I watched 'Shooting Dogs' the other night. This shook me to my core in the same way three other films I have watched recently did: -Hotel Rwanda
-Lord of War
-The Constant Gardener.
The world is so screwed up from top to bottom and often it feels that in the big picture there's not a damn thing we can do about it.
Genocide, MNC's, pharmacutical companies, gun runners, bent western politicians, evil african dictators and their suppliers of money and war........... Poverty, AIDS, drought, death, GREED, power, suicide....... the value of an african life compared to an american/british/irish.
I don't have a stage or a voice on the big picture. It seems the old 'star-fish' story of changing the world for one is the only way (and an extremely worthy way) but I want more!
Also these films have revealed my own self-righteousness in the fact that I do the exactly same thing as I berate other people for- I bury my head in the sand. I have experienced Africa. I see poverty, AIDS and death on tv, in emails and in my post everyday.
.... but to dwell on these brings me into serious darkness.... so I stop thinking and wrestling...I bury my head...until I watch movies like these which keep me awake at night in the dark.
8 comments:
Yip. Screwed up. Watched a documentary last night about the tensions between Isreal and Iran. The battle is, do the Isrealis bomb Iran before they get bombed or do they wait until they are hit first.What a world.
I feel the same about homelessness, it means to me what AIDS means to you. Sometimes it disturbs you to levels you can't deal with, then you just feel intimidated and powerless, and bury your head again until the next time.
How do you get past merely caring about the problem?
7 points in four matches, but still ...
I saw World Trade Center on Tuesday night and it made me feel how you described. The seeming hopelessness of it all is so crushing and it just seems unthinkable to ask ourselves 'how can I do anything to make this better?', but in fact (what I've found- I wrestle with this too), that's exactly what we need to do, however hard it seems. The hope for this world is in Christ and we need to trust Him. Even if it's easier said than done.
Hi,
Just wondering, what have you got against Pharmaceutical Companies?
Thanks,
Michelle
Michelle,
Sorry the 'pharmaceutical companies' thing flowed out as part of a rant. I have nothing against them per se and I thank God that He moves through science and medicine.
What I had in mind were the companies who manufacture drugs cheaply and place a price on them that Africans cannot afford (and a patent so they cannot produce). I'm thinking of the anti-retroviral drugs for HIV/AIDS in particular. 6,000 people die in Africa everyday because they cannot gain access to drugs that cost pennies to produce.
I watched 'The Constant Gardener' recently and this put the drugs companies in my mind. I know it is fiction but it seemed to me that it was not beyond the realms of possibility.
I acknowledge my ignorance in this area and of course realise that if there is a problem it is just with a few companies not the many who carry out life-saving work.
John
Hi John,
Really pleased you replied and I understand where you're coming from and completely agree with your views.
Thanks for your reply!
Michelle
I tried the email you left but it didn't work. Do I know you??
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