A previously unknown strain of Coronavirus has appeared in
the city of Wuhan in China, and seems to be spreading rapidly. It is known to
have killed over 1,300 people so far. While the medical world is trying to
learn how this particular virus works, how it spreads, and how to defeat it
medically, the rest of us could also be learning from this outbreak: about what
it means for humanity, and how the world should be organised, to be better
prepared for unforeseen problems such as this.
One thing this outbreak apparently confirms is that mankind is biologically – and therefore essentially – one. Each type of virus is species-specific. A virus has a complex life-cycle, and generally can only function within creatures of one species. Occasionally, a virus does successfully transfer into another species, as happened here, but in most cases that jump is simply impossible – the virus cannot function. So the rapid spread of this new strain among human beings from various parts of the world confirms what scientists already knew – that, despite superficial differences in hair colour, skin colour and eye colour, we are all one species.
This consciousness of all mankind being one, and needing to unite to overcome all our problems and challenges, is central to Bahá’í thinking. Bahá’u’lláh’s Son, Abdu’l-Bahá, wrote an explanatory piece, “The Seven Candles of Unity” on how unity will develop amongst mankind. The “second candle”, He wrote, “is unity of thought in world undertakings, the consummation of which will erelong be witnessed.” Combatting the potentially world-wide spread of this new virus is potentially a world undertaking. But have we yet achieved unity of thought in the best way of combatting it? Different governments seem to be adopting different approaches. Are we now seeing signs that we must all work together, as one?
We have also now learned that excessive efforts to control news media, and even personal communication, led to the inability of doctors to even tell other doctors that there was a new virus to fight. Dr Li Wen-Liang and seven other people were forced to sign a statement that they would stop spreading “rumours” of a new disease. Dr Li has unfortunately now died from this virus, at the age of 33. In the eyes of local officials, the lid had to be put on the truth. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s “third candle” is “unity in freedom, which will surely come to pass.” One part of freedom has to be the freedom to express oneself (provided, of course, you are not making personal attacks on others).
The rapid spread of the new virus also shows how interconnected we now all are. It transpires that many hundreds of people from outside China were to be found in the city of Wuhan. Within a few weeks, cases of the virus have been confirmed in 28 countries, and suspected in another 12. People with the virus have been unwittingly taking it across the globe. In addition, there are now many cases of factories in various parts of the world which are short of component parts which are normally supplied from China. The extended New Year holiday, intended to slow the spread of the virus, has meant that the parts have not been manufactured or exported.
It is interesting to note that when Bahá’u’lláh wrote to many of the rulers of His time, one of the things which He recommended was that, instead of spending huge amounts on ever-increasing arsenals, governments should spend money on healing the sicknesses of mankind. The coronavirus story is showing us the need to have some form of world government. The World Health Organisation is having to beg governments for several million dollars which it badly needs, to spend on fighting this new, rapidly-spreading outbreak. As is the case with the need to prevent warfare and to restrict climate change, there is a necessity for a world government which will perceive the urgency of the situation, and act upon it.
In some ways, however inadequately, this new world crisis is pushing countries which previously had competing interests towards sharing information, and co-operating. We are all in this together. As Bahá’u’lláh put it: “This earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens.”
One thing this outbreak apparently confirms is that mankind is biologically – and therefore essentially – one. Each type of virus is species-specific. A virus has a complex life-cycle, and generally can only function within creatures of one species. Occasionally, a virus does successfully transfer into another species, as happened here, but in most cases that jump is simply impossible – the virus cannot function. So the rapid spread of this new strain among human beings from various parts of the world confirms what scientists already knew – that, despite superficial differences in hair colour, skin colour and eye colour, we are all one species.
This consciousness of all mankind being one, and needing to unite to overcome all our problems and challenges, is central to Bahá’í thinking. Bahá’u’lláh’s Son, Abdu’l-Bahá, wrote an explanatory piece, “The Seven Candles of Unity” on how unity will develop amongst mankind. The “second candle”, He wrote, “is unity of thought in world undertakings, the consummation of which will erelong be witnessed.” Combatting the potentially world-wide spread of this new virus is potentially a world undertaking. But have we yet achieved unity of thought in the best way of combatting it? Different governments seem to be adopting different approaches. Are we now seeing signs that we must all work together, as one?
We have also now learned that excessive efforts to control news media, and even personal communication, led to the inability of doctors to even tell other doctors that there was a new virus to fight. Dr Li Wen-Liang and seven other people were forced to sign a statement that they would stop spreading “rumours” of a new disease. Dr Li has unfortunately now died from this virus, at the age of 33. In the eyes of local officials, the lid had to be put on the truth. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s “third candle” is “unity in freedom, which will surely come to pass.” One part of freedom has to be the freedom to express oneself (provided, of course, you are not making personal attacks on others).
The rapid spread of the new virus also shows how interconnected we now all are. It transpires that many hundreds of people from outside China were to be found in the city of Wuhan. Within a few weeks, cases of the virus have been confirmed in 28 countries, and suspected in another 12. People with the virus have been unwittingly taking it across the globe. In addition, there are now many cases of factories in various parts of the world which are short of component parts which are normally supplied from China. The extended New Year holiday, intended to slow the spread of the virus, has meant that the parts have not been manufactured or exported.
It is interesting to note that when Bahá’u’lláh wrote to many of the rulers of His time, one of the things which He recommended was that, instead of spending huge amounts on ever-increasing arsenals, governments should spend money on healing the sicknesses of mankind. The coronavirus story is showing us the need to have some form of world government. The World Health Organisation is having to beg governments for several million dollars which it badly needs, to spend on fighting this new, rapidly-spreading outbreak. As is the case with the need to prevent warfare and to restrict climate change, there is a necessity for a world government which will perceive the urgency of the situation, and act upon it.
In some ways, however inadequately, this new world crisis is pushing countries which previously had competing interests towards sharing information, and co-operating. We are all in this together. As Bahá’u’lláh put it: “This earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens.”
I posted another blog about the need for the world to *do* something urgently in March, 2017. It was called "It can't come soon enough".
ReplyDeleteThis is a rather round-about way of reaching an excellent 4-minute video on this new virus:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.facebook.com/christina.frith.9999/videos/1532491030241385/
In the excellent publication for UN goals for the year 2001, "Turning Point for all Nations", the Baha'i International Community specifically identified avoiding global pandemics as a major focus for the world community in the coming years.
ReplyDeleteSadly, not a lot has changed since Feb 2020. I watched a programme yesterday - only 7.3% of people in Africa have received a double vaccination, while European countries have between 62 and 69% of citizens vaccinated twice and who are have received, or will be receiving, the booster. The rest of those population are those who are refusing the vaccine for various reasons. Meanwhile, parts of the world have no access to the vaccines. New variants continue to develop, of which Omicron is only one. The next variant/s could well be deadly, killing most of whom it infects. Yes, some of those who have been vaccinated have died from complications, however, many more have died, and will die, from choosing not to be vaccinated. So, can we really demand the luxury of a choice faced with the stark reality of living without the vaccine???
ReplyDelete