America Under Attack America Under Attack
America Under Attack
Are America’s woes rooted in a moral crisis? Why no amount of taxes and other governmental remedies can save America.
Everyday we’re bombarded by bad news: Failing systems and institutions and growing social ills highlighted by scandals de’jour, violence, the incremental loss of our individual liberties, and the destruction of the environment.
Although the magnitude of the present meltdown of our systems and institutions may be well known, the underlying reasons behind these staggering problems are not. America’s growing woes are merely symptomatic of a moral crisis; declining moral and ethical standards characterized by a lack of integrity. Simply put. America is spiritually and morally bankrupt.
But denial can’t mask the devastating consequences of declining moral and ethical values on the quality of our lives, regardless of financial status, religion or ethnicity. They also impact our economy, our national security, our leadership in the world and our very future.
It’s obvious that we have simply lost the connection with the moral and spiritual core of our traditional values, which are now regarded as leftovers from a primitive worldview. Traditional values centering around family and community are being replaced with a trash culture that undermines moral and ethical values. Instead, we are now subjected to virtue terrorism while embracing a culture of exploitation and degradation – from abuse of children and animals to destruction of the environment.
In the words of fellow author Robert Fitch, ‘We live today in an age when ethics have become obsolete. We are rapidly approaching a Godless, valueless society in which "power ethics" or the "political rationalism" of humanism is replacing the Judeo-Christian ethical base of traditional morality and the whole idea of right and wrong seems to be up for grabs.’ In the absence of positive role models and the declining moral authority of organized religion, Americans are taking their moral cues from the media, particularly celebrities.
Sadly, political correctness and materialistic values have hijacked our moral compass and national consciousness. As such, corruption and the pursuit of power, by any means necessary, has become a staple of our rapidly changing culture, which allows personal, political and financial interests to override what’s in the best interest of our country. Such a breakdown in moral values, which permeates every facet of our lives, from government and the work place to relationships and schools, is viewed now as an acceptable practice in which the lust for power and money is unrestrained and the lines between ‘right and wrong’ and ‘good and evil’ are often blurred.
As the pursuit of happiness has turned into the pursuit of money and power, we’ve embraced a toxic culture of ‘more is better’ and ‘anything goes’ abetted by moral permissiveness which has produced a ‘me first generation’ and has turned the American Dream into the American Greed. As such it has driven our society into rewriting its own rules, so that self-gratification and winning at all costs have replaced personal and social responsibility. As a result, America has been sinking into swamps of debt, falling behind other countries in education and progressively losing our competitive edge, while the deeper meaning of life seems to elude even the well-off. Hence, the seeds of destruction have been sown. We are now a country in crisis.
The moral foundation of this great nation that has created prosperity and pride for over 200 years is now being quickly dismantled in order to “fundamentally transform America” so as to fulfill a much more sinister agenda for a new world order and one world government. Under such conditions, America would become just one of many, a generic second-rate country and a marketing concept at best.
AMERICA’S BIGGEST CHALLENGE
Clearly, America is now facing its biggest challenge ever; bigger than the Civil War, Great Depression or even World War II. Why? Because it’s a moral crisis in which the stakes are vastly higher.
In fact, many traits that have helped us meet previous challenges, which were all rooted in high moral and ethical standards, are sadly no longer with us. The godly principles of America's founding fathers that once governed our consciousness and helped create prosperity and pride, are no longer valued by many of our current representatives and leaders.
America is now challenged to regain its moral vision so as to save its very soul. In fact, nothing defines America’s soul more than its moral values, which are characterized by integrity, personal responsibility, individual liberty, justice, truth, family and community.
Bottom Line:
If history or the financial crisis has taught us anything, it is that no one is too big to fail. America is clearly a nation at risk. The country is going down the same road as the Roman Empire, which ultimately suffered a total collapse because of a lack of integrity and moral values. This is why unless the underlying root cause of our growing problems - moral decay - is effectively addressed, no amount of taxes or governmental remedies can save America,
If America is to survive and thrive, we must conquer this Goliath through moral courage and will of free people, which Ronald Regan believed was stronger than any weapon. We must equally heed the warning of Winston Churchill who once said, “If you will not fight for right when you can easily win without bloodshed; if you will not fight when your victory is sure and not too costly; you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you and only a precarious chance of survival. There may even be a worse case. You may have to fight when there is no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than to live as slaves.”
