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Hate the actions not the person

A spiritual leader's prayer and discourse on global suffering and compassion.

"I think we should pray more and try to help in any way that we can help them. Politically, socially, economically, materially, any way, emotionally—if we can help."

"Mahātmā Gāndhī said, 'We don't hate the person, we hate the actions.'... They are all God's creatures, but we hate the actions which are going on in the world."

The speaker opens by describing a distressing news report of a family in a conflict zone, using it to illustrate the destruction of innocent lives. He calls for immediate prayer and practical help for the suffering, advocating for compassion over hatred by invoking the teachings of Gandhi and Jesus. The session concludes with a group bhajan (devotional song) intended to strengthen collective willpower.

Recording location: Australia, Canberra, World Peace Tour

Before coming here, I switched on the television—I think it was Australian Channel 10, or CNN, something like that. Wherever you turn it on, there are always bombs. I saw one soldier going into a house in Baghdad. A man came out, and they wanted to shoot him. The man raised his hands, and the soldiers shouted, "All come out without any weapons!" Then a young girl, about twelve years old, two young children of about six or seven, and the wife of that man came out. They were kneeling in the garden with their hands up. Okay, we as grown-ups may understand from all these videos and films we see, even from crime films. But these innocent two or three children—their lives are destroyed. There are millions and millions of thieves and ladies searching there. What more can I tell you about sustainability? There are many things to be told: God and love and peace and the divine and unity and the cosmic, and this. But we need it now, in this present time. It is a tiger, but clothed in a cage, and it can't fight anymore. And so is our situation, dear brothers and sisters. I think we should pray more and try to help in any way that we can help them. Politically, socially, economically, materially, any way, emotionally—if we can help. So let us dedicate this evening to those suffering people. Mahātmā Gāndhī said, "We don't hate the person, we hate the actions." And so it is also; maybe Jesus said also on the cross, "Holy Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." And so we don't hate the person who is the cause of the wars or leading the wars, beginning the wars. They are all God's creatures, but we hate the actions which are going on in the world. And therefore, let's sing one song, one nice bhajan. Gurudev, śaraṇ tumārī, cintā merī mitāde. O Master, O Gurudev, I came to Thee. Please remove all my sorrows, all my sufferings, and my mistakes. Let's come; this prayer of this bhajan shall strengthen our willpower to pray furthermore. And do something. --- Recording location: Australia, Canberra, World Peace Tour

This text is transcribed and grammar corrected by AI. If in doubt, what was actually said in the recording, use the transcript to double click the desired cue. This will position the recording in most cases just before the sentence is uttered.

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