nobler
by reason of the ideal and heavenly force latent and manifest in him.

[14]

Man, possessed of an inner faculty
which plants
and animals do not have, a power which enables him to
discover the secrets
of nature and gain mastery over the environment, has a
special responsibility
to use his God-given powers for positive ends.  The Universal House of
Justice indicates that "the proper exercise of this
responsibility is the key
to whether his inventive genius produces beneficial results,
or creates havoc
in the material world".

[15]

1.4 Development and Happiness -
Interaction Of Spiritual And Material

'Abdu'l-Bahá stresses that
the development of the
physical world and the happiness of mankind are dependent on
both the "call
of civilization, of the progress of the material world"

[16]

and the
"soul-stirring call of God, Whose spiritual teachings are safeguards of the
everlasting glory, the eternal happiness and illumination of
the world of
humanity".

[17]

He states:

However, until material achievements, physical
accomplishments
and human virtues are reinforced by spiritual perfections,
luminous qualities
and characteristics of mercy, no fruit or result shall issue
therefrom, nor
will the happiness of the world of humanity, which is the
ultimate aim, be
attained.  For although, on the one hand, material achievements and the
development of the physical world produce prosperity, which exquisitely
manifests its intended aims, on the other hand dangers,
severe calamities
and violent afflictions are imminent.

Consequently, when thou lookest at the orderly pattern of
kingdoms, cities
and villages, with the attractiveness of their adornments,
the freshness of
their natural resources, the refinement of their appliances,
the ease of
their means of travel, the extent of knowledge available
about the world of
nature, the great inventions, the colossal enterprises, the
noble discoveries
and scientific researches, thou wouldst conclude that
civilization conduceth
to the happiness and the progress of the human world.  Yet
shouldst thou turn
thine eye to the discovery of destructive and infernal machines, to the
development of forces of demolition and the invention of
fiery implements, which
uproot the tree of life, it would become evident and manifest
unto thee that
civilization is conjoined with barbarism.  Progress and
barbarism go hand in
hand, unless material civilization be confirmed by Divine
Guidance, by the
revelations of the All-Merciful and by godly virtues, and be
reinforced by
spiritual conduct, by the ideals of the Kingdom and by the
outpourings of the
Realm of Might...

Therefore, this civilization and material progress should be
combined with the
Most Great Guidance so that this nether world may become the
scene of the
appearance of the bestowals of the Kingdom, and physical
achievements may be
conjoined with the effulgences of the Merciful.  This in
order that the beauty
and perfection of the world of man may be unveiled and be
manifested before all
in the utmost grace and splendour.  Thus everlasting glory
and happiness shall
be revealed.

[18]

Bahá'u'lláh describes
the fate of those whose lives
demonstrate a heedlessness of spiritual values and a failure to act in
conformity with such values.  He comments:

...ye walk on My earth complacent and
self-satisfied, heedless that
My earth is weary of you and everything within it shunneth you...

[19]

Shoghi Effendi asserts that man's
negligence contributes to the decline of the "present-day Order"

[20]

and
impacts on the environment in a practical way:

The violent derangement of the world's
equilibrium; the trembling
that will seize the limbs of mankind; the radical
transformation of human
society; the rolling up of the present-day Order; the
fundamental changes
affecting the structure of government; ... the development of infernal
engines of war; the burning of cities; the contamination of
the atmosphere
of the earth - these stand out as the signs and portents that
must either
herald or accompany the retributive calamity which, as
decreed by Him Who
is the Judge and Redeemer of mankind, must, sooner or later, afflict a
society which, for the most part, and for over a century, has
turned a deaf
ear to the Voice of God's Messenger in this day - a calamity
which must purge
the human race of the dross of its age-long corruptions, and
weld its component
parts into a firmly knit world-embracing Fellowship - a
Fellowship destined, in
the fullness of time, to be incorporated in the framework,
and to be galvanized
by the spiritualizing influences, of a mysteriously expanding, divinely
appointed Order, and to flower, in the course of future
Dispensations, into
a Civilization, the like of which mankind has, at no stage in its evolution,
witnessed.

[21]

2.

Relationship Between Man And Nature

The relationship between man and nature is
very complex.
An appreciation of the dimensions of this subject requires
consideration of some
of the characteristics of nature described in the
Bahá'í Writings and an awareness
of certain values and attitudes that guide individual behaviour and
the establishment
of priorities.

2.1    Characteristics Of
Nature

2.1.1    A Unified
System

'Abdu'l-Bahá indicates that
the "temple of the world"

[22]

has been "fashioned after the image and likeness of the human
body".

[23]

He
explains that:

By this is meant that even as the human body in
this world, which
is outwardly composed of different limbs and organs, is in
reality a closely
integrated, coherent entity, similarly the structure of the
physical world is
like unto a single being whose limbs and members are
inseparably linked together.

Were one to observe with an eye that discovereth the
realities of all things,
it would become clear that the greatest relationship that
bindeth the world of
being together lieth in the range of created things
themselves, and that
co-operation, mutual aid and reciprocity are essential
characteristics in the
unified body of the world of being, inasmuch as all created
things are closely
related together and each is influenced by the other or
deriveth benefit
therefrom, either directly or indirectly.

