FACTS of life that are deliberately hidden from us; that's what this book's about! Dangerous realities that, because they have been both politically and subliminally concealed for so long, have burgeoned into a real threat to humanity! Sensationalist waffle? Meanderings of a Prophet of Doom?
Well, just consider this; Is it not an accepted actuality that the world's population is DOUBLING every few decades; that our mineral resources are becoming more difficult and costly to obtain; or life-essential water's being drained from rivers, lakes and aquifers to keep crops watered, untold complications from climate-change and disappearing rainforests with multiple side-effects; also, those undernourished multitudes in ‘Distant' lands, the growth of unemployed both obviously and covertly-concealed; increasing ‘Social Unrest'; clandestine incursion/occupation; business and governmental corruption.
And then, of course, there are the compound religious convolutions; not merely the self-augmenting ‘Go forth and multiply' culture, but the entire spectrum of religious authenticity are challenged without the usual defensive, traditional, hush-hush. So, just sensationalist's meanderings, or is this a long-overdue, realistic view that puts some deliberately-concealed crises into perspective....before it's too late to address them?
FACTS of life that are deliberately hidden from us; that's what this book's about! Dangerous realities that, because they have been both politically and subliminally concealed for so long, have burgeoned into a real threat to humanity! Sensationalist waffle? Meanderings of a Prophet of Doom?
Well, just consider this; Is it not an accepted actuality that the world's population is DOUBLING every few decades; that our mineral resources are becoming more difficult and costly to obtain; or life-essential water's being drained from rivers, lakes and aquifers to keep crops watered, untold complications from climate-change and disappearing rainforests with multiple side-effects; also, those undernourished multitudes in ‘Distant' lands, the growth of unemployed both obviously and covertly-concealed; increasing ‘Social Unrest'; clandestine incursion/occupation; business and governmental corruption.
And then, of course, there are the compound religious convolutions; not merely the self-augmenting ‘Go forth and multiply' culture, but the entire spectrum of religious authenticity are challenged without the usual defensive, traditional, hush-hush. So, just sensationalist's meanderings, or is this a long-overdue, realistic view that puts some deliberately-concealed crises into perspective....before it's too late to address them?
FACTS of life that are deliberately hidden from us; that's what this book's about! Dangerous realities that, because they have been both politically and subliminally concealed for so long, have burgeoned into a real threat to humanity! Sensationalist waffle? Meanderings of a Prophet of Doom?
Well, just consider this; Is it not an accepted actuality that the world's population is DOUBLING every few decades; that our mineral resources are becoming more difficult and costly to obtain; or life-essential water's being drained from rivers, lakes and aquifers to keep crops watered, untold complications from climate-change and disappearing rainforests with multiple side-effects; also, those undernourished multitudes in ‘Distant' lands, the growth of unemployed both obviously and covertly-concealed; increasing ‘Social Unrest'; clandestine incursion/occupation; business and governmental corruption.
And then, of course, there are the compound religious convolutions; not merely the self-augmenting ‘Go forth and multiply' culture, but the entire spectrum of religious authenticity are challenged without the usual defensive, traditional, hush-hush. So, just sensationalist's meanderings, or is this a long-overdue, realistic view that puts some deliberately-concealed crises into perspective....before it's too late to address them?
FACTS of life that are deliberately hidden from us; that's what this book's about! Dangerous realities that, because they have been both politically and subliminally concealed for so long, have burgeoned into a real threat to humanity! Sensationalist waffle? Meanderings of a Prophet of Doom?
Well, just consider this; Is it not an accepted actuality that the world's population is DOUBLING every few decades; that our mineral resources are becoming more difficult and costly to obtain; or life-essential water's being drained from rivers, lakes and aquifers to keep crops watered, untold complications from climate-change and disappearing rainforests with multiple side-effects; also, those undernourished multitudes in ‘Distant' lands, the growth of unemployed both obviously and covertly-concealed; increasing ‘Social Unrest'; clandestine incursion/occupation; business and governmental corruption.
