I have come to believe that the most dangerous thing on this planet is an ideology.
Individually, most human beings are quite capable of thinking rationally, of feeling compassion for others, and solving problems without hostility or conflict (I said most, not all), but attached to an ideology, a political party, a nation, or fundamentalist movement of any kind, and the very worst in the human being comes out.
When we stop thinking for ourselves, when we stop responding to experiences and situations from our own hearts, we become part of a mindless, and too often, ruthless mass. Without the moderating influence of individual thought, compassion and conscience, we descend into a 'collective madness'. We are no longer truly human . . . not even animal, because animals are not half as dangerous as mindless human beings.
Do you wonder who benefits from ideology?
Those in charge. The top dogs. The ones who give the orders. Everyone else serves them. Those who benefit from nationalism or separatism are those who seek power, or want to hold onto it. Those who benefit from political parties are the party leaders, those who want and hold onto power. Those who benefit from fundamentalist movements of all kind - including religious fundamentalism - are the authority figures, the 'upholders of the faith' or cause.
The rest of us? No more than fuel to warm the leaders' massive egos, fuel to be lit and burned whenever and however best serve the leaders' interests or pet peeves. Fuel to keep the fires of conflict, hatred, prejudice and war alive, to create such perpetual anxiety that no one has time to ask, "What the heck is this for?"
We must listen to our own consciences.
Isn't it time for each of us to stop listening to all the propaganda that's keeping us blind, ignorant or inflamed, and to start thinking for ourselves? Isn't it time, when next you see something on the news, or hear someone make a statement about this or that religion, political party, race or nation to ask yourself, how do I know if this is true? who does this serve? and how do I really feel about this?
My deepest compassion goes out to all of those who are suffering and have lost loved ones because of others' prejudice, hatred, political goals or fundamentalist cause. Truth and goodness WILL, one day, reign in this world, when we have each purged what is selfish, ignorant and deceitful within ourselves, and refused to be part of others' games.
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