A Vision for our Century

I was asked to contribute my "personal vision" for one of the conferences in which I am participating. Here is what I have sent in:

Ever since the sixteenth century, when the Protestant Reformers sowed, for the first time in history, the seeds of education, political freedom, science, technology and economic progress, these seeds have sprouted and their flowers have spread far and wide, increasingly bringing blessings everywhere around the globe.

Officially, we may be Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, and so on but, in practice, we are all culturally Protestant now, since we are committed to education, political freedom and all the other cultural fruits of the Reformation.


However, the Darwinist Revolution (which started in the 1860s and became powerful in Europe from the 1880s onwards, and in the USA from the 1930s onwards) has also spread worldwide, resulting in the spread of purposelessness, anomie, individualism, social fragmentation, sensationalism, overwork, over-exploitation of natural resources, and the maximisation of profits for the few who own productive assets worldwide.

The reason that Darwinism became (and remains) popular have nothing to do with science and everything to do with humankind's desire to evade accountability. We would rather like to be free to live our own lives, make our own decisions and go our own way without having to consider the consequences for ourselves, for others, for humanity, and for nature.

With the rise of the latest technologies (now known macabrely as GRIN - Genetics, Robotics, Information and Nanotech), the necessity and identity of humankind is at stake. These technologies form as potent a threat to humankind as nuclear bombs did in the Sixties.

My vision is that we will together be able to find ways to harness these technologies, so that they are instruments for good rather than means of evil. But that will only happen if we are willing to look into our own hearts to locate the sources of greed, lust, power-hunger, fear and other such negative emotions - *and* if we are willing to look clear-headedly at the institutions we have created which embody these negative emotions and amplify their effect - institutions such as the limited company, fiat money, and usury.

Naturally, we also need to find the solution to these negative emotions, and the motivation to work for the continued reformation of society. As a Hindu, I have found both the solution and the motivation in my relationship with Jesus of Nazareth, the Guru and the Lord, who forgives me, cleans me, and energises me.

Regardless of beliefs (or lack of them), I welcome everyone who wishes to join me on the journey to the core of the heart, which is also a quest for the fulfilment of the vision of a humane future.

ENDS Sphere: Related Content