And then, of course, there are the compound religious convolutions; not merely the self-augmenting ‘Go forth and multiply' culture, but the entire spectrum of religious authenticity are challenged without the usual defensive, traditional, hush-hush. So, just sensationalist's meanderings, or is this a long-overdue, realistic view that puts some deliberately-concealed crises into perspective....before it's too late to address them?
Jack Levy was born in 1938. With a Jewish father and C of E
mother he was uniue!y fortuitous in bein" a!!owed the freedom to make his own choice of re!i"ious be!ief. Without the usua! #indoctrinated$faith% bonda"e& he was ab!e to uery the evident inconsistencies and to make informed conc!usions. 'his set a (attern which mou!ded his entire out!ook on !ife. )e started his career as a drau"htsman and (ro"ressed to *enior +esi"n En"ineer. )is abi!ity to view situations from an aty(ica! as(ect and ana!yse accordin"!y "ives this book its distinctive& emotive& (ertinence. +edication ,ein" of a controversia! nature& this book owes its fina!& much$ revised conte-t to a!! those who have read it throu"h its (ro!on"ed (ro"ress and made their va!uab!e views known to me. . thank them a!!& es(ecia!!y /enny Lane Com(uters% Ed ,arrows who has rescued me so often when 0as a com(!ete techno(hobe1 . !ost contro! of my moody com(uter$cum$(rocessor2 and *teve Cook from East An"!ia 3ecovery who s(ent so !on" tryin" to find the entire te-t when it #crashed%. .t wou!dn%t have reached (ub!ication had it not been for my 4./.& +r. 3oy 5ewman of )em(na!!%s 6i!!"ates sur"ery& whose vi"i!ance in noticin"& dia"nosin" and insti"atin" treatment for (rostate cancer& and for the wonderfu!!y carin" team at our 5orwich )os(ita! who& ho(efu!!y& cured it. 6ost of a!!& this book wou!d be com(!ete!y different 0(robab!y un(rintab!y so1 if my treasured wife& *te!!a& had not s(ent so many e-haustin" hours !abourin" her way throu"h the manuscri(t each of the many times that it has been revised& and who (ut me ri"ht when my over$enthusiasm mi"ht have occasiona!!y "ot the better of my tact and sensitivity. J a c k Le v y Theres None So Blind As He Who WILL Not See Co(yri"ht Jack Levy 'he ri"ht of Jack Levy to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with section 77 and 78 of the Co(yri"ht& +esi"ns and /atents Act 1988. A!! ri"hts reserved. 5o (art of this (ub!ication may be re(roduced& stored in a retrieva! system& or transmitted in any form or by any means& e!ectronic& mechanica!& (hotoco(yin"& recordin"& or otherwise& without the (rior (ermission of the (ub!ishers. Any (erson who commits any unauthori8ed act in re!ation to this (ub!ication may be !iab!e to crimina! (rosecution and civi! c!aims for dama"es. A C./ cata!o"ue record for this tit!e is avai!ab!e from the ,ritish Library. .*,5 978 1 899:3 917 ; www.austinmacau!ey.com <irst /ub!ished 0=>191 Austin 6acau!ey /ub!ishers Ltd. =; Canada *uare Canary Wharf London E19 ;L, /rinted and bound in 4reat ,ritain I mpor t ant St at e me nt <irst& this book is unar"uab!y definitive in that it doesn%t sim(!y (resent or e!aborate on fundamenta! to(ics which we mi"ht have been told are factua! by those who have themse!ves been thorou"h!y ?(rocessed@. .n fact& it is distinctive in impartially e-aminin" the actua! ori"ins of certain !ife$re"u!atin" contentions. .t (uts them into the (ers(ective of new discoveries and evidence so that& in the !i"ht of today%s know!ed"e& any conf!ict with traditiona! be!iefs is fu!!y and !o"ica!!y rationa!ised. 5atura!!y& it is uite !ike!y that dissension with !ife!on" understandin"s cou!d be uncomfortab!e for some& but even so& common sense demands that rethinkin" is (rudent and !o"ica!!y shou!d be we!comed from an educationa! as(ect. ?