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8/5/13
August 5
…capacity is of two kinds: natural capacity and acquired
capacity. The first, which is the creation of God, is purely good -- in the
creation of God there is no evil; but the acquired capacity has become the
cause of the appearance of evil. For example, God has created all men in such a
manner and has given them such a constitution and such capacities that they are
benefited by sugar and honey and harmed and destroyed by poison. This nature
and constitution is innate, and God has given it equally to all mankind. But
man begins little by little to accustom himself to poison by taking a small
quantity each day, and gradually increasing it, until he reaches such a point
that he cannot live without a gram of opium every day. The natural capacities
are thus completely perverted. Observe how much the natural capacity and
constitution can be changed, until by different habits and training they become
entirely perverted. One does not criticize vicious people because of their
innate capacities and nature, but rather for their acquired capacities and
nature. (‘Abdu’l-Baha, 'Some Answered Questions'; The
Compilation of Compilations, vol. I, Baha’i Education)