Meeting of the Parliament

Meeting date: Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Official Report 807KB pdf

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Time for Reflection

Good afternoon. The first item of business this afternoon is time for reflection. Our time for reflection leader today is Dr Maureen Sier, vice chair of the Baha’i Council for Scotland.

Good afternoon, Presiding Officer, ladies and gentlemen. Tomorrow will be America’s traditional thanksgiving day. Thanksgiving has been an annual tradition in the United States since 1863 and was, historically, a religious observation to give thanks to God. The event that Americans call the first thanksgiving was celebrated to give thanks that the pilgrims of Plymouth Colony had survived their first brutal winter in New England. The feast lasted three days and provided enough food for 53 pilgrims and 90 native Americans.

All of us have something in life that we are thankful for—it might be our friends, families, health, abilities or whatever lights up our lives and gives us joy. The expressing of gratitude in our busy lives is often forgotten, so today I am delighted to give thanks publicly for two interrelated things that have had the deepest impact on my soul. The first is the spiritual nourishment, sense of purpose and loving community that my religion, the Baha’i faith, has given me, and the second is the fulfilment that my work in the field of inter-faith relations has provided.

I mentioned that those two things are interrelated: they are very much so. The founder of the Baha’i faith, Baha’u’llah, taught over 150 years ago that all the major world religions provide spiritual guidance to humanity. He stated that

“the peoples of the world, of whatever race or religion, derive their inspiration from one heavenly Source, and are the subjects of one God.”

My work in inter-faith relations has demonstrated that that is the case. The religious traditions of the world are indeed humanity’s great spiritual legacy.

There is another way in which my religion and my work interconnect—both focus their energies on community building. In dozens of communities in Scotland, Baha’is and their friends have set in motion neighbourhood-level processes that empower individuals of all ages to develop their spiritual capacities and to channel their energies towards the betterment of their communities. Inter-faith groups across Scotland are also bringing communities together to learn from each other and to engage in collective acts of service. Both see grass-roots engagement as being essential for creating safe and vibrant communities.

This Sunday is the start of Scottish inter-faith week. It is a week when all over Scotland, communities, including the Baha’i community, will be engaged in inter-faith dialogue. It is a week when Scotland gives thanks for its rich religious heritage, gives thanks for the freedom of belief allowed in this country, and gives thanks for the diverse communities that make Scotland a wonderful place to live. Thank you.