Wherever one goes or with whom anyone holds conversation, the topic of discussion will inevitably include problems of some sort and caliber– whether at home, at work, in our everyday travels and most certainly in daily news reports. Whatever the situation one can be certain that they all can be mostly categorized as “people” problems, regardless of caliber, cause and/or effect.
The thought first peaked my curiosity through an article written many years ago by Eric Butterworth entitled “Truth in Black and White” from The Voice of Unity. It began with the statement: “There are no race problems, there are only people problems.” That statement has since been the topic of many group discussions, especially in our former E’Racism group that met weekly for over 10 years with overwhelmingly positive results.
Few indeed if any are the households, organizations or groups that will not encounter problems, whether occasional or persistent, regardless of make-up, stemming from personality or other differences. How easily can people of same families, race or other commonalities be pit against one another for any number of reasons. It is the major philosophy used in “slave control” (regardless of the type of slavery).
As there are no earthly problems that do not have spiritual solutions (both through people) may we each vow to add to rectification of the problems by first identifying them and secondly vowing to diligently strive to alter whatever attitudes and subsequent actions of our own that contribute to the problems on any scale.
The ever-present and most detrimental of all examples of “people-problems” is WAR, on different levels perpetually waged throughout the world by people based on greed or some form of prejudice whether, tribal, racial, territorial, religious, or other, becoming more costly with time and technology on the economy. Far more importantly however, on human lives (regardless of nationality) often in attempts to capture or eradicate a targeted few or even one single individual!
“War is a grievous calamity,” we glean from the Baha’i Holy Writings. “It begins and ends in disaster…What is this land, this earth? Is it not this: that for a few years we live on this earth, then it becomes our grave, our cemetery? Many generations have come and have lived for a short time on this earth and are buried under it. It is the universal graveyard of humanity! Is it praiseworthy that we engage in warfare, shedding blood, destroying homes, pillaging the wealth of nations and killing little children–and other innocent souls? Is it worthy that we sacrifice eternal life and the everlasting soul of man for the sake of a little (temporary) dust? … Just as America has become renowned because of her discoveries, inventions and skill, famous for the equity of her government and colossal undertakings, may she also become noted for the Most Great Peace! …This ideal Universal Peace must run and circulate through the veins and arteries of the world! There is no doubt that this wonderful democracy will be able to realize it and the banner of international agreement will be unfurled here to spread onward and outward among all the nations of the world!” (Investigate – 1-800-22UNITE)