Consider for instance how one group of created things constituteth the
vegetable kingdom, and another the animal kingdom.  Each of
these two maketh use
of certain elements in the air on which its own life
dependeth, while each
increaseth the quantity of such elements as are essential for
the life of the
other.  In other words, the growth and development of the
vegetable world is
impossible without the existence of the animal kingdom, and
the maintenance of
animal life is inconceivable without the co-operation of the vegetable
kingdom.  Of like kind are the relationships that exist among
all created
things.  Hence it was stated that co-operation and
reciprocity are essential
properties which are inherent in the unified system of the
world of existence,
and without which the entire creation would be reduced to
nothingness.

[24]

In another passage
'Abdu'l-Bahá describes the
interconnectedness of "every part of the universe"

[25]

and the
importance of
maintaining balance in the system:

Reflect upon the inner realities of the universe,
the secret wisdoms
involved, the enigmas, the inter- relationships, the rules
that govern all.  For
every part of the universe is connected with every other part
by ties that are
very powerful and admit of no imbalance, nor any slackening whatever...

[26]

2.1.2    Subject to Law
and Organization

'Abdu'l-Bahá states that "The
phenomenal world is
entirely subject to the rule and control of natural law."

[27]

He contrasts
nature's "absolute organization"

[28]

and its lack of
"intelligence"

[29]

and "will"

[30]

with man's ability to "[command] the forces of Nature"

[31]

through discovery of
"the constitution of things"

[32]

:

This Nature is subjected to an absolute
organization, to determined
laws, to a complete order and a finished design, from which
it will never depart
to such a degree, indeed, that if you look carefully and with
keen sight, from
the smallest invisible atom up to such large bodies of the
world of existence as
the globe of the sun or the other great stars and luminous
spheres, whether you
regard their arrangement, their composition, their form or
their movement, you
will find that all are in the highest degree of organization and are under one
law from which they will never depart.

But when you look at Nature itself, you see that it has no
intelligence,
no will.  For instance, the nature of fire is to burn; it
burns without will or
intelligence.  The nature of water is fluidity; it flows
without will or
intelligence.  The nature of the sun is radiance; it shines
without will or
intelligence.  The nature of vapour is to ascend; it ascends
without will or
intelligence.  Thus it is clear that the natural movements of
all things are
compelled; there are no voluntary movements except those of
animals and, above
all, those of man.  Man is able to resist and to oppose
Nature because he
discovers the constitution of things, and through this he
commands the forces
of Nature; all the inventions he has made are due to his
discovery of the
constitution of things.  For example, he invented the
telegraph, which is the
means of communication between the East and the West.  It is
evident, then,
that man rules over Nature.

Now, when you behold in existence such organizations,
arrangements and laws,
can you say that all these are the effect of Nature, though
Nature has neither
intelligence nor perception?  If not, it becomes evident that
this Nature, which
has neither perception nor intelligence, is in the grasp of
Almighty God, Who is
the Ruler of the world of Nature; whatever He wishes, He
causes Nature to manifest.

[33]

2.1.3    Change and
Motion

Change is a law governing the whole
of physical
creation.  It is seen in the passage of the seasons.
'Abdu'l-Bahá writes:

The earth is in motion and growth; the mountains, hills and
prairies are green and pleasant; the bounty is overflowing; the mercy
universal; the rain is descending from the cloud of mercy;
the brilliant Sun
is shining; the full moon is ornamenting the horizon of
ether; the great
ocean-tide is flooding every little stream; the gifts are
successive; the
favours consecutive; and the refreshing breeze is blowing,
wafting the fragrant
perfume of the blossoms.  Boundless treasure is in the hand
of the King of
Kings!  Lift the hem of thy garment in order to receive it.

[34]

Soon the whole world, as in springtime, will change its garb.
The turning
and falling of the autumn leaves is past; the bleakness of
the winter time
is over.  The new year hath appeared and the spiritual springtime is at
hand.  The black earth is becoming a verdant garden; the
deserts and mountains
are teeming with red flowers; from the borders of the
wilderness the tall grasses
are standing like advance guards before the cypress and
jessamine trees; while the
birds are singing among the rose branches like the angels in
the highest heavens,
announcing the glad-tidings of the approach of that spiritual
spring, and the
sweet music of their voices is causing the real essence of
all things to move
and quiver.

[35]

'Abdu'l-Bahá states that
"absolute repose does not exist in nature"

[36]

,  that "movement is
essential to existence"

[37]

.   In relation to existence He describes the
processes of "composition and decomposition"

[38]

:

...consider the phenomenon of composition and decomposition,
of existence and
non-existence.  Every created thing in the contingent world
is made up of many
and varied atoms, and its existence is dependent on the
composition of these.  In
other words, through the divine creative power a conjunction
of simple elements
taketh place so that from this composition a distinct
organism is produced.  The
existence of all things is based upon this principle.  But
when the order is
deranged, decomposition is produced and disintegration
setteth in, then that
thing ceaseth to exist.  That is, the annihilation of all
things is caused by
decomposition and disintegration.  Therefore attraction and
composition between
the various elements is the means of life, and discord, decomposition and
division produce death.  Thus the cohesive and attractive
forces in all things
lead to the appearance of fruitful results and effects, while
estrangement and
alienation of things lead to disturbance and annihilation.
Through affinity and
attraction all living things like plants, animals and men
come into existence,
while division and discord bring about decomposition and destruction.

