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The order of the universe is toward compassion.
~ Rev., Dr. Pete Terpenning
The arc of the universe bends toward justice.
~ Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. |
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Good News: the Trajectory
Among the greatest obstacles to grace are fear, hopelessness and despair. Many people despair about the state of the world: threats to our global environment, weapons of mass destruction, pandemic diseases, intense competition for diminishing energy and resources, andthreats of financial collapse. These fears contribute to widespread anxiety and depression. Although we are bombarded with reports of worsening disasters confronting humanity and our ecosystem, the reality is that in general, most people's lives are better than their ancestors. To some people in the midst of personal crisis, these are the worst of times. Yet for others, these times are the best. When events are seen from a long-time perspective, the long term trends are heartening. In the past 2000 years, the blink of an eye in geologic time, humans have made tremendous strides toward improved health, decreased violence, increasingly humane treatment of animals, increasing awareness for environment, improved justice for people, increased charity, and increased awareness of problems (the first step in solving them).
My point is not to diminish some of the serious problems that humanity and Earth face. It is rather to show how when we align with the forces of nature and of evolution, we can overcome these problems, just as we have in the past. And the really good news is that now we have much better tools than ever before to deal with some of these problems. The growing trend toward awareness of these problems will lead to their solutions. |
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Increasing Awareness
Without awareness of problems, there can be no solution. At first, awareness of a problem is distressing. Yet we know that it is far better to feel a fire's heat and move away than to be unaware of it and get burned. While this growing awareness at first feels painful, it leads to action that relieves the cause of the pain. The good news is that our awareness is growing exponentially.
- The Internet is increasing people’s awareness of all kinds of problems.
- Computer modeling, that is now used to ever more accurately predict the weather, will be used to help solve crushing poverty and to track and end infectious disease.
- Improvements in education.
- Increasing spirituality
- Millions are deepening their inner awareness through spiritual practices.
- The hit movie "The Secret" shows millions that where attention goes, energy flows.
- A New Earth is the awakening of millions aroung the globe
Improving Health
- Increasing understanding and eradication of disease
- Infant mortality rate going down, many parts of world.
- Life expectancy going up, in many parts of world
- World attention is increasingly focused on eliminating infectious disease.
Increasing Peace
- Wars down -
- Peace on Earth? Increasingly, Yes. Political violence has declined since the end of the Cold War. By Andrew Mack, The Washington Post 1-1-06.
- In 2003, there were 40 percent fewer conflicts than in 1992. “The deadliest conflicts — those with 1,000 or more battle-deaths — fell by some 80 percent. The number of genocides and other mass slaughters of civilians also dropped by 80 percent, while core human rights abuses have declined in five out of six regions of the developing world since the mid-1990s.
- Political violence down
- Domestic violence going down
Care For Environment
- Awareness of Global climate change going up
- Cuyahoga River no longer flammable
- Some species removed from the Endangered Species List: the bald eagle, peregrine falcon, and the gray wolf,
- Concern for environment considered patriotic and moral by growing number of people.
- Scientists at B612, NASA and other organizations are working to deflect a meteor like one that caused the dinosaurs to go extinct. Asteroid Apophis may have near approach to Earth on April 13, 2036.
Humane Treatment of Animals
- Growing concern for animal survival and welfare
- Cosmetic and health testing using animals decreasing
- Vegetarians increasing (1 billion + in India)
- Growing awareness for plight of tigers
Increasing Justice
- Countries with democracies on increase
- Slavery no longer condoned by any country
- Women have vote in most countries
- Homosexuality is out of the closet and celebrated in increasing number of places
Increasing Charity
- US gave $248 billion to charity 2005 (most ever)
- $3.12 billion = hurricane relief
- $1.78 billion = tsunami relief – more than ever to overseas (Time 12-26-05)
- US Government - Antiretroviral drugs for 400,000 Africans, $15 billion/5 years
- European Gov’t – Immunizations over 10 years for $10 billion
- Bill and Melinda Gates giving $29 billion endowment - “When the history of global health is written, the tipping point will be Bill and Melinda Gates.” ~ Dr. William Foege, former head of CDC.
- Saved 700,000 lives through vaccinations (Time 1-26-05)
- Spends almost as much a WHO
- Most important global health organization in the world
- Internet Access to 11,000 libraries
- 9048 scholarships to high-achieving minorities
- Ted Turner began billion dollar philanthropy with $1 billion gift to UN
- Philanthropy is the new, hip style
- Bono Effect - Celebrity leverage of giving
- $80 billion to poor nations
- Live Aid Concert
- Oprah's "Big Give"
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