Dust to dust.

 

Dust to dust.

A friend from over fifty years ago called me. We used to associate when it was a different world. It was a tough world to live in, but good times were still coming. Thanks to some leaders who cared about us, and some of us having the wisdom to use our political power, we did alright. Not everyone excelled, but most managed to have a reasonable life. People who didn’t finish grade twelve could own a house.

The generation that leads the world today is not ready to make the necessary changes, preferring to live on what my generation built. They are willing to work and study for the things that we assumed were the gravy, but not for the potatoes. They want the latest expensive toys and the most exciting holidays, all paid with easy credit. When elections come, they demand that the government will do the same.

This attitude is not new. The Hebrew slaves of antiquity were willing to stay in slavery for someone to feed them while working them to death. We read stories about the end of the Roman empire when the population revolted, shouting that they want bread and entertainment. We see the world today and we don’t pay attention, repeating the same mistakes.

Canada is absorbing more immigrants and migrants than ever, since we have no workers to fill the empty positions. I see it right here in town. Those who provide work try to do so without paying what is needed to carry on with business. They blame taxes for their problems since the tax money often is wasted with not much to show for it. The governments are “creating jobs” instead of using workers to make improvements. Canada is stealing educated workers from poorer countries and, in doing so, is changing the country’s demographics. There is even talk about foreign governments buying some of our elected officials. All parties may be guilty of it. Many elected representatives owe their positions, pensions, and all to the foreign owners of corporations who may not care about the people here at all. In my opinion, we have a problem selecting leaders for popularity instead of ability. It can’t go on like that.

Most of the people I know believe in God, in some way or another. Many of them believe in some kind of afterlife existence even while knowing that the earthly body and the brain return to the dust it was made from. The debate has been going on since the beginning of human existence on earth. I have my religious views and my understanding, which are not exactly the same, but close.

I believe that the world is programmed to support all those who exist upon it and will slow down the production of living things that have no room. All that we have and use is made of the earth and to the earth will return. If anyone is short on the necessities of life, you can very easily find someone who has much more of what they need or even can comfortably use. You see the tent cities of homeless people or seniors not eating vegetables they can’t afford and you see people owning many mansions, cars, and airplanes that they rarely use. The picture repeats itself all over the world, and it’s not new.

Years ago when I was a student, archaeologists unearthed a chapel on one of the Greek islands with a saying printed on the stone wall saying, just take what you need and leave the rest. They don’t know who wrote it. Carbon dating showed that it was older than the classical Hellenistic buildings around it, pre-dating Christianity by much.

We, the modern people of today, fight to keep our culture pure and maintain our domination over the riches of the world. Others are flocking to our borders trying to get in. We also fight to keep those who lived in “our countries” before us from having an equal share of natural resources. The Russians are fighting for ownership of Ukraine as we speak. Why is it so? Are we not all Christians believing in a moral code based on loving our neighbor as ourselves? Are not all the other faiths that formed our civilizations saying the same in one form or another? Yes, they do.

A friend tells me to sell my home and give the money to the poor. I think it is ridiculous. What Christianity is trying to impress on us is that having friends and a community is the most important thing to do. If we took all the money that exists after people keep all they can use, we would have enough to feed, house, and educate all the people.

First, we need politicians that do their work, not just try to be in power. Second, we need to teach society that at any time we may be those in need and depend on help from others. That is when God will grant us the second coming, which we have been waiting for thousands of years. We have all we need and only need to use it in the right way.