Attachment to the lantern
Attachment to the lantern is not loving the light.
~ Abdu’l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 151
Some of the most poignant Baha’i quotations are the shortest as well. This one always reminds me that we should not pay so much attention to the rituals or even the founding prophet of any religion, but instead listen to the message that particular manifestation of God was telling to the world. Too often I have seen people miss that entirely and insist on strict adherence to religious practices that were invented long after the prophet and moved on to another world. There sometimes is an insistence that being faithful is only about how we wash our hands, what we eat for dinner on Friday night, when we can drive, or what color clothing we should wear. Alas, this is but mimicry of loving others and following in the path of God.