…we wish to address a few words to parents, who bear the
primary responsibility for the upbringing of their children. We appeal to them
to give constant attention to the spiritual education of their children. Some
parents appear to think that this is the exclusive responsibility of the
community; others believe that in order to preserve the independence of
children to investigate truth, the Faith should not be taught to them. Still
others feel inadequate to take on such a task. None of this is correct. The beloved
Master has said that “it is enjoined upon the father and mother, as a duty, to
strive with all effort to train the daughter and the son,” adding that, “should
they neglect this matter, they shall be held responsible and worthy of reproach
in the presence of the stern Lord.” Independent of the level of their
education, parents are in a critical position to shape the spiritual
development of their children. They should not ever underestimate their
capacity to mold their children’s moral character. For they exercise
indispensable influence through the home environment they consciously create by
their love of God, their striving to adhere to His laws, their spirit of
service to His Cause, their lack of fanaticism, and their freedom from the
corrosive effects of backbiting. Every parent who is a believer in the Blessed
Beauty has the responsibility to conduct herself or himself in such a way as to
elicit the spontaneous obedience to parents to which the Teachings attach so
high a value.
- The Universal House of Justice (Ridvan 2000 message)
