- arch of constantine
This is a really interesting season we’re in. Institutions are being shaken as various forms of abuse are uncovered. Institutional structures are being challenged for the way they protect those in power at the expense of those without power. Foundations are being shaken and recent worldwide events are indications of this at the deepest levels. The movie “2012″ is a prophetic statement of the unraveling of these bedrock structures; this will leave a whole new landscape.
Political systems are being exposed along with financial systems. Governmental upheavals are pending. Church and state governments are being tested and found wanting. The desire for power and control expressed through greed, money, ambition, sex, etc., is driving the kingdoms of the world to a climax that will produce change. Probably revolutionary change.
The wealth of nations in monetary systems has been built by powerful people who control financial institutions whose assets have largely been accumulated through the manipulation and exploitation of poorer people. Call it life in the food chain. Much of the Chinese manufacturing success has been from cheap labor and stolen ideas. It can be argued that people in China have more economic opportunity to improve their standard of living today, but do they get the full reward of their labor? And how is intellectual property protected in the Chinese market?
We in the West have been blinded by “acquisition syndrome” in the lust for MORE: bigger houses, newer cars, latest fashions, more choices of unnecessary luxuries. When is enough “enough”? What happens when we stop buying? If we have negative population growth, how do we continue to feed the industrial machine? With a shrinking tax base, how do we manage to pay for social services and infrastructure?
Remember the stimulus package? Did the economy change as a result? No. Most people took the money and used it to pay down debt. Maybe we are getting wiser, maybe it’s a case of “too little, too late”.
Abuse of power. We see bishops dropping like flies. The ones most capable of protecting the innocent are the ones who exploit them for self-serving gain. It would be wonderful to see institutions built on the foundation of service to mankind.
It seems to be our nature to blame the thing that we trust for our own failures so that we can avoid having to take responsibility for our choices. “It was Hitler, it was the Nazis; I was only doing what I was told.” The truth is we DO have responsibility for our choices. In the end, we will be held to account for them. There is no excuse “the devil made me do it.” That was settled with Adam and Eve. We make choices.
How is it that we don’t know the seasons?
