Governments, Churches and the People
Guy T. Sturino
August 18, 2005
I can’t remember the first time I said it, but over time the feeling has become stronger. My dear friend Ed and I have been discussing the state of the world for several years. “What has happened to us?” I would ask. “How did we get this way?”. Ed, the eternal pragmatist, would simply say, “It’s not good, but that’s the way it is, and there’s nothing we can do about it.” And, that’s when I would say, “If I was God, and this was my experiment, I would flush it.”
What could bring me to such a harsh judgement? The reasons range from seeing someone park in front of a supermarket door not 20 feet from an open parking space, to seeing one man cut another mans head off to make a point. Both actions say the same thing, “Why should I care what you think is right or wrong, when it’s obvious that my well being is important, and you are worthless.” In between those two extremes of incivility is a myriad of examples of humanity’s failure to progress since the fabled Cain killed Able.
Walk into a supermarket any day of the week and see the aisles blocked by people who seem totally unaware that others are also there to shop. Drive on a four-lane expressway and find four cars traveling side by side blocking the flow of traffic, also unaware of the long lines of cars behind them. Pick up the paper and read about the mother who kills her children because they’re just too much to handle, and the teenager who blows herself up in a crowd because life, as it is, doesn’t seem worth living.
Somewhere on a street in a major city one man is robbing another of a few dollars. Somewhere in the world one army is stealing the land from another country. Somewhere in the U. S. a child is starving, while on the other side of the globe a nation is starving. Wealthy people in the small town say, “Too bad, but I don’t believe in welfare,” and the wealthy government officials in the starving nation say, “Too bad, but you’ll have to fend for yourselves.” And, through it all, those not directly effected say, “Too bad, why doesn’t’ someone (else) do something about it?”
So, Ed and I talk. Ed and I are different in our beliefs. Ed is a Christian who firmly believes in God, and I am an agnostic who is all but positive that there is no god. Our values, however, are the same. We share a belief in the social teachings of Jesus Christ, and lament the loss of his teachings in the modern church. We disagree on the issue of whether abortion should ever be chosen as an option, but we agree that it’s a personal decision. There are other issues on which we disagree, but we talk. We respect each other, and each others’ point of view.
What’s the point? While Ed and I are talking, somewhere someone is trying to incite one group of people to act against another group of people. It’s Protestants vs. Catholics in Ireland, Muslims vs. Jews in Gaza, Evangelicals vs. homosexuals in the U.S., white supremacists vs. everyone else everywhere. The list is unending. After thousands of years, it still isn’t wrong to hate, it’s a badge of commitment to a cause, it isn’t wrong to amass wealth while others starve, it’s the capitalist way. It isn’t wrong to kill people who are just trying to live in peace and raise their children, its collateral damage. For some it’s heaven, for some it’s hell, and for most it’s just a place to live until we die. Who cares?
At this point a lot of people will jump up and say, “But I do!” with little thought about what’s really important to them. Chances are good that what’s really important is the size of their paycheck, the size of their house, the newness of their clothes, the look of their car or truck, and being seen at church. I want to be wrong, but I’ve seen little to convince me otherwise.
So, Ed and I keep talking. That last time we talked, I told him of my idea for finding people who felt the same about things as we did. I came up with a name, the Mutualist Alliance. The basic premise being that everyone born into this world has an equal right to existence.
I said that a Mutualist is someone who believes in the mutual right of humankind for food, clothing, shelter, health, and safety; has a strong desire for universal peace and goodwill; and has a high regard for the virtues of tolerance and charity. And, I said that a Mutualist would be able to carry and defend the message of humane coexistence when speaking with friends, family and others. That a Mutualist could accept that we don’t all believe in the same god and be able to at least tolerate the religion or spirituality of others. Finally I said that a Mutualist would seek out and support like-minded individuals for leadership positions in their community and country.
