A REVOLUTION IN VALUES, PART II

What is the difference between the christian who quietly professes his faith through charity and works and unconditional love, and the raging fundamentalist who would quote scripture to spitefully condemn those who do not share his views? Which of them is the true christian? Does it even matter?
What is the difference between the muslim who lives his life peacefully in service to allah, respecting all those around him, and the al queda suicide bomber, filled with rage against the infidel? Which of them represents the true teaching of islam? Does it even matter?
The difference between them has nothing to do with belief- beliefs are irrelevant. Everything comes down to values.
It is here in the arena of values that the true battles are fought. And it is here that the new global culture will emerge and harden itself like an insect emerging from its metamorphosis, steadying its wings in anticipation of flight.
For the one thing that will link us all together will be the values we hold in common, arrived at through agreement rather than passed down as the pronouncements of some ideologue. We may hold the greatest diversity of conflicting beliefs, but with a singular vision we will act in unison to achieve our goals.
So just what are these values then that we should all embrace?
Well, for starters, freedom.
And not the watered-down kind of freedom that we are plagued with in our so-called democracies- the ‘freedom’ to consume mindlessly the thousands of different products put out by the six corporations that control everything, the ‘freedom’ to be perpetually in debt just so we can have some place to keep all our stuff.
No, the freedom i speak of is much more intricate than that: won through the hard labour of the self, unwilling to be casually traded in exchange for frivolous entertainments.
This is the kind of freedom that anchors one to the true world, and terrifies the corrupt and decietful, because it cannot be bought or sold like a trinket the self-styled ‘powerful’ bestow upon the unworthy masses as a token of their superior benevolence.
This freedom is the birthright of all human beings who are aware enough to claim it as their own, and act upon it.From this all else will follow.