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POTREBA ZA ODGAJATELJEM
THE NEED OF AN EDUCATOR

1 Kad razmatramo postojanje, vidimo da i svjetovi minerala, biljaka, životinja i ljudi trebaju odgajatelja. When we consider existence, we see that the mineral, vegetable, animal and human worlds are all in need of an educator.
2 Ako se zemlja ne obrađuje, pretvara se u džunglu u kojoj raste beskoristan korov; no dođe li poljodjelac i obradi tlo, ono će uroditi plodovima koji hrane živa stvorenja. Očevidno je, stoga, da tlo treba seljakovo obrađivanje. Promislite o drveću: ostane li bez uzgajatelja bit će besplodno, a bez ploda je beskorisno; no bude li za njih skrbio vrtlar, ta će ista jalova stabla postati plodonosna: uzgojem, gnojenjem i cijepljenjem, stabla koja imaju gorke plodove urodit će slatkim voćem. To su racionalni dokazi; u ovom dobu narodima svijeta potrebni su argumenti razbora. If the earth is not cultivated, it becomes a jungle where useless weeds grow; but if a cultivator comes and tills the ground, it produces crops which nourish living creatures. It is evident, therefore, that the soil needs the cultivation of the farmer. Consider the trees: if they remain without a cultivator, they will be fruitless, and without fruit they are useless; but if they receive the care of a gardener, these same barren trees become fruitful, and through cultivation, fertilization and engrafting the trees which had bitter fruits yield sweet fruits. These are rational proofs; in this age the peoples of the world need the arguments of reason.
3 Isto vrijedi i za životinje: kad se životinja izvježba postaje domaća, kao što i čovjek, ostane li bez odgoja i obrazovanja, postaje divlji i, štoviše, prepusti li se vlast nad njim prirodi postaje niži od životinje, a ukoliko se obrazuje postaje poput anđela. Veći broj životinja ne proždire svoju vrstu, a ljudi u Sudanu, u središnjim regijama Afrike, ubijaju i jedu jedni druge. The same is true with respect to animals: notice that when the animal is trained it becomes domestic, and also that man, if he is left without education, becomes bestial, and, moreover, if left under the rule of nature, becomes lower than an animal, whereas if he is educated he becomes an angel. For the greater number of animals do not devour their own kind, but men, in the Sudan, in the central regions of Africa, kill and eat each other.
4 Sad razmislite o tome da je obrazovanje ono što Istok i Zapad dovodi pod vlast čovjeka; obrazovanje stvara čudesnu industriju; obrazovanje širi znanosti i umjetnosti; obrazovanje obznanjuje nova otkrića i institucije. Kad ne bi bilo odgajatelja, ne bi bilo takvih stvari kao što su udobnost, civilizacija ili čovječanstvo. Kad bi čovjek bio ostavljen sam u divljini gdje ne vidi nikoga od svoje vrste, nedvojbeno bi postao običan divljak; jasno je, dakle, da je odgajatelj potreban. Now reflect that it is education that brings the East and the West under the authority of man; it is education that produces wonderful industries; it is education that spreads great sciences and arts; it is education that makes manifest new discoveries and institutions. If there were no educator, there would be no such things as comforts, civilization or humanity. If a man be left alone in a wilderness where he sees none of his own kind, he will undoubtedly become a mere brute; it is then clear that an educator is needed.
5 No, postoje tri vrste odgoja: materijalni, ljudski i duhovni. Materijalni odgoj bavi se napretkom i razvitkom tijela kroz prehranu, materijalnu udobnost i ugodu. Taj je odgoj zajednički i ljudima i životinjama. But education is of three kinds: material, human and spiritual. Material education is concerned with the progress and development of the body, through gaining its sustenance, its material comfort and ease. This education is common to animals and man.
