Everywhere you look you will see a war of two principles – pure verses evil. George Lucas and J.R.R Tolkien have contributed great depictions of this ancient struggle that theologians and Hollywood alike attempt to untangle. While a movie abbreviates a resolution to this conflict in a mere 2 hours, real life testifies to the effectual – albeit lengthy - principle of process.
Recently a report was issued explaining a rise in exorcisms. So much in fact is the increase,the Catholic church will be dedicating an exorcism center. Thomas Williams, Dean of Theology at the Regina Apostolorum Pontifical University in Rome attributes this increase to,”… increased interest in the occult, even in Satanism. And the second reason I think is because people are less careful. Honestly, they maybe pray less. They play around with things they shouldn't play with, and then they get into trouble. ... “ Whether or not you believe harmful spirits can inhabit a human – one thing is for sure, people are less careful. People are less careful in how they gather and distribute information which reveals they are less careful in where they place their trust...
Thinking for oneself has become an obscure commodity, in fact, more people rely on Oprah and the nightly news for the facts instead of doing the homework for themselves. More are finding security in TiVo over truth. Why is that? Why is it that Americans are spending billions of dollars each year on cosmetics, plastic surgery, and home security systems to protect themselves from wrinkles, age and thieves? Yet, when it comes to the truth – they run for cover. We "cover" ourselves in tradition, as well as botox - leaning on our parent's understanding for instance. How many friends do you have that subscribe to the religion, career or even politics of their parent's preference? How many friends do you have that admit they are living the life society wants for them and not necessarily what they want?
If you could name the one thing that had the power to topple oppression and annihilate injustice, what would it be? Independant thought perhaps? Challenging the status quo has never been a neat sport and often has landed many in hot water but I encourage you to challenge anyway. Challenge the experts, your priest or pastor, your university professor, even your parents but don’t do that first without challenging yourself. True challenge does not blame or criticize but thirsts for knowledge and hungers for definitions of the boundaries that govern every aspect of our culture – be they religious, political, economical, social or otherwise.
I have not met a person who ruly enjoys or agrees with arbitrary rules and regulations. A thinking person will inquire why things are set as they are and beg for depth and reason. There are only two personality types that will find security in popular opinion, robots and Lemmings and God didn't create us to be either. If you believe you might be teetering on the Lemming hedge, and desire to take climb down to grasp the principle of liberated thought, how would you set about doing that? God encourages us,"Come now, let us reason together" says the Lord." The Message put it this way, "Come sit down, let's argue this out." Isaiah 1:18
Begin today by thinking for yourself.
-S.N. Belmonte 2008
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