motion of Baha'i scholarship, so that an
increasing number of believers will be able to analyse the problems of
mankind in every field and to show how the Teachings solve them. A fifth
is the development of relations between the Baha'i International Community
and the United Nations both directly with the highest UN institutions and
at a grass-roots level in areas of rural development, education, etc.

As you are no doubt aware, the Guardian indicated that the development of
mankind from its present chaotic condition to the stage of the Baha'i
World Commonwealth would be a long and gradual one. The coming into
existence of a World Authority and the initiation of the Lesser Peace, is
one major transformation in this process, and will be followed by other
stages of the development of the Faith as outlined by Shoghi Effendi in
his writings. Undoubtedly, as these developments are taking place, the
counsel the institutions of the Faith can give to governments, the pattern
of world administration offered by the Baha'i community and the great
humanitarian projects which will be launched under the aegis of the
Universal House of Justice, will exercise a great influence on the course
of progress.

(19 January 1983 to an individual believer) [74]

75: It is true that Baha'is are not pacifists since we uphold the use of
force in...

It is true that Baha'is are not pacifists since we uphold the use of force
in the service of justice and upholding law. But we do not believe that
war is ever necessary and its abolition is one of the essential purposes
and brightest promises of Baha'u'llah's revelation. His specific command
to the kings of the earth is: "Should any one among you take up arms
against another, rise ye all against him, for this is naught but manifest
justice." (Tablet to Queen Victoria, "The Proclamation of Baha'u'llah", p.
13) The beloved Guardian has explained that the unity of mankind implies
the establishment of a world commonwealth, a world federal system,
"...liberated from the curse of war and its miseries in which Force is
made the servant of Justice..." whose world executive "backed by an
international Force,...will safeguard the organic unity of the whole
commonwealth." This is obviously not war but the maintenance of law and
order on a world scale. Warfare is the ultimate tragedy of disunity among
nations where no international authority exists powerful enough to
restrain them from pursuing their own