Sunday, February 20, 2011

Competition and Killing

It is so sad when even families can't find a way to peaceful relationships other than through mutual rejection of others because of jealousy or fear of competition. From the beginning of recorded history, the story is the same. People want whatever it is that they don't have, even if they have no use for it. They destroy relationships to get what their greed dictates, then wonder why they still aren't happy. Humans wanted to control The Infinite and destroyed their relationship to get it. Cain wanted what his brother had, and killed his brother to get it.

Why is it that we seem to be so hard-wired for jealousy and greed. Competition for the most or the best seems to be the rot that ruins relationships with The Infinite Good of The Genesis of Creation and with all creatures. Two-year-old toddlers often attempt to crawl into a sibling's crib and exterminate the competition. Is it that we are born no more compassionate than any other animal, and that it is the responsibility of our families and society to envelop us with enough sense of security that we grow out of the fear of starvation? Where are we failing each other in this regard?

When will we understand that killing the competition doesn't necessarily mean more for us? Whatever another's gifts, conquering or killing the other doesn't automatically make the gifts of the conquered mine. Even eating the competition doesn't imbue me with the strength of my enemy, any more than eating iron-rich foods makes me a muscle man.

We even fight over The Infinite. What is it about Infinity that we don't understand?