Looking to the Future
E-Mail    By Russell Day   Bio/Address

    The millennium quickly approaches, and as it does our world often seems to be spinning out of control. Wars have erupted in Kosovo and on the Southwest border of Russia. We continue to bomb Iraq on almost a daily basis. Every time we turn on the news there's drought, tornadoes, floods, fires and hurricanes. The world shakes beneath our feet, as it did in Turkey not too long ago. Our children seem out of control, finding shotguns to be the ideal way to express the rage they feel inside. Disgruntled men drive their cars into playgrounds, or decide to shoot their fellow employees. I find myself asking what the hell's wrong with these people? Perhaps that's the problem. Maybe I should be asking what's wrong with me. Maybe that's the only way to stop ourselves from racing head-long and blind into our own destruction.
    I bring this up because I consider myself a very spiritual person. I've had the luxury of studying many religious beliefs, and within them, as well as elsewhere, to view a variety of prophetic beliefs. Every religion has its prophets who speak of the type of chaos we've addressed above. Many people believe the approaching millennium marks the time when our world begins to unravel. This is, of course, debatable, as any religious philosophy is. These same beliefs created panic at the turn of the first millennium, but we're still here. Will this be the case again? I hope so, but I have my doubts, as do firm believers of various religions. Our world spins so much out of control. How could we possibly stop this unraveling now?
    To give you a brief insight to the prophecies I've exposed myself to, here's a summary; The Biblical books of Revelations and Daniel; warnings from such noted persons as Nostradamus, Edgar Cayce, Michael Scallion, and the Native American woman, Summer Rain; from Aztec, Mayan, Greek, Celtic, Norse, Native American and Egyptian cultures. A few of these I've studied in depth, others with interest, and a couple for only general insights. Some believe in a doomsday, such as the Bible's Armageddon or the death of the sun in Norse Mythology. Others simply see a dramatic evolution, such as in what Native Americans call the great Purification, or many of the hopeful, futuristic visions of Edgar Cayce. No matter what belief you look to, there seems to be a warning of impending and dramatic change. Science seems to support these age-old beliefs with its warnings of global warming, the melting of the Poles and other phenomena.
    I believe we're catapulting ourselves toward these things. If prison does anything for my soul, it allows me to witness suffering honestly, and gives me the chance to quietly contemplate, as is important to many religious beliefs. I turn on the television and see one disaster after another. One commercial, advertising an Internet provider, releases a pack of hungry wolves to attack a music band of High school students. The commercial is explicit, and put forth in a humorous way. When did it become funny to watch children die? It makes me think of the lion pits of ancient Rome. Another shows a woman being told to pay ransom for her kidnapped son. Problem is, it's her son making the ransom to get out of college debt. He's trying to extort his own mother because he's desperate. It's again played as humor, but what's funny about it? It's perverted, mocking the very ethics we should be attempting to live by. Biblical scripture conveys such insanity in the reason God destroys an ancient pentapolis: Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboim and Zoar. These cities supposedly fell because they were so out of whack. Seeing what we view as-entertainment today, from Monica Lewinsky's dress to the violence portrayed by such franchises as the WWF I wonder if the same fate awaits us.
    The theological accounts are suggestive. Coupled with the advancements of various sciences, the data is close to overwhelming.
    In studying these various prophecies I've recognized three fundamental aspects in all of them; the human race plays a significant role in starting the process, that natural disaster soon follows, and that life as we know it will be forever changed, if not destroyed, by some divine force intervening, or by a dramatic and sudden step in the process of evolution. These things, by our own cycles of behavior, will happen sooner or later. The question is, will it be sooner, or later?
    As so many have suggested, let's assume the prophecies attached to this coming millennium are fact. This can be a very depressing position to take. A year, maybe two, before it all hits the fan. I'm left with the original question what the hell can I do? I can live my life by the religious beliefs I profess to hold dear. Instead of watching blood and perversion on television, I can read a book of poetry. This perhaps isn't as exhilarating, but it's still a choice. Instead of being suspicious of strangers, I can offer them help when I see them struggling. There's a lot I can do, if only I take the time to evaluate my life, stand up and live by those concepts I believe, and hopefully be a shining example to others. Life isn't as stressful when I do this. I'm more peaceful, and things in my life are more smooth. Maybe all I can do is share this with you. Maybe you'll take it to heart, and that'll start a chain reaction, and by this theological doom can be averted. Either way, my life is more enriched for the efforts. We're taught life is a gift, a blessing to be celebrated. In our stress and fear we've forgotten how to celebrate, going to extremes, replacing this with perversions of celebration to take the focus off our own insecurities. Life is a glorious thing, if only we could get ourselves back to understanding this. I've found the glory, joy and freedom in my life, and I found it inside a prison cell. I hope you can find yours as well. Admittance and acceptance of our own short-comings may be the only answer to solving the problems of a world spinning out of control, and giving us back the peace and freedom we all long for. Keep your dreams pure, and may you find solace.

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