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War Makes Me Sad

by | Mar 6, 2022 | Anxiety, Fear, Teaching | 6 comments

The problem:

I hope you are all happy and well. I am not happy, but very sad. The news of the Battle of Benghazi grieves my heart. I wonder at the human savagery that still exists in the world! How is it possible for men to fight from morning until evening, killing each other, shedding the blood of their fellow-men: And for what object? To gain possession of a part of the earth!  (Abdu’l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 28-30)

The solution:

When soldiers of the world draw their swords to kill, soldiers of God clasp each other’s hands! So may all the savagery of man disappear by the Mercy of God, working through the pure in heart and the sincere of soul. Do not think the peace of the world an ideal impossible to attain!  Nothing is impossible to the Divine Benevolence of God.  (Abdu’l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 28-30)

This morning, I was reflecting on the state of the world with a friend whose parents and in-laws were holocaust survivors.  She shares my terror and powerlessness around the current state of the world.  We’re both in full-blown PTSD responses.  We’re both trying to help each other rise above them and learn to trust in God.  This is really hard when I’m in the grips of terror.

Yesterday I found myself feeling like Chicken Little, running around saying “the sky is falling.  The sky is falling” and finding no one as seemingly concerned as I was (which was my clue that this terror was more from a frightened child inside of me, afraid of the monster under the bed than from any immediate threat to me in Canada).

I’ve spent a lot of time in therapy trying to bring those terrorized child parts into the present, saying things like:  “This is 2022.  We’re 65 years old.  Our parents died a long time ago.  Nothing is going to hurt us.  There’s a lock on the door.  No one can come in.  You’re safe.  I can’t say this anymore.

A friend of mine sent me this quote, exactly in the moment I needed it – with the solution embedded with the problem:  “When soldiers of the world draw their swords to kill, soldiers of God clasp each other’s hands!”  That’s what the House of Justice is telling us in the current series of letters.  Our focus is on building a society where mothers will no longer allow their sons to go to war.  We aren’t there yet, but we know that day is coming, and we have the tools to get there.

Remembering that the solutions to the world’s current problems give me concrete steps I can take, I can relax, and I am grateful!

What jumped out for you when you read this passage?  Please share your thoughts below.

If you liked this meditation, you might also like my book Fear into Faith:  Overcoming Anxiety

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6 Comments

  1. dlherrmann
    dlherrmann on 8 March 2022 at 11:48 am

    “When a thought of war comes, oppose it with a stronger thought of peace.” Thoughts are reality. Thoughts can become manifest in the physical world. Will, someday, the collective thoughts of peace, from all humanity, overpower the remaining few who may still want war??? To stop this war and eliminate future war, is my prayer.

    • phyllis chew
      phyllis chew on 8 March 2022 at 10:53 pm

      Bahaullah came for justice in the world. The Writings also said that its okay to defend yourself if the knife is pointed at your belly. In the process of defense, the attacker might be injured or killed. Of course, we should first try to find a policeman to solve the problem but if there is none around (or if the policeman is in the pay of the attacker), is it not our first duty to defend ourselves & our families?

      • Susan Gammage
        Susan Gammage on 11 March 2022 at 8:43 am

        You’ve touched on some very important points, Phyllis. Thank you!

        For those unfamiliar with these concepts, here’s a quote from the House of Justice supporting Phyllis’s comment:

        We have reviewed your letter of April 11th, asking about the teachings of the Faith on self-defense and any guidance on individual conduct in the face of increasing civil disorder in North American cities. From the texts you already have available it is clear that Bahá’u’lláh has stated that it is preferable to be killed in the path of God’s service than to kill, and that organized religious attack against Bahá’ís should never turn into any kind of warfare, as this is strictly prohibited in our Writings.

        A hitherto untranslated Tablet from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, however, points out that in the case of attack by robbers and highwaymen, a Bahá’í should not surrender himself, but should try, as far as circumstances permit, to defend himself, and later on lodge a complaint with the government authorities. In a letter written on behalf of the Guardian, he also indicates that in an emergency when there is no legal force at hand to appeal to, a Bahá’í is justified in defending his life. In another letter the Guardian has further point out that the assault of an irresponsible assailant upon a Bahá’í should be resisted by the Bahá’í, who would be justified, under such circumstances, in protecting his life.

        The House of Justice does not wish at the present time to go beyond the guidelines given in the above-mentioned statements. The question is basically a matter of conscience, and in each case the Bahá’í involved must use his judgment in determining when to stop in self-defense lest his action deteriorate into retaliation.

        Of course the above principles apply also in cases when a Bahá’í finds himself involved in situations of civil disorder. We have, however, advised the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States that under the present circumstances in that country it is preferable that Bahá’ís do not buy nor own arms for their protection or the protection of their families. (Universal House of Justice, Messages from the Universal House of Justice: 1963-1986, p. 148)

    • Susan Gammage
      Susan Gammage on 11 March 2022 at 9:02 am

      That’s my most fervent prayer too, Duane.

      I totally believe that our thoughts and prayers can raise the vibration of the world around us, as this story illustrates:

      A tale is told of British occupation in Palestine which may one day be related to the children of the future as legend, but is now believed as fact. British guns were trained on Jerusalem. The Turks were in control of the sacred city. The British command hesitated to fire on the “City of God.” A message was sent to headquarters: “What shall we do?” The answer came back, “Pray.” Not a gun was fired. When the British arrived in Jerusalem at dawn, it had been evacuated by the Turks, and not a sacred place had been desecrated. (Lady Blomfield, The Chosen Highway)

      Also, in the spirit of harmony between science and religion, I believe that the experiments of Dr. Masaru Emoto, a Japanese scientist, who studied how the molecular structure in water transforms when it is exposed to words, thoughts, sounds and intentions back this up.

  2. Donna
    Donna on 9 March 2022 at 4:24 pm

    I especially loved the quotes of Abdulbaha in Paris Talks. Hearing His words are comforting. I will challenge myself to read Paris Talks. Thank you Susan for your inspiration.! 🙏🏾

    • Susan Gammage
      Susan Gammage on 11 March 2022 at 8:40 am

      My pleasure, Donna! Hope you enjoy Paris Talks!