What in the World?

In my mind today, I am thinking of our humanity. Where is it going? What are we doing? What are our morals? I do so much reading trying to find the answer to all of this chaos that we are experiencing in the world at this moment. The world has always been chaotic, but some of us have never had these struggles and choices to make and thatsthat our morals. Where do our morals come from? I hope and pray that most of us live by a moral code that spreads goodness for our fellow men and women. In my heart I believe that most of us do have this and we shouldn't be ashamed of it. We shouldn't be ashamed to serve those and help those who are hurting in this world. We shouldn't be ashamed to admit and that say that we are sorry for past transgressions. Let me get back to the first question. What is the world is going on and where are our morals? Currently there are about 7.8 billion people on this planet. Here is how they believe:

Adherents in 2020

Religion

Adherents

Percentage

Christianity

2.3 billion

29%

Islam

1.9 billion

24%

Hinduism

1.2 billion

15.4%

Secular/Nonreligious/Agnostic/Atheist

1.1 billion

14.1%

Most of the people are this planet still believe in moral codes. So we need to begin to live by these codes especially in the United States where I am blessed to live. I am not ashamed to say that I am a Catholic Christian. This does not mean that I do not love or care for other Christians or people. It is quite the opposite. It means that I care so much for their welfare and existence as much as I do for my own. It also means that I believe in a creator. If we could live our code of morals the world could be such a beautiful place. I have studied other religions in college courses as well as with religious sisters. We all have a common thread of love of God's creation but only one flipped the script of history. Instead of becoming stronger and dominating others it called us to be a servant for others. I know many will begin to talk of all the travesties that have happened within the Christian faith especially Catholicism. The problem with all religions is the inability of humans to live out the code of morals. Do you blame the creator for the frail humans who do harm in the name of God? This is a trick question. You pray for them and you help them with restorative justice. That means you try to help them restore their humanity. Some cases may be beyond us and left to the Creator.

How smart are you? As for me, I know there are so many things I have not experienced or studied or even understand. Who knows all of these mysterious mysteries? You may want to quote philosophers or mention a brilliant scientist but the world that we live in is a mystery. I believe it will always be a mystery. I believe we should do as much good as we can with science for humanity, but science can only take you so far. What we fail to understand is that there is something more. Something that is far greater than we can even wrap our tiny minds around. Something that promotes goodness for all. Something that wants us to live in communion with each other regardless of our race, religious preference, socio-economic level, and sexual or gender preference. We are to live with love in our hearts for everyone and everything in this world. Will we always agree? Never. But if we'd love in spite our prejudices and differences then we are living as the Christ who lives within us.

Do you believe in taking a life of another person? Regardless of the age of that person? The one thing that divides Catholic Christians from others is our staunch belief that life begins at the conception in the womb. We believe abortions are murder. If this baby is to be without any interference, it will become a person. I am a woman. I understand that there are times when you may or may not want a child. It may be because of your financial situation, health, or that you were taken advantage of by someone. The child that you carry did not have the choice. But you have a choice. I have read and witnessed so many who have had abortions and have gravely regretted it. I have also witnessed people who have a child that was conceived and is flawed genetically. The choice to keep that child has brought immense, inexplicable joy to the family. These children have souls. My family has lived this with our wonderful Jonathan. He was born with a heart defect. The surgery did not go well and had severe brain damage. He is loved and cherished by our family. His life is important. You have a soul. My daughter often gets into social media battles with people who are for abortion. The biggest argument she has had to face is the young lady had been raped. As I have said before, I am a woman. I have experienced horrible things but many are kept quiet and I give them to God. I pray for those who hurt this young lady as well as the one that hurt me long ago. My experience did not result in a child but it was horrific all the same. I also want to say that I am a mother. I have felt the stir in my womb of my children. It is something that I will always remember and cherish. Had I a child that wasn't wanted I don't believe I could have had an abortion. Part of that child would be of me and my creator, God. I think adoption is the answer not abortion. I can never be for abortion or murder of any kind. I hope you could not be for it either. I think this issue of abortion has totally ripped our country in half. As long as we continue to legalize abortion, I fear we will not be able to heal the wounds of this country.

This blog has been on my heart for a long time. I know intellectuals that will call me stupid, superstitious, country bumpkin, and irrelevant. Whenever I took up my cross, I knew they would. The history of the world does not look too wonderful whenever our morals are removed especially through political means. Removing religion from a society ethically destabilizes it. This is what I mean. The people of the culture will do self-serving things instead of selfless things for other humans. Speaking of trickling down, it will trickle down into every vocation within the society. Here is a history question for you. Why were the British vulnerable to the colonists of America? They depended on hired mercenaries called Hessians. They were here for pay. They worked to better themselves not to better their society. The soldiers here from Britain were here out of love and loyalty to the crown but their livelihood was elsewhere. Why do we believe the World War II era and veterans are considered the greatest generation? They died to end an evil. They gave everything. Why? They lived by a moral code. All veterans of this country lived by a code of selflessness regardless of which side of history they were on during their lives. We cannot continue to allow hate to rule our hearts. Our livelihood today depends on selfless service for the better of all. Most know that I have a very debilitating illness. I depend on doctors and nurses to help me live. If they did not have a selfless servant's heart what a travesty for me that would be. Most people want to help others and to live in harmony. Most people want just enough to enjoy life. It is those that are greedy and want others to serve them that are driving a lot of the discontent in this world. We all are born into different stations in life. We all are failing to see that being the master of your own life is unattainable. There is no joy. What is it to gain the world, but to lose yourself in the process? Some of the most unhappy people I have ever met are those that have so so much monetary advantages. I will never be a rich woman by earthly standards nor do I aspire to be. This is not my goal. My goal is to love and serve and to continue to believe in that mysterious beauty of God. The laws of my faith will help bring that mysterious beauty to life on Earth. The biggest treasures you will ever find on this Earth are those souls around you. Those souls to whom one can love and share this earthly life. We cannot erase the ugliest of our past. As Christians, we can only choose to forgive. We can choose to build a better kingdom here on Earth. A kingdom that loves everyone and gives each person respect. You could argue with me. You can dismiss me. You can scoff at me. You can call me names. Do you know what I will do? I will love you anyway. I will pray for you and this country and this world everyday. There are things that we can do. We can do those things out of our Christian codes. There are 2.1 billion of us. Today I call you to love and pray for everyone. Change needs to happen but it has to be done with a heart of a servant. Can you be that servant?

Sarah Anderson Alley

Sal the I Love the World Gal

Quotes of the day:

St. Ireaneous

"The glory of God is the human person fully alive."

"Be the change that you wish to see in the world."

Gandhi

"Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself."

Leo Tolstoy

Population statistics from https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/