About the Bahá'í Principles
About the Bahá'í Principles

The Oneness of MankindUniversal PeaceIndependent Investigation of TruthThe Common Foundation of All ReligionsThe Essential Harmony of Science and ReligionThe Equality of Women and MenElimination of Prejudice of All KindsUniversal Compulsory EducationA Spiritual Solution to Economic ProblemsA Universal Auxiliary LanguageAbout the Bahá'í PrinciplesVideo Content

A Prayer from the Baha'i Writings A Meditation from the Baha'i Writings
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Principles of the Teaching of Bahá'u'lláh:
The Acceptance of the Relation
Between Religion and Science

Every religion which is not in accordance with established science is superstition. Religion must be reasonable. If it does not square with reason, it is superstition and without foundation. It is like a mirage, which deceives man by leading him to think it is a body of water. God has endowed man with reason that he may perceive what is true. If we insist that such and such a subject is not to be reasoned out and tested according to the established logical modes of the intellect, what is the use of the reason which God has given man? The eye is the organ of sense by which we view the world of outer phenomena; hearing is the faculty for distinguishing sounds; taste senses the properties of objects, such as bitter, sweet; smell detects and differentiates odors; touch reveals attributes of matter and perfects our communication with the outer world; yet after all, the circle and range of perception by the five senses is exceedingly limited.

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The Shrine of the Báb, Bahá'í World Centre, Mt. Carmel, Haifa, Israel.
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But the intellectual faculty of man is unlimited in its sphere of action. The eye views details perhaps a mile, but the intellect can perceive the far East and West. The ear may hear tone modulations at one thousand feet, but the mind of man can detect the harmonies of the heavenly spheres as they swing in their courses. Mind makes geological discoveries in subterranean depths and determines the processes of creation in the earth's lowest strata. The sciences and arts, all inventions, crafts, trades and their products have come forth from the intellect of man. It is evident that within the human organism the intellect occupies the supreme station. Therefore, if religious belief, principle or creed is not in accordance with the intellect and the power of reason, it is surely superstition.

('Abdu'l-Bahá: The Promulgation of Universal Peace, Pages: 63-64)

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View a larger picture. SAN DIEGO, United States — The 32nd annual conference of the North American Association for Baha’i Studies drew some 1,400 people from 23 countries - the largest-ever representation from outside the United States and Canada.

The gathering, held this year in San Diego, had as its theme “Religion and Social Cohesion.” The four-day conference concluded on 1 September.

The presenter of the 26th Hasan M. Balyuzi Memorial Lecture was Hushmand Fatheazam, former member of the Universal House of Justice, who offered “Some Observations on the Scope and Value of Baha’i Scholarship.”

The speaker for the opening plenary was Paul Lample, member of the Universal House of Justice, who spoke on “Learning and the Unfoldment of the Baha’i Community.”

In the past decade, Baha’is around the world have focused on how to develop a “culture of learning,” a concept that was central to Mr. Lample’s talk.

“The culture of learning that is emerging is characterized by dialogue rather than debate, by constructive experience at the grassroots level rather than elaborate planning from the top, by systematization rather than freneticism, by reflective refinement rather than derogatory criticism,” he said.

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