Modern Times or the Dark Ages??

[aikidonna]

Hello all.
I just finished watching a piece on the Oprah show about brides in India. It told of wives that were set on fire by their husbands, when their families could no longer afford to pay the husband's family dowry. This seems to be a widespread problem all over India, but not talked openly about for fear of being killed. This is happening today!!!
Then we have the ever increasing reports of battered and abused women and children, and in many cases their senseless and needless deaths. The reports are in the newspapers and on televisions everywhere, in every part of the world.
We are also seeing increasing domestic abuse in military families. PTSD(post tramatic stress syndrome) is on the rise, in those that served in and around combat.
We also have widespread hunger all over the world, and war.
What is going on, I truly thought that we lived in modern times. But with everything that I hear and see each day, it looks like we're back living in the dark ages!!!!
Aren't we suppose to be caring and compassionate people???
Have we gotten to be so materialistic, that we're only thinking of ourselves and not others???? I know at times, that I am guilty of this.
Something has got to change, or I really don't see much hope for this world of our's.
Sorry guys, guess the piece on Oprah today upset me more then I thought.
Take care
Donna

 

[Lotussan]

I know what you mean Donna, it is sooooo bad for those people...
Women in the middle east too, the oppression is unthinkable to us women in this part of the world...
And it's hard for us to do anything from here considering they have caste systems and religion governing the males actions...In lots of countries women are underlings, and have been so oppressed...I mean I'm kind of old fashioned, but things like female circumcisions are just cruel...And don't the husbands have any fondness for the mother of their children, I can't believe they would do such things just because the families can't pay...I can't imagine marrying for any reason but love, and can't imagine how a girl feels having to have relations with a man she has no desire or love for...
As for the food problem, I know our government claims to donate lots of food to those less fortunate, but I don't know that it gets to who needs it...I have heard about the Post traumatic stress thing, lots of it isn't after the war, but during, they can't take the horrible conditions, those poor young men and women subjected to the intense heat and intolerable desert, many soldiers have commited suicide to escape their suffering, and it makes me so sad, as I know they are doing it out of patriotism...
I think many people do think about it, but as individuals I think we often feel helpless to do anything...
BTW, today is national hunger day, so let's all go to the hunger site and try to donate that way at the least....
www.hungersite.com
Thanks to Mama San or Kat who gave us the link before...
All I can say, is we need to pray for all human beings, because we are on this earth together...
I think Steven gives us such a good message in his songs, especially "My God" and "War" isn't he great?
I mean he does have a heart of gold for the people of the world, and I admire him very much for that...

 

[kickingbird]

These "modern" times are in fact the "end days" - the days of destruction where goodness is deemed evil and evil is deemed good. The qualities of love, compassion, and tolerance are being replaced with arrogance, greed and constant fighting. The best thing one can do is to hold on tightly to the good qualities and be a good person. Those who do not will suffer their own fate. Whatever beliefs or religions or paths one follows, imbibing good qualities is paramount. It is a way to escape the creeping darkness.

 

[aikidonna]

Thanks Lotussan!!!
Have already been to the hunger site, to do what I could.
Know what ya mean about Steven's messages in those songs. I too admire him for that, and the concerts and things that he does to try and raise money for charities(especially those concerning women and children).
Wouldn't it be something if like in the Bill and Ted Excellent Adventure movies, that Steven's music could bring about world peace some day???
I know I'm dreaming, but it could happen.
Take care
Donna

 

[Jalu]

The cause....

Ignorance...what else?

 

[ORANGATUANG]

Hi Donna i sawthis shocking oprah show here in aussie land about 3 months ago i normally have got a strong stomach but this story made me sick...its amazing what people can get away with..thanks for this article Donna...Heather.

 

[yudansha]

Not dark ages.

Modern darkness...

 

[Hallarian]

A few trips back (couple of years ago) I bought a young Indian woman!

I bought her, paying her husband's mother to keep her husband's family from killing her. It cost me $25 American and then I found her a safe refuge with some Buddhist nuns in another town in another Indian state until her burns and bruises healed. We sort of kidnapped her baby girl to save her life, too. Later for very little more money I helped her enter school and she's now a book keeper with a nice job, a nice husband, and she has another child besides her first little girl. Every time I see this little family I get a warm glow. Her former family are still a problem. They would kill me if they could so I walk carefully and guarded in their town which fortunately I don't have to go near very often.

It's sick and illegal but the deaths are still happening.

 

[Lotussan]

Gosh Hallarian, that was very wonderful of you...

 

[katw_03]

Hallarian

I bought her, paying her husband's mother to keep her husband's family from killing her. It cost me $25 American and then I found her a safe refuge with some Buddhist nuns in another town in another Indian state until her burns and bruises healed. We sort of kidnapped her baby girl to save her life, too. Later for very little more money I helped her enter school and she's now a book keeper with a nice job, a nice husband, and she has another child besides her first little girl. Every time I see this little family I get a warm glow. Her former family are still a problem. They would kill me if they could so I walk carefully and guarded in their town which fortunately I don't have to go near very often.

It's sick and illegal but the deaths are still happening.

You are such a wonderful and giving person!
I wish I had your inner strength to do such
compassionate deeds as you....love, kat

 

[Amos Stevens]

As Hallarian gave an example of..in a lot of places people still live in those dark times!
Have a neighbor whose husband beats his wife & she has been taught that due to their heritage,this is his right