Trustworthiness: do all the things you say you are going to do.

 

233. Trustworthiness: do what you say you are going to do! Trustworthiness is a key requirement in this world if mankind is going to advance any kind of civilization that is more than a step above brute force. We need to be able to rely on one another if we are going to accomplish anything. Trustworthiness is a key factor for advancement of human affairs beyond the most basic human interactions and we find that this is, in fact, reflected in the religions of God:  Babi Religion: “In Him let the trusting trust.” The Bab: (Shoghi Effendi, The Dawn-Breakers, p. 631)  Judaism: Deuteronomy 23:23 “That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt keep and perform;” Numbers 32:24 “do that which hath proceeded out of your mouth.” Proverbs 24:28 “Deceive not with thy lips.”  Christianity: John 10:37 “If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.” 1 John 1:6 “If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:”

BAHA’I FAITH: “Cling ye to the hem of virtue, and hold fast to the cord of trustworthiness and piety. Concern yourselves with the things that benefit mankind, and not with your corrupt and selfish desires.”

(Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 29)

 CHRISTIANITY: 1 Timothy 2:2 “…..lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.” Titus 2:10 “Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.”

BAHA’I FAITH: “O people of God! Adorn your temples with the adornment of trustworthiness and piety.”

(Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 135)

 CHRISTIANITY: James 2:12 “So speak ye, and so do,” James 3:14 “But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.”

BAHA’I FAITH: “When we speak let our speech be an outward evidence of the inner light, for we must speak the truth, otherwise we shall not act wisely.”

(Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, Divine Philosophy, p. 103)

 JUDAISM: Leviticus 19:11 “Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another.”  Christianity: Colossians 3:9 “Lie not one to another…..”

BAHA’I FAITH: “O people of Baha! Trustworthiness is in truth the best of vestures for your temples and the most glorious crown for your heads. Take ye fast hold of it at the behest of Him Who is the Ordainer, the All-Informed.”

(Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, Tablets of Baha’u’llah, p. 37)

 BABI RELIGION: “Bahá’u’lláh, reaffirmed and instilled afresh into the corporate life of the community, and into the souls of the individuals who comprised it. The dissociation of the Bábí Faith from every form of political activity and from all secret associations and factions; the emphasis placed on the principle of non-violence; the necessity of strict obedience to established authority; the ban imposed on all forms of sedition, on back-biting, retaliation, and dispute; the stress laid on godliness, kindliness, humility and piety, on honesty and truthfulness, chastity and fidelity, on justice, toleration, sociability, amity and concord, on the acquisition of arts and sciences, on self-sacrifice and detachment, on patience, steadfastness and resignation to the will of God — all these constitute the salient features of a code of ethical conduct to which the books, treatises and epistles, revealed during those years, by the indefatigable pen of Bahá’u’lláh, unmistakably bear witness.”

(Babi principles reiterated by Baha’u’llah – Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By, p. 132)

 Babi Religion: “Thou art faithful to Thy promise,” be trustworthy, do what you say you are going to do.

 (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 209)

 ISLAM: Letter 53. “Breaking one’s promises is disliked both by Allah (God) and by man. The Merciful Allah says, ‘It is most hateful in the sight of Allah, to say something and not to practice it.”’

(Islam, Ali b. Abi Taalib, Letters from Nahjul Balaagh)

Islam: 44. “Do ye enjoin right conduct on the people, and forget (to practice it) yourselves, and yet ye study the Scripture? Will ye not understand?”

(The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah   2)

Islam: 119. “O ye who believe! fear Allah and be with those who are true (in word and deed).”

(The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah   9)

Islam: 2. “O ye who believe! why say ye that which ye do not? Grievously odious is it in the sight of Allah that ye say that which ye do not.”

