Ronald Glossop

Communication from Ronald Glossop

By John Taylor; 2006 November 17

Professor Ronald J. Glossop is probably the most prominent figure ever to enter the purview of this Badi Blog. Aside from writing the standard text book for Peace Studies courses, Confronting War, he also is on the board of the American internationalist lobby group "Citizens for Global Solutions" <http://www.globalsolutions.org>, among other distinctions. No doubt if the Master were around today, it would be Dr. Glossop who would be getting tablets addressed, "O Thou Perfect Man!" saying how service to the cause of peace is a transcendently "universal service." (I will include, at the end of this mailout, two Tablets that the Master wrote to the organizers of the Lake Mohonk annual peace conferences.) Dr. Glossop replied briefly to the excerpt from this blog that I sent him. He wrote in part (it is in Esperanto, so this is my translation),

"I had hoped to have the chance to go over the material more carefully but too many urgent affairs have intervened, including the national elections with their happy results. (I am active politically and in other public efforts. I am well aware that one will have to do more than just talk about how one should have a world federation.) I read the letter and selection from the blog that you sent. I am not opposed to your ideas about new rules for home building and other construction. In fact, I support such a notion. However, I think that the role of governments is much more important than you realize. In the last line of your letter you wrote:

"We can only imagine what it would be like if roads and buildings were similarly globalized. A universal, integrated power grid, transport and transit system could rapidly, efficiently and cheaply connect every point on the planet to every other. . . . Each locale could be regulated by a single, open building code to assure that . . . food is grown and prepared locally, and so forth."

"You seem to think that this can come about without the oversight of governments, be they national or a world government. Maybe some work can be done without government decisions, but on the whole such changes would require governmental resolve, and not just on the local level. ... I hope we will meet again at the North American Congress of Esperantists in Montreal in 2008.

Dr. Glossop makes a good point. As a Baha'i I am as far as you can get from a libertarian, the type who discounts the importance of the role of government. Baha'u'llah wrote the leaders of the world, and never doubted for a moment that any solution to the problem of war was in their hands. What I am proposing is that activists who realize the value of world federation, rather than wasting energy in futile, divisive protest, actively go out and prepare the regulations that would come of out of any future world governance. A huge regime change is imminent, and the better prepared we are the better.

A world federation, even before it forms, can draw up plans, standards and regulations for a world infrastructure. This prospect is one of the most attractive features of a world government, after the elimination of war, that is. Huge funds would be freed up for constructive purposes after arms races are ended. Even now we can use computer simulations to calculate and assess what might happen if, for example, a certain gauge of railroad were used everywhere, or a given type of solar panel were affixed on the roof of mound developments around the world. The historical precedent for this is the Internet, which was used and tweaked for decades by business, academia and the military before, in the mid-1990's, it became the Web, a universal tool for just about everything. Baha'u'llah called for a universal gathering of humanity, a gathering of linguists to agree upon a world language, of religious leaders to eliminate the pernicious rivalries among faiths, and so forth. All I am trying to do is to jump start the design, building and engineering sector of this universal gathering. It would take a permanent regulatory body to assure that transport and housing were standardized and made efficient enough to have a sustainable world economy.

Two Tablets from Abdu'l-Baha, (poorly and ungrammatically) translated by Ahmad Sohrab

Through Mirza Ahmad Sohrab to his honor, Mr. Albert Smiley, the founder of the Lake Mohonk Conference on International Arbitration. May God assist him!

(Star of the West, Vol. 2, No. 14, p. 3)

HE IS GOD!

Thou great and respected personage!

The details of the Conference of Peace and Arbitration which is organized under your presidency has (sic) been read in the papers of the East and the West and the utmost joy and fragrance was produced; that, praise be to God, in the continent of America, under the presidency of a glorious personage, the Conference of International Peace is convened. Today in the world of existence there is no more important and greater cause than this -- for it is conducive to the promotion of happiness in the commonwealth of humanity and is the cause of tranquility of all the nations and countries and the prosperity of the individuals of the human world. What cause is greater than this! It is evident that it has the utmost importance nay, rather, it will be the cause of the illumination of the East and the West and the reason for the manifestation of the Countenance and the Face of God in the world of humanity and the appearance of infinite affections. Therefore, although this longing one has no acquaintance with your honor, but this great cause and this eminent effort of yours became the cause of my having infinite love for you while absent. Consequently I am engaged in writing you this epistle.

