It is a great mistake to believe that because people are
illiterate or live primitive lives, they are lacking in either intelligence or
sensibility. On the contrary, they may well look on us, with the evils of our
civilization, with its moral corruption, its ruinous wars, its hypocrisy and
conceit, as people who merit watching with both suspicion and contempt. We should
meet them as equals, well-wishers, people who admire and respect their ancient
descent, and who feel that they will be interested, as we are, in a living
religion and not in the dead forms of present-day churches.
- Shoghi Effendi (From a letter
dated 21 September 1951 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to the Comite
Nacional de Ensenanza Bahai pare los Indigenas; The Compilation of
Compilations, vol. II, Teaching Among Aboriginal and Indigenous People)
