Sustainable Society?

SUSTAINABLE SOCIETY?

Imagine the kinds of changes that need to be made to put a stop to the constant destruction of our environment. Pollution-free power generation would be a reasonable start. Limiting urban traffic to Public Transit or electric “smart cars” between 6 AM and 6PM would not only cut greenhouse emissions in half, but would double the capacity of existing roads and bridges. We could create a “no-fly” zone over the entire country (except for emergencies), ending the thick jet trails across the clear blue sky in the name of travel vacations. We could prevent more oil spills by refusing to allow oil tankers to sail across the oceans. To put it plainly, a “sustainable society” cannot continue to devour nature’s resources at an ever-increasing rate, turning our world into a barren and desolate garbage dump in the quest for a “higher standard” of living. But even if we stopped the destruction of the “rain forests”, abolished raw sewage, and found safe disposal for chemical and nuclear waste, we wouldn’t have a “sustainable society”.

Although pollution is a serious issue, the real destruction of society comes from inner decay. While disrespect for nature has obvious consequences, our total disregard for fellow human beings threatens the very existence of society itself. Why is it so hard to empathize with the suffering of others around the world? Farmers in North America are not that much different than farmers in China, Europe or the Middle East. Carpenters and laborers work to build bridges and homes in every corner of the planet. Every child needs food, water and shelter no matter where they are born. How can we justify threatening ordinary people in other countries by sending heavily armed troops instead of offering help? The answer is simple - our minds have been poisoned by propaganda and bigotry, and our thinking has become dazed and confused by the power of mass media.

From the dawn of time, con artists calling themselves “experts”, “leaders”, and “teachers”, have basked in popular attention as they spread wild speculations and ignorant ravings across the globe. This is the major threat to a “sustainable society” – the insidious pollution of our hearts towards others. I believe that the current spin and rhetoric of  mainstream media is the most toxic form of waste, and that human governments cannot continue to encourage the mass production and sales of deadly weapons, threatening to drop bombs and kill people for “world peace”. It’s a no-brainer.

The Cyprus Experiment

THE CYPRUS EXPERIMENT

What can we learn from Cyprus? A new bailout method is replacing the unpopular taxpayer grab that has worked well up until now. European finance ministers have come up with a plan to divide banks into “good” and “bad” (perhaps they draw straws, or roll dice) and salvage the one by shifting the deposits and liquid assets to the first while loading all the toxic debt onto the other. In a bold move to secure a prosperous future, 60% of the deposits over 100.000 euros will be collected in a one time savings tax called the “Mandatory Stabilization Contribution” (MSC).

It's too bad that ordinary Canadians can't get ahead of the curve somehow, and begin to move all of their savings and make all of their deposits into a local Credit Union account, removed from the stormy uncertainty of the teetering global economy. That way, when the Federal Reserve of the United States finally allows interest rates to rise, (causing an eruption of hyper-inflation and the inevitable tsunami of bankruptcies and lay-offs, leaving behind the desolation of crushed stock markets around the world), we can breathe a sigh of relief and continue on a local scale of commerce. When our elected representatives start pounding on their desks and vote unanimously to bring in the MSC as the salvation for our precious charter banks, we can politely shake our heads, herd these ravenous dinosaurs together and cheer as they stampede into the pages of history.

Communication Problem

THE COMMUNICATION PROBLEM

“I told them that we might get a massive earthquake that would cause a giant tsunami and wipe out the backup generators! They just wouldn't listen – all they were interested in was the cost of the changes. It was an election year, I think,” the stately Japanese lawmaker was pouring out his exasperation to the other four men gathered in front of the throne. “Why didn't they listen?”

“I hear you, man,” replied Moses, “When I came down from that mountain the first time, they were putting the finishing touches on a huge golden calf, bowing and scraping in holy reverence. It made me so mad I smashed the Commandments and started cursing. After all those miracles, they didn't want to hear 10 simple rules to live by without the constant frustration and bitterness. If it hadn't been for my brother, I wouldn't have gone to all the trouble of a rewrite! In the end, the lawyers took over anyway, so it was all for nothing.”

Jesus cleared his throat, “I had the same problem in my day – they weren't able to hear a word I spoke, so I told stories, and learned to delegate. I simplified your list down to the Golden Rule to make it easier for them, but that didn't work. In the end they tried to get rid of me and ignore what I was saying. A few years later, my people were running around pretending to be “special” and getting themselves martyred, so I finally gave up!”

A swarthy fellow in a brilliant white turban shook his head. “I didn't have any better luck with my followers. I thought it would be a good idea to pack explosives in their Idols and blow them up to make the point. Trouble is, everyone got the idea that God liked blowing things up, and they started designing guided missiles and nuclear weapons. If there is any way they can confuse themselves, they'll find it.”

A fat, grinning oriental man laughed and said, “You all give them too much credit. They'll never listen to the truth. I got all my followers to make little statues of me, so when they go through the whole worship thing, I will always have the last laugh!

100% Pro-Life and 100% Pro-Choice

100% PRO-LIFE, 100% PRO-CHOICE

To clarify the emotional controversy surrounding abortion, I think we need to put the debate in context, and stop trusting Supreme Courts to resolve the issue. The following is a larger perspective of the whole debate, addressing three separate problems with the possible choices for solutions.

1.)  Unwanted Babies

a) After birth, every unwanted child can be raised in an institution. (A poor choice, as evidenced by the infamous neglect found in many of these organizations around the world).

b) In the first trimester, the fetus can be aborted without risk to the mother, killing the child before it takes its first breath. (A poor choice, causing endless debate over the exact moment that a fertilized egg becomes a human being. This question is becoming extremely murky in light of the ever increasing capabilities of scientists – if a fertilized egg can be incubated outside of the womb, how is that different from premature babies?)

c.)After the baby is born, couples who either can't or don't want to go through childbirth can adopt him or her as their child. (A good choice, providing that both prospective parents realize that God has a parental interest that supersedes theirs.)

2.) Unwanted pregnancies.

a.) Surgical procedures. (Often irreversible.)

b.) Medication , condoms. (Not always 100% effective.)

c.) Masturbation. (Addiction can cause “spiritual blindness”.)

d.) Abstinence (Takes discipline and self-control)

3.) Unwanted sexual advances.

a.) Stoning to death. (A barbaric method of an ancient society.)

b.) Progressive jail sentences for offenders. (ineffective and costly.)

c.) Warnings to viewers on pornographic movies. (ineffective but cheap.)

d.) Permanent banishment for all sexual predators and complete forfeiture of all profits from the sale of sexually explicit material.  (Sexual crimes wound the victim permanently so the punishment needs to be permanent.  Voyeurism provides no benefit for society and deserves no financial reward.)