The matter of international peace was instituted by His Highness Baha'u'llah, sixty years ago in Persia in the year of 1851, A. D. From That time innumerable epistles and tablets were spread first in Persia and then in other parts of the world, until about fifty years ago He clearly stated this matter of universal peace in the Book of Akdas and has commanded all the Baha'is to serve faithfully with heart and soul in this great cause, give up their possessions and wealth for it and sacrifice their lives in ease of necessity. He has taught them to spread the unity of nations and religions and proclaim in all the regions of the world the oneness of the kingdom of humanity.

There are different religions in Persia, such as Mohammedans, Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians, and different sects. Through the power of Baha'u'llah such affection and love is produced among these various religions that now they are associating with each other with the utmost unity and concord like unto fathers, sons, brothers, mothers and daughters. Whenever they gather in a meeting if a stranger enters in that gathering he is astonished by the love and affection that they manifest. There is not the slightest sign of difference and separation. Some of the tablets of Baha'u'llah concerning this matter are translated in America. Seek, perchance you may find them, then you shall realize what a permanent structure Baha'u'llah has raised in this world of existence, the result of which will be the oneness of all humanity. Likewise, innumerable tablets have been written with the pen of this longing one. Ask for them, too; perhaps you may find their translations in America.

To be brief, as His Highness Baha'u'llah in this period of man has planted a fruitful tree in the garden of the oneness of the human race, and as your honor is engaged in reality to irrigate this garden, therefore I found it necessary to express my gratitude and happiness to you, so that your good name may be spread not only in Persia but throughout all Oriental countries and the people of the East may remember your name with great respect.

I hope that the principles of international peace and universal reconciliation may be established firmly among the individual members of humanity and its fragrance may be spread throughout all the regions.

I beg of you to accept the expressions of my highest consideration.

(SIGNED) ABDUL BAHA ABBAS.

Translated by Mirza Ahmad Sohrab, August 9, 1911.

Through Mirza Ahmad Sohrab, to his honor Mr. C. C. Philips, the Secretary of the Mohonk Conference on International Arbitration.

Star of the West, Vol. 2, No. 14, p. 4

HE IS GOD!

O thou perfect man!

The Conference on International Arbitration and Peace is the greatest results (sic) of this great age. This brilliant century has no likeness and similitude in the history of man. From every standpoint it is distinguished above all other centuries. It is specialized with such excellencies that the shining star of the heavenly confirmations shall gleam from the horizon of this century upon all the future cycles and periods. One of the most extraordinary events of this time, which indeed is a miracle, is the founding of the oneness of this realm of humanity and its essential branches, such as Universal Peace and the unity of the different nations, in this arena of existence.

Persia was at one time the center of religious difference, antagonism and oppression, to such an extent that pen is unable to describe. The adherents of different nations and religions considered it their religious duty to shed the blood of their opponents; they pillaged and ransacked each others property and did not fall short of oppressing their own flesh and blood. The hatred between the various religions attained to such a height that they considered each other unclean. Should a Jew enter a Mohammedan home, he would be made to sit upon the ground; if he drank water from a cup, that cup was destroyed or washed again and again; for the Jew was considered unclean. Such was the hatred and rancor among the different religions and nations in Persia.

About sixty years ago His Highness Baha'u'llah through the Heavenly Power proclaimed the oneness of the Kingdom of man in that country and addressing the concourse of humanity said: "0 ye people! Ye are all the fruits of one tree and the leaves of one branch!"

About fifty years ago in the Book of Akdas, He commanded the people to establish the Universal Peace and summoned all the nations to the Divine Banquet of International Arbitration so that the questions of boundaries, of national honor and property, and of vital interests between nations might be decided by an arbitral court of justice; and that no nation would dare to refuse to abide by their decisions. If any quarrel arise between two nations it must be adjudicated by this international court and be arbitrated and decided upon like the judgment rendered by the judge between individuals. If at any time any nation dares to break such a treaty all the other nations must arise to put down this rebellion.

Baha'u'llah has clearly stated that this Universal Peace is the cause of the tranquillity of the realm of creation. Now as the International Conference on Arbitration is organized in America and as this problem is a branch which will ultimately bring about the unity of the world, therefore we remember you with the utmost respect, that praise be to God you have arisen to perform such a universal service. God willing, that Conference will progress day by day and will bring about all-embracing results and will establish reconciliation and universal love between the different nations, races and peoples of this world.

I beg of you to accept the expressions of my highest consideration.

(SIGNED) Abdul Baha Abbas.

Translated by Mirza Ahmad Sohrab, Aug. 22, 1911.