The time has come for the Baha'i community to become more
involved in the life of the society around it, without in the least supporting
any of the world's moribund and divisive concepts, or slackening its direct teaching
efforts, but rather, by association, exerting its influence towards unity,
demonstrating its ability to settle differences by consultation rather than by
confrontation, violence or schism, and declaring its faith in the divine
purpose of human existence.
- The Universal House of Justice (Ridvan 1985;
‘Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1963-1986’)