+efinitive@& yes& but its acce(tance wi!! (robab!y be !imited to those who have the honesty and acumen to reco"nise that we have a!! been subAect to sustained information from our mentorsB information that is now increasin"!y dubious. )ence it is essentia! that traditiona! indoctrination is reco"nised and set aside2 neutra!ity is fundamenta! if fresh views are to be fair!y wei"hed u(. 'he book%s tit!e ?'here%s 5one so ,!ind....@ a((!ies to those without it. 'here is another as(ect of this writin" which needs to be e-(!ained2 a!so one which tests traditiona! standards& and that concerns the basic (resentation of certain detai!s. 'he reason for this is that #f!owery%& vei!ed ambi"uities cou!d a!!ow some vita! or (ivota! (oints to be misunderstood or misinter(reted by the reader to (rovide a !ess uncomfortab!e or disturbin" messa"e. )owever& bearin" in mind the writin"%s basic (ur(ose& (recise understandin" has to be (aramount. .n other words& there%s no room for (!easantries where our entire future de(ends on the (erce(tion which demands to be (ro(er!y re"istered by the reader& however disconcertin" it mi"ht be. <urther to the above& and a!so in the interest of c!arity& there are some references such as that of com(arin" our own ur"es and instincts with those of anima!s& and some mi"ht take offence at these. ,ut why shou!d this beC .t is not a "reat stretch of (erce(tion to rea!ise that we are Aust anima!s& a!beit somewhat more advanced. As anima!s we& no !ess than a!! other anima!s& have been subAect to aeons$!on" im(rintin" and conditionin". .f there%s any doubt about that& Aust !ook at the stren"th of the ?know!ed"e@ in"rained in our formative years. *uch is ty(ica! of the !eve! of confrontation that this book em(!oys. I nt r oduc t i on We D a!! seven bi!!ion of the human bein"s who constitute the human race D are in serious troub!e. We%re b!ind!y stumb!in" towards a terrib!e disaster which nobody seems to care aboutE .t%s a!most as if we are under the naFve im(ression that& by conscious!y i"norin" it& the (endin" 0and growing1 catac!ysm wi!! somehow Aust "o away. Get it doesn%t take much more than a cursory survey and a minimum of common sense to see that& far from reso!vin" itse!f& the !on"er that it%s !eft unreco"nised and !eft to deteriorate& the nearer the situation becomes to bein" unreso!vab!e. 'ermina!& in fact& and that%s assumin" that some method of recovery isn%t a!ready beyond our reach. 'he (rob!emC .t%s more of a disaster& and one which wi!! abso!ute!y and inevitab!y hit us a!! when the wor!d%s uncontro!!ed and esca!atin" (o(u!ation& in conAunction with its fast$diminishin" resources become& uite sim(!y& mathematica!!y untenab!e. 'hat is unsustainab!e& non$viab!e and& as far as human !ife on Earth is concerned& termina!E .n order to be rea!!y accurate& s(ecific and a!armin"& the first factua! (rob!em to be addressed is that of our a!most chi!dish inanity in fai!in" to reco"nise and acce(t a situation which is ri"ht in front of our eyesE 'hat is what this writin" is a!! about. .t tries to rea!istica!!y make known both the enormity of the im(endin" crisis and the naivety of the a((arent ?b!indness$barrier@ that we (refer to hide behind. .t%s a book that is intended to ?ban" the drum@& to wake us u( and out of our se!f$defeatin" stu(or by hi"h!i"htin" some of the more obvious i!!ustrations as evidence. .t is testimony& if you !ike& which brin"s into a (ro(er (ers(ective both the ma"nitude of the a((roachin" ca!amity and the covert way in which it is bein" "overnmenta!!y hidden a!beit& as shown& for se!f$(reservation reasons. 