Progress?

MON., OCT. 4, 1993, 6:00 AM
FARM, STUDY

Your culture is one with progress as a major goal. It is the chief criterion of social health. The old should, and must, give way to the new. A few great fortunes will be made in backing just the right new products… even services. And it is assumed, by you American Christians, that I want, and am forced, to keep step with all such progress. The question mark in the title suggest that this may not be as true as you assume.

First, let Me assure you that I am not against all “progress.” I do not wish for all of humankind to live without any of the so-called “modern conveniences.” Then I’ll balance that by averring that I love and relate to many of your fellow humans, in this last portion of the 20h century, who live in villages and live life very simply. They have little of what you have, but they seek Me in religious and personal ways, and I respond.

Yours is still a culture, unfortunately, that often values “progress” more than people. The seemingly high, positive goal is to do with machines all that is degrading labor. The result, too often, is that more of your people have no work that they can do, that is valued, and then they are shamed as they take the pittance that is allowed for the very poor. Work such as you did yesterday is valued less and less. I beseech you not to lose this love of physical labor, made easier, as you experienced it, with technological “helps.”

One significant facet of your problem is embodied in this trade agreement, with which your Congress shall wrestle soon. It is a question of who will work to make the devices that shall ease the burdens of life… Americans who want to live well or Mexicans who work and live with a lower wage? More jobs may be lost in your country in order that more might be created in this southern nation. Those who control the big companies may opt for cheaper labor, meaning that more of those in your culture will be without jobs.

It was emphasized, in the play you just saw, that this is not a brand new problem in your nation. This was a story of weather and climate helping to make portion of the land unliveable, so the people looked for jobs… and were treated inhumanly because they were “in excess” of work available.

What is My reaction to all of this imbalance? I reiterate that I have no ideal political and economic system to recommend. This one of yours does benefit some persons, and you are certainly in the above-average “class.” Other cultures have less affluence, and suffering and need abound in these also. This earth “system” does not benefit all humans equally, because they are not created equal. It could have been otherwise, so, again, I have no one to blame but Myself. I allow the births of new humans in excess of numbers that could live well, with jobs appropriate to abilities.