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From: walker@noscvax.UUCP (Janet M. Walker)
Newsgroups: net.religion
Subject: Re: Ba'hai response and questions
Message-ID: <707@noscvax.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 5-Dec-84 19:05:10 EST
Article-I.D.: noscvax.707
Posted: Wed Dec  5 19:05:10 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 8-Dec-84 04:41:08 EST
References: <2558@ucla-cs.ARPA>
Reply-To: walker@cod.UUCP (Janet M. &)
Organization: Naval Ocean Systems Center
Lines: 57

>so, what exactly is the position of Ba'hai about the place of women on its
>spiritual path.  no nice, comforting remarks; give me some quotes out of the
>basic texts that Ba'hais look to as guide-posts.
>where are the spiritual WOMEN?

From the Baha'i writings:

"Humanity is like a bird with its two wings - the one is  male,  the  other
female.  Unless  both  wings  are strong and impelled by some common force,
the bird cannot fly heavenwards.  According to  the  spirit  of  this  age,
women  must  advance  and fulfill their mission in all departments of life,
becoming equal to men.  They must be on the same level  as  men  and  enjoy
equal  rights.  This  is my earnest prayer and it is one of the fundamental
principals of Baha'u'llah."

"When men bring forward ...proof of their superiority  the  assertion  that
women have not achieved as much as men, they use poor arguments which leave
history out  of  consideration.  If  they  kept  themselves  more  informed
historically,  they  would  know  that  great women have lived and achieved
great things in the past, and that there  are  many  living  and  achieving
great things today."

"Women must go on advancing ; they must extend their knowledge of  science,
literature,  history,  for  the  perfection of humanity.  Erelong they will
receive their rights.  Men will see women in  earnest,  bearing  themselves
with  dignity,  improving the civil and political life, opposed to warfare,
demanding suffrage and equal opportunities.  I expect to see you advance in
all  phases  of  life;  then  will your brows be crowned with the diadem of
eternal glory."

"The world in the past has been ruled by force, and man has dominated  over
woman  by reason of his more forceful and aggressive qualities both of body
and mind.  But the balance is already shifting - force is losing its weight
and  mental  alertness,  intuition, and the spiritual qualities of love and
service, in shich woman is strong, are gaining ascendancy.  Hence  the  new
age  will  be  an  age less masculine, and more permeated with the feminine
ideals - or, to speak more exactly, will be an age in which  the  masculine
and feminine elements of civilization will be more balanced."
                                                 Abdu'l-Baha
                               (son of Baha'u'llah - founder of Baha'i Faith)

There is much  more.  Equality  of  men  and  women  is  one  of  12  major
principals  of  the  Baha'i  Faith.  Also  the  elimination of ALL forms of
prejudice (sexual, racial, religious, ethnic, economic - you  name  it)  is
another.  AS  for  spiritual  women  -  there  are many.  Read the story of
Tahirih, the first 'suffragette'.  She publically removed her  veil,  among
many  other  things,  in  19th  century  Iran.  In fact, the thought of the
equality of men and  women  was  virtually  unheard  of  until  Baha'u'llah
proclaimed  it  in  the mid 19th century.  Look what's happened since! (You
don't have to be a Baha'i to be influenced by the principals  we  feel  God
has declared for this day!)
-- 
  Janet M. Walker                              MILNET/ARPANET: walker@nosc
  UUCP: [ihnp4,akgua,decvax,dcdwest,ucbvax]!sdcsvax!noscvax!walker
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  "O Friend!  In the garden of thy heart plant naught but the rose of love."
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