為了保持經濟的增長率，生產商不斷鼓吹消費，製造一個「用完即棄」的思維。對商品如是，對人如是。對於沒有利用價值的人和關係，便斷絕來往！維修？不要浪費時間金錢了！尤有甚者，推出新型號的速度之快，使消費者還沒有用完，或者還沒有壞了的情況之下，不停換機，追上時尚！結果，生產商為這個經濟發達的社會，製造了更多的自我中心的市民。他們把注意力集中在自己身上，對身邊的事物，沒有多大的反應，對別人的生死，無動於衷！「我們給你們吹笛，你們卻不跳舞！我們唱哀歌，你們卻不悲哭！」（路7:32）這是嚴重的自我中心的表現！是失去智慧的表現！因為做不了正確的反應；在倫理上，未能作出合符正義的抉擇！
那麼，智慧從何而來呢？按聖經的啟示，「敬畏上主是智慧的肇基／開始。」（箴9:10，詠111:10）為甚麼要「敬畏上主」呢？耶穌教導我們，說：「我要指給你們，誰是你們所應怕的：你們應當害怕殺了以後，有權柄把人投入地獄的那一位；的確，我告訴你們：應當害怕這一位！」（路12:5）可惜，二次世界大戰後，我們經過了超過七十年沒有戰事的歲月，人們已把地獄淡忘了！沒有了可怕的地獄，人還能拿甚麼來幫助他們敬畏天主呢？我相信是有的，因為人類那種「用完即棄」的思維，正在破壞著大自然的生態，使氣候變得惡劣；人的自私製造了不公義的社會制度和秩序，欺壓著無權無勢的弱勢社群。我們正在建造一座人間地獄！但這地獄能令我們敬畏天主嗎？抑或它的恐怖，令人感覺天主的地獄，算得上是天堂呢？
父啊！不要讓我們陷於誘惑，但救我們免於凶惡。亞孟。
Being Dispensable (Luke 7:31-35)
In order to sustain economic growth, manufacturers encourage consumption and a "dispensable" mentality towards commodities as well as human beings! If there is no utility in any people or relationships, dump them! Maintenance? Don't waste my money and my time! The speed in which manufacturers push out new models is staggering. Even if consumers have not finished using them, or if the gadgets are still functional, consumers are encouraged to catch the trend and buy new models. Consequently, many egoistic citizens are created. They focus on themselves and do not respond much to their surroundings. They could not care less the life and death of the people around. "We piped to you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not weep." (Luke 7:32) This is sickly narcissism. Such behaviour lacks wisdom! It fails to respond properly to the situation and ethically, it fails to make righteous choices!
Then, where comes wisdom? According to the Bible, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." (Proverbs 9:10, Psalm 111:10) Why do we need to fear the Lord? Jesus teaches, "But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear him!" (Luke 12:5) Unfortunately, after the two world wars, we have enjoyed more than seven decades without military confrontations. Men have forgotten hell! Without hell, what can conjure the fear of the Lord among people? I believe there still is because the "dispensable" mentality is destroying our ecology and creating turbulent climates. Human selfishness is creating unfair social institutions and social orders to exploit the socially disadvantaged. We are building a living hell! But will this living hell make us fear the Lord? Or will the Biblical hell be more like the Paradise when compared with the living hell humanity creates?
Father! Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from Evil. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment