A. The root of all our difficulties, individual and social, is self-interest. It is this, for example, which causes corrupt politicians to accept bribes and betray the interests of those whom they have been elected to serve; which causes bootleggers to break, for their own profit, a law designed, whether wisely or not, to help the nation as a whole; which causes people to connive, for their pleasure, in the breaking of that law, thus causing disrespect for law in general, and increasing crime tremendously; which causes the exploitation of great masses of humanity by individuals or groups of individuals seeking personal gain; which impedes the progress of civilization by shelving inventions which would contribute to the welfare of humanity at large, simply because their use would mean the scrapping of present, inferior equipment; which, when people are starving, causes wanton destruction of large quantities of food simply in order to maintain market prices, which causes the hoarding of large sums of gold when the welfare of the world demands its circulation. These are only a few examples of the way self-interest operates to the detriment of human welfare. Eliminate self-interest, and you will solve all your problems, individual and social.

But the elimination of self-interest, even granting a sincere desire on the part of the individual to accomplish it, is not easy and is never completely achieved except by the aid of a Perfect Master Who has the power to convey Truth at will. For, self-interest springs from a false idea of the true nature of the self, and this idea must he eradicated and the Truth experienced before this elimination is possible. Shri Meher Baba intends when He speaks to reveal the One Supreme Self which is in all. This accomplished, the idea of the self as a limited, separate entity will disappear, and with it will vanish self-interest. Cooperation will replace competition, security will replace uncertainty, generosity will replace greed, exploitation will disappear.

Q. Will His work, like Christ's work, be missionary?

A. He will establish no new religion, yet His work will embrace all religions in their essence and spirit; in other words, in its mystical and spiritual aspects, and be absolutely unconcerned with their ceremonial side and dry dogmas. His work, therefore, will not be missionary, in the narrow sense of the word, but will permeate through all religions.

Q. Why does He keep changing His plans, and postponing His promises of healing?