As a proud American and someone who moved to this country with nothing and no support system and was able to achieve the American Dream as described in my bestselling book The American Dream I feel especially protective about preserving the American Dream for future generations. In fact, as a way of helping put America back on track and inspiring hope and social activism I have created a unique movement called Women Transforming the World (www.womentransformingtheworld.com).
Say what you will about America’s many ‘faults,’ America still offers the best hope for mankind. Consider why so many people from around the world are willing to endure and sacrifice just to get to ‘the land of opportunity.’ Perhaps it’s time for America to do moral soul-searching before we lose our sovereignty, our uniqueness and our individual freedoms. Can you imagine a new America where the American Dream would be just that… a dream?
Copyright © 2010, Geela Parish
Geela Parish (www.geela.com) is an award winning artist/activist, and the author of the critically-acclaimed book The American Dream. She is also a host and an Editor Contributor for Women’s Radio, a freelance writer, and founder of One Spirit, One World a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting peace and healing and Women Transforming The World (www.womentransformingtheworld.com). You may contact her at gverecords@aol.com
EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD
EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD
“And in the end, we will preserve only what we love. We will love only what we understand. We will understand only what we are taught.”
While watching the news on TV in a typical ritualistic manner, I couldn’t help but notice an underlying theme in the daily bombardment of bad news of “out of control fires” - in the form of global terrorism and chronic conflicts and social unrest around the globe.
Global terrorism and social unrest are only symptomatic of something much deeper, namely, a moral crisis characterized by a battle between good (defined as high awareness and living in harmony with universal laws characterized by integrity, giving and the honoring of all living things) and evil (defined as compromised integrity, corruption and lack of respect for the sanctity of life). It is easy to see the truth that the pursuit of power and control driven by a dangerous ideology is the driving force behind global terrorism. This war is fueled by religious and political leaders who feel they have monopoly over the truth and knowing God, and thus will stop at nothing even if it means using the name of God as a license to kill.
Simply put, everybody wants to rule the world in the spirit of “it’s either my way or no way,” reinforcing the golden rule – he with the most gold, rules. However, the pursuit of power, which is perpetuated by the media, is seen both on the individual and global level alike. It’s particularly evident in political campaigns where winning at all costs is the name of the game and therefore everything is fair game.
The pursuit of power, which can be inherently very intoxicating, has always played a central role in the history of human affairs. Perhaps it’s human nature to seek an edge in order to not only survive but also thrive in the jungles of life. Yet power, like money, in and of itself is not evil, nor is the passion to posses power. It’s only when the obsession with power and winning is unleashed, and universal laws are ignored and violated, that erosion in morality is inevitable and absolute power invariably corrupts absolutely, which ultimately leads to failing systems and institutions, social ills, conflicts and wars. That’s because when power is not used as a useful tool to make a difference, it becomes as fleeting as it is cruel. The history of human affairs is full of stories of individuals, and empires alike, that rose and fell precisely because in the pursuit of power they violated not only the laws of man but more importantly the ultimate laws from which no one is exempt, namely, universal laws, expressions of God, that demand integrity and respect for the sanctity of life.
It’s the pursuit of false power, coupled with a disconnect from our spiritual roots and the failure to see the unity in life, that leads to senseless violence. Every senseless act of violence only reminds us that, while we have become giants in technology, we are by-in-large still mental midgets. The problem is magnified when advanced technology and sophisticated deadly weapons don’t match the level of awareness and integrity of those who handle them. In other words, we have the knowledge, but we lack the wisdom to control our technologies. Power without control, wisdom and integrity is the formula for disaster. It’s been said that those who know most, fear most because they have the ability to see beyond the surface level, see the “big picture” and how everything is connected. They also know that humanity has never had weapons that they did not use (after all, they have to justify the cost and the temptation to resort to a “quick fix” as a solution to a complicated conflict is simply too great). That’s why it’s safe to assume that this time around it won’t be any different, unless something dramatic happens on a major scale (like a change in our way of thinking and doing things – a shift in our collective consciousness).
