What gets you going?

[The Persnickety Platypus]

Too often I think we clutter our minds (and this forum) with things and issues that, push comes to shove, just don't matter.

What do you think are the three absolute most important issues currently pressing humanity?


#1. Inequal resource distribution
It is bad enough that billions of people around the world cannot adequately provide for themselves. Even more infuriating is the fact that, for decades, we have had the resources available to completely abolish this problem. Allocating just a small percentage of money from the world's top 10% of income earners to impoverished areas could provide (first of all) life to those unequipted to sustain it, but moreso, opportunity for such people to make something of themselves. The combined income of world's 500 richest people alone, if properly distributed, could arguably bring about the same results. The fact that society favors the freedom and luxery of 500 people over the essential needs of over two billion is an injustice that is not getting near the attention it deserves.

#2. Conservatism
The greatest hinderance to worldwide peace and tolerance are the populations of nations who feel that to move forward as a society will forsake their precious traditions and personal prejudices. There exists a mentality in socially conservative circles that the world cannot be improved upon, that what is always will be. Consequently, they cling to their traditions, inhibitive traditions that maintain that people are to remain divided; by race, nationality, by religion, even by something as stupid as sexual orientation. They insist that the best solutions to contemporary problems can be found in the past, all the while ignoring that (despite their resistance) society has progressed to a point beyond what it once was, and that new solutions are often the ONLY solutions. How can society ever progress if we don't even allow it the chance to do so?

#3. The Media
I think the media effects us more than we realize. When you think about it, pretty much all of our information regarding the outside world is conveyed through an independent media source. What's scary is how easily bias can be injected into this news, consequently effecting our entire perception of the matter. Given this, those in the business of media are arguably amoung the most powerful people in the world, as they have unchecked control over all information. The turning point for the media was when news casting was no longer a matter of providing the public with an accurate picture of reality, but about increasing profits. How can we say that we are an informed public when we know more about some random melodromatic pedophile kidnapping story than we know about the recent landmark peace treaty signed in Uganda? Thanks to the independent media, we are still a fair ways off from winning the war against ignorance.

[Biker]

Too often I think we clutter our minds (and this forum) with things and issues that, push comes to shove, just don't matter.

What do you think are the three absolute most important issues currently pressing humanity?


#1. Inequal resource distribution
It is bad enough that billions of people around the world cannot adequately provide for themselves. Even more infuriating is the fact that, for decades, we have had the resources available to completely abolish this problem. Allocating just a small percentage of money from the world's top 10% of income earners to impoverished areas could provide (first of all) life to those unequipted to sustain it, but moreso, opportunity for such people to make something of themselves. The combined income of world's 500 richest people alone, if properly distributed, could arguably bring about the same results. The fact that society favors the freedom and luxery of 500 people over the essential needs of over two billion is an injustice that is not getting near the attention it deserves.

#2. Conservatism
The greatest hinderance to worldwide peace and tolerance are the populations of nations who feel that to move forward as a society will forsake their precious traditions and personal prejudices. There exists a mentality in socially conservative circles that the world cannot be improved upon, that what is always will be. Consequently, they cling to their traditions, inhibitive traditions that maintain that people are to remain divided; by race, nationality, by religion, even by something as stupid as sexual orientation. They insist that the best solutions to contemporary problems can be found in the past, all the while ignoring that (despite their resistance) society has progressed to a point beyond what it once was, and that new solutions are often the ONLY solutions. How can society ever progress if we don't even allow it the chance to do so?

#3. The Media
I think the media effects us more than we realize. When you think about it, pretty much all of our information regarding the outside world is conveyed through an independent media source. What's scary is how easily bias can be injected into this news, consequently effecting our entire perception of the matter. Given this, those in the business of media are arguably amoung the most powerful people in the world, as they have unchecked control over all information. The turning point for the media was when news casting was no longer a matter of providing the public with an accurate picture of reality, but about increasing profits. How can we say that we are an informed public when we know more about some random melodromatic pedophile kidnapping story than we know about the recent landmark peace treaty signed in Uganda? Thanks to the independent media, we are still a fair ways off from winning the war against ignorance.

Tpp,
You have got to be kidding?
Inequal resource distribution? Conservatism?The media?
This is really funny.
Here's mine.
1) Rebellion against God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
2) Mans sinful nature.
3) Mans acts of his sinful nature:
a. sexual immorality
b. impurity
c. debauchery
d. idolatry
e. witchcraft
f. hatred
g. discord
h. jealousy
i. fits of rage
j. selfish ambition
k. dissensions
l. factions
m. envy
n. drunkenness
o. orgies
etc.etc.etc.

Biker

Funny, I don't belive the first two on your list exist at all (I don't believe in 'Man's sinful nature", and I don't believe god is 'The father son and holy ghost'. That is not my religion at all.

And for the third list, half of it is just plan self destructive stupidness, and the other half is just plain fun.

Goat,
Sooo am I to assume you don't like my list then? You probably like TPP's better?
On your one God theory how do you explain the numerous scriptures where God(YHWH) is talking amongst Himself?
You don't believe the Genesis 3 account? I thought you were a

"good little Jewish boy."[unquote]
I'm sorry to hear your involved in religion, does it hurt?
Fun for the moment to the "flesh". "But the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of righteousness is life."
My list is daily practiced by the whole world, at great cost to mankind. What would it be like to reduce the "fun" by say just 10%. The improvement would be immeasurable.

Biker

[Cathar1950]

Goat,
Sooo am I to assume you don't like my list then? You probably like TPP's better?
On your one God theory how do you explain the numerous scriptures where God(YHWH) is talking amongst Himself?
You don't believe the Genesis 3 account? I thought you were a

"good little Jewish boy."[unquote]
I'm sorry to hear your involved in religion, does it hurt?
Fun for the moment to the "flesh". "But the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of righteousness is life."
My list is daily practiced by the whole world, at great cost to mankind. What would it be like to reduce the "fun" by say just 10%. The improvement would be immeasurable.

Biker

Biker how do you explain the passage where El is given YHWH Israel?
It is very simple; monotheism is a later development in Jewish religion. YHWH takes on the attributes of Baal, El and other Gods including his and their spouse.
The nice thing about being a good Jewish believer is that you don't have to take the stories literally to have them mean something to you.
I don't think we need to hear Paul's ideas to realize you are dichotomized.

Just think if we took 10% of what the world spends on military uses we would have 3 times what is now spent on humanitarian needs.