[39]

He also explains that, in the physical world,
the course of evolution is in the direction of increasing
levels of complexity:

In the physical creation, evolution is from one degree of perfection to
another.  The mineral passes with its mineral perfections to
the vegetable; the
vegetable, with its perfections, passes to the animal world,
and so on to that
of humanity...

[40]

2.1.4    Diversity

'Abdu'l-Bahá describes
diversity as "the essence
of perfection and the cause of the appearance of the
bestowals"

[41]

of God,
and He states:

Consider the flowers of a garden: though differing in kind,
colour, form and
shape, yet, inasmuch as they are refreshed by the waters of
one spring, revived
by the breath of one wind, invigorated by the rays of one
sun, this diversity
increaseth their charm, and addeth unto their beauty.  Thus
when that unifying
force, the penetrating influence of the Word of God, taketh effect, the
difference of customs, manners, habits, ideas, opinions and
dispositions
embellisheth the world of humanity.  This diversity, this
difference is like
the naturally created dissimilarity and variety of the limbs
and organs of the
human body, for each one contributeth to the beauty,
efficiency and perfection
of the whole...

How unpleasing to the eye if all the flowers and plants, the
leaves and blossoms,
the fruits, the branches and the trees of that garden were
all of the same shape
and colour! Diversity of hues, form and shape, enricheth and
adorneth the garden,
and heighteneth the effect thereof...

[42]

The extent of the diversity of the
"world of created
beings"

[43]

is underlined in the following passage:

... the forms and organisms of phenomenal being and existence
in each of the
kingdoms of the universe are myriad and numberless.  The
vegetable plane or
kingdom, for instance, has its infinite variety of types and
material structures
of plant life - each distinct and different within itself, no
two exactly alike
in composition and detail - for there are no repetitions in
nature, and the
augmentative virtue cannot be confined to any given image or
shape.  Each leaf
has its own particular identity - so to speak, its own
individuality as a leaf...

[44]

2.1.5    Serves the Human
World

'Abdu'l-Bahá describes the
"causes and circumstances"

[45]

of the "perfection"

[46]

of the mineral, vegetable and animal
worlds, and He
distinguishes this from their "real prosperity"

[47]

which
conduces to the honour
of the various kingdoms.

The honour and exaltation of every existing being depends
upon causes and
circumstances.

The height of exaltation and the perfection of the vegetable
world is that a tree
should grow on the bank of a stream of fresh water, that a
gentle breeze should
blow on it, that the warmth of the sun should shine on it,
that a gardener
should attend to its cultivation, and that day by day it should
develop and yield
fruit.  But its real prosperity is to progress into the
animal and human
world, and replace that which has been exhausted in the
bodies of animals and men.

The exaltation of the animal world is to possess perfect
members, organs and
powers, and to have all its needs supplied.  This is its
chief glory, its
honour and exaltation.  So the supreme happiness of an animal
is to have
possession of a green and fertile meadow, perfectly pure
flowing water, and a
lovely, verdant forest.  If these things are provided for it,
no greater
prosperity can be imagined.  For example, if a bird builds
its nest in a green
and fruitful forest, in a beautiful high place, upon a strong
tree, and at the
top of a lofty branch, and if it finds all it needs of seeds
and water, this is
its perfect prosperity.

But real prosperity for the animal consists in passing from
the animal world to the human world, like the microscopic beings
that, through the water and air, enter into man and are assimilated,
and replace that which has been consumed in his body.  This is the
great honour and prosperity for the animal world; no greater honour
can be conceived for it.

[48]

2.1.6    Imperfection of
Nature

Two views of nature are contrasted -
one which holds that the "world of nature is complete"

[49]

,  and one that
declares that it is "incomplete"

[50]

because "it has need of
intelligence and education"

[51]

.   'Abdu'l-Bahá states that the
"mineral, vegetable, animal and human worlds are all in need of an
educator"

[52]

:

The materialists hold to the opinion that the world of nature
is complete.  The divine philosophers declare that the world of
nature is incomplete.  There is a wide difference between the two.
The materialists call attention to the perfection of nature, the sun,
moon and stars, the trees in their adornment, the whole earth and the
sea - even unimportant phenomena revealing the most perfect symmetry.
The divine philosophers deny this seeming perfection and completeness
in nature's kingdom, even though admitting the beauty of its scenes
and aspects and acknowledging the irresistible cosmic forces which
control the colossal suns and planets.  They hold that while nature
seems perfect, it is, nevertheless, imperfect because it has need of
intelligence and education.  In proof of this they say that man,
though he be a very god in the realm of material creation, is himself
in need of an educator.  Man undeveloped by education is savage,
animalistic, brutal.  Laws and regulations, schools, colleges
and universities have for their purpose the training of man
and his uplift from the dark borderland of the animal
kingdom...

