Published in the Westchester Guardian, May 2013
An imagined conversation:
“Sometimes I would like to ask God why He allows poverty, suffering and injustice when He could do something about it.”
“Well, why don’t you ask Him?”
“Because I’m afraid He would ask me the same question.”
-Anonymous
Technology has made us a global community. So much more is now visible, available through simpler, cheaper communications. The world has ‘contracted’. Each new generation has greater accessibility and impact on this world’s population. Each new generation will have a broader definition of whom encompasses are neighbors. Each new generation will have new obligations and responsibilities.
Our comfortable social isolation from certain global realities can be seen from a fallible but useful spectrum called “A Village of 100”. Crudely, it shrinks the world population down to 100 people, while keeping various ratios unchanged. At the time of writing this, the current world population is 70.8 billion, so each villager represents seventy-plus million people. ‘The Village’ does not display corrupt, inept political systems, sexist social structures and geographical/natural obstacles that cause discrepancies, unjust divisions and suffering. It does show inequities mostly caused by human greed, a minority, whom faith and fear of God cannot change. (Some aspects of human nature may never change.)
My apologies if the data is not exact. It was obtained through various non-related sources. This fallible “village 100” shows how much is needed. Again, we’re only looking at ratios. Some are interesting, some are informative and some of them are downright scary.
61 villages would be Asian, 14 would be African, 9 would be Latin or South American, 5 would be North American and none from Australia, Oceania or Antarctica
33 would be Christians, 20 would be Muslims, 13 Hindu, 6 Buddhists, 2 atheists, 12 non-religious, and 14 would be of other religions. Would there ever be spiritual/religious reconciliation amongst us? 33 would believe in witchcraft, ghosts (and angels?) and aliens.
12 would speak Mandarin. There are three groups of 5 speaking English, Hindu, and Arabic. There are numerous groups of 2. With over 6000 languages/dialects how many will be lost in a generation? How many people will lose, suffer, be handicapped with these communication gaps?
The one richest control 40% of the wealth, 50% of the world’s wealth would be in the hands of 6 people, all from the U.S. Fifty-three villagers would live on less than $2 US Dollars a day. 82 would be from less developed countries with an average annual income of $5,440 USD. 70 would work of which 28 in agriculture, 14 in industry, 28 in the service sector. 30 would be unemployed or underemployed. 3 villagers (212 million people) would be migrants.
Thirty-three villages would be internet users. 15 would have home internet access. 22 would own or share a computer. 70 villagers would have cell phones.
One person, (70.8 million people) would be dying of starvation. 15 would be undernourished. 13 would suffer from malnutrition. 13 would not have clean safe water to drink. 40 villages lack access to basic sanitation. 1 of 2 children would live in poverty.
1 (70.8 million) would have aids. 26 would smoke. 50 would not be able to see the stars due to light pollution. 50 would mistrust their government. 5 would be gay. 27 would be under 15 years of age, 8 would be over 65.
7 would have a college education. 18 would be unable to read or write (7 over the age of 15).
22 would not have electricity. There would be 18 cars in the village.
25 villagers would suffer from mental illness at some point in their life.
‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ (Matthew 25:45)
Most of these economic, social discrepancies will exist until the human self/conscience improves.
Some good news, since inception of the universal village there are some upward trends. In 1992 only one villager would have a college education, only one would own a computer. Twenty would have been undernourished and 17 would have no clean or safe water to drink. There are probably other positive trends as well.
However, important numbers are not documented. Many villagers may not be concerned about the sources of food, fuel and the deterioration of plant and animal life. Many villagers might be too timid and give in to the dominance of the strong, afraid to act or speak up. Figures on prejudice, sexual, racial discrimination are not available. Figures on those with chronic illness have to be calculated. Also, unavailable: how many villagers are able to assist, to aid another? Data on health, healthcare affordability, optimism for their children’s future and education are not yet obtainable.
The mystery of the fortunes of birth, time, health and wealth can never be answered from our human perspective, from the “now”. Why my soul, my conscience inherits this here is unknown. For those of Faith, it may be answered by letting the question rest as the will of God. And with Faith, the opening conservation can be a haunting obligation – never easily fulfilled, especially when events such as the recent tornado or the 2004 tsunami, random acts of violence taking the lives of the innocent occur.
The question of inherited wealth, being born in a time and place where security, comfort abound, continues the mystery, but our obligations may not (“One who has much, much is expected”, Luke 12.48.) When one considers the question of health, mental illness, cancer, why one’s consciousness/spirit/soul inherits such a body and mind so susceptible to certain condition(s), genetic or otherwise continues the mystery.
Our obligations to a world always in need of something, somewhere, including ones home – (the greater of obligations) never ceases. I am guilty; most of us may be, of falling short. My insecurities, my doubts, desires and anxieties my human nature, make it difficult to fulfill my responsibilities.
Glenn Slaby Blog