It seems that in whatever walk of life, be it religion, politics, science or the arts, even dare I say, in one's personal life, there are unhappy people who resent their current situation, regardless of how rich or poor they are, regardless of how healthy or not, and regardless of anything else that can be used as a yardstick to measure their anxiety and angst.
People are generally unhappy and they are dumping their anger and frustrations in this huge Cauldron of Hatred which exists somewhere or other on this earth. It could be in the newspapers, on television and radio, on social media on the Internet, or indeed in their personal lives at work, at play, or even at home when they argue and vent with their spouse, children, neighbours or even the poor cat who gets kicked for no apparent reason.
Have you not noticed the negative tone of some of the stories in your newspaper? Or on TV programs, whether it is the News or even soap programs perpetrating sadness and bitterness as if art imitates real life and or vice versa? Have you not noticed the many postings on social media where individuals pour out their anger and malcontent for all to see and share? And in personal life too; can you not remember the last time the cat has had to hide in a panic to safeguard what is left of his nine lives?
Why all this negativeness? I hear you ask.
I am waiting ... are you asking as I'm expecting?
Why all this vile forever filling the Cauldron of Hatred?
Has it to do with the diets we are all eating? A shortage of good old fashioned roughage such as bran, for instance? Or a good spoonful of cod liver oil before going to bed?
Why are so many of us so upset about this and that and the other thing? Especially the other thing. You know what they say. If it is not this it is always the mother (in-law)!
Is it because we have become greedy and we all want what the other person has and more besides?
Where is the peace we are supposed to have towards each other? Loving one's neighbours and turning the other cheek? (By the way, I mean facial cheek, not your backside!).
Where is the forgiveness time and again and not just seven times seventy?
That's why we are behaving in the despicable way that we do. It has nothing to do with a lack of broccoli or other vile vegetables in our meals.
It is because we have forgotten to "Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." John 13:35.
Meanwhile, the Cauldron of Hatred keeps filling to overspilling.
A great way to describe the sickness that so many people are struggling with today! A good dose of love one another, indeed! I am glad that I don't have a cauldron of hate, instead, I am drinking from the fountain of living water, and life is so much better that way!
ReplyDeleteYou're so right SpicingUpIdaho. There's so much disquiet and lack of love in this world today.
DeleteBest wishes to you and your family. God bless.
Agreed. On the other hand, I like the 'roughage' hypotheses. ;)
ReplyDeleteHey, it's great to see you visiting me again, Brian. Thank you so much.
DeleteYes, roughage and cod liver oil is what we all need.
God bless you, my friend.
It's part of the ugliness of our modern world. I blame the news cycle. It's always framed for the most sensationalism and the most horrid stories. Just once i would love to see a newspaper with only happy stories.
ReplyDeleteThe thing is, Manny, if there were such a newspaper with only happy stories then it would not sell. It is in our nature to pursue the bad and the ugly. It's exciting. We want gossip and horror stories and generally evil. Sad, isn't it?
DeleteGod bless you and yours.
Victor, you have touched on something that has been really bothering me about the world today. (I know I am far from alone on that). I think about this a lot, and honestly, I wonder if it was any different in Jesus' time. As much as I shudder to think about what God must think of all this, I take some solace that the happiest story ever passed along was the one about our Redemption.
ReplyDeleteThank you for trying to fill the intraweb with some positivity in your blog posts!
God Bless you!
Michael, my guess is that it was the same in Jesus' time too. But I suppose on a smaller scale. They did not have the internet, TV and radio, and newspapers, in which to propagate all the vile as we do now. Just go on any social media site and read all the negativity and evil that people put there.
DeleteToday, they call it expressing themselves. Back in the day it would be called "do you want a clip round your ear you insolent so and so". But in today's modern we encourage self-expression, and the more vile it is the more we seem to accept it.
Prayers are the answer.
God bless.
HERE-HERE---that will preach, Victor! Well Said!
ReplyDeleteBlessings!
Hi Lulu,
DeleteSadly, the Cauldron of Hatred is still filling. On TV today, every channel seemed to have a bad news program. I switched off the TV and wrestled the cat for a piece of dead frog he had brought in the house.
God bless.
Hi Victor! Oh yes, I think there is a lot of negativity and fear these days. Maybe it's always been lurking under the surface, but I do see quite a bit of it in the paper and in our politics. It's so discouraging. Fear makes people do some really bad things, and say some polarizing things too.
ReplyDeleteWhat we need is much, much love. May God help us get back to joy.
Blessings,
Ceil
Hello Ceil,
DeleteIt seems to me the devil is having a good day right now. Spreading fear and confusion everywhere.
God bless you Ceil, and your family.
Oh, my friend! You are SO right. I get so tired and sick of hearing the awful, hate-filled news. There is so much vileness spewed out daily, and it takes a real concentrated effort to keep our eyes on the Author and Finisher of our faith. God's Word is always good news, and that is where we must keep our focus. Thank you for always being a beacon of light here...never any hate or meanness to be found here...this is a safe place, and your presence is a gift to the world. God bless you.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind words, Cheryl. I try, as best I can, not to offend anyone by what I say here; especially when posting humourous articles. My sense of humour may not always connect with my audience. Do you know, sense of humour differs from one place to another. For example, I could tell a joke in London and they laugh at it; but in the USA no one would laugh at the same joke; because they are too far away to hear the joke.
DeleteGod bless you and yours, Cheryl.
Bad news is about warning us of possible danger, like Nehemiah on the watchtower. As Jesus said, 'a man planted a vineyard and put a watchtower in the midst of it'. Watchtowers are our first line of defense, and the media is our watchtower today. If we only looked at good news, we'd get bitten on the backside by something we didn't see coming, unless you've got eyes in the back of your head! If we had only 'GOOD NEWS ONLY' publications, who'd warn you of thieves working in your area? It's not that we're all unspeakably evil, it's more that we need reliable warnings about the few who are, not fear-mongering. Let's not get carried away with shock and horror, we are better informed and safer now than we've ever been, and thank God for that!
ReplyDeleteYou are right, of course, Anonymous, about the watchtower. And indeed newspapers and social media are our watchtowers. What concerns me though is how often news is manipulated and fabricated to suit the news media rather than to inform and warn of dangers to come. Also, on social media, usually it is individuals who spread exaggerations and mis-informations.
DeleteThank you so much for visiting me and commenting here.
God bless.