"The cardinal principle which we must follow ... is obedience to the
government prevailing in any land in which we reside....
"We see therefore that we must do two things--Shun politics like the
plague, and be obedient to the Government in power in the place where we
reside... We must obey in all cases except where a spiritual principle is
involved, such as denying our Faith. For these spiritual principles we
must be willing to die. What we Baha'is must face is the fact that society
is disintegrating so rapidly that moral issues which were clear a half
century ago are now hopelessly confused and what is more, thoroughly mixed
up with battling political interests. That is why the Baha'is must turn
all their forces into the channel of building up the Baha'i Cause and its
Administration. They can neither change nor help the world in any other
way at present. If they become involved in the issues the Governments of
the world are struggling over, they will be lost. But if they build up the
Baha'i pattern they can offer it as a remedy when all else has failed."