Anyone else have any thoughts or ponderings on this?

Question

There are movies and documentaries my soul cannot bear to watch; from “Roots” to “Blood Diamond” and beyond. It is as though every loving, reasonable part of my being bleeds tears of despair. Still I watch a portion of these movies to remind myself how far we as a species have to go to become truly human BEINGS.

I ask myself how, what can I do alone, what can we, as a compassionate, loving collective, DO to change this headlong path down this path of destruction? I ask myself every day. It is as though I am almost profoundly desperate to find and answer…or maybe even the right question.

Anyone else have any thoughts or ponderings on this? Will you correspond your thoughts to me via my email? I WILL respond. I must. [e-mail]

It’s not enough to be human…we must become BEINGS.

Answer 1

quit watching the news, dont read the paper. go about your day and be as kind and generous to others and yourself as you possibly can. you can change your world one person at a time. smile.

Answer 2

I was pretty much on the same road. For me, it's been a process of reading different spiritually based material. My spirit beingness became more important to me as new information came in. I have always wondered if I had known when I was young that there actually were alternatives to Christianity if I wouldn't have left it behind a whole lot sooner. I equating god with my spirit. Never knowing until I began to question, that I still craved something beyond how the church defined it. See, believing science and still wanting a relationship with a godhead is way doable. I started mixing Qauntum-Spirituality together a few years ago, because science likes to seek out explanation for the unexplainable. Where religion likes to accept things at face value. for many enquiring minds, this doesn't hold up well. It's very much an allusion to me that is held together by collective energy. When I started this journey. I stopped talking about it with everyone else. IT was just me and my source. First thing....what is that source? Never, have I ever looked back and felt any sort of loss. More often than not, I feel child-like in my curiosities of the world around me. Developement of self awaits you. From where I stand, that's an incredible gift.

Answer 3

I can relate to your feelings. I sometimes wonder if there is any hope for humans. From small deeds to the truly unspeakable, we as a species seems so far, so very far from what we have the potential to be. I guess that the logical answer, if there is an answer, is that we much start with the individual. But how? How do we get each person to buy into the idea that in order to make life better for them and everyone they must work on their own self. Religious or non, each can work on becoming the best that is in them.

I look at it from a religious point of view, but non-religious people can do this too. For those who are Christian we can spend more time reading, praying, meditating and getting in touch with God and allowing His Spirit to work within us bringing us more into the image of His son. That is very hard work on our part. It does not come easily.

The hardest part is getting everyone to go along with the idea. We need motivators and good ideas. Most of the major religions have good ideas if the followers would actually practice them.

So I guess what I am saying is that if we want to change the world we must begin with ourself. One person at a time.

Good question by the way. Thanks.

Answer 4

I would suggest stop trying to change the world, but be a difference. When a person speaks their mind, they're the only one that listens. But when he or she listens to someone else first, then it's likely that the one speaking will eventually stop and allow the listener to then speak.

In the big picture, it's impossible to take in every detail of what's wrong with the world, but it never hurts to continue seeing what's wrong. Identifying the problems is the first step. When you see a problem, the best thing you can do is make it right in yourself. Then someone else will see it and either think it's foolish, or think it's important.

If you haven't seen "Pay It Forward," I suggest it. A little boy comes up with a utopian idea to change the world, but it starts with him. Throughout the movie, he doesn't think he's doing any good, but what he doesn't see is that the difference in him caused a chain reaction. I'm not suggesting the chain reaction will continue as big as it did in the movie. People are greedy and want to keep every good thing that comes their way. But be the difference, and things will happen, whether you see them or not.

Answer 5

I know what you are saying. I recently saw Blood Diamond and it blew me away. It left me with the thought of what can I do as an individual to change things. Sometimes it seems like a lost cause because while I can do things on an individual level it seems almost futile when looking at the entire scheme of things.
But yet I know there is hope. I am often reminded of the song by Garth Brooks "The Change" when I think of things like this. When my smallest efforts seem to be nothing more than that I think I do this because it is not the world I am trying to change but so the world will no it will not change me, that it can not take away my hope. With my hope I will continue to try to make this world a better place. I may not be able to stop the killings in Africa but I know there are things I can do to make this world a better place. Whether that be helping someone I dont know in need or putting a smile on someones face who has had a crappy day.
Maybe its not what you do that matters rather than you do something...nothing is insignificant when it comes to this big worl we live in.
Listen to the song...I think you would like it.

Answer 6

In every culture their has been much suffering.

I too am wondering how these people endured these hardships..slavery is not unique to any race..we all are slaves to the economical system in the world..We are slaves to money and materialism..we have to work to live..it was different when the world lived on a farm and everybody contributed and pulled their weight..I am worried that the United States is turning into a Socialistic government and when the Democrats take over who is going to pay for all their tax wasting projects that they have planned? the tax payers..and good jobs are leaving the US by the millions..good jobs..not Mc Donalds or minimum wage jobs..the rich will get richer and the poor will get poorer...the middle class will evaporate...this will be a third world if things are not changed to help support the middle class...but you have a good point...slavery is slavery..economical slavery is just another name for old time slavery...good luck..

Answer 7

I can't immagine what you might mean by implying that people are not human without a substantial effort. In my view, the most human of people are those who are innocent enough to enjoy their lives while being conscious of how their situation affects other people's enjoyment of living. We are not on a path of destruction. We are on a path of exponential expansion, and with every expansion there comes outlying factors that seem ridiculously abnormal. You are a victim of selective distortion by the media. For every one religious fanatic you hear about, there are thousands of people who have lived full lives and made other people live full lives.
I think that if we have any problem, it is that many people are forgetting how to live. This comes from two things. First, the way that people are chosing to fill themselves with the excitement to remind themselves they're alive. They deny the fact that you cannot have a thing without its opposite, hence you cannot have excitement, contentment or basic happiness without anger, sadness or regret. Playing video games and watching gory movies to get your thrills does work for a time, but it's an addiction. You need to increase the dosage to produce the same effect with every use. I've seen people who refuse to even try to remove themselves from turbulent lives because, through their regrets, their joyful moments are more deeply felt. I even know people who were once dull and un-living addicts to popular entertainment who now revel even in their negative emotions because those emotions remind them that they're truly living. I get my kicks from an under-recognized source; music (real music, not crap). Mahler, Liszt, Rachmaninoff, Orff, Barber, Shostakovich... their music can constantly remind me that they once felt the same thing I do. They must have been some of the most profoundly and rudimentary human beings there ever were. They could take their raw, bright emotions and transform them into a medium that many people can experience and understand years later. I cannot bring myself to believe that any person who at least has the potential to feel emotion is not a human being, by any definition you'd like.
Have you lived today?

Answer 8

I admire your heart, I've seen Amazing Grace and the facts about the slave trade blew my mind away. I think to make a difference in the world is to heed the call to serve one another. Many people don't see enough of this. If more people see sincere service to one another out of repect and love that would make a huge impact on society. Yes every human being is worthy of dignity and respect. blessings

Answer 9

Pray.
Take up your cross and follow Jesus.
Keep pleading with people to stop the racism and the hatred.
Pray.
Be an example to others by being compassionate and loving, and do it openly at every opportunity.
Teach the children that they need not fear something just because it is different
Pray.
Talk with other Christians about your concerns and try to get them involved.
Understand that Christians are commanded by our Lord Jesus to love others even as He loves us.
Pray.
Weep. God sees your tears and honors them.
And above all
Pray.

Answer 10

It is the heart of God. He loves us...he hates the sin.

I agree, we have to do something, if only prayer. I try to lead by example, and teach the next generation to love all people. That in return should teach more....