From: Babak.Kashef@canada.sun.com (Babak Kashef - Sun Canada Financial Analyst)
Newsgroups: soc.religion.bahai
Subject: Re: Quotation on equality between and woman
Date: 14 Dec 92 14:22:56 GMT
Article-I.D.: ogicse.47427
Distribution: world
Organization: ----

There are many references by Abdu'l-Baha where he compares humanity to a 
bird with two wings.  Here are just 3 such references.


 "The most momentous question of this day is international peace
  and arbitration, and universal peace is impossible without universal
  suffrage.  Children are educated by the women.  The mother
  bears the troubles and anxieties of rearing the child, undergoes the
  ordeal of its birth and training.  Therefore, it is most difficult for
  mothers to send to the battlefield those upon whom they have
  lavished such love and care.  Consider a son reared and trained
  twenty years by a devoted mother.  What sleepless nights and restless,
  anxious days she has spent!  Having brought him through
  dangers and difficulties to the age of maturity, how agonizing then
  to sacrifice him upon the battlefield!  Therefore, the mothers will
  not sanction war nor be satisfied with it.  So it will come to pass that
  when women participate fully and equally in the affairs of the
  world, when they enter confidently and capably the great arena of
  laws and politics, war will cease; for woman will be the obstacle
  and hindrance to it.  This is true and without doubt.

  (Promulgation, pages 134-135)


 "And among the teachings of His Holiness Baha'u'llah is the
  equality of women and men.  The world of humanity has two wings -
  one is woman and the other man.  Not until both wings are equally
  developed can the bird fly.  Should one wing remain weak, flight is
  impossible.  Not until the world of woman becomes equal to the world
  of man in the acquisition of virtues and perfections, can success and
  prosperity be attained as they ought to be.

  (Foundations of World Unity, pages 29-30)


 "In proclaiming the oneness of mankind He taught that men and
  women are equal in the sight of God and that there is no distinction
  to be made between them.  The only difference between them now
  is due to lack of education and training.  If woman is given equal
  opportunity of education, distinction and estimate of inferiority
  will disappear.  The world of humanity has two wings, as it were:
  One is the female; the other is the male.  If one wing be defective,
  the strong perfect wing will not be capable of flight.  The world of
  humanity has two hands.  If one be imperfect, the capable hand is
  restricted and unable to perform its duties.  God is the Creator of
  mankind.  He has endowed both sexes with perfections and intelligence,
  given them physical members and organs of sense, without
  differentiation or distinction as to superiority; therefore, why
  should woman be considered inferior?  This is not according to the
  plan and justice of God.  He has created them equal; in His estimate
  there is no question of sex.  The one whose heart is purest, whose
  deeds are most perfect, is acceptable to God, male or female.  Often
  in history women have been the pride of humanity - for example,
  Mary, the mother of Jesus.  She was the glory of mankind.  Mary
  Magdalene, Asiyih, daughter of Pharaoh, Sarah, wife of Abraham,
  and innumerable others have glorified the human race by
  their excellences.  In this day there are women among the Baha'is
  who far outshine men.  They are wise, talented, well-informed,
  progressive, most intelligent and the light of men.  They surpass
  men in courage.  When they speak in meetings, the men listen with
  great respect.  Furthermore, the education of women is of greater
  importance than the education of men, for they are the mothers of
  the race, and mothers rear the children.  The first teachers of children
  are the mothers.  Therefore, they must be capably trained in order
  to educate both sons and daughters.  There are many provisions in
  the words of Baha'u'llah in regard to this.
  
  (Promulgation, pages 174-175)

--
Babak.Kashef@canada.sun.com (Babak Kashef - Sun Canada Financial Analyst)