Location
Responding to the trauma caused by racism in our society, the Baha'is of Fairfax County held a "round table" discussion about how we can create race unity in America at Fairfax County's George Mason Regional Public Library on Little River Turnpike on July 23, 2016. In our consultation we considered the ways that racism impacts our society as well as steps that we can take to create unity and justice for all humanity. Baha'u'llah says:
"The betterment of the world can be accomplished through pure and goodly deeds, through commendable and seemly conduct."
Our purpose, then, is to take steps consisting of pure and goodly deeds so that race unity can be established in our society. Some of the quotes that we used to focus our thoughts (because our thoughts become our reality) included the following:
Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
(King James Bible, Matthew 4:43-44)
Know ye not why We created you all from the same dust? That no one should exalt himself over the other. Ponder at all times in your hearts how ye were created. Since We have created you all from one same substance it is incumbent on you to be even as one soul, to walk with the same feet, eat with the same mouth and dwell in the same land, that from your inmost being, by your deeds and actions, the signs of oneness and the essence of detachment may be made manifest.
(Baha'u'llah, The Arabic Hidden Words)