Monday, January 31, 2011

Just Rewards

It seems that since the beginning of time there have been "haves" and "have nots". One can certainly discern this fact by reading the Tao Te Ching or the Christian Old Testament (among other classic works). Those who hold the power in any given society or civilization have always looked for ways to protect their largess and to channel the energies of the dispossessed away from a sense of resentment they might feel for being thrown into the lowest echelons of the hierarchy.

At some point in the history of Judeo-Christianity, the leaders came up with an ingenious plan -- a strategy that has carried through all the way to today -- tell people that, regardless of the miseries they suffer in this life, if they accept their earthly lot, their just rewards will be waiting for them in the next life.

I've got to hand it to these manipulators of men and women; this represents a nearly flawless stratagem!

First, you have to sell the masses on the idea that they were created by a divine being that can be both very loving and extremely petulant. One minute he can grant a prayer that means a windfall for the person asking for the supernatural favor. However, the next minute, he can send brimstone or flooding rains from the heavens literally to wipe out entire nations.

Second, you must convince the masses that this divine being is like the quintessential Big Brother. God watches everybody all the time. Not only does he pay attention to what you do, but he even can see into your heart so he knows what you think or dream about. There is no escaping from his watchful eye.

Once you get the masses believing these two elements, you are now poised to set the snare. The rich and powerful now explain that they are, in fact, rich and powerful because this is God's will. The rest of society is poor and powerless because they have not devoted themselves enough to serve a) God and b) the rich and powerful.

Rebellion against either will result in iron clad proof that the poor and powerless deserve to be poor and powerless. Consequently, the only way the poor and powerless can prove themselves worthy is to accept their fate by voluntarily choosing to serve the whims of the rich and powerful...oh yeah, and that thing we told you about God too.

If a person willingly accepts the subservient role thrust upon them, then the individual is rewarded, upon their earthly death, with a trip to heaven to live in paradise. If a person, however, tries to fight against the subservient role thrust upon them and others, not only will that individual suffer in this life, but the afterlife will be much worse.

Among those conditioned to accept this type of belief system, who would want to chance pissing off the almighty? Who would want to risk burning in hell for all eternity? So, the vast majority meekly accepts being brutalized and oppressed.

Of course, what makes this strategy utterly brilliant is that the people in the lower echelons who suffer the most END UP BLAMING THEMSELVES for their wretched lot in this life. The powers that be only need continually to reinforce the concept of self-loathing and, with not too much overt effort, the result is a docile underclass that is loathe to buck the system -- a system that perpetuates the enslavement of the masses all for the benefit of the already rich and powerful.

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