It may sound foreign in today’s undisciplined society, but when the elders of yester-year would loudly shout, “Enough is enough!” that usually abruptly ended–(whatever).
But then, there goes another foreign word–discipline, absent in homes, outlawed in schools. Now what? This situation would rarely exist if the foundations for a spiritual education were early and firmly laid. It is very difficult to spiritualize teens and adults in this modern, free society prior to some traumatic unpleasant experience.
Contrary to some (preferred) popular belief, divine education does not begin when you leave this world. It simply determines your path and pace at that point–from my meager perception.
Few indeed are those who can voluntarily arise early enough to see the glory of morning sunrise or slow down enough to marvel at evening sunsets on a regular basis. Whether through prayer or simply through spiritual transfixion, you will inevitably become charged through the experience that will in itself lay foundations for spiritual education at any given age…which leads us to another key word, charged.
Anything that has life, whether animate or inanimate, must at some point be recharged. The common battery that comes in innumerable shapes, styles, sizes and voltages to serve ever increasing purposes is becoming ever more popular–in cars in particular in current news. But all have to be recharged at some point–human and spiritual batteries no exception.
The big difference in the whole is the beauty and cycles of nature that are not controlled (but rather being consistently adversely affected) by man–supposedly the cream of the crop of God’s creation–the only thing entrusted with free will! How cruelly we increasingly betray that trust, the freer we feel with our continuous scientific and technological discoveries that defy imagination and our inhumanity to one another. How increasingly violent the natural elements seem to be becoming in protest of such disrespect and lack of appreciation.
According to the spiritual guidance for this new Day, ”Good behavior and high moral character must come first. Unless the character be trained, acquiring knowledge will only prove injurious.” When not coupled with ethical conduct and a virtuous character, knowledge is “a deadly poison and frightful danger”–just listen to the daily news.
“Material civilization is like the lamp while spiritual civilization is the light in the lamp. If the material and spiritual civilization become united then we will have the lamp and the light together and the outcome will be perfect…” state the Baha’i Holy Writings.
As we wander through these unparalleled times in human history we become more endangered by mankind’s continuous scientific and technological maturity and spiritual infancy.
Therefore when “enough is enough” is not enough, it would behoove us to “Quench ye the lamps of error and follow the Eternal Flame of Divine Guidance,” offered in all of the Holy Books–from (and for) ages past–applicable to the exigencies of each.
In this new era it becomes more evident; “Unless the moral character of a nation is educated as well as its brain, civilization has no sure basis.” And no nation can ever be better than the people who comprise it. (Investigate – 1-800-22unite)
