Modern problems and salvation of the soul
We live in an epoch of extraordinary progress. The development of technology and its pace keeps growing every year. Over the past century, people have made more discoveries than in the entire history of human existence.
But the faster technological progress is, the more problems emerge on the planet and the harder they are. And in recent decades and years, they have been coming one after another, growing in size like a snowball.
Seasons shifting, habitual climate not only change but sometimes it ceases to exist at all. The weather becomes more and more chaotic – it can be unpredictable, regardless of the patterns established for centuries.
Ice is melting at breakneck speed all over the planet – at the poles, in the mountains, and on Greenland, the largest island in the world. But the ice acts as some kind of mirror that reflects the rays of the sun and prevents Earth from overheating. At the same time, the water from the melted ice lowers the temperature in the oceans. For example, it affects the Gulf Stream, thanks to which the climate of Europe was formed and the establishment of European civilization in its modern form became even possible.
Climate change leads to an increase in deserts almost everywhere. This is especially noticeable in the Sahara, the largest desert in the world. It consumes the savannas, the savannas are approaching the jungles, and the forests are ruthlessly cut down by mankind.
The existing agricultural lands aren’t big enough to feed the population of the planet. Because of this, natural products are replaced with chemical preservatives, food dyes, and palm oil. These ingredients are even added to baby food. Therefore, modern man is getting used to substitutes from the first years of his life. Although this isn’t the worst thing. After all, hundreds of millions of people face extreme hunger because they don’t have any food at all.
But there are things far more terrible than a shortage of food. After all, a person can still survive by eating little or consuming low-quality products. But life is impossible without water! Freshwater supply grows smaller on the planet. Water reservoirs around the world experience shallowing and complete disappearance: rivers, lakes, and springs. In many regions, although there’s still a supply of water, it’s not suitable for human consumption anymore.
Studies conducted by climatologists from around the world say that humanity has few decades to live or even several years. Because there will be no habitable conditions on the planet. Whether to believe it or not is up to you. But, anyway, such forecasts don’t appear without a reason.
The problems of modern civilization are interconnected. Thus, the lack of resources generates wars for them. Let’s take Africa, for example. Due to rapid desertification, the people living in the north are forced to move south. But the indigenous population in the south doesn’t have enough pastures, fields, and water for itself, let alone share them with the foreigners. The result is widespread civil war in Sub-Saharan Africa. Such conflicts are terrible because there are no good and bad people there. Unlike the wars of the past centuries, it’s impossible to make peace when one leader recognized himself as defeated by another. Both locals and newcomers are simply forced to fight for water and food or they die.
On the other hand, the lack of natural resources forces us to produce more and more substitutes for them. The chemical industry already provides people with food that looks exactly like real products but is in fact, poisonous. In turn, the growth of production keeps aggravating environmental problems. Like with water and land, we have less and less clean air. The planet is suffocating from air pollution caused by human activity and production.
Perhaps the very condition of the planet causes diseases. Yes, there have always been epidemics. And they took more lives during Middle Ages than they do now. But before, new diseases appeared rarely – once in centuries. Today, viruses mutate way faster. They change before the scientists have time to study them. What caused the coronavirus disease? There are several versions. But it’s hardly accidental that it appeared right now. The virus mutates and doesn’t allow humanity to get rid of it completely. And many virologists predict the imminent appearance of new, similar to COVID-19, but more dangerous forms.
But perhaps the most horrible problem of modern civilization is the change in human minds. Instead of thinking about salvation, people just accept things as they are and keep worsening the situation with their actions.
What are a mortal sin and unacceptable not only for Christians but also for representatives of other religions and just sane people, is officially allowed in many countries. Same-sex marriages, drug use, and prostitution are being legalized. Those who disagree become a minority or even the enemies of the majority. And the governments take the side of wrong-thinkers.
But where do people get enough strength to come to their senses and embark on the right path? After all, tens or even hundreds of millions of us live in urban environments where they spend time in offices without windows and underground (in the subway). In the overcrowded cities of Asia, people sometimes have no rooms, but capsules, where they can do nothing but lie. These are those who couldn’t follow the general rhythm and earn money at any cost.
People are deprived of the opportunity to just look at the sky, inhale the wind, and stand with their feet on the ground. For a modern person, all this doesn’t seem to matter. But people have always been praying by raising their hands and eyes to the sky. And many ancient myths have stories about heroes who gain strength from the earth that gave birth to them. For example, the ancient Greek titan Antaeus was invincible as long as he stood with his feet on the ground. Although these are just ancient fairy tales, they’ve been shared throughout the centuries in different cultures, which explains that nature is a source of power. So where will spirituality and morality come from if a person is deprived of as little as sunlight?!
It turns out that with fast technological progress, the life of mankind is getting worse. What a paradox! But the answer to a seemingly difficult question is actually quite simple. Busy with developing technologies, people think less about the soul. In pursuit of the external, they forget about the internal. With their inventions, they only distance themselves from the Creator.
Some believers consider that the situation is so grave that the Apocalypse and the coming of the Antichrist are coming. However, let’s remember the past. The same beliefs were massively occupying the minds of believers when World War I began. Then during World War II. People considered fascism an absolute unprecedented evil. And we can’t deny that. But still, after going through terrible tests, humankind was at peace and a period of stable and peaceful development followed.
So maybe humanity has a chance to wait out the storm and live happily again this time? No one will give an answer to this question.
When and how the Lord will help or punish each person or the entire humanity is unknown. Will the situation in the world deteriorate even more or will everything become better? Will this happen in the coming years or decades?
All we can do is believe and ask the Almighty for His mercy. To ask that diseases disappear, war doesn’t come to our doorsteps, and the well with life-giving water doesn’t dry up. Everything is in the power of Our Lord.
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you; for everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and the door will be opened in front of him who knocks” – this is what’s written in the Gospel.
But does this mean that if all people believe and begin to pray sincerely, then all problems, let’s say, diseases, will disappear? It’s possible. There are many examples when collective prayers and processions were able to stop epidemics, caused rains during droughts, and helped other miracles to happen.
But every man is mortal. Moreover, most people die from diseases. Deeply religious, atheists, and sinners – we all die. Does this mean that the outcome is the same for everyone? Absolutely not!
A believer gives his soul to the Lord to judge. He does it with calmness and a clear conscience. During his last moments, he remembers all the good things that he’s done in the past years and understands that he hadn’t lived in vain. Good results in good, and therefore he will be surrounded by loved ones, relatives, brothers in faith, and other caring people. Many Christians who have lived a long life don’t even think of death as a disaster at all but accept it as a natural event.
At the end of his life’s journey, a sinner feels pain for the years he spent aimlessly or harming others. He always dies alone. And he hasn’t loved anyone, there will no one to give love to him in a difficult moment.
Therefore, it’s necessary to think about the salvation of the soul constantly. And to believe in the mercy of Our Lord. It’s in his power to save both the world and every single one of us.
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you… .
Pilgrim Ecclesiastic Educational Centre Andcross