[53]

When we consider existence, we see that the mineral,
vegetable, animal and human worlds are all in need of an
educator.

If the earth is not cultivated, it becomes a jungle where
useless weeds grow; but if a cultivator comes and tills the ground,
it produces crops which nourish living creatures.  It is evident,
therefore, that the soil needs the cultivation of the farmer.
Consider the trees: if they remain without a cultivator, they will be
fruitless, and without fruit they are useless; but if they receive
the care of a gardener, these same barren trees become fruitful, and
through cultivation, fertilization and engrafting the trees which had
bitter fruits yield sweet fruits...

The same is true with respect to animals: notice that when
the animal is trained it becomes domestic, and also that man, if he
is left without education, becomes bestial, and, moreover, if left
under the rule of nature, becomes lower than an animal, whereas if he
is educated he becomes an angel...

[54]

2.2    Attitudes And
Values

The Bahá'í Writings
articulate certain spiritual values and attitudes that guide the
relationship of man toward nature.  These include:

2.2.1    Appreciation

An awareness of the fact that the
earth is the "source"

[55]

of man's "prosperity"

[56]

is tempered by the
realization that "the honour and exaltation of man must be something
more than material riches".

[57]

Thus:

Every man of discernment, while walking upon the earth,
feeleth indeed abashed, inasmuch as he is fully aware that the thing
which is the source of his prosperity, his wealth, his might, his
exaltation, his advancement and power is, as ordained by God, the
very earth which is trodden beneath the feet of all men.  There can
be no doubt that whoever is cognizant of this truth, is cleansed and
sanctified from all pride, arrogance, and vainglory...

[58]

What is it of which ye can rightly boast? Is it on your food
and your drink that ye pride yourselves, on the riches ye lay up in
your treasuries, on the diversity and the cost of the ornaments with
which ye deck yourselves? If true glory were to consist in the
possession of such perishable things, then the earth on which ye walk
must needs vaunt itself over you, because it supplieth you, and
bestoweth upon you, these very things, by the decree of the Almighty.
In its bowels are contained, according to what God hath ordained, all
that ye possess.  From it, as a sign of His mercy, ye derive your
riches.  Behold then your state, the thing in which ye glory! Would
that ye could perceive it!

[59]

Then it is clear that the honour and exaltation of man must
be something more than material riches.  Material comforts are only a
branch, but the root of the exaltation of man is the good attributes
and virtues which are the adornments of his reality.  These are the
divine appearances, the heavenly bounties, the sublime emotions, the
love and knowledge of God; universal wisdom, intellectual perception,
scientific discoveries, justice, equity, truthfulness, benevolence,
natural courage and innate fortitude; the respect for rights and the
keeping of agreements and covenants; rectitude in all circumstances;
serving the truth under all conditions; the sacrifice of one's life
for the good of all people; kindness and esteem for all nations;
obedience to the teachings of God; service in the Divine Kingdom; the
guidance of the people, and the education of the nations and races.
This is the prosperity of the human world! This is the exaltation of
man in the world! This is eternal life and heavenly honour!

[60]

2.2.2    Moderation

The Bahá'í Writings
encourage detachment from "this world and the vanities thereof"

[61]

,
since "attachment"

[62]

distracts the individual from awareness of God.
This does not, however, constitute a form of asceticism or imply a
rejection of life's pleasures.  Bahá'u'lláh explains:

Should a man wish to adorn himself with the ornaments of the
earth, to wear its apparels, or partake of the benefits it can
bestow, no harm can befall him, if he alloweth nothing whatever to
intervene between him and God, for God hath ordained every good
thing, whether created in the heavens or in the earth, for such of
His servants as truly believe in Him.  Eat ye, O people, of the good
things which God hath allowed you, and deprive not yourselves from
His wondrous bounties.  Render thanks and praise unto Him, and be of
them that are truly thankful.

[63]

The standard is one of moderation:

In all matters moderation is desirable.  If a thing is
carried to excess, it will prove a source of evil...

[64]

2.2.3    Kindness to
Animals

Bahá'u'lláh calls for
man to "show kindness to animals"

[65]

and He warns against "hunting to
excess"

[66]

.  In relation to the former, 'Abdu'l-Bahá writes:

Briefly, it is not only their fellow human beings that the
beloved of God must treat with mercy and compassion, rather must they
show forth the utmost loving-kindness to every living creature.  For
in all physical respects, and where the animal spirit is concerned,
the selfsame feelings are shared by animal and man.  Man hath not
grasped this truth, however, and he believeth that physical
sensations are confined to human beings, wherefore is he unjust to
the animals, and cruel.

And yet in truth, what difference is there when it cometh to
physical sensations? The feelings are one and the same, whether ye
inflict pain on man or on beast.  There is no difference here
whatever.  And indeed ye do worse to harm an animal, for man hath a
language, he can lodge a complaint, he can cry out and moan; if
injured he can have recourse to the authorities and these will
protect him from his aggressor.  But the hapless beast is mute, able
neither to express its hurt nor take its case to the authorities.  If
a man inflict a thousand ills upon a beast, it can neither ward him
off with speech nor hale him into court.  Therefore is it essential
that ye show forth the utmost consideration to the animal, and that
ye be even kinder to him than to your fellow-man.