(The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah  61)

  ZOROASTRIANISM: 4. “To him who is compassionate, who, through the knowledge of and the trustworthiness with regard to, the Religion, innate wisdom and wisdom acquired through the ears, and the instruction of, and guidance for all who are, were, and will be, so that the soul at the Chinwad bridge may be released from hell, and may cause them to pass over the Best Existence of the holy, the bright sweet-smelling, and all-beneficent.”

(The Zend-Avesta, Khorda Avesta – Book of Common Prayer pt. 1)

 Zoroastrianism: “Conduct is a language that seldom lies. One’s faith is bound to be reflected in his conduct. If one’s conduct is to be right, he should have right faith. A man is as good as his faith.” (ZOROASTER, Hymns of Atharvan p. 155)

 Zoroastrianism: “It is the practice of religion and not its mere profession that can save a man. How is it that those who prescribe the rules of purity do not themselves practice them?” (ZOROASTER, Hymns of Atharvan p. 305 and 306)

 Zoroastrianism: Denkard. Zoroaster, “The greatness of the Iranians (i.e. the Mazdayasnians) is owing to truthfulness (trustworthiness) in all matters.”

 HINDUISM: 2.36 “When one is firmly established in speaking truth, the fruits of action become subservient to him.” 2.37 “All jewels approach him who is confirmed in honesty.”

(Hindu, The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali)

 Hinduism: 11. “Let him never, for the sake of subsistence, follow the ways of the world; let him live the pure, straightforward, honest life,” in all trustworthiness.

(Hindu, Laws of Manu chapter 4)

 Hinduism: 256. “All things (have their nature) determined by speech; speech is their root, and from speech they proceed; but he who is dishonest with respect to speech, is dishonest (not trustworthy) in everything.”

(Hindu, Laws of Manu chapter 4)

 BUDDHISM: 4. “Like a fine flower, beautiful to look at but without scent, fine words are fruitless in a man who does not act in accordance with them.” But “Like a fine flower, beautiful to look at and scented too, fine words bear fruit in a man who acts well in accordance with them.”

(Buddhist, Dhammapada – Sayings of the Buddha 1 (tr. J. Richards))

 Buddhism: 12. “As he instructs others He should himself act. Himself fully controlled, He should control others. Difficult indeed is to control oneself.”

(Buddhist, Dhammapada – Sayings of the Buddha 3 (tr. J. Richards))

 SABEANISM: “I strive with a pious and believing heart for the love of precious Truth (and) perform the works Of right-dealing (trustworthy) Man.” “For my heart hath testified to The First Life (God).” “Behold me, who have sought purification before Thee! Look on me, my deeds, I am Thy servant and Thy child. Now I humble myself… to Thy name, for I have been true to thy name, and speak (it) in my heart and talk (of it) in my mind. And I subdue my form and my loins,” I stay away from love of self and pride. “I shall be pure in all my words (thoughts); and life.” (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapters 1, 77, 92 and 410)

 BABI RELIGION: “These ethics taught by a young man (The Bab) at an age when passions were intense, deeply impressed an audience, religious to the point of fanaticism, above all when the words of the preacher were in perfect harmony with his conduct. By the uprightness of his life the young Siyyid served as an example to those about him.”

The Bab: (Shoghi Effendi, The Dawn-Breakers, p. 158)

 Babi Religion: “He characterized as an emphasis on compassion, mercy, association with all peoples, trustworthiness towards all men, and the unification of mankind.”

(Peter Smith, The Babi & Baha’i Religions, p. 82)

BAHA’I FAITH: “The fourth Taraz concerneth trustworthiness. Verily it is the door of security for all that dwell on earth and a token of glory on the part of the All-Merciful. He who partaketh thereof hath indeed partaken of the treasures of wealth and prosperity. Trustworthiness is the greatest portal leading unto the tranquility and security of the people. In truth the stability of every affair hath depended and doth depend upon it. All the domains of power, of grandeur and of wealth are illumined by its light.”

(Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, Tablets of Baha’u’llah, p. 37)