September 30, 2009
Dear Editor,
Even as I write, Dr. Dylan Evans and a group of distinguished scientists are conducting a significant experiment. They have built a 17-mile tunnel in the Swiss Alps. In it they are going to shoot subatomic particles at each other at the speed of light to stimulate the Big Bang, a theory which has been proposed as adequate explanation for the existence of the universe.
The experiment, if nothing else, merits three inevitable questions, as follows: 1. From whence did the Professor and his colleagues obtain the particles? 2. Did they create them? 3. Who is going to be the “prime mover” or “first cause” of the collision of the nuclear particles?
What is the connection of the above with the crisis of crime in Belize?
Together with the theory of evolution, the Big Bang has become the cornerstone of the present world view throughout Western Civilization. The Big Bang purports to explain how the universe began, and Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution pretends to explain how the different forms of life developed gradually through the aeons of time. The Neo-Liberals, perhaps uncritically, accept these theories to maintain that we should now dispense with belief in Creationism. In effect we can now dispense with any thought of needing a god.
All human behaviours ultimately proceed from ideas and values that we accept emotionally and intellectually. For instance, if we believe that there was never any creation, that the universe just happened, then all our values will be expressive of a materialistic world view that the only things that exist and are real are those that we can see, taste, touch, smell and hear. Therefore God, spirit, heaven or hell are mere figments of primitive fears.
This world view has spawned its own morality. It is called Moral Relativism, which purports to make man the master of his own destiny, the final judge of right and wrong, and the framer of his own personal, moral code. Besides, right or wrong really means how you feel about any action — nothing else!
The relevance to our crisis of crime is that the vast majority of us seem to have bought this poison and are consuming it and feeding it to others.
Included are the media (foreign and local), teachers, world organizations, governments, NGO’s – we seem to have all fallen in love with this notion of moral relativism. Those of us who disagree with the concepts of “no God”, no objective absolute moral code, have lain back, waiting for someone else to do what needs to be done.
Don’t we by now recognize that we have to engage in a determined cultural and civilizational battle? We must start, but also not get discouraged. The war will never end until the last day of time, for it is not against mere physical powers but aimed against evil itself.
We must use the gentle persuasion of reason, confident that light is more powerful than darkness.
A long-term and a short-term program must be enunciated by our government and people with everyone contributing to success. Among the proposals may be numbered the following: – 1. Review of the death penalty issue; 2. Review of the real meaning of human rights; 3. A call to restore wholesome family life through promoting permanent relationships between one man and one woman; 4. Promoting faith–based initiatives in all schools and in society at large.
Thoughtful people will no doubt add to the above list.
(Signed)
Paul Rodriguez