Monday, March 5, 2012

Technology, a Doomsday X- Factor or Rebirth of Human’s innovation: Who to believe?


         The 21st century was supposed to be a century of human’s triumph. Yet, it’s becoming characterized by signs and stories of Biblical proportion that some prophets and disciples seemed to have written about in the Bible concerning the last days. For instance, Matthew 24:11, reads, there will be false religions and/or false teachings. Today, we are witnessing some people teaching radical religious views that are too extreme or lack anchor in the Bible or even in the Koran for that matter. Mathew’s 24: 7 reads, in those days, nations will rise up again nation, kingdoms against kingdoms. Today, this is not far from the truth and it needed not to be reemphasized to anybody. So is it also true, we are experiencing rise in deadly diseases like HIV/AIDS, SARS, cancer and other diseases which have no cure.  In the book of Daniel 12: 4, it reads, in the last days, human’s knowledge would increase. Today, human beings are becoming more enlightened than any other time in human history. Unfortunately, the knowledge that human beings are acquiring seemed to create uncertainty about the future of human existence.
Yes, you might have heard in 1999 that the world would come to an end in the year 2000. It did not. You might have heard in 2001 that the world was coming to end on May 22, 2011, it did not. Or you might have heard that the world was coming to end on December 21, 2012, and it did not. I guess we will have to wait to see when the next false prophet comes up with a new doomsday prediction.
The point is human beings are becoming so pessimistic and destructive. I guess humanity have reasons to be fearful. When you turn on your television set; you hear or see news about apocalyptic tsunamis, hurricanes, destructive earthquakes, tornadoes, floods, and droughts and diseases outbreaks all over the world. You might ask yourself, are these just random acts of Mother Nature acting violently on us or are they premonitions of the end time? I wonder myself about all these unusual occurrences and what they mean for our world.
Thus, how do we fit into this equation? Are we convinced that the world is coming to end? Could the threat of nuclear war would be another sign that we human beings are buying into the doomsday mentality? If so, what can we say about states like Iran and North Korea that are aggressively pursuing the development and the potential use of deadly nuclear weapons? Is it possible that rogue nations like North Korea are aggressively at work enhancing Creator’s hands to usher in the doomsday that the Bible and other main world’s religions prophesized come sooner? Could it be possible that the world’s nuclearized states are they seal signs the Bible talks of in the book of revelation?  I wonder myself. But who knows?  Didn't Jesus choose Judas Iscariot as his disciple but in the end didn't he betray the Son of Man? So anything is possible in God’s Grand Scheme of Things.  Forget that thought for moment. But, we could all agree that the threat of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons is becoming threatening  to human’s existence. That itself is our own Judas Iscariot that might bring our own demise.
I know it’s too extreme to suggest that nuclear states might be part of the creator’s plans about the end time.  But, humanity should be reminded of its own destructive capacity especially when it to using human’s knowledge to advance ill-intentions. This brings me to the point of free will and its consequences.  As human beings, we have the ability to make choices in life. But, the question is, are we going to use the 21st century knowledge and technological advancements to usher in our own demise or are we going to use our technological know-how and existing humans’ intelligence to enhance humanity’s living conditions e.g. eradicating poverty and illiteracy across the globe?
The choice is ours. We need to ask this simple question, who can we follow or believe, doomsday fundamentalists who propagate false information and use their knowledge to bring destruction to humanity or technocrats and enlightened peace loving people who use their knowledge and technological expertise to improve human life and that of our planet?  I chose to look positively into the future. I believe that this century would be a great century. A century in which we use  human knowledge and technological skills to eradicate major diseases like cancer, HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and many other deadly diseases. Instead of building nuclear bombs, I hope states choose to build schools and research labs to work on finding cure for incurable diseases. Instead of going on the Mars, I hope states choose to go to desperate corners of the world to save people from hunger, starvation, diseases and illiteracy. Instead of everyone harboring hates and bigots against each other, I hope each of us choose to harbor loves and cares for one another. What a beautiful world could that be when all people of the world consciously decided that we are one people living on one planet with one destiny.
It sounds like utopia doesn't it? But given everything I have been through, that is an ideal world that I want to live in. I believe that human beings are too enlightened to engage in unnecessary nuclear wars that would destroy life as we know it. Yes, I recognized, there are ego maniacs who like world’s attention including acquiring deadly weapons to enhance their egotistical zest for power and recognition or those who terrorize and /or silent the weak among us to stay unopposed or indefinitely remain in position of power as we are witnessing in most corners of the world.  
  As a metaphysician, I am hopeful, the younger generation of the 21st century does understand the purpose and meaning of life and engaging in an act that destroys human life is not one of them. So when I hear people talking of a nuclear holocaust or nuclear doomsday, I find it ironic that the same human beings who cherished and loved life would work so hard to bring that enjoyable thing call life to its end by engaging in a nuclear holocaust. What about you?  What do you believe? Are you optimist or pessimistic? Are you going to use your enlightened mind to contribute to” human greatness” or use it to bring about a doomsday?
                Of course, the choice is yours. You have a free will. What you use it for is your choice. However, the challenge is this, are you going to accept the responsibility that comes with it? I hope every responsible enlightened human being in this world would say, “Yes” to taking responsibility of the consequences of his or her action(s) wherever they live. If your action causes or contributes to ethnic conflict between two tribes, take responsibility and mediate them before more lives could be lost. If your action resulted into contracting diseases like HIV/AIDS, take responsibility, do the right thing. Don’t spread it to others but seek treatment instead. If your action contributes to the threat of nuclear holocaust, then, you better think tenfold for the lives of almost seven billions human beings on this planet could be lost because of your reckless action.
       In conclusion, it is undeniable. The world as we know it is very dangerous place especially when everyone claims free will which he or she doesn't know how to use it.  Yes, we are entitled to act on our free will. The question is would you accept responsibility and its consequences. If we all take personal responsibility of our actions, then, we are always going to make great decisions that contribute to greatness of life on planet earth and not its destruction. Thus, as human beings, let not waste our enlightened minds on things that do harm to humanity, let us not be consumed by pessimism, such pessimism on our part would take away our resolve to think right and/ do right especially when it comes to making important life’s decisions in this century. Think forward, act with resolve and with humanity in minds, the world is not a battlefield, it’s an interactional field.

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