Recently I have been reading a book by Mr. Hooper Dunbar: “Forces of Our Time—The Dynamics of Light and Darkness”. I have really enjoyed it. It helps me to deepen my understanding about the current trend in our confused society and where each individual stands as to our responsibility in helping shaping the society towards a brighter future.
The following are some excerpts from the book.
“Anyone looking at the condition of the world today will be struck by the dramatic changes taking place. On the one hand is the visible deterioration in so many fundamental processes and institutions, from the financial world, politics and the fabric of society to climate change and energy. On the other is an enlivening upsurge in knowledge, in concern for human rights and in technologies that bring people together.
These energies are spiritual in nature and result from the coming of God’s most recent representative to humankind, Bahá'u'lláh. He has set in motion processes that are creating a new, divine civilization. In response to this, negative forces have risen to resist the divine purpose.”
Mr. Dunbar has identified many of those negative forces (dark forces). These dark forces are chiefly responsible for accelerating "the decline of humanity’s fortunes”, “whether they are expressed individually in our lives or collectively in the cultures and societies that surround us”. Some of these dark forces are (not an exhaust list):
The following are some excerpts from the book.
“Anyone looking at the condition of the world today will be struck by the dramatic changes taking place. On the one hand is the visible deterioration in so many fundamental processes and institutions, from the financial world, politics and the fabric of society to climate change and energy. On the other is an enlivening upsurge in knowledge, in concern for human rights and in technologies that bring people together.
These energies are spiritual in nature and result from the coming of God’s most recent representative to humankind, Bahá'u'lláh. He has set in motion processes that are creating a new, divine civilization. In response to this, negative forces have risen to resist the divine purpose.”
Mr. Dunbar has identified many of those negative forces (dark forces). These dark forces are chiefly responsible for accelerating "the decline of humanity’s fortunes”, “whether they are expressed individually in our lives or collectively in the cultures and societies that surround us”. Some of these dark forces are (not an exhaust list):
- Conditions when humanity turns away from God: irreligion, atheism, naturalism, secularism;
- Things that humanity worships in place of God: materialism, nationalism, racialism, and communism;
- Perversions of religion with man made terms: fanaticism, superstitions;
- Consequences of humanity’s losing the moral compass provided by living religion: prejudice, corruption, immorality, moral laxity and widespread lawlessness;
- Forces that derive directly from authentic religion: justice, trustworthiness, compassion, faith, interdependence, universality, insight, godliness, wisdom, rectitude, holiness and peace;
- Spiritual qualities resulting from our connection to God: love, unity, harmony, purity, consideration, courage, courtesy, and humility;
- Outcome of faith and obedience to the divine teachings: happiness, detachment, integrity, truthfulness, moderation, chastity, trust and hope;
- Conditions that will heal the world: reconciliation, pacification, integration, orderliness, fellowship, non-violence and freedom from prejudice.
