If we measure our progress by the decline in the popular adoption of racial and national supremacy dogmas, we have advanced. If the measure of our progress is the statistical decline in global armed conflict we have matured. And this was only the first pass another 50 – 80 million perished in World War II. In August 1914 the world went ablaze in the disastrous consequences of the fallacious notions of national supremacy – World War I killed 9.7 million soldiers and 6.8 million civilians. We have made extraordinary progress over the past one hundred years however it has come at a high cost of human suffering. Humanity has come a long way since our creation, evolving through multiple stages of growth and development.Ĭonsider the emerging consciousness of the oneness of humanity.
What does this prove? Well, from one perspective, we can see that gradually, painfully, through the fiery crucible of trial and error, individuals and societies do evolve, both physically and spiritually. Scientists have conclusively shown that our ancestors-the mothers of the entire human race-were Africans.
If we believe in science-and the Baha’i teachings do say that science and religion agree-then we know that the oldest human fossils have been found in the Rift Valley in Africa and the oldest mitochondrial DNA in our human genetic code can be traced back to a small group of African women. Lucy, the oldest human fossil was found in AfricaĪdam and Eve’s creation story traces that struggle. Being good and developing a sterling character, Adam and Eve learn, will require the pain of awareness and struggle. In the Torah, God says to Eve, “I will make your pains in childbearing very severe with painful labor you will give birth to children.” This allegory shows us that virtues gestate and evolve through the painstaking process of learning. The serpent stands for the promptings of self. So symbolically, the Garden of Eden represents the matrix of human potential. Reflecting on the parable of Adam and Eve gives us insight into the primordial heart’s struggle–subordinating the insistent self to the light of divine guidance. Knowledge delivers man from the womb of ignorant bliss into the rigor of life’s responsibilities and consequences. Baha’is see the creation story in the Torah as allegorical and symbolic, not literal-but if it were literal, would Adam and Eve have come from Africa? In Genesis, the story of Adam and Eve stands for the human struggle to conceive virtue from the fruit of knowing right from wrong.