by: Floria Pirnia-Sanai
Upon the appearance of a new Manifestation of God a burst of energy is released that has the ability to advance human progress both spiritually and materially. In 1844, we have just an event with the Declaration of The Bab.
Now, consider this very brief list of the significant discoveries and innovations since 1844, that have thrust us into the modern world we live in:
1844 Telegraph, Alexander Graham Bell
1888 Radio Waves, Heinrich Hertz
1903 Electrocardiogram, William Einthoven
1914 First world war, Automatic weapons, tanks and chemical weapons
1921 Insulin, Frederick Banting and Charles Best
1926 Liquid-fuel rocket, Robert Goddard
1928 Antibiotics, Alexander Fleming
1932 Radio Telescope, Karl Jansky
1933 Electron microscopy, Ernst Ruska by James Dyson
1946 Atomic Bomb
1944 Kidney dialysis, Willem Kolff
2000 GPS, Department of Defense
2000 Att Text messaging
2001 Launch of Wikipedia
2004 Face Book, Mark Zuckerberg
2009 Apple Iphone
“This is a new cycle of human power,” says ‘Abdu’l-Baha. “All the horizons of the world are luminous, and the world will become indeed as a rose garden and a paradise.” However, he goes on to say, “Man has two powers, and his development two aspects. One power is connected with the material world and by it he is capable of material advancement. The other power is spiritual and through its development his inner, potential nature is awakened. These powers are like two wings. Both must be developed, for flight is impossible with one wing. Praise be to God! material advancement has been evident in the world but there is need of spiritual advancement in like proportion.”
If this new cycle of human power is to manifest itself for the benefit of humankind, rather than its’ destruction, then a spiritual awakening is also required to inform the decisions we make regarding its’ use.
It’s interesting to note that all inventions can be utilized for the betterment of the world and to bring about a Unity in Diversity. Wouldn’t that be better? We can work together to establish a Paradise of Peace!