1968 Jul
196- |
The meaning of "Just Government" was clarified by The Universal House of Justice. The reply sent to an individual called attention to a letter to a believer dated
September 7, 1937 in which the beloved Guardian said:
"As regards the Bahá'í principle of obedience to just
governments, what is meant here by just is recognized and well-established authority."
The Universal House of Justice further stated that in
a letter to the National Teaching Committee for Central
America dated July 3, 1948, the beloved Guardian, in
explaining the statement in the Master's Will, said:
"What the Master's statement really means is obedience to a duly constituted government, whatever that
government may be in form. We are not the ones, as
individual Bahá'ís to judge our government as just or
unjust - for each believer would be sure to hold a
different viewpoint, and within our own Bahá'í fold a
hotbed of dissension would spring up and destroy our
unity. We must build up our Bahá'í system, and leave
the faulty systems of the world to go their way. We
cannot change them through our becoming involved
in them; on the contrary, they will destroy us."
The same believer who asked about the meaning of
"just government" also asked whether or not Bahá'ís
should own or buy guns to protect themselves and their
families. The Universal House of Justice replied:
"Under the present circumstances in the United
States it is preferable that Bahá'ís not buy or own
arms for their protection or the protection of their
families."
[National Bahá'í Review No 7 July 1968 p2] |
Government; Guns; - Bahá'í World Centre |
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Canada
