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A review by cherylanntownsend
The Inner Life: Inner Land--A Guide Into the Heart of the Gospel, Volume 1 by Eberhard Arnold
5.0
Founder of the Bruderhof sect, this is a later version, translated, of Eberhard Arnold’s ongoing search for a true “inner land” of spiritualism. A way of living in true community, as if truly God’s children, in one “home.” Sharing all in lieu of owning, based on the Sermon on the Mount, they supported their families via their agricultural and publishing “business.”
Prominent prior to, til after World War I (and still going, in locations) it was anti-Nazi (or any form of hate) focusing on teaching against “the spirits that fed society’s support” for any such inhumanity, as well as against greed, vengeance and politics. (Baha’i?)
The pamphlets produced were uplifting, but “illegal” under Hitler’s reign, so their sequestration out of the country was necessary.
These are writings needing distribution direly in today’s fever of unrestrained, imploding hate.
“These are times of distress; they do not allow us to retreat just because we are willfully blind to the overwhelming urgency of the tasks that press upon human society. We cannot look for inner detachment in an inner and outer isolation.”
We need to unite in love.
With Biblical notations, we are introduced to Arnold’s “sermon” in chapters to “The Inner Life,” “The Heart,” and “Soul and Spirit.” The later intrigued me with his reference to children not understanding death...”Least of all can they see how it is possible to kill people in the service of a higher cause.” Nor should they ever!!!
Arnold was a philosopher. His poetic beliefs had echoes of Kahlil Gibran reverberating in my heart. If I could place this book (or any of like mind) in the hands of every negative thought person out there, hug them, and tell them it doesn’t have to be hate, I would die content. More so if they actually listened.
But then the final words of Don McLean’s “Vincent” echo just as loud...
They would not listen, they're not listening still
Perhaps they never will
If there must wars, let them be wars of love. Battles of hugs. An exchange instead of takings. Songs instead of screams. Let’s give this book instead of bullets.
Prominent prior to, til after World War I (and still going, in locations) it was anti-Nazi (or any form of hate) focusing on teaching against “the spirits that fed society’s support” for any such inhumanity, as well as against greed, vengeance and politics. (Baha’i?)
The pamphlets produced were uplifting, but “illegal” under Hitler’s reign, so their sequestration out of the country was necessary.
These are writings needing distribution direly in today’s fever of unrestrained, imploding hate.
“These are times of distress; they do not allow us to retreat just because we are willfully blind to the overwhelming urgency of the tasks that press upon human society. We cannot look for inner detachment in an inner and outer isolation.”
We need to unite in love.
With Biblical notations, we are introduced to Arnold’s “sermon” in chapters to “The Inner Life,” “The Heart,” and “Soul and Spirit.” The later intrigued me with his reference to children not understanding death...”Least of all can they see how it is possible to kill people in the service of a higher cause.” Nor should they ever!!!
Arnold was a philosopher. His poetic beliefs had echoes of Kahlil Gibran reverberating in my heart. If I could place this book (or any of like mind) in the hands of every negative thought person out there, hug them, and tell them it doesn’t have to be hate, I would die content. More so if they actually listened.
But then the final words of Don McLean’s “Vincent” echo just as loud...
They would not listen, they're not listening still
Perhaps they never will
If there must wars, let them be wars of love. Battles of hugs. An exchange instead of takings. Songs instead of screams. Let’s give this book instead of bullets.