Today’s quote: “I can’t wait for the day when we can speak
of God without embarrassment.”
If the global economy and the Information Super Highway are any
indication of an emerging one world vision, there is no denying
that no one can be an island any longer - we’re all simply in
this together. We either win together or lose together. However
by becoming more interdependent, the global community is equally
becoming more vulnerable to potential disasters on a mass scale.
Today we find ourselves riding on a roller coaster of
uncertainty and high anxiety, where anarchy is the order of the
day and dangerous weapons increasingly find themselves in the
wrong hands. The emerging new world order has also created a
new type of mafia, also known as Al Quieda, using religion as
their main weapon of choice in pursuit of control and power.
The chaos and insanity that have plagued the world community
is but a reflection of a moral crisis and the level of our
collective consciousness. When we fail to see the unity of
life, by not respecting the sanctity of life or recognizing the
spirit that connects us all beyond the superficial boundaries
of race, color and religion, we invariably contribute to the
perception that somehow we are separated (when in fact we are
all strands of the web of life). When hearts get tainted from
lack of acceptance of differences, conflicts and wars are
inevitable, particularly when the name of God is used as a
license to kill.
It’s so ironic that the very thing (organized religion) that
was supposed to unite and bring people together, has turned
out to be a divisive force, and the main motivator for wars and
senseless violence in the history of human affairs. If there
is one valuable lesson that can be learned from history, it’s
that wars are self-defeating. No one really ever wins a war.
Ultimately, “He who lives by the sword, shall die by the sword,”
simply because it’s a key element of the universal law of cause
and effect (for every action there is a reaction).
However, while striving for peace is essential for maintaining
a free and thriving society, it’s important to keep things in
perspective. We cannot afford the luxury of being perceived
by the enemy as weak, passive and incapable of defeating evil
whenever necessary. In the absence of a cure for eradicating
evil, the best option is one of managing the problem. This
approach has to be based on having a strong spirit.
Having a strong spirit is paramount to success in dealing with
any type of challenges, particularly global terrorism. A strong
spirit is like a ship in the vast ocean that won’t sink as long
as there is no hole in it. My dad used to say “If you lose your
money, you haven’t lost anything (money is replaceable). If you
lose your health, you have lost something, but if you lose your
spirit, you have lost everything.” That’s because having a
strong spirit gives you the winning edge in every situation.
The primary goal of evil-doers, who are aware of the awesome
power of the spirit, is to target the spirit, weaken it in
order to accelerate the process of surrender and defeat.
Picasso believed that, “Every act of creation begins with the
act of destruction.” Mother Nature teaches us that everything
has a purpose (after all, God doesn’t play dice). Chaos,
violence and destruction are merely a natural part of the
equation and cycle of life in which destruction gives birth
to new life. Chaos plays a vital role in the scheme of all
creation by providing the necessary stimulation in order for
growth and evolution to take place. Therefore, it’s safe to
presume that real peace, defined as an absence of conflicts,
is not truly achievable. It would be naive to believe that
violence and destruction can be permanently and completely
eradicated.
There is no denying that global unity (peace) is a worthwhile
pursuit. After all, our very survival is dependent on our
ability to co-exist. However, there are certain misconceptions
that actually serve as roadblocks and hinder the process of
attaining real and lasting peace. Peace has always eluded men.
Like life, peace is not a destination, but rather a process by
which one is allowed the freedom of self-expression while
interacting with the world in a more humane and livable way by
making a conscious effort to live according to universal moral
values. It’s a process intended to provide a safe haven for
like-minded people who are trying to find some measure of joy
and happiness while trying to survive on the battlefields of
life. Peace is not something that happens overnight, or even
in a lifetime either. Rather peace is a worthy goal and a
process by which we evolve, allowing inner change to hopefully
create the desirable outer change as well (remember the wheels
of change always turn slowly but surely).
Genuine and lasting global unity (peace), which is a state
of mind and a way of living, can not be attained through an
escalating arms race and certainly not by the signing of a piece
of paper by politicians who are driven by their own agendas. It
is peace consciousness that unites people, creating prosperity
and sanity. When we finally recognize the spirit that connects
us all, honor the sanctity of life and learn to be at peace with
ourselves and universal laws, it becomes virtually impossible to
destroy ourselves and others, or the environment. Indeed only
when the power of love overcomes the love of power, will the
world finally know genuine peace.
Since everything starts with an idea and everything is possible,
isn’t it also possible for the concept of global unity (peace)
to gain momentum and become a reality too? All we need is to
plant the seeds, so that the seeds take root, grow and spread
and take a life of their own. Over time the movement can become
a revolution, leading to evolution and global change for the
benefit of everyone.
Today, civilization finds itself at the crossroads. Changing
the world which we live in requires changing our way of thinking
and our concepts about ourselves and life itself. Real solutions
to problems require daring and innovative individuals who can
dream of things that never were. As Albert Einstein once
observed, “The problems that exist in the world today cannot be
solved by the level of thinking that created them.” However
troubling and uncertain the times, it’s just another moment
in time. Defining this moment in time is all up to us by the
choices that we make. These choices can either lead to global
unity (peace and prosperity) where we honor and celebrate the
miracle of life, or to the false glory of death where the
triumph of violence eventually ends in a festival of pain
and misery.
In a constantly changing world, where global insanity seems to
be getting the upper hand, it’s easy to lose sight of your true
spiritual essence and awesome power to affect change. Since the
path to success of any mission is action, why not resolve to be
the change you wish to see in the world today. Who knows you
might even discover the joy of being somebody’s hero in the most
unexpected places. Together we might even restore global
insanity.
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