“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14).
We received this e-mail from a reader of The Issues of Life:
Hope you enjoy this!
If the population of the Earth was reduced to that of a small town with 100 people, it would look something like this:
- 57 Asians 21 Europeans 14 Americans (northern and southern) 8 Africans
- 52 women 48 men
- 70 coloured-skins 30 caucasians
- 89 heterosexuals 11 homosexuals
6 people would own 59% of the whole world wealth and all of them would be from the United States of America
- 80 would have bad living conditions
- 70 would be uneducated
- 50 underfed
- 1 would die
- 2 would be born
- 1 would have a computer
- 1 (only one) would have higher education
When you look at the world from this point of view, you can see there is a real need for solidarity, understanding, patience and education.
Also think about the following:
- This morning, if you woke up healthy, then you are happier than the 1 million people that will not survive next week.
- If you never suffered a war, the loneliness of the jail cell, the agony of torture, or hunger, you are happier than 500 million people in the world.
- If you can enter into a church (mosque) without fear of jail or death, you are happier than 3 million people in the world.
- If there is a food in your fridge, you have shoes and clothes, you have bed and a roof, you are richer then 75% of the people in the world.
- If you have a bank account, money in your wallet and some coins in the money-box, you belong to the 8% of the people on the world, who are well-to-do.
If you read this you are three times blessed because:
1. Somebody just thought of you.
2. You don’t belong to the 200 million people that cannot read.
3. And… you have a computer!
As somebody once said:
“- work as if you don’t need money,
– love as if you’ve never been hurt,
– dance, as if nobody can see you,
– sing, as if no one can hear,
– live, as if the Earth was a heaven.”
If you like, send this to people you call friends.
If you don’t send this, nothing will happen. But, if you send it – someone will smile.
Paul’s reply:
Hi Karen,
I would like you to consider something regarding the message entitled “Planet Earth.” How can anyone be expected to enjoy such a message, as we are enjoined to, that highlights the deplorable state of affairs for so many people on earth? I cannot enjoy hearing about the suffering of mankind! I do not think you can either! Knowing that I have a warm house and food, while others lack these basics, does not bring enjoyment. Furthermore, the message presents the despairing thought that our means to deal with this situation is our own “solidarity, understanding, patience, and education.” Where has that gotten mankind so far?! Hasn’t mankind’s “solidarity, understanding, patience, and education” gotten us into this mess? If not, how has it happened?
Digging further yet into this abyss of despondency, those who have food, literacy, freedom of religious affiliation, internet access (whose spirits this message is supposed to uplift, by contrast with the less fortunate), are not finding life or happiness in those things. Look around you! Of those who have food, what are they eating? Of those who can read, what are they reading? Of those who can go to a church, synagogue, or mosque, what are they hearing? Of those who can use the internet, to what end? We see people being destroyed in all these things, relentlessly, day in and day out!
There is no hope, either, that we can either individually or collectively pull ourselves out of this morass by our own bootstraps. Even if you were able to do such for yourself, and you can’t, there is no way to mobilize the masses. Every man is a king, every woman a queen, and every person is for him or her self! Just try to get everyone to agree and do the right thing! You cannot do that in a family, let alone a community, country, or planet earth. Ask Napoleon, ask Stalin, ask Hitler, ask the Dalai Lama, ask my parents!
Given extreme poverty, life for mankind is a struggle to survive. Given the luxury of ample provision, life is a struggle of another sort. In our affluent western world, mankind is destroying himself physically, mentally, and spiritually by way of his abundance. Destruction hems men in from all angles, with nowhere to go!
No, this message cannot be enjoyable except to one with eyes closed to reality, employing artificial means to keep the truth at bay. The very essence of this message is such artificiality. It is alcohol for the soul. It soothes the pain of emptiness and impotence, but only superficially and temporarily.
But there is a better way! It is the only way. Yes, you know what I will say, but do you know Him of Whom I will speak? He, Jesus Christ, is the Way. He is the answer for poor and rich, young and old, man and woman. He paid for our lives with His own blood, and did that for us while we were yet independent, doing the very things that have brought the world to this present impasse. How much more will He save us, abundantly and completely, when we turn to Him! He is King of kings, and Lord of lords. He rules over all. There is no permanent and satisfactory enjoyment living as a hostile to Him and His rulership. There is no life, period. It is dead-end death. We are speaking as those raised from that death, now knowing the difference.
In Him we do work, but not for money. In Him we love, because He loved us first and removed our hurts. We dance in our spirit because He has made us free, rejoicing and singing His praises. We live, not as if we are, but actually are, in Heaven. To this end He has come, and His work will not stop until every soul enters this same state of grace and salvation. It is His will. Now that is good news!
Paul