Thoughts on the New Year
1-4-20
Before Europeans reached the Americas, native tribes warred among themselves. Before Europeans explored Africa, native tribes warred among themselves. Before Europeans placed a footprint in the Middle East, factions warred among themselves: Babylonians, Syrians, Egyptians Persians, etc. fought battles with each other. Almost without exception the victors took slaves to provide a source of easily sustained labor.
Muslims split into two factions after the death of Muhammed; the Sunni and Shia, one wanting their leader’s successor to be from the family, one wanting their leader to be a Mullah. They have been killing each other over this issue since the late 600’s. Before Europeans stepped into the Far East, Mongolia, China, Japan; native tribes warred among themselves. In Europe people warred among themselves long before national boundaries came to be. The same with the Nordic people.
My oldest Brother (Alvin), once told me there are Givers and Takers. Until every living human will commit to the former, anyone committed to the latter represents the chance for violence and death. It is as inconsequential as a drug addict killing a convenience store clerk to fund his next high, to the hugely consequential hordes of humans and equipment in a vast theater of war. It seems that some humans are just not wired to be Givers. That gives us a world of never-ending crisis. Givers are all too often targeted by Takers just because of that Giving nature.
With the myriad of religions abounding on Earth, one might think we all could agree we should be Givers to ensure world harmony. But even the differing Gods we choose causes division and hatred. For this reason, I will not even bother to argue the first four Commandments, but find solace in five through ten. I cannot give credence to any human claiming to own God. I cannot give credence to anyone holding a book written by men and being told the words were “inspired by God”. My beliefs in that area are admittedly speculation so I can give no testimony to that which to me remains unknown. I believe we do not need a God to be Brothers and Sisters – yet hope that a kind and benevolent, all-powerful entity exits. Perhaps that entity was the mass of energy that gave us the Big Bang, whereby energy was converted to matter to make up all the planets and stars and us?
We are a funny species. On one hand we have individual humans reaching heights of rationale, philosophy and a means of peace; scientific advancements to increase the time we have on this planet, the time and tools to study our world and the wonders of the Universe – and at the same time having those whose desire to have something belonging to someone else labors under a creed of destructive behavior, a Taker.
I know many of the people that inhabit this forum. Among them are some of the world’s Champion Givers. I salute them by wishing them long life and prosperity. At their passing I wish for them all the glory and wonder put forth as a possibility in the hereafter. They will have earned it.