Viewpoint: Education – The Gateway to Peace
The Bahá'í Writings state: “The primary, the most urgent requirement is
the promotion of education. It is inconceivable that any nation should
achieve prosperity and success unless this paramount, this fundamental
concern is carried forward”
Most of us in Guyana are concerned and involved in education. We await
exam results with breathless anticipation, hoping that we, or our son
or daughter will be at the top. Our concern, however, is primarily with
acquiring knowledge and skills. We want our children to top the class,
to be the best in the dance class, the swimming team, the art
competition, the piano recital. This is not the kind of education that
will bring about peace, at least not in isolation. The world is full of
people who have accomplished in academic learning and skills of all
kinds and still we do not have peace.
What we need to concentrate on is spiritual education, for spiritual
education is the gateway to peace. Spiritual education is the moral and
spiritual training that develops the spiritual qualities that are
latent in each person. Spiritual education is not to be confused with
religious instruction, which by and large is acquiring knowledge about
a religion. Spiritual education is about those universal qualities of
truthfulness, justice, humility, respect, generosity, unity,
trustworthiness…and the list goes on. These are the qualities of the
spiritual or higher nature of mankind. We are in reality, spiritual
beings that happen to be in a physical body during our span of life on
this earth. If we do not develop spiritual qualities during our life on
earth, we will be handicapped in the next world, which is a spiritual
world. In addition our lives on this earth will be of benefit to no one
without these qualities in our life.
The ability to acquire academic learning varies from person to person
as does the ability to master certain skills. Some of us will never top
the class; some of us have two left feet while other cannot carry a
tune. But everyone…each and every single person can develop spiritual
qualities. Our ability to develop and show forth spiritual qualities
has nothing whatsoever to do with intelligence or talents and skills.
In fact, knowledge and skills without spiritual and moral education can
be (and often is) dangerous.
Now, obviously the best time to pay attention to spiritual education is
when children are very young. If we want to grow a beautiful tree with
luscious fruits or a plant that will be a thing of beauty, when do we
put forth the most effort? When the plant is young, of course…and if we
nurture our young children in spiritual education, as a loving gardener
tendeth his plants; then our efforts will bear fruit. We will rejoice
in the accomplishments of our children whatever they are – for we will
know that whatever they do they will be of benefit to humanity because
they will live their lives according to spiritual principles.
The evidence of man’s lower nature is all around us. Lack of spiritual
education is the cause of injustice, corruption, disunity, prejudice,
war and violence. So naturally, spiritual education is also the
solution. Who should be teaching spiritual education? You should, I
should, parents should, teachers should. It should be in the school
curriculum at all levels and of course the adults who are engaged in
teaching about spiritual qualities need to be striving to further
develop these qualities in their own characters, because children learn
best by example.
Do we really want peace or do we think it is only a dream? Peace is
possible, but it has to begin with spiritual education, for you and
me…but especially for our children. The Bahá'í Writings state: “Every
child is potentially the light of the world and at the same time its
darkness, wherefore must the question of education be accounted as of
primary importance.” “Children are even as a branch that is fresh and
green, they will grow up in whatever way you train them. “…the
indispensable basis of all, is that he should develop spiritual
characteristics and the praiseworthy virtues of humankind.”
Let us make sure that the children we teach and train will become the
light of the world and not its darkness.