Well... this probably won't be the happiest of blog entries. Why? Because I am going to share with you my thoughts of this day's researching and thinking about suicide and the culture of death. Some of this might make no sense at all and some you might not agree with, but these are the conclusions I am coming to so far.
First of all, let's talk about suicide. Here are my very rough thoughts:
- I am finding it interesting that the common demoninator for suicide seems to be in groups that have had their culture and true identity not just repressed but obliterated. One of the highest rates of suicide in the world is found with our Canadian Aboriginal youth. This is directly linked with our government's attempts at "civilizing" and "educating" the Native peoples. Let me take a direct quote from the Royal Commission of Aboriginal People... the "profile of mental disorders amoung Aboriginal people is primarily a byproduct of our colonial past with it's layered assaults on Aboriginal cultures and personal identities." Those communities that have not recieved such "services" have a satistically lower rate of suicide.
- The province of Quebec has the highest rate of suicide in Canada. After spending time learning about and touring Quebec City it is interesting to note how the English gov't came in and tried to eradicate the French culture. Once again not being allowed to live out who you really are seems to be the major cause of suicide.
- Another emerging suicide issue is with gay and lesbian youth. This is very obvious, but is a more complex issue and one can see again how a repressed identity, no matter what it is, again yields the fruit of suicide
- Most interesting to note is how suicide amoung males of any age group or demographic is consistently four times higher then the rate of suicide amoung females of that certain demographic. I believe this points to the fact that the identity of the man has been and is being destoryed. I believe that by learning from the broad factors (which I believe to be the roots) of suicide in the smaller demographics we can see a frightening trend in our western culture. One can make an assumption that if one does away with a certain group's culture and identity it will cause a drastic increase of the level of suicide. What have we done to the identity and culture of a man to cause such a shocking level of suicide? What does this mean concerning the current culture and currently accepted male "identity"? One can draw the conclusion that the identity which is being pushed onto males today isn't the identity that men were originally created with. We've got to find our culture again and the only way is through Jesus.....
Now are some thoughts about the Culture of Death, which the western world is frighteningly rapidly accepting. This can be directly linked once again to personal identity, I believe. It's freaky to see what is out there, what is gaining momentum. So here are rough thoughts that you may have to really think through because I don't know how much sense I'm about to make:
- This appears to me to simply be the eradicating of all personal identity. If you have no value for who you are you will have no value for your life. I believe this has been spawned from the pagan mindset that is fast gaining a revival in the western culture, yet has no basis whatsoever on the original pagan practices from which the western pagan ideals are "founded" on. It is seen as an evolved world view which is held by the rest of the planet, yet they fail to see the effects of this apparent world view. In my mind it is extremely short sighted and those who hold to this way of thinking choose only to see the perceived positives, rather then the documented negatives. Although it would be difficult to portray these facts to those who align themselves with a death culture one cannot deny the fact that those countries based on the pagan belief systems are all in 3rd World conditions, while those nations originally founded on righteousness and Christian beliefs are able to sustain a 1st World way of life. (you're gonna have to think through that one because in many ways it can sound very offensive and that I have left out a lot of the negative concerning our 1st world... but think about it... there is more then meets the eye)
- Once again, many profess they would rather live in the simplistic lifestyle of a pagan nation, where tolerance and love abound. Yet these are the people living in the midst of a 1st World world view. Truly, how would they fare being transplanted into the middle of a tribal culture in the middle of Mozambique, Rwanda or the Amazon? How would they fare being transplanted with their 1st World belief system of a 3rd World pagan way of life? A 1st World belief of a 3rd World pagan belief system is about as opposing as light and dark. The two cannot co-exist. Case in point would be the Buddhism that is practised in North America -- it is vastly different then the Buddhism practiced in Tibet. But when you ask your average Buddhist (I really hope I'm spelling that right) if they think they are practising exactly what happens in Tibet... you'll get a whole hearted YES!! THIS IS NOT TRUE!! They are practicing a 1st World perception of what the Buddhist in the 3rd World actually believes and practices.
- Therefore we are embracing a culture of death without having the foresight to see what such a culture has brought to other nations of the world. In our apparent striving for a better world we are eradicating the very foundations on which the world was to be set and are actually going in a complete opposite direction - a celebration and worship of death rather then a worship of life and the One who gives it.
- The two cannot co-exist. How can encouraging free death (and I'm not talking christian spiritual terms here, I'm talking literal) bring life? Death does not exist in life. Life does not exist in death. Embracing death will not make you a happier, more well rounded person - it will make you suicidal and give you a death wish in the most twisted way possible. Loving and taking joy in the ending of your own life.
It is frightening to see how life is no longer something to treat with sanctity. Furthermore death is moving from an apparent right to an expected duty. This is sick and twisted and it fast becoming the accepted norm of our culture.
Jesus, help us. Send us Your spirit of life. Give us life and life abundant. Help us choose life in such a way that it enflammes other to do the same. Give us happiness. Give us joy. Ultimately, give us power so that when we move out into the streets of our city we can fulfill our Kingly mandate and spread Life Unstoppable everywhere we go. Jesus, give us as a people and as a nation a Culture of Life!
God, keep our land... GLORIOUS AND FREE!!!