Life's purpose revolves around amassing wealth?
In the pursuit of a fulfilling life, the balance between material success and spiritual growth is a crucial factor that often goes unnoticed. According to Baha'i teachings, serving humanity is one of the primary purposes of human existence, alongside knowing and worshipping God.
At the individual level, excessive materialism can lead to emotional turmoil. The constant pursuit of wealth, fame, and social media popularity often results in envy, resentment, and negativity. These feelings stem from the inability of material possessions and status to satisfy deeper spiritual or emotional longings, leading to chronic dissatisfaction and potential harm to physical health through stress-related manifestations. Social media platforms promote constant comparison, identity volatility, and discourage authenticity, increasing anxiety, loneliness, and confusion about self-worth.
Within families, prioritizing materialism can weaken spiritual leadership and moral guidance. Neglecting prayer, scripture study, or godly decision-making in favour of worldly interests can undermine family cohesion and spiritual maturity. Materialism may also exacerbate issues like lust and resentment, damaging marriages and parent-child relationships.
On a community level, the emphasis on material wealth and social media-driven identity compromises traditional anchors such as family, religion, and civic duty. These are crucial for stable social bonds and trust. When people engage more as performers seeking approval rather than genuine participants, social trust and cooperation erode, potentially reducing collective well-being and cultural generativity.
The Baha'i teachings present a different perspective on success. A person is considered successful if they spend their days fulfilling their purpose by serving human society in any way they can, regardless of recognition or wealth. Success is not solely associated with luxury, honors, and fame, but with advancing civilization and the arts of life. Wealth is praiseworthy if acquired through one's own efforts and the grace of God, and dedicated to altruistic purposes.
True and lasting happiness is achieved spiritually through participation in spiritual activities such as prayer, serving others, and improving spiritual qualities. Happiness is defined as being of two kinds: physical and spiritual. Spiritual happiness is eternal and boundless, and appears in the soul with the love of God.
The author acknowledges their own struggles with attachment to money, fame, and material results, and encourages others to prioritize service and spiritual life as a means of change and fulfillment. Baha'i teachings advise against worrying about poverty or trusting in wealth, but value being poor in everything except God, as it leads to richness in God. Pursuing material things often leaves people disappointed, as they seek temporary happiness through possessions and fame.
In conclusion, prioritizing material success over spiritual growth often results in emotional and relational impoverishment, weakened family structures, and fragmented communities that lack trust and authentic connection. The Baha'i teachings offer a renewed vision for human happiness, emphasizing the necessity of spirituality for feeling truly fulfilled in life, and this joy lasts forever and exists beyond this world. By shifting our focus from material success to spiritual growth, we can establish new bases for human happiness and promote renewed instruments for this purpose.
References:
- Bahai Library Online
- Journal of Beliefs and Values
- Journal of Psychology and Theology
- Bahai Library Online
- Journal of Religion and Health
- In the journey towards personal fulfillment, it's essential to balance financial management, such as personal-finance strategies, with wealth-management practices that foster spiritual growth and personal-growth, as illustrated in the Baha'i teachings.
- To strengthen and enrich family life, shifting the focus from material pursuits to education and self-development, and nurturing spiritual growth, can help foster a deeper sense of unity, moral guidance, and spiritual maturity within families.
- For community prosperity, it's crucial to embrace the Baha'i vision of success, promoting collaboration and service to humanity, rather than relying solely on material wealth and social media identity, to build stable social bonds, trust, and a collective well-being that encourages cultural generativity.
