Living in the turbulent times that we do with what seems to be nearly every continent having political upheavals, I can’t help but wonder, “What next?” I recently spoke with a dear and very intelligent friend whom I’ve known for some years about the global crisis we are experiencing in these times. One statement he made really went to the bone when he said, “Of nearly all the great civilizations that have fallen over all these thousands of years, most all of them were conquered by ignorant barbarians who didn’t even know how to wash their hands.” I’m sure he was likely referring to the fall of the Roman Empire as well the Chinese to the conquering hordes from the north. I’m sure any world history buff would name numerous smaller kingdoms that have fallen to armies filled with ignorance and barbarism.
Every time I hear of the brutal killings of innocent people by the hands of religious or imperialist predators, I want to go somewhere quiet and have a good weep. When the Malaysian airliner was shot down I was mortified. When I heard of a nearly a whole village in the Middle East murdered because they refused to embrace a radical religion, I was again mortified. This is not the Dark Ages! We are supposed to be living in the age of knowledge and temperance.
I ran into an dear friend on her walk today and we had a chat about the evils of the world. She said something as well that stuck. Her words were, “People who commit evil deeds in darkness, live in darkness because their souls are filled with darkness.” When we hear of kidnappings in Africa, tank movement across international borders in Ukraine, and the preparations for suicide bombings, all seem to take place in darkness.
We see fighters covering their faces so the world cannot see their evil in the daylight. I more fully understand now why in years past there were nighttime curfews in some cities and communities. It became harder for those who dwelled in darkness to congregate and conspire.
In such times as these I insist the only real and lasting counter-force is to work at educating and encouraging those who have fallen into the abyss of ignorance to make change in their lives. Too many millions of people have been brainwashed by their governments through their censoring and propagandizing of their countries’ media.
Those few war mongers who create such great pain in the world will in the end have their own prices to pay. Let us all go and make a great and good difference in the world.