Train your children from their earliest days to be infinitely
tender and loving to animals.  If an animal be sick, let the children
try to heal it, if it be hungry, let them feed it, if thirsty, let
them quench its thirst, if weary, let them see that it rests.

Most human beings are sinners, but the beasts are innocent.
Surely those without sin should receive the most kindness and love -
all except animals which are harmful"  But to blessed animals the
utmost kindness must be shown, the more the better.  Tenderness and
loving-kindness are basic principles of God's heavenly Kingdom.  Ye
should most carefully bear this matter in mind.

[67]

The Bahá'í Writings
also assert that the consumption of meat is not a prerequisite to
health:

Regarding the eating of animal flesh and abstinence
therefrom, " he [man] is not in need of meat, nor is he obliged to
eat it.  Even without eating meat he would live with the utmost
vigour and energy" Truly, the killing of animals and the eating of
their meat is somewhat contrary to pity and compassion, and if one
can content oneself with cereals, fruit, oil and nuts, such as
pistachios, almonds and so on, it would undoubtedly be better and
more pleasing.

[68]

2.2.4    Development of
Nature

In the Bahá'í view,
physical creation is dynamic and evolving from "one degree of
perfection to another"

[69]

.  It is, however, "incomplete"

[70]

, since it lacks
"intelligence and education"

[71]

.  It stands in need of development by
man in order to create not only a higher degree of order and beauty,
which are standards upheld in the Bahá'í teachings, but
also to increase its fertility and productivity.  In relation to the
creation of order and beauty in the realm of nature
'Abdu'l-Bahá writes:

Nature is the material world.  When we look upon it, we see
that it is dark and imperfect.  For instance, if we allow a piece of
land to remain in its natural condition, we will find it covered with
thorns and thistles; useless weeds and wild vegetation will flourish
upon it, and it will become like a jungle.  The trees will be
fruitless, lacking beauty and symmetry...

[72]

And if, as thou passest by fields and plantations, thou
observest that the plants, flowers and sweet-smelling herbs are
growing luxuriantly together, forming a pattern of unity, this is an
evidence of the fact that that plantation and garden is flourishing
under the care of a skilful gardener.  But when thou seest it in a
state of disorder and irregularity thou inferrest that it hath lacked
the training of an efficient farmer and thus hath produced weeds and
tares.

[73]

'Abdu'l-Bahá also mentions
the contribution of cultivation as a means of increasing the
fertility of the earth and its productivity.  He states:

If we should relegate this plot of ground to its natural
state, allow it to return to its original condition, it would become
a field of thorns and useless weeds, but by cultivation it will
become fertile soil, yielding a harvest.  Deprived of cultivation,
the mountain slopes would be jungles and forests without fruitful
trees.  The gardens bring forth fruits and flowers in proportion to
the care and tillage bestowed upon them by the gardener...

[74]

A grain of wheat, when cultivated by the farmer, will yield a
whole harvest, and a seed, through the gardener's care, will grow
into a great tree...

[75]

While the world of nature stands in
need of development, man's approach to such development must be
tempered by moderation, a commitment to protecting the "heritage [of]
future generations"

[76]

, and an awareness of the sanctity of nature that
pervades the Writings of the Bahá'í Faith.  For
example, Bahá'u'lláh states:

Blessed is the spot, and the house, and the place, and the
city, and the heart, and the mountain, and the refuge, and the cave,
and the valley, and the land, and the sea, and the island, and the
meadow where mention of God hath been made, and His praise glorified.

[77]

2.2.5    Importance of
Agriculture

Bahá'u'lláh states
that "Special regard must be paid to agriculture."

[78]

He characterizes
it as an activity which is "conducive to the advancement of mankind
and to the reconstruction of the world".

[79]

'Abdu'l-Bahá asserts
that

The fundamental basis of the community is agriculture,-
-tillage of the soil...

[80]

He describes agriculture as "a noble
science"

[81]

whose practice is an "act of worship"

[82]

, and He encourages
both women and men to engage in "agricultural sciences".

[83]

He
indicates that should an individual "become proficient in this field,
he will become a means of providing for the comfort of untold numbers
of people".

[84]

In relation to the economic and
social development of the nations, the Universal House of Justice
underlines the importance of "agriculture and the preservation of the
ecological balance of the world".

[85]

2.2.6    Use of Science

Science is described as "the
governor of nature and its mysteries, the one agency by which man
explores the institutions of material creation":

[86]

...man through the exercise of his scientific, intellectual
power ... can modify, change and control nature according to his own
wishes and uses.  Science, so to speak, is the breaker of the laws of
nature.

Consider, for example, that man according to natural law
should dwell upon the surface of the earth.  By overcoming this law
and restriction, however, he sails in ships over the ocean, mounts to
the zenith in airplanes and sinks to the depths of the sea in
submarines.  This is against the fiat of nature and a violation of
her sovereignty and dominion.  Nature's laws and methods, the hidden
secrets and mysteries of the universe, human inventions and
discoveries, all our scientific acquisitions should naturally remain
concealed and unknown, but man through his intellectual acumen
searches them out of the plane of the invisible, draws them into the
plane of the visible, exposes and explains them.  For instance, one
of the mysteries of nature is electricity.  According to nature this
force, this energy, should remain latent and hidden, but man
scientifically breaks through the very laws of nature, arrests it and
even imprisons it for his use.

