I read most of the posts in this thread, an interesting subject.
I would love to hear your ideas Mark about Bahai Liberation theology.
I would also love to hear how you see individual Bahais, right now, at this
point in time, who live in the western countries which are rich, put into
practice a Bahai Liberation theology. You see, I have no clue. I am a
practically inclined person who would love to see the suffering of people end
now more likely than tomorrow, but I feel quite frustrated because there seems
to be so little I can do in a practical way, except telling people about the
Bahai teachings and trying to get them to study the Bahai writings for
themselves.
When I was in my 20s i heard slowly over about 10 years, how western
multinationals behave, how for every dollar we give in aid to poor countries we
get one dollar and 25 cents back. I tried to stop contributing to this kind of
thing and I found it was almost impossible to do, unless I went to live in the
desert on almost nothing somewhere, and even then....
It looked so big, that I gave up fighting for a bit, though I was always
careful not to buy things I do not really need.
Even the demand for cheap goods is something that is two sided. I live now in
Ireland. I grew up in Holland. In Holland, for more than 35 years the
governmental system and public opinion ensured that even people who were living
on social benefit, had a reasonable life. Good housing was provided, they could
keep themselves warm and get good health care. The children were educated for
free in quite good schools and after that, getting a bit into debt but not that
much, could get themselves a college education and/or a degree, up until they
were 27, starting your studies after 27 meant you had to pay the costs of it
totally by yourselves.
Here in Ireland that was never the case. Council estates usally are appalling,
most council houses do not have central heating (unlike in Holland), medical
health care, well, the minimum and long waiting lists and only when you are the
poorest, if you are in the middle there is no net for you, so you can end up
being even poorer than someone on social benefit, unless you live in a council
house of course.
I believe college fees are free or were free (am not so sure now) but the
schools are not the best, private schools are far better than state schools,
unlike in Holland and if you are from a council estate (which immediately
pinpoints you in a particular economic class) and have gone to a state school
chances are very small that you get sufficient support to think about getting a
degree, let alone finish one. The good thing is that to get a good job more and
more a degree or at least a diploma is required, so from that point of view
more and more young people will be stimulated to go to college.
I never earned much money, not even when I was living in Holland. I could get
by but that usually also had to do with the choices I made: not going on
holiday as much as other people of my age did, not driving a car and often
living in the cheapest rented houses. For quite a long time I lived in a
studio, with the bare necessities.
When I came to Ireland, I had no money to buy a house and rents were and still
are, very high. I shared for a long time with other people, lived in damp and
expensive places, until the rents dropped a little and I live now in a two
bedroomed but very luxurious house, ending up paying half of my salary in rent,
which means i cannot save money. I can of course share again, but after so long
of sharing and living in cramped places (most of my life) I love to have a bit
of privacy in my middle years. That is the choice I make.
Food, clothing etc. are far more expensive here in Ireland than they are in
Holland, let alone the USA. Electronic goods and services ditto. Under these
circumstances buying the cheapest available goods becomes a necessity, is not a
matter of choice anymore. Should prices go up more, I would have to let go of
even the very small luxuries I have, not be able to buy books but maybe one or
two a year and would certainly have to give up broadband.
Compared to many people in poorer countries I am rich beyond means.
That is the irony of it, because to be able to have a reasonable life in a rich
country, you need certain things you would not need so much in a poor country
as one of the richer poor people. Of course whne you are the poorest of the
poor in a rich country, you are constantly on starvation point and most
probably do not have a home to go to.
The current system is wrong, as it is driven by greed solely and it needs to be
balanced. I would love to see it change. The only way I think it can change is
when enough people accept the teachings of the Bahai faith and are willing to
be obedient to the guidance as given to the world through the administrative
order.
Not because I think that when enough people are doing both, we all of a sudden
miraculously have the same view. I think that is ridiculous to expect, (I used
to think so, though, but that was before 1995 and my introduction and use of
the internet since ;o)).
I think it will change because greed will be balanced out by things like
compassion and justice, and because of course of the little guidance there is
in the writings and the guidance from the Guardian and the Universal House of
Justice on economical matters.
(I recently thought about the marvelous way my company would be led if the
majority of the shareholders were the workers in the company. Last year my
company would temporarily not issue shares to employees under the employee
shareholders plan.... they wanted to trade those shares on the free market, as
that way they could get more for the shares).
As I see it the Bahai faith is a system that induces balance between extremes.
It is a spiritual path, that means it affects the soul first and then through
the soul being illumined, the rest of what makes up a human being is illumined
as well. The light filters out through all levels, and sometimes that can take
a while. On a personal level the writings are the key to transformation, on a
social level the guidance from the writings added to consultation are the key
to transformation. And the interaction of society with individuals and
individuals with society is very much needed, one cannot do without the other.
So the more the Bahai faith grows, the more social and economic projects will
be started (businesses started by a Bahai which may grow into a chain of
businesses, or a multinational, schools started by Bahais, humanitarian
organisations, etc.). A business set up by a Bahai in Ireland might have a
different way of handling who they employ and how much they pay, than a
business set up by a Bahai in China, because of the difference in culture and
circumstances. I think therefore that it is impossible to talk about one BAhai
liberation theology, in my view it is a long long way away until we reach a
Bahai whatever equivalent of what is now in the world. I think it is an organic
process. The experiences of Bahai business people who set up their own business
all over the world will influence the next generation of Bahais who want to be
or are business owners and so on.
that is my view. I hope people will give their reactions on my view.
much love,
janine van rooij
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