All things made new

Mr. Lample writes:

"Achieving Bahá’u’lláh’s intended purpose for the human race requires new morals, new ways of generating knowledge, new ways of communicating, new ways of acting, and new institutions."

I'm imagining humankind in the middle of a transformation like a caterpillar transforming into a butterfly. Two of my thoughts about how we will learn to be all we can be together are by people seeing the possibilities and pursuing them, and by people learning to follow Baha'u'llah. One way I think of following Baha'u'llah is learning to understand and serve His purposes, in accordance with His prescriptions. Another way I think of following Baha'u'llah is by serving as His apprentice.

I see clearly the idea of new morals. I see in Baha'u'llah's writings a standard of right and wrong, and a code of conduct, different from any that are currently popular in any part of society.

It's a new idea to me to think of knowledge as being "generated." I'm used to thinking of it as acquired or learned. Now that I think of it, I can see it being generated in the processes of investigation. I can see how following Baha'u'llah calls for new ways of generating knowledge. I'd also like to see people learning new ways of looking at knowledge and using it.

I don't remember thinking in terms of "new ways of communicating" before. One idea that comes to mind is Baha'u'llah's prescriptions for consultation and for promoting our ideas.

I see clearly the idea of new ways of acting. That's one of my favorite subjects.

I see clearly the idea of new institutions. I've thought of consultation as ways of using the energy generated between polarities in ideas and interests, comparing it to electrical energy. I think of the energy released violently in lightening being tamed in the form of electrical and electronic devices. I think of the energy released violently between conflicting political interests being tamed in the form of the new institutions.

I've been thinking for some time that we all have a responsibility to investigate for ourselves the possibilities in Baha'u'llah's revelation, and to practice and promote the ideas that come out of that investigation, however unpopular they may be. As I see it, that responsibility is inseparable from the responsibility to learn to investigate, and to practice and promote our ideas, in ways that accord with Baha'u'llah's purposes and prescriptions. That includes his purposes and prescriptions for institutions. I can see that leading to new ways of generating knowledge, new ways of communicating, and new ways of acting.