Living in a time where chaos is the order of the day, the global community finds itself on a collision course with destiny, suspended between fear and hope, evolution and revolution. But the constant flirting with dangerous weapons only accelerates the process of sinking into a spiritual/moral black hole due to a loss of control and inevitable consequences of total mass destruction of civilization as we know it. It’s obvious that the fate of our destiny will be determined by the actions we’ll take collectively.
While killing under limited circumstances may be necessary, it nevertheless poisons and stains the heart and soul. However, there is no glory in pain and destruction. Since it’s much easier to destroy than to build, the challenge becomes very real. You can die at any time, but it takes true courage to live.
It’s only when we understand the distinction between real and false power, can we hopefully make better choices in order to experience life fully with purpose, meaning, inner peace, fulfillment, real joy and self-worth while living in harmony with the world around us. While real power, which is driven by power of love, empowers others and is expansive by nature, false power, which is driven by love of power, overpowers others and is restrictive by nature. Ultimately one leads to destruction and chaos while the other to construction and prosperity.
So here is a condensed guideline for identifying true power:
• True power, which is characterized by integrity, giving, and the honoring of all living things, has the ability to see the unity in all living things. When a high vision is aligned with universal laws, real, constructive power is inevitable and easily accessible.
• Knowledge is true power, but only when used correctly as a tool to make a difference.
• True power is aligned with our spiritual essence (remember we are spiritual beings experiencing the human experience and not the other way around). Therefore, everything we do is spirit-filled and spirit-directed.
• True power seeks to reconnect us with our spiritual roots – the foundation of our existence and true prosperity.
• True power seeks to build and embrace positive concepts of morality, integrity, spirituality and a wholesome values system, all of which give us access to the unlimited positive power that builds and creates total prosperity.
• True power builds and creates in a win-win spirit, helping you make a living while making a difference.
• True power does not fall victim to the misconception that external riches have the power to give us internal riches of meaning, purpose, inner peace, fulfillment, real joy and self-worth.
• True power, which recognizes the spirit that connects us all, recognizes that diversity is the mosaic of life that needs to be celebrated. It brings people together by going beyond superficial boundaries of color, race and religion.
• True power heals, transcends pain and transforms, especially during uncertain times.
• True power inspires people to become somebody’s hero and be the change they wish to see in the world, thus giving meaning and purpose to their existence.
• True power creates real joy and inner peace that comes from helping others become a magnet of real joy and total prosperity.
• True power is synonymous with high vision, hope, purpose and meaning.
Anything short of that is false power, a power which is short-lived and meaningless in the scheme of all creation.
Perhaps it’s time to draw a line in the sand, declare your freedom from false beliefs and mind control by others who may not have your best interests at heart and reclaim your own true and unlimited power that’s waiting to express itself positively. Or perhaps it’s time to think of ourselves as citizens of the world and come together, if only for the sake of the next generation whose future should not be unfairly stolen from them. In the final analysis, only when the power of love overcomes the love of power, and superficial barriers such as race, religion and ignorance are removed, can we finally hope to experience true inner and outer peace and harmony, healing, and total prosperity.
Since every crisis carries with it the seed for equal or greater opportunity for growth, the pursuit of power and control disguised as global terrorism and political games, may actually be a golden opportunity for a true re-birth and resurrection of the human spirit as a human family working in a new and promising direction united by the spirit that connects us all. The real salvation for preserving a free and thriving society is not by developing more sophisticated and deadly weapons (what good does it do if you win but you are dead in an ocean of mass destruction?), but rather through increased awareness and knowledge. Likewise, since the real battle is the battle within, in our way of thinking, the ultimate power we seek is not “out there” but rather is already within. All we have to do is recognize it and use it wisely for purposes of good, or face the consequences of abusing and misusing it. As I keep reminding my daughter whenever she is tempted to violate the rules, “I did not create the world…”