6 Ljudski odgoj znači civilizaciju i napredak – tj., vladu, administraciju, milosrdni rad, trgovinu, umjetnosti i obrte, znanosti, velike pronalaske i otkrića i razvijene ustanove, što su sve aktivnosti koje su bitne za čovjeka i koje ga razlikuju od životinje. Human education signifies civilization and progress—that is to say, government, administration, charitable works, trades, arts and handicrafts, sciences, great inventions and discoveries and elaborate institutions, which are the activities essential to man as distinguished from the animal.
7 Božanski odgoj je onaj iz Kraljevstva Božjeg: sastoji se od usvajanja božanskih odlika i predstavlja pravi odgoj; jer u tom stanju čovjek postaje žarištem božanskih blagoslova, očitovanjem riječi, “Načinimo čovjeka na svoju sliku, sebi slična”2. To je cilj svijeta čovječanstva. Divine education is that of the Kingdom of God: it consists in acquiring divine perfections, and this is true education; for in this state man becomes the focus of divine blessings, the manifestation of the words, “Let Us make man in Our image, and after Our likeness.”2 This is the goal of the world of humanity.
8 Sada nam je potreban odgajatelj koji će istodobno biti i materijalni, ljudski i duhovni odgajatelj i čiji će autoritet biti djelotvoran u svim uvjetima. Tako, bude li itko rekao: “Ja posjedujem savršeno razumijevanje i inteligenciju i nemam nikakve potrebe za takvim odgajateljem”, on će poricati ono što je jasno i očevidno, kao kad bi dijete reklo: “Ne treba mi odgoj; djelovat ću u skladu sa svojim razumom i inteligencijom i tako postići savršenstvo postojanja”, ili kao kad bi slijepac rekao: “Ne treba mi vid jer i mnogi drugi slijepi ljudi postoje bez poteškoća”. Now we need an educator who will be at the same time a material, human and spiritual educator, and whose authority will be effective in all conditions. So if anyone should say, “I possess perfect comprehension and intelligence, and I have no need of such an educator,” he would be denying that which is clear and evident, as though a child should say, “I have no need of education; I will act according to my reason and intelligence, and so I shall attain the perfections of existence”; or as though the blind should say, “I am in no need of sight, because many other blind people exist without difficulty.”
9 Dakle, jasno je i očito da čovjek treba odgajatelja i da taj odgajatelj mora biti neupitno i nedvojbeno savršen u svakom pogledu i isticati se iznad svih ljudi. U protivnom, kad bi bio kao i ostatak čovječanstva, on ne bi mogao biti njihov odgajatelj, pogotovo zato što on mora istodobno biti i njihov materijalni i humani kao i duhovni odgajatelj – tj. on mora ljude naučiti da organiziraju i sprovode materijalne poslove i da oblikuju društveni poredak da bi uspostavili suradnju i uzajamnu pomoć u življenju na takav način da materijalni poslovi budu organizirani i regulirani za slučaj svih okolnosti do kojih može doći. Isto tako on mora uspostaviti humani odgoj tj. on mora odgajati inteligenciju da bi se ona mogla potpuno razviti, da bi znanje i znanost mogli rasti i da bi se realnost stvari, otajstva bića i svojstva postojanja mogla otkriti; da bi se iz dana u dan upute, pronalasci i institucije usavršavali; i da bi se iz stvari koje opažamo osjetilima mogli izvući zaključci o intelektualnim stvarima. Then it is plain and evident that man needs an educator, and this educator must be unquestionably and indubitably perfect in all respects and distinguished above all men. Otherwise, if he should be like the rest of humanity, he could not be their educator, more particularly because he must be at the same time their material and human as well as their spiritual educator—that is to say, he must teach men to organize and carry out physical matters, and to form a social order in order to establish cooperation and mutual aid in living so that material affairs may be organized and regulated for any circumstances that may occur. In the same way he must establish human education—that is to say, he must educate intelligence and thought in such a way that they may attain complete development, so that knowledge and science may increase, and the reality of things, the mysteries of beings and the properties of existence may be discovered; that, day by day, instructions, inventions and institutions may be improved; and from things perceptible to the senses conclusions as to intellectual things may be deduced.