In brief, man through the possession of this ideal endowment
of scientific investigation is the most noble product of creation,
the governor of nature...

[87]

'Abdu'l-Bahá links scientific
endeavour with the implementation of a noble goal.  He states:

This endowment is the most praiseworthy power of man, for
through its employment and exercise the betterment of the human race
is accomplished, the development of the virtues of mankind is made
possible and the spirit and mysteries of God become manifest...

[88]

And He enumerates the general principle that

...any agency whatever, though it be the instrument of
mankind's greatest good, is capable of misuse.  Its proper use or
abuse depends on the varying degrees of enlightenment, capacity,
faith, honesty, devotion and highmindedness of the leaders of public
opinion.

[89]

3.

Protection Of The Environment

A number of issues pertinent to the
protection of the environment are addressed in the Writings of the
Bahá'í Faith.  Several of these are set out
below.

3.1    Preservation Of
Resources

Shoghi Effendi links the preservation
and reclamation of the earth's resources with both the "protection of
the] physical world and [the] heritage [of] future generations".

[90]

He
affirms that the work of such groups as the Men of the Trees and the
World Forestry Charter is "essentially humanitarian",

[91]

and he applauds
their "noble objective"

[92]

of reclaiming the "desert areas [of]
Africa".

[93]

It is interesting to note that among
the "powers and duties"

[94]

of the Universal House of Justice are "the
advancement and betterment of the world"

[95]

and "the development of
countries".

[96]

3.2   Control Of Natural
Resources

The Bahá'í Writings
envisage that the protection, exploration, and exploitation of the
earth's "unimaginably vast resources"

[97]

must, inevitably, in the long
term, come under the jurisdiction of a "world federal system".

[98]

Such
a system, based on recognition of the "unity of the human race",

[99]

will
not only exercise "unchallengeable authority"

[100]

over the earth's
resources, but it will also ensure economic and social justice.
Shoghi Effendi writes:

The unity of the human race, as envisaged by
Bahá'u'lláh, implies the establishment of a world
commonwealth in which all nations, races, creeds and classes are
closely and permanently united, and in which the autonomy of its
state members and the personal freedom and initiative of the
individuals that compose them are definitely and completely
safeguarded" In such a world society, science and religion, the two
most potent forces in human life, will be reconciled, will
co-operate, and will harmoniously develop... The economic resources
of the world will be organized, its sources of raw materials will be
tapped and fully utilized, its markets will be co-ordinated and
developed, and the distribution of its products will be equitably
regulated.

National rivalries, hatreds, and intrigues will cease, and
racial animosity and prejudice will be replaced by racial amity,
understanding and co-operation.  The causes of religious strife will
be permanently removed, economic barriers and restrictions will be
completely abolished, and the inordinate distinction between classes
will be obliterated.  Destitution on the one hand, and gross
accumulation of ownership on the other, will disappear.  The enormous
energy dissipated and wasted on war, whether economic or political,
will be consecrated to such ends as will extend the range of human
inventions and technical development, to the increase of the
productivity of mankind, to the extermination of disease, to the
extension of scientific research, to the raising of the standard of
physical health, to the sharpening and refinement of the human brain,
to the exploitation of the unused and unsuspected resources of the
planet, to the prolongation of human life, and to the furtherance of
any other agency that can stimulate the intellectual, the moral, and
spiritual life of the entire human race.

A world federal system, ruling the whole earth and exercising
unchallengeable authority over its unimaginably vast resources,
blending and embodying the ideals of both the East and the West,
liberated from the curse of war and its miseries, and bent on the
exploitation of all the available sources of energy on the surface of
the planet, a system in which Force is made the servant of Justice,
whose life is sustained by its universal recognition of one God and
by its allegiance to one common Revelation - such is the goal towards
which humanity, impelled by the unifying forces of life, is moving.

[101]

3.3   Approaches To
Protecting The Environment

The conservation and protection of
the environment must be addressed on the individual and societal
levels.  Shoghi Effendi, in a letter written on his behalf, states:

We cannot segregate the human heart from the environment
outside us and say that once one of these is reformed everything will
be improved.  Man is organic with the world.  His inner life moulds
the environment and is itself also deeply affected by it.  The one
acts upon the other and every abiding change in the life of man is
the result of these mutual reactions.

No movement in the world directs its attention upon both
these aspects of human life and has full measures for their
improvement, save the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh.  And
this is its distinctive feature.  If we desire therefore the good of
the world we should strive to spread those teachings and also
practise them in our own life.  Through them will the human heart be
changed, and also our social environment provides the atmosphere in
which we can grow spiritually and reflect in full the light of God
shining through the revelation of Bahá'u'lláh.

