Much of mankind's efforts are to mitigate suffering and it is only the the last 200 odd years that we have had the means and tools to do so on an industrial scale. With modern knowledge and technology it is fair to say that in the advanced countries the so called curse of
Adam ( to work by sweat to eat bread ) is over; with modern pain relief and medical procedures we can alleviate gods divine punishments and we can put off the point of death by many many years; technology is so empowering ( think how much your car and the Internet
allows you to do ) that is seems highly unlikely that a return to the Garden of Eden, even with its nudity enticements, would be of any real interest - who would want to return to simply gardening? We've even managed to treat eat other more fairly ( womens rights ) and with
less discrimination ( gender preference acceptance ) and - for those who wish to get cosy with gods racism ( go Israel - kill all other races babies and first born) we've even moved beyond that as we undo centuries of religion enforced racial prejudice.
You tell that to the homeless (children included). You tell that to all the lost souls living in filth because of drugs. You tell that to all the abused children; abused wives; and yes, abused husbands as well. To the kids committing suicide. You tell that to the people who wouldn't even think about hiring someone with a turban on their head ( a terrorist in other words).
You tell that to the people struggling day in and day out (the sweat of their brow) just to make ends meet and put food on the table. Low income/poverty line families. There are a lot of them. I used to be one. For a VERY long time. These people might not be ploughing the fields, but they're still working and eating by the sweat of their brow.
I'm sorry Q. But I see a lot of suffering. Worse than that, in these first class worlds, I see a lot of people carrying about their lives as if these suffering people don't eXist. Or have brought it all on themselves. So interested in our own comforts/pleasures that we turn our heads and pretend the problem isn't there. Or that it is more minor than what it is. Or we blame them (the homeless, the drug addicts)... that way, hell, we don't even have to feel guilty about doing nothing or not caring.
tec - normally i pride myself on not being petty so I regularly let your inability to even attemp to comprehend anything I post and to regularly misquote me slide, but tonight I, emboldened by a McDonald's cheeseburger and two, yes two apple pies, will luxuriate in responding (though I won't be anal enough to do it line by line like some unamed posters across these pAGes.)
First and foremost it is a central plank of your own argument that we have the 'means and tools' to 'mitigate' (google it if its not in your vocab.)suffering.
If you agree that the struggle to feed oneself is indeed a result of God's curse then you have eloquently proven post 1.
You may have missed some other themes I touched upon - let me list them for your reading pleasure:
- Modern medicine has reduced the effects of pain (indeed even your mentor takes pain relief so it is OK to agree here - you will not offend her).
- We don't die - on average - as early as we used to , again largely due to the effects of the industrial revolution and modern technology.
- Women's rights have been improved globally (but most rapidly in the West.)
- Gender preference is becoming less of an issue as we become more tolerant.
- Racial discrimination is reducing.
- The Bible contains references to God acting as murderer or instigator of genocide, showing racial preference, cursing mankind with hardship and discriminating - especially against women.
Now you did not make it clear which of those points you wanted me to pass on to people in difficult situations. However, giving you the benefit of the doubt and being able to read the context of your rant it seems you were merely replying to the 'sweat of brow' bit. Now before I go out and tell people your message I just want to be absolutely clear:
Do you want me to tell them that the reason they are suffering is because - contrary to my assertion - God's curse is still in full effect and they are suffering a tough life because of him? You see my post talks about the reduction not cessation of suffering and I wouldnt want to sound like an ass.
I will struggle to pass on messages to those who have committed suicide. That is probably AGs area as she talks to dead people.
Do you want me to tell them that the industrial revolution, modern medicine and technology are not alleviating any of their suffering? If so I'll need you to provide me an alternate that must be pretty cool as I ask them to bin their medication, cars, food from the supermarket, clothing, electricity usage and hand back any welfare payments or food stamps society may have provided them and ask them to return to honest toil in the fields.
Do the homeless people you want me to tell include those kicked out of their home by a vengeful god for eating fruit?
I am aware that you see a lot of suffering, tragic I agree, but I must draw the line at saying it is worse that some people ignore it. Really? Ignoring child abuse is worse than actually suffering it? I will not press this point as I know you will be desperately wanting to get on with crafting a suitably grovelling apology but before you get to that I'd like to point out one last teeny point.
People with turbans aren't terrorists. There may well be terrorists who wear turbans. Your statement above is incorrect and you shoulld probably retract it.
:)