10 On također mora pružati duhovni odgoj da bi inteligencija i razumijevanje mogli proniknuti u metafizički svijet i primiti dobrobit iz posvećenog lahora Duha Svetoga i uspostaviti vezu s Najvišom Družbom. On mora tako odgajati ljudsku stvarnost da bi ona mogla postati središtem božanske pojave u takvoj mjeri da pridjevci i imena Božja zasjaju iz zrcala čovjekove stvarnosti i ostvari se sveti stih “Načinimo čovjeka na svoju sliku, sebi slična”3. He must also impart spiritual education, so that intelligence and comprehension may penetrate the metaphysical world, and may receive benefit from the sanctifying breeze of the Holy Spirit, and may enter into relationship with the Supreme Concourse. He must so educate the human reality that it may become the center of the divine appearance, to such a degree that the attributes and the names of God shall be resplendent in the mirror of the reality of man, and the holy verse “We will make man in Our image and likeness” shall be realized.3
11 Jasno je da ljudska moć nije dostatna za vršenje tako velike dužnosti, a razum sam ne može preuzeti odgovornost tako velike misije. Kako može jedna usamljena osoba bez pomoći i podrške položiti temelje tako plemenita zdanja? Ona mora ovisiti o pomoći duhovne i božanske moći da bi mogla preuzeti tu misiju. Jedna Sveta Duša daje život svijetu čovječanstva, mijenja aspekt zemaljske kugle, izaziva napredovanje inteligencije, oživljava duše, polaže osnovu novome životu, uspostavlja nove temelje, organizira svijet, dovodi narode i religije u sjenu jednog stijega, oslobađa čovjeka od svijeta nesavršenstva i poroka i nadahnjuje ga željom i potrebom za prirodnim i stečenim savršenstvima. Zasigurno ništa osim božanske moći ne može obaviti tako golem posao. Mi moramo ovo pravedno razmotriti jer to je pravedna dužnost. It is clear that human power is not able to fill such a great office, and that reason alone could not undertake the responsibility of so great a mission. How can one solitary person without help and without support lay the foundations of such a noble construction? He must depend on the help of the spiritual and divine power to be able to undertake this mission. One Holy Soul gives life to the world of humanity, changes the aspect of the terrestrial globe, causes intelligence to progress, vivifies souls, lays the basis of a new life, establishes new foundations, organizes the world, brings nations and religions under the shadow of one standard, delivers man from the world of imperfections and vices, and inspires him with the desire and need of natural and acquired perfections. Certainly nothing short of a divine power could accomplish so great a work. We ought to consider this with justice, for this is the office of justice.
12 Stvar koju sve vlade i narodi svijeta sa svom svojom snagom i vojskama ne mogu promicati i širiti, može promicati jedna Sveta Duša bez pomoći ili potpore! Može li se to učiniti ljudskom moći? Ne, za ime Božje! Primjerice, Krist, sam i usamljen, podigao je stijeg mira i pravičnosti, posao koji ne mogu obaviti sve pobjedničke vlade sa svojim vojskama. Razmislite o tome kakva je bila sudbina mnogih i raznovrsnih carstava i naroda: Rimskog Carstva, Francuske, Njemačke, Rusije, Engleske itd.; svi su – da tako kažemo, bili okupljeni pod istim šatorom, Krist je ujedinio te raznorodne narode, od kojih su neki pod utjecajem kršćanstva postali toliko ujedinjeni da su žrtvovali svoje živote i imovinu jedni za druge. Nakon Konstantina, koji je u svoje doba bio zagovornik kršćanstva, među njima je došlo do podjela. Činjenica je da je Krist ujedinio te narode, ali da su nakon nekog vremena vlade postale uzrokom nesloge. Hoću reći da je Krist uspostavio Stvar koju svi kraljevi zemlje nisu mogli uspostaviti! Ujedinio je različite religije i preoblikovao drevne običaje. Pomislite kako su goleme razlike postojale između Rimljana, Grka, Sirijaca, Egipćana, Feničana, Izraelićana i ostalih naroda Europe. Krist je te razlike uklonio i postao uzrokom ljubavi među tim zajednicama. Premda