Dear James
Thank you for your kind invitation. I am so sorry I am so late at responding, I was ill for some days and then made a pause, not visiting the Adland world, alas for that, but I wish to share with you some comforting words . I wish to emphasize that religion, first of all, has to emphasize that there is equality between the genders. If religion is not emphasizing it, not much will be done. So I'll recount a great vision of Abdul-Baha (1912?), eldest son of Bahaullah (Founder of the Bahai Faith) and some more about equality and ideals::
"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 dominance, and mental alertness, intuition, and the spiritual qualities of love and service, in which 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 evenly balanced." (Abdu'l-Baha, Star of the West, Vol.iii. from report of remarks made aboard S.S Cedric on arrival in New York.
Below I'll cite from the Introductory book on Bahai Faith:" Bahaullah and the New Era" and we see for the first time in history that
The principle of equality between man and woman is divinely and clearly prescribed in the revealed Books of God: (As we Bahais believe are divine and holy)
"One of the social principles to which Bahaullah attaches great importance is that women should be regarded as the equals of men and should enjoy equal rights and privileges, equal education and equal opportunities."
Women and girls are to receive education first:
"The great means on which He relies for bringing about the emancipation of women is universal education. Girls are to receive as good an education as boys. In fact, the education of girls is even more important than that of boys, for in time these girls will become mothers, and, as mothers, they will be the first teachers of the next generation. Children are like green and tender branches; if the early training is right they grow straight, and if it is wrong they grow crooked; and to the end of their lives they are affected by the training of their earliest years. How important, then, that girls should be well and wisely educated!
We also are told that if only some of the children in a family can be educated, the girls have the right of priority!!!!!!!!!!! Revolutionary indeed, for a religion.! I am , I assure you, a proud Bahai! You bet ! At last God has pronounced us equal in the most clear language! We needed that.
"During His Western tours,Abdul.Baha had frequent occasion to explain the Bahai teachings on this subject. At a meeting of the Women's Freedom League in London in Jan 1913, He said:-
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 the age, women must advance and fulfill their mission in all departments of life, becoming equal to men. They must be on the sdame level as men and enjoy equal rights. This is my earnest prayer and it is one of the fundamental principles of Bahaullah."
We need female heroines or ideals! Here is one of them.
My personal female ideal is Tahirih, the great Iranian poetess and Babi heroine-martyr (19th century)of whom I have given a brief recount at my Forum - for anybody who is interested. (Forum :The Bahai Faith, Gods Word.)
And with this I wish to point at a female ideal. We need ideals for courage.
And about Tahirih, also called Qurratu'l Ayn, "Solace of the Eyes" Marianna Hainish the mother of one of Austria's presidents has said:
"The greatest ideal of womanhood has been Tahirih".
A renowned English clergyman Dr.T.K.Cheyne, writes:"This noble woman , has the credit of opening the catalogue of social reforms in Persia."
The French diplomat, Comte de Gobineau, writes "She was held with every justification to be a prodigy."
Good bye for now
Today is Naw-Ruz, the New Year Day for us Bahais
A Day of rejoicing
So Happy New Year to you
Greetings from
Laila Falck