He would not recommend fiction as a
means of teaching; the condition of the world is too acute to permit of delay
in giving them the direct teachings, associated with the name of Baha'u'llah.
But any suitable approach to the Faith, which appeals to this or that group, is
certainly worthy of effort, as we wish to bring the Cause to all men, in all
walks of life, of all mentalities. [1]
(From a letter dated 23 March 1945written
on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer; compilation on ‘Extracts
from the Baha'i Writings on the Subject of Writers and Writing’ prepared by the
Research Department of the Universal House of Justice, July 1980)
[1] This advice was given to a believer
who sought the counsel of the Guardian on ways one might use writing skills to
teach the Faith. The believer proposed writing a novel in which the Baha'i
teachings and their source would be presented indirectly and in such a way as
to stimulate curiosity and search by the reader.