“To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven,” begins the first verse of Ecclesiastes, Chapter 3 in the Holy Bible.
“A time to be born and a time to die”– which we are made poignantly aware of through the weekly obituary columns of our weekly publication, as well as of all animal kingdom.
“A time to plant and a time to pluck up that which is planted–particularly applicable to this harvest season. But does it refer to food and grain only or also to the seeds of hate or love, war or peace?
Does “A time to kill and a time to heal” justify the slaughter and carnage of war–upon one another individually, as tribes or nations; the right to kill for food, or worse still, for sport-–all from which there is no healing.
“A time to keep silent (a hard one for far too many of us) and a time to speak;”
“A time to love and a time to hate…” could this ever mean there is a time to hate people–for any reason, or rather their unwise or heinous actions –of which we are all guilty of to varying degrees at some time.
I’ve heard it said there are no bad people; only good people who have received (or acted upon) bad advice or done bad things. In the legal systems of man as with most established religions (all thousands of years old) the balance lies in interpretation, the primary source of division–forbidden in the Holy Writings of the new Revelation of Baha’u’llah (the Baha’i Faith) for a new maturity of mankind–now less than 200 years old!
“So I returned and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun,” continues Ecclesians 4:1 “and behold the tears of such as were oppressed …and on the side of their oppressors there was power but they had no comforter.”
Through the new Holy Writings of this Day of God we read: “We must recognize all as servants of One True God! “At most it is this: Some do not know; they must be taught to love their fellow creatures and be encouraged in the acquisition of virtues. Some are ignorant, they must be informed; some are as children, under developed; they must be helped to reach maturity. Some are ailing, their moral condition is unhealthy; they must be treated until their morals are purified. But the sick are not to be hated because they are sick, the child must not be shunned because he is a child, the ignorant are not to be despised because they lack knowledge. They must all be treated, educated, trained and assisted in love”–most effectively through the dynamic force of example!
Then “Arise, O people and by the power of God’s might, resolve to gain the victory over your own selves, that haply the whole earth may be freed and sanctified from its servitude to the gods of its idle fancies.”
O peoples and administrative orders of this revered American nation, “Be not careless of the virtues with which ye have been endowed. Neither be neglectful of your high destiny,” for the season of harvest is fast approaching. (Investigate! 1-800-22unite)
