According to the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh the family, being a human unit, must be educated according to the rules of sanctity. All the virtues must be taught the family. The integrity of the family bond must be constantly considered, and the rights of the individual members must not be transgressed. The rights of the son, the father, the mother—none of them must be transgressed, none of them must be arbitrary. Just as the son has certain obligations to his father, the father, likewise, has certain obligations to his son. The mother, the sister and other members of the household have their certain prerogatives. All these rights and prerogatives must be conserved, yet the unity of the family must be sustained. The injury of one shall be considered the injury of all; the comfort of each, the comfort of all; the honor of one, the honor of all.
(“The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá during His Visit to the United States and Canada in 1912”, p. 168) [61]
How does one define family in your religion? Does it mean the family is all of the same faith? Step-families? Do you include the biological parent of the children? How does that work in your religion?
ReplyDeleteThe family in this passage can refer to any grouping of people. If one viewed the world or a community as one family and each other as brothers and sisters of that same family, this quote affirms that any illness/injury in a family affects the whole -- so for example, when there is hunger somewhere in the world -- it affects us all. This passage also addresses the responsibility of all to contribute to the family -- for example, in a society, everyone should contribute to the betterment and progress of ALL in the society.
ReplyDeleteIn my family home, there is just my daughter and I, and we each have responsibilities -- it's also very apparent when one is not well or upset that it affects both of us. Can you imagine if we had the same compassion for all those around us? How respectful, collaborative, helpful, and understanding we would be to one another?