[102]

And, with regard to the solution of
the world's problems, he indicates that:

We need a change of heart, a reframing of all our conceptions
and a new orientation of our activities.  The inward life of man as
well as his outward environment have to be reshaped if human
salvation is to be secured.

[103]

On a governmental level, the
Universal House of Justice calls for "global cooperation of the
family of nations in devising and adopting measures designed to
preserve the ecological balance this earth was given by its Creator".

[104]

The House of Justice asserts:

Until such time as the nations of the world understand and
follow the admonitions of Bahá'u'lláh to
whole-heartedly work together in looking after the best interests of
all humankind, and unite in the search for ways and means to meet the
many environmental problems besetting our planet, the House of
Justice feels that little progress will be made towards their
solution...

[105]

The Universal House of Justice sets
out the role of the individual Bahá'í and of
Bahá'í communities in relation to saving "the wildlife
and natural condition of the world"

[106]

as follows:

...the best way in which you can help to save the wildlife
and natural condition of the world is to exert every effort to bring
the Message of Bahá'u'lláh to the attention of your
fellow-men and to win their allegiance to His Cause.

As the hearts of men are changed, and they begin to work in
unity in the light of Bahá'u'lláh's teachings, they can
begin to implement many practical improvements to the condition of
the world.  This is already beginning in the efforts at social and
economic development in those areas where large Bahá'í
communities have been founded.  Of course, you can also assist those
with whom you come into contact who have an interest in improving the
environment, but the fundamental solution is the one that Bahá'u'lláh
has brought.

[107]

In addition to addressing the issue
on a fundamental spiritual level, collaboration with individuals and
groups interested in improving the environment is encouraged.  The
Bahá'í communities are called upon to make the
conservation of the environment an integral part of their ongoing
activities by

...assisting in endeavours to conserve the environment in
ways which blend with the rhythm of life of our community...

[108]

4.

Prospect For The Future

'Abdu'l-Bahá sketches the following
picture of the future state of life on earth:

The Lord of all mankind hath fashioned this human realm to be a
Garden of Eden, an earthly paradise.  If, as it must, it findeth the
way to harmony and peace, to love and mutual trust, it will become a
true abode of bliss, a place of manifold blessings and unending
delights.  Therein shall be revealed the excellence of humankind,
therein shall the rays of the Sun of Truth shine forth on every hand.

[109]

References

1

Bahá'u'lláh, "Prayers and Meditations by Bahá'u'lláh" (Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1987), sec.
CLXXVI
, p.
272
.

2

ibid.

3

ibid.

4

Bahá'u'lláh, "Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh", rev.  ed.  (Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1984), sec.
XC
, p.
178
.

5

Bahá'u'lláh, "Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh Revealed after the Kitab-i-Aqdas" [rev.  ed.], (Haifa: Bahá'í World Centre, 1982), p.
142
.

6

ibid.

7

"Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh", sec.
CXVII
, p.
250
.

8

ibid.

9

'Abdu'l-Bahá, "Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá" [rev. ed.], (Haifa: Bahá'í World Centre, 1982), sec.
15
, p.
32
.

10

ibid.

11

'Abdu'l-Bahá, "The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by 'Abdu'l-Bahá during His Visit to the United States and Canada in 1912", 2nd.ed.  (Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1982), p.
178
.

12

ibid.

13

ibid.

14

ibid.

15

Universal House of Justice, from a letter dated 19 May 1971 written on its behalf to an individual believer.

16

"Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá", sec.
225
, p.
283
.

17

ibid.

18

ibid., sec.
225
, pp.
283
-
85
.

19

Bahá'u'lláh, "the Hidden Words of Bahá'u'lláh", rev.  ed.  (Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1985), Persian no.
20
, pp.
28
-
29
.

20

Shoghi Effendi, from a letter dated April 1957, published in "Messages to the Bahá'í World 1950-1957" (Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1971), p.
103
.

21

ibid.

22

'Abdu'l-Bahá, from a Tablet translated from the Persian.

23

ibid.

24

ibid.

25

"Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá", sec.
137
, p.
157
.

26

ibid.

27

"The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by 'Abdu'l-Bahá during His Visit to the United States and Canada in 1912", p.
17
.

28

'Abdu'l-Bahá, "Some Answered Questions", rev.  ed.  (Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1985), p.
3
.

29

ibid.

30

ibid.

31

ibid.

32

ibid., pp.
3
-
4
.

33

ibid.

34

'Abdu'l-Bahá, "Tablets of Abdul-Bahá Abbas", vol.  III (Chicago: Bahá'í Publishing Committee, 1930), p.
641
.

35

'Abdu'l-Bahá, "Tablets of Abdul-Bahá Abbas", vol.  II (Chicago: Bahá'í Publishing Committee, 1940), pp.
318
-
19
.

36

'Abdu'l-Bahá, "Paris Talks: Addresses given by 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Paris in 1911-1912", 10th ed.  (London: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1979), p.
88
.

37

ibid., p.
89
.

38

"Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá", sec.
225
, p.
289
.

39

ibid., pp.
289
-
90
.

40

"Paris Talks: Addresses given by 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Paris in 1911-1912", p.
66
.

41

"Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá", sec.
225
, p.
291
.

42

ibid.