'he very de!icate issue of re!i"ion& which is not unconnected with the above and in fact !ar"e!y res(onsib!e for it& is a!so !aid uncomfortab!y bare. Hirtua!!y every doctrine or be!ief is re"arded by its faithfu! fo!!owers as bein" ?above criticism@ or it ?Aust mustn%t be mentioned.@ 'his se!f$ ri"hteousness factor is bein" made (ro"ressive!y stron"er in this way. 'hen& in the !i"ht of such e-oneration from debate& any uncomfortab!y contentious issues which mi"ht be raised as a resu!t of frank& !o"ica! a((raisa! are (rudent!y avoided. 'hat (rom(ts another contentionB in a democratic wor!d& how can anythin" on Earth ri"ht!y c!aim immunity from o(en discussionC .t cou!d be& of course& that there is a dan"er of its bein" discredited. 'his ar"uab!y inva!id and unwarrantab!e (rotoco! is e-amined and (ut into a sensib!e (ers(ective. .n this writin" there is reasoned and methodica! rationa!e& sim(!e observation and a((!ied (sycho!o"y which !eads to !o"ica! conc!usions& some of which mi"ht take issue with traditiona!!y$unuestioned be!iefs and understandin"s that have for so !on" formed the bases of many different socia! foundations. *uch dis(arities are (ut into an o(en$minded& !ess (re$conceived frame of reference which& even if discomfitin" for some& demands to be assessed in the !i"ht of today%s scientific and "eo!o"ica! discoveries and evidence. After a!!& isn%t that the (rinci(!e of educationC 'his manuscri(t is certain!y not an e-am(!e of !i"ht readin"& but if you want to have a new !ook at some serious matters as they rea!!y are& rather than from behind the facade by which they are sometimes unwittin"!y but often e-(!oitative!y (reached for us to unuestionin"!y be!ieve& then it%s a te-t that cou!d raise uestions. .f it ruff!es some feathers& sure!y that factor shou!d not (reAudice its authenticityC .n fact& for some it may brin" into focus some uestions that have been Aust under the surface for a !on" time. Whatever the situation& the observations& inter(retations& rationa!e and offered conc!usions are Aust thatB offered. .t is for the reader to ba!ance these a"ainst traditiona! understandin"s and then& after wei"hin" u( the ar"uments& to draw a (ersona! conc!usions about that which is (ut forward. <ina!!y& a uotation worth considerin"B #.t is as fata! as it is coward!y to b!ink facts because they are not to our taste% 0John 'ynda!!& 18=>$18931. 'he ba!! is in your court. or e !or d #4ive me the storm and tem(er of thou"ht and action& rather than the dead ca!m of i"norance and faith.% 0.n"erso!& The Gods& 187=1. 'he tit!e of this book says it a!!B it identifies and (uts into a fri"htenin"!y obvious (ers(ective the way that mankind is& in effect& wa!kin" towards a c!iff to( with its eyes c!osed ti"ht in case it sees somethin" nastyE .t%s the fami!iar ?Istrich cu!ture@& where somethin" which mi"ht be difficu!t to address or even concede is reso!ved by a naFve& do"matic reAectionE .n this case& the (ena!ty for such fo!!y is !itera!!y conc!usive& and so is mankind%s future on this (!anet of oursE E-a""erated assum(tionsC Whimsica! s(ecu!ationsC 5o2 Aust the facts of !ife as they are& rather than as they have been (resented to us by those who& in some cases& have the most to !ose by our knowin" rea!ities. 'hat%s what this book is aboutB e-(osureE .t isn%t Aust unsu((orted scare$mon"erin".. .t is a!! carefu!!y e-(!ained& (ut into easi!y$authenticated or identifiab!e conte-t& and the inferences discreet!y offered. 5either is it a hi"h!y technica!& statistics$and uotations$re!iant com(osition. .t is no more& in fact& than an uncom(!icated& reasoned and ba!anced com(i!ation of facts that we can see for ourse!ves& of historica! stories re$viewed throu"h modern eyes& and conc!usions that are either credib!e or even inevitab!e in the !i"ht of today%s know!ed"e. ,ut therein !ies the (rob!emB the immense hurd!e that this writin" has to overcome. 