It should be pointed out, however, that the Teachings state that the soul appears at conception, and that therefore it would be improper to use a method, the effect of which would be to produce an abortion after the conception has taken place.
- The Universal House of Justice (From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice, dated November 29, 1976, to a Local Spiritual Assembly; compilation: ‘Developing Distinctive Baha’i Communities’, prepared by NSA of USA, 1998 edition)
Abortion and surgical operations for the purpose of preventing the birth of unwanted children are forbidden in the Cause unless there are circumstances which justify such actions on medical grounds, in which case the decision, at present, is left to the consciences of those concerned who must carefully weigh the medical advice in the light of the general guidance given in the Teachings.
- The Universal House of Justice (From alLetter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice, dated November 29, 1976, to a Local Spiritual Assembly; compilation: ‘Developing Distinctive Baha’i Communities’, prepared by NSA of USA, 1998 edition)
The Universal House of Justice has received your letter of 11 October 1976 inquiring whether children placed in the home of Bahá'ís for temporary or prolonged care are permitted to attend Bahá'í functions, and we have been asked to inform you that such children may be permitted to attend the Nineteen Day Feasts and other Bahá'í functions, and that no distinction should be made between them and the children of Bahá'ís in this regard.
The Universal House of Justice (From a letter dated 31 October 1976 written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to a Bahá'í group; The Compilation of Compilations, vol. I, The Nineteen Day Feast)
The beloved Guardian's message of October 1957 clearly indicates that the two Auxiliary Boards must have distinct but complementary functions. In that message he charges the Protection Board with 'the specific duty of watching over the security of the Faith' and says that the duty of the Propagation Board would 'henceforth be exclusively concerned with assisting the prosecution of the Ten- Year Plan.'
It must also be borne in mind that these twin agencies derive their complementary functions from one and the same source, are interrelated, and their members act as 'deputies', 'assistants' and 'advisers' of the Hands of the Cause of God, and, now, the Continental Boards of Counsellors. It is further clear that Shoghi Effendi was reluctant to specify in too great detail matters related to the functioning of the Auxiliary Boards, preferring to leave such things to be worked out in the light of experience.
- The Universal House of Justice (From a letter to the International Teaching Centre, October 10, 1976; compilation: ‘Lights of Guidance’)