Slavery Is Alive; The Military Scream

I woke up this morning to two items of interest. The first was a CBC report on the fact that slavery is alive and well and living in many third world countries around the world, not the least of which is Niger. In that country, organizations trying to fight slavery, report at least 40,000 men, women, and children are still bought and sold to ‘masters’ like cattle.

There were reports of misuse, threatening of castration, and even young girls being sold to rich men who come looking for ‘brides’. The favored ones would attract the price the ‘master’ put on them. In addition, sources reported that many in slavery are simply taught to just feel this is the way the world is supposed to be and that even in heaven, they will need to obey their ‘master’. How warped can you get?

If ever there was a cause that rings a bell, this is it. We either need a modern-day Abraham Lincoln, or an epidemic “change in heart”.

The second item came in a report from the Toronto Star that tells us that military science has got still another new weapon to disperse protesters. After tear gas and the rubber bullets, the Israeli army has launched the “Scream” – sound pulses that create nausea and dizziness. It is completely clean with no lethal effects. In fact, no lasting effects unless someone is exposed to it for hours and hours.

The Scream was launched last Friday afternoon near the West Bank village of Bil’in at protesters continuing their daily opposition to Israel’s controversial security barrier. [Coincidentally, this was on the eve of the major anniversary of the Tiananmen Square event.] Witnesses report a minute-long blast of sound emanating from an Israeli military vehicle. Within seconds, protestors, loose their balance and fall to their knees. Later people reported their brains ached and their stomachs turned.

I don’t know about you, but as I thought about both these items further – I became sick and disgusted at the world we live in. The root cause of both slavery and protests is ‘sin’ – whether it’s man inhumanity to man as in the case of slavery, or a government governing outside of God’s priorities and principles for life. [I didn’t say without God’s blessing – as I’m sure many would jump back arguing, “But these folks feel they have God on their side!” God would have to attest to that himself – all I know is that many who think God is on their side, when they have not heeded his instructions in Scriptures, are in for a big surprise!]

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