Pay Attention to the Times
“Strength, on the contrary, is indivisible, and while it too, is checked and balanced by the presence of others, the interplay of plurality in this case spells a definite limitation on the strength of the individual, which kept in bounds and may be overpowered by the power potential of the many…omnipotence always implies — apart from its utopian hubris the destruction of plurality.” Hannah Arendt, The Human Condition
Hannah Arendt wrote during and after the horrific atrocities of the Holocaust in which many of the Germans approved of and whom actively were participants. When power lies in the hands of a few elites who use propaganda to deceive the populace, individual resistance becomes futile. The power of the many committing injustice becomes impossible to overcome as what is now occurring with the State of Israel against Palestine and now Lebanon. In spite of the international organizations that were established after World War II to prevent the atrocities of genocide ever happening again, the State of Israel has continued support from many countries which includes the veto power which prevents the UN from taking responsible action allowing active genocides to continue unchecked. As Arendt philosophizes, power lies in the manipulation and control of the populace which then helpless in the face of oppression, injustice, and extreme suffering.
The Roman Empire is the perfect example of the type of power that equated to significant oppressive control of the populace. However, in an account in the Gospels Jesus tells the Jews who were forced to carry Roman soldier's heavy packs for one mile, to not only carry their packs one mile but to push forward carrying the packs for two miles. This removes oppression with a response of compassion.
The Romans created economic hardship by heavy unfair taxation, fear, and imprisonment. But Jesus exemplified compassion in the direst of circumstances. However, when people are powerless under an oppressive government regime they can help one another: feed the poor, widows, and take care of the orphans.The Qur’an teaches its believers they must hold on tightly together to a rope — providing increased strength together to protect the ummah or community. Instead of the “way, truth and life” that Jesus taught, the Qur’an teaches believers to seek the “straight path, or the ‘way”, which is the path to God as revealed in the Qur’an. However, the Qur’an teaches the steeper path is better but more difficult — it is the harder path up the mountain, which is described as taking care of the needy, orphans, widows, and to free a slave, which entails sacrificing self-serving wants, especially those of overabundance to provide for others. Another verse (ayat) teaches to take from what you love for yourself and give to another. In the New Testament, Philippians 2:4 states, “…do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.” Certainly, our society today is characterized by the pursuit of individual self-interests that leads to pathological consumerism and over satiation.
The published theologian, Walter Brueggemann, writing in The Prophetic Imagination, explains that believers must create an “alternative reality.” If the government doesn’t responsibly address the needs of its citizens, then the believing citizens must make sacrifices to help others thereby creating a net of protection to repel the danger of oppression.
Many of us are aware of the approaching storm and are observing the signs of a global civilization that is in a rapid, significant decline. Prepare, and prepare now.
- If your home is too large for your needs, sell it and move to a smaller home unless you choose to take care of relatives and friends.
- Sell and rid yourself of luxury items that have led to over consumption and over satiation: Large screen televisions, expensive multi-channel cable subscriptions, expensive cell phone contracts, highest speed internet subscriptions, video gaming devices.
- What is your consumption rate? Is your home overflowing with goods and unnecessary items?
- Learn to grow your own vegetables within a large garden so you may share with your community.
- Move out of the isolation of over satiation and into engagement with your community or else you will live in the protected illusion of self and will not have awareness of other's needs.
Jesus tells the young wealthy man who considered himself devout, to sell all of his belongings and follow Jesus. If believers, whether of Judaism, Christianity, Islam, or other religions, are unwilling to sacrifice even their overabundance to assist brothers and sisters during the economic times of hardship and struggle, then according to Jesus, all they have will be taken from them.
Overabundance must be sacrificed so that righteous deeds will be acknowledged in heaven — that you as a believer did the more difficult act of sacrifice to build the kingdom of heaven on earth. Over satiation leads to lack of compassion and empathy which allows Satan to establish his kingdom of darkness on the earth. We are the salt of the earth, and if the salt has lost its saltiness what good is it? It can no longer be used as a preservative.