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The Search for Peace in Times of Chaos—Volume 2

Judgment and Salvation
The soul animates the body and grows and develops only through the
individual’s relationship with God, as mediated by His Messengers.
The relationship is fostered through prayer, knowledge of the
scriptures revealed by these Teachers, love for God, moral selfdiscipline, and service to humanity. This process is what gives
meaning to life.22
If the soul fails to develop, one remains distant from God.
Bahá’u’lláh repeatedly stressed that only revealed religion can save us
from our imperfections. This is the salvation that religion brings. It
does not save us from the stain of some “original sin,” nor does it
protect us from some external evil force or devil. Rather, it delivers
us from captivity to our own lower nature, a captivity that breeds
private despair and threatens social destruction, and religion shows us
the path to a deep and satisfying happiness.

Special Doctrine
Treatment of Animals: Bahá’u’lláh has commanded kindness to
animals and has specifically condemned burdening an animal with
more than it can bear. Because animals do not have the power of
speech, Abdu’l-Bahá states that they are to be treated with even more
consideration than are people: “…›‡†‘™‘”•‡–‘Šƒ”ƒƒ‹ƒŽǡˆ‘”
ƒ Šƒ–Š ƒ Žƒ‰—ƒ‰‡ǡ Š‡ …ƒ Ž‘†‰‡ ƒ …‘’Žƒ‹–ǡ Š‡ …ƒ …”› ‘—– ƒ†
‘ƒǢ ‹ˆ ‹Œ—”‡† Š‡ …ƒ Šƒ˜‡ ”‡…‘—”•‡ –‘ –Š‡ ƒ—–Š‘”‹–‹‡• ƒ† –Š‡•‡
™‹ŽŽ ’”‘–‡…– Š‹ ˆ”‘ Š‹• ƒ‰‰”‡••‘”Ǥ —– –Š‡ Šƒ’Ž‡•• „‡ƒ•– ‹• —–‡ǡ
ƒ„Ž‡‡‹–Š‡”–‘‡š’”‡••‹–•Š—”–‘”–ƒ‡‹–•…ƒ•‡–‘–Š‡ƒ—–Š‘”‹–‹‡•Ǥ
ˆƒ
ƒ‹ˆŽ‹…–•ƒ–Š‘—•ƒ†‹ŽŽ•—’‘ƒ„‡ƒ•–ǡ‹–…ƒ‡‹–Š‡”™ƒ”†Š‹‘ˆˆ
™‹–Š•’‡‡…Š‘”ŠƒŽ‡Š‹‹–‘…‘—”–ǤŠ‡”‡ˆ‘”‡‹•‹–‡••‡–‹ƒŽ–Šƒ–›‡
•Š‘™ ˆ‘”–Š –Š‡ —–‘•– …‘•‹†‡”ƒ–‹‘ –‘ –Š‡ ƒ‹ƒŽǡ ƒ† –Šƒ– ›‡ „‡

‡˜‡‹†‡”–‘Š‹–Šƒ–‘›‘—”ˆ‡ŽŽ‘™ƒǤ ”23

The Cause and Purpose of Suffering: During our lives we

inevitably have periods of time when things are not going well.
Whether it is caused by death, poverty, disease, or the actions of
others, suffering is an inevitable consequence of our lives on this earth.
There are periods when nothing seems to go right and every path to
happiness is blocked with insurmounta le arriers.
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