Fanaticism is “destructive of the basis of humanity”

Among the teachings of Baha'u'llah is one relative to the abolition of fanaticism that is based upon ignorance. Such fanaticism is destructive of the basis of humanity; it is a veil obscuring man's vision and preventing him from seeing reality aright, hindering him from seeking the spiritual development to which he should aspire and thereby attaining to the sublime virtues characterizing perfect manhood. The veils of such prejudice must be rent asunder in order that the light of reality may shine forth gloriously. So long as the world of humanity continues to be controlled by baseless prejudice it day by day becomes more degraded, more steeped in ignorance, until at last the human eye becomes as blind, the human ear as deaf, the human spirit as dead, and man becomes bereft of all the favors. But if this veil of prejudice and fanaticism should be rent asunder, then the light of reality would become effulgent. The light of reality is one, and it is the foundation of all the divine religions. (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, excerpt from a Talk at Theosophical Society, San Francisco, October 11, 1912; Unpublished Manuscript by Ella Cooper) (To read the entire talk please visit Talks of ‘Abdu’l-Baha)