43

"Paris Talks: Addresses given by 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Paris in 1911-1912", p.
51
.

44

"The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by 'Abdu'l-Bahá during His Visit to the United States and Canada in 1912", p.
285
.

45

"Some Answered Questions", p.
78
.

46

ibid.

47

ibid.

48

ibid., pp.
78
-
79
.

49

"The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by 'Abdu'l-Bahá during His Visit to the United States and Canada in 1912, p.
329
.

50

ibid.

51

ibid.

52

"Some Answered Questions", p.
7
.

53

"The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by 'Abdu'l-Bahá during His Visit to the United States and Canada in 1912", p.
329
.

54

"Some Answered Questions, p.
7
.

55

Bahá'u'lláh, "Epistle to the Son of the Wolf", rev.  ed.  (Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1979), p.
44
.

56

ibid.

57

"Some Answered Questions, p.
79
.

58

"Epistle to the Son of the Wolf", p.
44
.

59

"Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh", sec.
CXVIII
, pp.
252
-
53
.

60

"Some Answered Questions, pp.
79
-
80
.

61

"Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh", sec.
CXXVIII
, p.
276
.

62

ibid.

63

ibid.

64

Bahá'u'lláh, "Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh Revealed after the Kitab-i-Aqdas", p.
69
.

65

"Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh", sec.
CXXV
, p.
265
.

66

Universal House of Justice, "A Synopsis and Codification of the Kitab-i-Aqdas, the Most Holy Book of Bahá'u'lláh", 1st ed.  (Haifa: Bahá'í World Centre, 1973), note 34, p. 63.
[Ed. note: Not identical to, but similar to Notes
84
and
83
of the
Kitáb-i-Aqdas
.]

67

"Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá", sec.
138
, pp.
158
-
60
.

68

'Abdu'l-Bahá, from a Tablet translated from the Persian.

69

"Paris Talks: Addresses given by 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Paris in 1911-1912 ,p.
66
.

70

"The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by 'Abdu'l-Bahá during His Visit to the United States and Canada in 1912",p.
329
.

71

ibid.

72

ibid., p.
308
.

73

"Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá", sec.
225
, p.
290
.

74

"The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by 'Abdu'l-Bahá during His Visit to the United States and Canada in 1912", pp.
353
.

75

"Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá", sec.
104
, p.
132
.

76

Shoghi Effendi, from a cable dated 23 May 1951 to the New Earth Luncheon, London, U.K.

77

Bahá'u'lláh, in "Bahá'í Prayers: A Selection of Prayers Revealed by Bahá'u'lláh, the Báb, and 'Abdu'l-Bahá", 1985 ed.  (Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1985),
frontispiece
.

78

"Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh Revealed after the Kitáb-i-Aqdas", p.
90
.

79

ibid., p.
89
.

80

'Abdu'l-Bahá, quoted in "Star of the West", vol.  4, no.  6 (24 June 1913), p. 103.

81

'Abdu'l-Bahá, from a Tablet translated from the Persian.

82

"Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá", sec.
126
, p.
145
.

83

ibid., and "The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by 'Abdu'l-Bahá during His Visit to the United States and Canada in 1912", p.
283
.

84

'Abdu'l-Bahá, from a Tablet translated from the Persian.

85

Universal House of Justice, Department of the Secretariat, from a letter dated 31 March 1985 to an Association for Bahá'í Studies.

86

"The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by 'Abdu'l-Bahá during His Visit to the United States and Canada in 1912", p.
29
.

87

ibid., p.
30
.

88

ibid., p.
31
.

89

'Abdu'l-Bahá, "The Secret of Divine Civilization", 2nd ed.  (Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1983), p.
16
.

90

Shoghi Effendi, from a cable dated 23 May 1951 to the New Earth Luncheon, London, U.K.

91

Shoghi Effendi, from a cable dated 21 May 1956 to the World Forestry Charter Luncheon, London, U.K.

92

ibid.

93

Shoghi Effendi, from a cable dated 22 May 1957 to the World Forestry Charter Luncheon, London, U.K.

94

Universal House of Justice, "The Constitution of the Universal House of Justice" (Haifa: Bahá'í World Centre, 1972), p.
5
.

95

ibid.

96

ibid.

97

Shoghi Effendi, from a letter dated 11 March 1936, published in "The World Order of Bahá'u'lláh: Selected Letters", rev.  ed.  (Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1982), p.
204
.

98

ibid.

99

ibid., p.
203
.

100

ibid., p.
204
.

101

ibid., pp.
203
-
4
.

102

Secretary to Shoghi Effendi, from a letter dated 17 February 1933 to an individual believer.

103

Secretary to Shoghi Effendi, from a letter dated 27 May 1932 to an individual believer.

104

Universal House of Justice, Department of the Secretariat, from a letter dated 18 October 1981 to an individual believer.

105

ibid.

106

Universal House of Justice, Department of the Secretariat, from a letter dated 14 June 1984 to an individual believer.

107

ibid.

108

Universal House of Justice, from the
1989 Ridvan Message
to the Bahá'ís of the World.

109

"Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá", sec.
220
, p.
275
.  91

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-- Conservation of the Earth's Resources (Used by permission of the curator)