Then it was time for action, not talk. I prepared my website and made it possible for people to add their name to the list of people who felt as they did. I posted an article about it and I waited for the deluge of names to overcome the website server. As of today there are five names on the list. Maybe it was the article, not good enough to attract attention. Maybe I said something in the wrong way that turned people off. Maybe people considered it not worth the effort. Or just maybe people don’t care enough about what happens to someone else. I don’t know, and I don’t expect I ever will.
Ed knows. I’m sure when we talk this afternoon he’ll tell me, “I told you, Guy, it’s just the way it is.” And, I will ask again, “But, Ed, is that the way it has to be? Isn’t there something we can do?” And, Ed will say, “No, there isn’t.” Which leaves me where I started.
If I was God and Earth was Mine
I’d think about a future time
when it was clean again and free
I’d leave man out – just plant a tree.
A tree that’s tall, and straight and lean
and never get to feeling mean.
Of course there’d be no love to share,
but not one tree’d have hate to bear.
And only by an accident
would ever one small tree get bent
or broken by an errant breeze
which only meant to kiss the leaves.
No more would I watch people die
As bombs, bullets and rockets fly.
No more would I watch people steal
because they haven’t had a meal.
I gave man life and room to play
And long I’ve waited for the day
Humanity would learn to share
the gifts that I spread everywhere.
Instead theÌre those who think that they
are better than the rest. They say
Those gifts are mine!” And then they sell
the water from my gift - a well.
So is it any wonder now
I ponder how it is that how
so few have taken unto them
the earth that I gave to all men.
If I were god these things I’d feel
and in the end earth’s fate I’d seal
For I can see no other way
that earth can see a better day.
No, it’s not a happy thought, but I’m not ashamed of the conclusions I’ve drawn from the past sixty-five years. I despise capitalism for how it has elevated greed above all other human virtues, and I despise organized religion for how it has played it’s part in turning people against one another the world over. Between the two, the possibility of even the hope of peaceful and humane coexistence across the face of this planet is extremely remote.
Regardless of the poem I remain staunchly agnostic. If there is a god, there is no evidence for me to presume that god is a benevolent spirit. Maybe the Mutualist Alliance was a pipe dream better left to the smokey haze of a lost evening. Perhaps the best anyone can hope for is to find those who share their values and pray that they are not preyed upon by the rest. As for me, I will continue to write about what I see, and continue to search for like minded people.
What could bring me to such a harsh judgement? The reasons range from seeing someone park in front of a supermarket door not 20 feet from an open parking space, to seeing one man cut another mans head off to make a point. Both actions say the same thing, “Why should I care what you think is right or wrong, when it’s obvious that my well being is important, and you are worthless.” In between those two extremes of incivility is a myriad of examples of humanity’s failure to progress since the fabled Cain killed Able.
Walk into a supermarket any day of the week and see the aisles blocked by people who seem totally unaware that others are also there to shop. Drive on a four-lane expressway and find four cars traveling side by side blocking the flow of traffic, also unaware of the long lines of cars behind them. Pick up the paper and read about the mother who kills her children because they’re just too much to handle, and the teenager who blows herself up in a crowd because life, as it is, doesn’t seem worth living.
Somewhere on a street in a major city one man is robbing another of a few dollars. Somewhere in the world one army is stealing the land from another country. Somewhere in the U. S. a child is starving, while on the other side of the globe a nation is starving. Wealthy people in the small town say, “Too bad, but I don’t believe in welfare,” and the wealthy government officials in the starving nation say, “Too bad, but you’ll have to fend for yourselves.” And, through it all, those not directly effected say, “Too bad, why doesn’t’ someone (else) do something about it?”
So, Ed and I talk. Ed and I are different in our beliefs. Ed is a Christian who firmly believes in God, and I am an agnostic who is all but positive that there is no god. Our values, however, are the same. We share a belief in the social teachings of Jesus Christ, and lament the loss of his teachings in the modern church. We disagree on the issue of whether abortion should ever be chosen as an option, but we agree that it’s a personal decision. There are other issues on which we disagree, but we talk. We respect each other, and each others’ point of view.
