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Paris Talks
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Pages 114-116
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THE CRUEL INDIFFERENCE OF PEOPLE TOWARDS THE SUFFERING OF FOREIGN RACES
November 24th
`Abdu'l-Bahá said:
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1 |
I have just been told that there has been a terrible
accident in this country. A train has fallen into the
river and at least twenty people have been killed. This
is going to be a matter for discussion in the French
Parliament today, and the Director of the State Railway
will be called upon to speak. He will be cross-examined
as to the condition of the railroad and as to
what caused the accident, and there will be a heated
argument. I am filled with wonder and surprise to
notice what interest and excitement has been aroused
throughout the whole country on account of the death
of twenty people, while they remain cold and indifferent
to the fact that thousands of Italians, Turks,
and Arabs are killed in Tripoli! The horror of this
wholesale slaughter has not disturbed the Government
at all! Yet these unfortunate people are human beings
too.
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2 |
Why is there so much interest and eager sympathy
shown towards these twenty individuals, while for
five thousand persons there is none? They are all men,
they all belong to the family of mankind, but they are
of other lands and races. It is no concern of the disinterested
countries if these men are cut to pieces, this
wholesale slaughter does not affect them! How unjust,
how cruel is this, how utterly devoid of any good and
true feeling! The people of these other lands have
children and wives, mothers, daughters, and little sons!
In these countries today there is hardly a house free
from the sound of bitter weeping, scarcely can one
find a home untouched by the cruel hand of war.
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3 |
Alas! we see on all sides how cruel, prejudiced and
unjust is man, and how slow he is to believe in God
and follow His commandments.
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If these people would love and help one another
instead of being so eager to destroy with sword and
cannon, how much nobler would it be! How much
better if they would live like a flock of doves in peace
and harmony, instead of being like wolves and tearing
each other to pieces.
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Why is man so hard of heart? It is because he does
not yet know God. If he had knowledge of God he
could not act in direct opposition to His laws; if he
were spiritually minded such a line of conduct would
be impossible to him. If only the laws and precepts of
the prophets of God had been believed, understood and
followed, wars would no longer darken the face of the
earth.
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6 |
If man had even the rudiments of justice, such a
state of things would be impossible.
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Therefore, I say unto you pray--pray and turn your
faces to God, that He, in His infinite compassion and
mercy, may help and succour these misguided ones.
Pray that He will grant them spiritual understanding
and teach them tolerance and mercy, that the eyes of
their minds may be opened and that they may be
endued with the gift of the spirit. Then would peace
and love walk hand in hand through the lands, and
these poor unhappy people might have rest.
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Let us all strive night and day to help in the bringing
about of better conditions. My heart is broken by these
terrible things and cries aloud--may this cry reach
other hearts!
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Then will the blind see, the dead will be raised, and
Justice will come and reign upon the earth.
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I beseech you all to pray with heart and soul that
this may be accomplished.
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