John Huddleston was born in England. He has spent most of his career as a staff member of the International Monetary Fund, holding senior positions including chief of the budget and planning division and assistant director in the office of the managing director. He has been a Baha'i for more than thirty years. He has published more than twenty articles on public affairs, and three other books: Standing Up for Humanity, The Search for a Just Society and Achieving Peace by the Year 2000.
He is married and has two grown children and is a UK citizen. With his wife he has travelled to more than eighty countries, giving public talks, interviews with the media and meeting with senior government officials and businessmen.
This fifth edition differs from the fourth mainly in the first chapter which has been largely rewritten and expanded to take account of the post "Cold War" world and present trends towards globalisation. In other chapters information on the Baha'i Faith has been updated.
A word should be added on "political correctness". For those for whom this is important an apology is offered on account of use of masculine terms on occasions where the reference is to both sexes. An attempt at systematic use of inclusive or neutral terminology was abandoned after it was found, as is often the case, to be excessively clumsy and inelegant. It is hoped, nevertheless, that the substance of the text makes it clear that equality of the sexes is a fundamental principle of the Baha'i Faith and a strong belief of the author.
The purpose of this book is to show how the Baha'i Faith meets the needs of humanity today, and how it is building up what is believed will be a new world-wide civilization in which all peoples can live together in justice, harmony, and peace. The emphasis is on the practical means to this end as well as on the dream.
Many, concerned about the condition of society and about the sense of unfulfilment in their personal lives, automatically assume that they will not find an answer in religion. Past experience has left a negative impression of superstition and escapism. This book is primarily addressed to those who have this point of view.
As such it includes responses to basic questions that might well be asked. Does religion have relevance in the modern world? If so why is a new religion needed? And if it is, is the Baha'i Faith that religion?
What is asked of such readers is that they have an open mind. It is healthy to approach new ideas with scepticism. However, there is a need to guard against scepticism being confused with prejudice, and against it degenerating into an anti-life cynicism.
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