At the beginning of human records, Cain killed Able because Able was different. When I stop and think on this story now, it puts our experience into a perspective. Cain is still with us.
We would so like to think that we have made progress toward being civilized over the past four thousand years. It doesn’t appear that we as a species have improved over time. Our news has been just plain dark lately with gang wars, government wars, wars against women and senseless killing.
We’ve learned that our government is spying on us at levels we never imagined. Everyday, a friend on facebook wants me to change my settings for them so the government can’t see the cartoons and pictures they post.
At first, I thought the government snooping wouldn’t involve me. My life is so boring and innocent that someone would fall asleep looking at my phone records or silly facebook posts. Then I remembered. I’m an organic farmer. I don’t get subsidies from the government. I make a profit with my tiny farm. I do speak out against those who use chemicals and take farm welfare. My primary target is the Evil Church of the Anti-Christ—Monsanto. It is hard for me to tell who is in charge in this country, our elected government or the Monsanto Company. Yeah, the government does have some reason to be interested in my posts and rambling especially as I start campaigning for GMO labeling in my state.
I’ve been pondering how to cope with the realization that my work to promote a healthy food chain and prevent birth defects leads me into direct conflict with those who own the government of my country. This is the nature of the times in which I live.
What am I going to do about it? What can I do? I’ll keep talking about the birth defects caused by prenatal exposure to toxins. I’ll keep talking about the horrific rate of autism in this country. I’ll keep trying to feed the hungry, clothe the naked and care for the sick and those in prison. I can do those things.
The bigger question is how can I continue with my life with integrity knowing the depth of corruption in government, recognizing our lack of social justice, and facing the fact that our governments engage in hate filled bullying of my own sex.
This past week, I’ve been pondering the questions of how to live in the times I’ve been born into. My solution is to water my gardens, weed a few beds, net the chickens out of the garden and sit down to write about Jake’s world where the people are just as selfish and unreasonable as the people in our world. In my writing I find hope because a handful of people in Jake’s country are willing to love mercy, act justly and live a humble life.