Page 38 - Non-violence and peace-building

Learn from History

focus, instead, on their own internal reform and
construction. The Jews were told that if they did
this, one day God would reverse their fortunes.
From this we learn that when people are afflicted
with all sorts of moral weaknesses, to stir them up with
lofty-sounding promises and fiery rhetoric is absolutely
senseless. No prophet of God ever did such a thing.
This is the method of false leaders, not genuine ones.

4. When a people falls prey to moral corruption and
then God issues warnings to them, the intention
behind this is that they should turn to God in
repentance. But if in such a situation, instead
of doing this, false leaders react by blaming
‘oppressors’ and targeting, accusing, complaining
and demonstrating against them, it will be
tantamount to interfering in God’s scheme. Such
men will be guilty of the crime of seeking to divert
people’s focus from God in a different direction.
The troubles that people face at the hands of others
are intended to make them engage in introspection.
But false leaders quickly convert them into an excuse
for condemning others. These troubles should actually
be seen as a means to make people turn to and focus on
God. But false leaders use these events to divert people’s
attention onto, and against, other people. This, without
doubt, is a serious crime. Unlike what such false leaders
claim, in no way is this appropriate guidance for their
people.

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