Unsheathing the Sword of Wisdom - Reflections on Human Rights and Terrorism

This survey of human rights issues summarizes the many proposals made by the Bahá’í International Community concerning the human rights system, whose enforcement could assist in improving the application of human rights throughout the world, and thus in solving the complex question of terrorism.

Only some of the most pertinent problems are examined, but the concepts expounded in this book offer a fundamental contribution to the improvement of conditions in the world and thus to the elimination of the main reasons why people develop a terrorist mentality – immaturity; intellectual, social and spiritual disease; and ignorance. Most people today agree with the Bahá’í International Community’s view that ‘world-wide peace and prosperity will be impossible so long as human rights are routinely violated, women are denied equality, ethnic and racial minorities are discriminated against, the ravages of poverty are ignored, and unfettered national sovereignty is exercised’ against the burgeoning ‘recognition that humankind is a single family and the earth its common homeland.’

To yield to the pessimistic idea that the threat and the problems that fuel… terrorism can never be eradicated completely is tantamount to yielding to the equally pessimistic idea that war is unavoidable and that a permanent peace is sheer utopia. The Bahá’í International Community reminds those who hold this view that ‘changing attitudes and values after they are formed is inevitably a difficult and gradual process’, but such radical changes are definitely possible. The results of this process of change depend on how systematically the goals of education are pursued: both self-education, which all human beings can strive for throughout their lives, and the education of our children and youth: ‘instilling in our children respect for themselves and others, recognition of the oneness of humanity, appreciation of unity in diversity, and a sense of citizenship in a world community will be the best guarantee of improved protection of human rights in the years to come’.

Subdue the citadels of men’s hearts with the swords of wisdom and of utterance . . . The sword of wisdom is hotter than summer heat, and sharper than blades of steel . . .
Bahá’u’lláh

Contents

• Terrorism: An Escalating Violence
• Introducing Reason into History: Human Rights
• The Bahá’í Faith and Human Rights: An Overview
• The Bahá’í Faith and Human Rights: The Path towards Justice
• The Bahá’í Faith and Human Rights: The Path towards Unity
• The Sword of Wisdom: Creating a Universal Culture of Human Rights
• The Sword of Wisdom: Promoting Development
• The Sword of Wisdom: Eliminating discrimination
• The Sword of Wisdom: Changing the Present World Order

Appendixes

• The International Bill of Human Rights, and other universal instruments
• A Bahá’í Declaration of Human Obligations and Rights (1947)
• Human Rights are God-Given Rights: A Bahá’í Statement on Human Rights (1968) 
• A chronological list of statements by the Bahá’í International Community on the subject is included in the Bibliography.

Pages: 224
Dimensions: 247 x 169 mm. (9.5 x 6.5 in)
Weight: 420 g
ISBN: 978-0853985549