Justice: "The best beloved of all things..."

2. O SON OF SPIRIT!

"The best beloved of all things in My sight is Justice; turn not away therefrom if thou desirest Me, and neglect it not that I may confide in thee. By its aid thou shalt see with thine own eyes and not through the eyes of others, and shalt know of thine own knowledge and not through the knowledge of thy neighbor. Ponder this in thy heart; how it behooveth thee to be. Verily justice is My gift to thee and the sign of My loving-kindness. Set it then before thine eyes."

( Bahá'u'lláh, The Arabic Hidden Words)

"No light can compare with the light of justice. The establishment  of order in the world and the tranquility of the nations depend upon it."

( Bahá'u'lláh, ESW, p. 28)

 "The tent of the order of the world is raised and established on the two pillars of 'Reward and Retribution'." (PT, p. 157) - Key elements of the establishment of Justice.
 

Justice flows from the knowledge, minds and visions of Individuals.  Individuals are reinforced by Community educational processes.  Institutions, such as Governments and Judicial Systems, depend on high quality individuals, "But" Institutions need to reinforce Individuals and Communities through practices and mechanisms that promote unity and harmony that nurture the heart of Individuals.

Justice begins with closely examining ones Individual beliefs and practices on a minute by minute - nay second by second basis against many standards, most notably doing "unto others what you would have them do unto you."  People's capacity for Justice expands as they are aided by spiritual insights that may flow to us.

Schools and community dialogs need to promote perspectives and educational events that aid individuals to continually improve the practice of Justice.

For the "First Time" in human history the Messenger of God has laid out a judicial process/mechanism for humanity.   Bahá'u'lláh has ordained that in every town a "Local House of Justice" be established, comprised of nine members.  They are elected annually all over the planet on April 21st by secret ballot without nomination or campaigning.  People vote for the nine people with the best minds, the most loving heats, the greatest wisdom and best proven record of service - the nine best people in the community.  Elected in love and harmony, they come together to consult in the most loving and wisest ways possible to educate, uplift, and guide a Bahá'í Community, as well as uphold  Bahá'í Laws through rewards but also appropriate punishments.  This is a very Unique Institution that Bahá'u'lláh has brought, unlike any other previous religious institution. 

 Bahá'u'lláh describes appropriate governing/judicial process in these terms:

"It is incumbent upon everyone to observe God's holy commandments, inasmuch as they are the wellspring of life unto the world. The heaven of divine wisdom is illumined with the two luminaries of consultation and compassion and the canopy of world order is upraised upon the two pillars of reward and punishment.

( Bahá'u'lláh, Tablets of  Bahá'u'lláh, p. 126)

The Bahá'í developmental process is only 176 years old.  We are just beginning to unpack the wisdoms contained in over 11 million verses left to us by the Bab and Bahá'u'lláh.  The nascent forms of the Local House of Justice, today termed Local Spiritual Assembly (LSA) first formed in Tehran in the mid-1870s and came to the United States in Kenosha, WI in 1899.  The First Bloomington, IN Local Spiritual Assembly was formed in 1954.

You are invited to learn more about Bahá'í Justice promoting activities at the International Website, "www.bahai.org", or the US Bahá'í Website "www.bahai.us", or "Contact" us locally for discussions and examination of possible lines of action.