No matter where we get our news or information about the state that our world is in today, we quickly notice that politics, religion and greed are responsible for most of the major problems in our world. As far back as you go in history, there has been a struggle between religious and state power for control of the people. Centuries ago, it was a king or a queen that controlled a country. It was always the one with the best army that ruled the country and often took over another country for more food in a time of drought or maybe just because that leader wanted more land and control.
Those leaders usually had a “magician” or someone to read the stars, and a spiritual leader. The magicians have evolved into scientists, but some people still call them “stargazers” even though they have proven that earth is not flat, and yes, the world is getting warmer. Religion has also evolved through the years. Some people even believe that science can explain how the world began, without Godly intervention. The world’s greatest astrophysicist devoted years of his life trying to prove this, but he finally declared that life on Earth was impossible without God.
Many religions have different beliefs about exactly how the world began. There are now more than 4,300 different religions in the world. Sometimes, I compare religion to a roadmap. When we travel from one area to another place, often several hundred miles away, there are many different roads to get to the same place. Some roads are a lot faster than others, but some are more relaxing and are a more enjoyable journey. Most people believe that if they are kind to their fellow humans and believe in God, they may get to a better place after death, but they don’t all take the same road.
In our own little part of the world, there have been two new religions started just in my lifetime. Most religions have different groups within that religion. One of the first groups that pioneered in America believed in witchcraft and if someone was declared a witch, that person was burned alive in the village square. Some of America’s wealthy early settlers who declared that they were very religious, believed in, bought and sold slaves to enhance their fortunes. The KKK members were also members of a Christian church. One king of England, also very religious, also liked the ladies. His religion would not allow divorce without certain specific reasons, so he had to find a reason to have a former wife guillotined so he could marry a new wife. That king started his own church to allow divorce instead of cutting the head off the previous one.
When New France (later part of British North America and then Canada) was first settled, the church played a very central role. The church was not only their center for religion, but also schooling, education, guidance in agriculture, marketing, banking and guidance in politics, whether to fight in a war or not, and even weighed in on family size. The largest, grandest building in every town or city was always the church.
Early politicians also gave great respect to the church and the first paved road in a community was usually past the church. Sometimes the underground economy is also linked to a church. In my lifetime, I have noticed a decline in attendance at many churches causing many churches to either join up with another church or close altogether.
Some political parties have also had to amalgamate to win an election. Dad used to say, “I feel closer to God walking through a maple bush that I do in church.” But Dad went to church because he was musical and loved to sing. Church is not that pretty building that we attend on Sunday, but it’s how we look after our family, our neighbours, our animals, and our earth for the future generations.
Both our spiritual leaders and our politicians need us to help them keep informed of the needs of our neighbours, our community, our country, and the future of our planet! It’s everybody’s duty to do our little bit.
Chris Judd is a farmer in Clarendon on land that has been in his family for generations. gladcrest@gmail.com
