Marriage
A Bahá'í (c.t.c.) perspective
(…. or at least, Paolo & Velda Morisco’s understanding of the whole thing….)
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Why marriage
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Know thou that the command of
marriage is eternal. It will never be
changed nor altered. This is divine
creation and there is not the slightest
possibility that change or alteration
affect this divine creation
(Abdu'l-Baha, Tablets of Abdu'lBaha v2, p. 474)
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God’s law
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They whom God hath endued with insight will
readily recognize that the precepts laid down by
God constitute the highest means for the
maintenance of order in the world and the security
of its peoples. He that turneth away from them is
accounted among the abject and foolish….
…. Know assuredly that My commandments are the
lamps of My loving providence among My servants,
and the keys of My mercy for My creatures….
…. Think not that We have revealed unto you a
mere code of laws….
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(Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 19-20)
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What’s marriage
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…. in this Day, they (monks and priests)
must abandon solitude for open places, and
engage in that which may profit both
themselves and other men. We have
conferred permission on them all to engage
in matrimony, so that there may be issue
from them to celebrate the praise of God,
the Lord of the seen and unseen and the
Lord of the lofty throne.
(Baha’u’llah, Compilations p. 142)
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Love vs infatuation
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When you love a member of your
family or a compatriot, let it be with a
ray of the Infinite Love! Let it be in
God, and for God!
(Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 37)
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Love!!!
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The bond that unites hearts most perfectly
is loyalty. True lovers once united must
show forth the utmost faithfulness one to
another.
You must dedicate your knowledge, your
talents, your fortunes, your titles, your
bodies and your spirits to God, to
Baha'u'llah and to each other. Let your
hearts be spacious, as spacious as the
universe of God!
– Attributed to ‘Abdul-Baha’
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Marriage and love
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No mortal can conceive the union and
harmony which God has destined for man
and wife. Nourish continually the tree of
your union with love and affection, so that it
will remain ever green and verdant
throughout all seasons and bring forth
luscious fruits for the healing of nations.
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Attributed to Abdul-Baha’
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Sex and marriage
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O people of the earth! A solitary life and
severe discipline do not meet God's
approval. The possessors of perception and
knowledge should look unto the means
which are conducive to joy and fragrance.
…. Deprive not yourselves of that which is
created for you.
(Compilations, Baha'i World Faith, p. 184)
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Sex and marriage II
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We are not ascetics in any sense of the word. On the
contrary, Bahá'u'lláh says God has created all the good things
in the world for us to enjoy and partake. But we must not
become attached to them and put them before the spiritual
things. Chastity in the strict sense means not to have sexual
intercourse, or sexual intimacies, before marriage. In the
general sense it means not to be licentious.
This does not mean we Bahá'ís believe sexual relations to be
impure or wrong. On the contrary they are natural and should
be considered one of God's many blessings
(Shoghi Effendi, The Light of Divine Guidance v II, p. 69)
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Marriage and consultation
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Allow no trace of jealousy to creep between you,
for jealousy, like unto poison, vitiates the very
essence of love. Let not the ephemeral incidents
and accidents of this changeful life cause a rift
between you. When differences present
themselves, take counsel together in secret, lest
others magnify a speck into a mountain. Harbour
not in your hearts any grievance; but rather explain
its nature to each other with such frankness and
understanding that it will disappear, leaving no
remembrance. Choose fellowship and amity and
turn away from jealousy and hypocrisy.
– Attributed to ‘Abdul-Baha’
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Marriage and equality
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The Lord, peerless is He, hath made
woman and man to abide with each
other in the closest companionship,
and to be even as a single soul. They
are two helpmates, two intimate
friends, who should be concerned
about the welfare of each other.
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‘Abdul-Baha’
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Domestic violence
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The friends of God must be adorned
with the ornament of justice, equity,
kindness and love. As they do not
allow themselves to be the object of
cruelty and transgression, in like
manner they should not allow such
tyranny to visit the handmaidens of
God.
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Bahá'u'lláh
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Marriage and family
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It hath been laid down in the Bayán that marriage is
dependent upon the consent of both parties. Desiring to
establish love, unity and harmony amidst Our servants, We
have conditioned it, once the couple's wish is known, upon
the permission of their parents, lest enmity and rancour
should arise amongst them.
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Bahá'u'lláh, Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 42
As to the question of marriage, according to the law of God:
First you must select one, and then it depends on the consent
of the father and mother. Before your selection they have no
right of interference.
 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Japan Will Turn Ablaze, p. 23
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Marriage and friends
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O beloved of God, may your home be
a vision of the paradise of Abha so
that whosoever enters there may feel
the essence of purity and harmony,
and cry out from the heart: "Here is
the home of love! Here is the palace of
love! Here is the nest of love! Here is
the garden of love!“
– Attributed to ‘Abdul-Baha’
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Marriage and children
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And when God gives you sweet and
lovely children, consecrate yourselves
to their instruction and guidance, so
that they may become imperishable
flowers of the divine rose-garden,
nightingales of the ideal paradise,
servants of the world of humanity, and
the fruit of the tree of your life.
– Attributed to ‘Abdul-Baha’
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Marrying whom?
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All are equal. If you have any
influence to get the races to
intermarry, it will be very valuable.
Such unions will beget very strong and
beautiful children.
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‘Abdul-Baha’
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Marrying when?
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There is nothing more beautiful than
to have young Bahá'ís marry and
found truly Bahá'í homes, the type
Bahá'u'lláh wishes them to be ...."
(Compilations, Lights of Guidance,
p. 220)
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Marrying how?
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As you know there is no ritual, according to the
Aqdas, and the Guardian is very anxious that none
should be introduced at present and no general
forms accepted. He believes this ceremony should
be as simple as possible, the parties using the
words ordained by Bahá'u'lláh, and excerpts from
the Writings and Prayers being read if desired.
There should be no commingling of the old forms
with the new and simple one of Bahá'u'lláh
(Compilations, Lights of Guidance, p. 389)
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Marriage, service and work
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Every Bahá'í has the duty to acquire a trade
or profession through which he will earn
that wherewith he can support himself and
his family; in the choice of such work he can
seek those activities which are of benefit to
his fellow-men and not merely those which
promote his personal interests, still less
those whose effects are actually harmful.
(Compilations, Lights of Guidance, p.
122)
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Marriage and the 4 core
activities
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Compare the nations of the world to the members
of a family. A family is a nation in miniature. Simply
enlarge the circle of the household and you have
the nation. Enlarge the circle of nations and you
have all humanity.
(Abdu'l-Baha, Foundations of World Unity, p. 100)
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Dear Friends: That the forces of disintegration are
gaining in range and power cannot be ignored….
“There is no time to lose”… “to try, to persevere, is
to insure ultimate and complete victory….”
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The Universal House of Justice, Ridvan Message 2006
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The end!!
Q
& A session…
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