What’s the point? While Ed and I are talking, somewhere someone is trying to incite one group of people to act against another group of people. It’s Protestants vs. Catholics in Ireland, Muslims vs. Jews in Gaza, Evangelicals vs. homosexuals in the U.S., white supremacists vs. everyone else everywhere. The list is unending. After thousands of years, it still isn’t wrong to hate, it’s a badge of commitment to a cause, it isn’t wrong to amass wealth while others starve, it’s the capitalist way. It isn’t wrong to kill people who are just trying to live in peace and raise their children, its collateral damage. For some it’s heaven, for some it’s hell, and for most it’s just a place to live until we die. Who cares?
At this point a lot of people will jump up and say, “But I do!” with little thought about what’s really important to them. Chances are good that what’s really important is the size of their paycheck, the size of their house, the newness of their clothes, the look of their car or truck, and being seen at church. I want to be wrong, but I’ve seen little to convince me otherwise.
So, Ed and I keep talking. That last time we talked, I told him of my idea for finding people who felt the same about things as we did. I came up with a name, the Mutualist Alliance. The basic premise being that everyone born into this world has an equal right to existence.
I said that a Mutualist is someone who believes in the mutual right of humankind for food, clothing, shelter, health, and safety; has a strong desire for universal peace and goodwill; and has a high regard for the virtues of tolerance and charity. And, I said that a Mutualist would be able to carry and defend the message of humane coexistence when speaking with friends, family and others. That a Mutualist could accept that we don’t all believe in the same god and be able to at least tolerate the religion or spirituality of others. Finally I said that a Mutualist would seek out and support like-minded individuals for leadership positions in their community and country.
Then it was time for action, not talk. I prepared my website and made it possible for people to add their name to the list of people who felt as they did. I posted an article about it and I waited for the deluge of names to overcome the website server. As of today there are five names on the list. Maybe it was the article, not good enough to attract attention. Maybe I said something in the wrong way that turned people off. Maybe people considered it not worth the effort. Or just maybe people don’t care enough about what happens to someone else. I don’t know, and I don’t expect I ever will.
Ed knows. I’m sure when we talk this afternoon he’ll tell me, “I told you, Guy, it’s just the way it is.” And, I will ask again, “But, Ed, is that the way it has to be? Isn’t there something we can do?” And, Ed will say, “No, there isn’t.” Which leaves me where I started.
If I was God and Earth was Mine
I’d think about a future time
when it was clean again and free
I’d leave man out – just plant a tree.
A tree that’s tall, and straight and lean
and never get to feeling mean.
Of course there’d be no love to share,
but not one tree’d have hate to bear.
And only by an accident
would ever one small tree get bent
or broken by an errant breeze
which only meant to kiss the leaves.
No more would I watch people die
As bombs, bullets and rockets fly.
No more would I watch people steal
because they haven’t had a meal.
I gave man life and room to play
And long I’ve waited for the day
Humanity would learn to share
the gifts that I spread everywhere.
Instead theÌre those who think that they
are better than the rest. They say
Those gifts are mine!” And then they sell
the water from my gift - a well.
So is it any wonder now
I ponder how it is that how
so few have taken unto them
the earth that I gave to all men.
If I were god these things I’d feel
and in the end earth’s fate I’d seal
For I can see no other way
that earth can see a better day.
No, it’s not a happy thought, but I’m not ashamed of the conclusions I’ve drawn from the past sixty-five years. I despise capitalism for how it has elevated greed above all other human virtues, and I despise organized religion for how it has played it’s part in turning people against one another the world over. Between the two, the possibility of even the hope of peaceful and humane coexistence across the face of this planet is extremely remote.
Regardless of the poem I remain staunchly agnostic. If there is a god, there is no evidence for me to presume that god is a benevolent spirit. Maybe the Mutualist Alliance was a pipe dream better left to the smokey haze of a lost evening. Perhaps the best anyone can hope for is to find those who share their values and pray that they are not preyed upon by the rest. As for me, I will continue to write about what I see, and continue to search for like minded people.
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