su nakon nekog vremena vlade uništile tu uniju, Kristovo je djelo bilo izvršeno. A Cause which all the governments and peoples of the world, with all their powers and armies, cannot promulgate and spread, one Holy Soul can promote without help or support! Can this be done by human power? No, in the name of God! For example, Christ, alone and solitary, upraised the standard of peace and righteousness, a work which all the victorious governments with all their hosts are unable to accomplish. Consider what was the fate of so many and diverse empires and peoples: the Roman Empire, France, Germany, Russia, England, etc.; all were gathered together under the same tent—that is to say, the appearance of Christ brought about a union among these diverse nations, some of whom, under the influence of Christianity, became so united that they sacrificed their lives and property for one another. After the time of Constantine, who was the protagonist of Christianity, divisions broke out among them. The point is this, that Christ united these nations but after a while governments became the cause of discord. What I mean is that Christ sustained a Cause that all the kings of the earth could not establish! He united the various religions and modified ancient customs. Consider what great differences existed between Romans, Greeks, Syrians, Egyptians, Phoenicians, Israelites and other peoples of Europe. Christ removed these differences and became the cause of love between these communities. Although after some time governments destroyed this union, the work of Christ was accomplished.
13 Stoga Univerzalni Odgajatelj mora istodobno biti i fizički, humani i duhovni odgajatelj; također, On mora posjedovati nadnaravnu moć da bi mogao zadržati položaj božanskog učitelja. Ne pokaže li takvu božansku moć, neće moći odgajati, jer kad bi On bio nesavršen – kako bi mogao dati savršen odgoj? Kad bi bio neznalica, kako bi druge mogao učiniti mudrima? Kad bi On bio nepravedan, kako bi druge učinio pravednima? Kad bi bio zemaljski, kako bi druge učinio nebeskima? Therefore, the Universal Educator must be at the same time a physical, human and spiritual educator; and He must possess a supernatural power, so that He may hold the position of a divine teacher. If He does not show forth such a holy power, He will not be able to educate, for if He be imperfect, how can He give a perfect education? If He be ignorant, how can He make others wise? If He be unjust, how can He make others just? If He be earthly, how can He make others heavenly?
14 Sad moramo pravedno razmotriti: posjeduju li ti  Božanski Objavitelji Koji su se pojavili sve te kvalifikacije ili ne?4 Kad Oni ne bi posjedovali te kvalifikacije i ta savršenstva, Oni ne bi bili pravi Odgajatelji. Now we must consider justly: did these Divine Manifestations Who have appeared possess all these qualifications or not?4 If They had not these qualifications and these perfections, They were not real Educators.
15 Stoga naša zadaća mora biti da onima koji misle razumnim argumentima dokažemo položaj proroštva Mojsija, Krista i ostalih Božanskih Objavitelja. A dokazi koje mi dajemo ne temelje se na tradicionalnim, nego na racionalnim argumentima. Therefore, it must be our task to prove to the thoughtful by reasonable arguments the prophethood of Moses, of Christ and of the other Divine Manifestations. And the proofs and evidences which we give are not based on traditional but on rational arguments.
16 Ovdje je racionalnim argumentima dokazano da svijet postojanja ima prijeku potrebu za odgajateljem i da se njegov odgoj mora postići božanskom moći. Nema sumnje da je ta sveta moć otkrivenje i da se svijet mora odgajati kroz ovu moć koja je iznad ljudske moći. It has now been proved by rational arguments that the world of existence is in the utmost need of an educator, and that its education must be achieved by divine power. There is no doubt that this holy power is revelation, and that the world must be educated through this power which is above human power.