'his is a serious book about serious issues which (eo(!e (refer to enAoy the comfort of not discussin". If (retendin" that it%s not there& or that ?somethin"%!! come a!on" before anythin" ha((ens@. 'hat%s how (eo(!e react to thin"s that they do not !ike. .t ha((ens a!! the time. )owever& this isn%t fancifu! uncertainty& somethin" that mi"ht or mi"ht not ha((en. 'his is rea!ity and it%s a crisis that%s "rowin" in si8e the nearer it "ets. 'hat is what this book is about. *o& the hurd!eC 'hink for a moment2 how do you fee! about our "rowin"$over(o(u!ationJdiminishin"$resources conundrumC About the on!y (ossib!e humanitarian so!ution to it& that is& !imitin" re(roductionC About the fact that the (o(u!ation is doub!in" every few decades and that our resources are decreasin" at a simi!ar rate& and nobody seems to be concerned about it& as if it%s of no rea! im(ortanceC 'hat our continuin" fai!ure to even acknow!ed"e it is a!!owin" the di!emma to intensify with every day that (asses. Are you at ease with the status quoC Are you certain that your kids are "oin" to !ive in an idea! wor!dC ,ut this is on!y a (art of the com(ound conundrum. Even more contentious!y& this book investi"ates not on!y how the unseein" outcome of re!i"ious (resum(tion and inf!uences are actua!!y e-acerbatin" this di!emma& it a!so e-amines the va!idity and fundamenta!s of re!i"ious doctrines (er se. 'he (ious ?infa!!ibi!ity$factor@ which most re!i"ions enAoy is (ut under a !ess$than$intimidated ana!ysis& as are the foundations of the theoretica! ideo!o"ies that are re"u!ar!y (reached as historica! actua!ities2 as unquestionable facts rather than as the unsu((ortab!e submissions which& sim(!e !o"ic te!!s us& they rea!!y areE *o& how easy do you fee! about a serious investi"ation into such (revious!y taken$for$"ranted issues and be!iefs& and can you now understand the %hurd!e%& or (sycho!o"ica! barrier that a book of this nature has to confrontC And why the reader%s o(enness and im(artia!ity is abso!ute!y essentia! if a (ro(er a((raisa! and conc!usion is to be achievedC /erha(s a !itt!e !ess contentious!y& ?5one so ,!ind...@ associates the sym(toms of this sickness with the a!!$too$evident deterioration in our wor!d%s we!fare$factor. .t !ooks into fai!in" socia! stabi!ity& "enera! insecurity& financia! de(endabi!ity and so on. .t shows how certain cu!ts are ab!e to e-(!oit these weaknesses and "!oba! breakdown in order to (romote terrorism for their own ends. 6ore !oca!!y& the book throws o(en a few doors to show how some of the more obvious "au"es which wou!d revea! our deterioration are mani(u!ated by the "overnment& and made to a((ear hea!thy& whi!st others are ke(t we!! out of si"ht. A!! very disturbin". #Ibservab!e facts and feasib!e inter(retations% mi"ht describe the (edi"ree of this book& whi!st #!o"ica! outcomes% (ortrays its stren"th. .t a!so (uts the (sycho!o"ica! im(acts and biases invo!ved into a c!ear (ers(ective. 'hese are fundamenta! issues that are !on" overdue an airin"& but it%s done in the nicest (ossib!e way. Ither simi!ar writin"s often de(end u(on uotations from (revious manuscri(ts or books to va!idate their conAectures. )owever& Aust because a subAect has been written or inscribed and can be uoted it does not mean that it is materia!!y correct& or that it has not been e-a""erated or embroidered$u(on. In the contrary& he who is activated sufficient!y motivated to "o to the considerab!e troub!e 0(articu!ar!y in the (ast1 to com(i!e such a record& wou!d c!ear!y !ike& or need& to make it as readab!y attractive& and& !et%s say& as interestin" as the bounds that his (ersona! conscience mi"ht a!!ow him to. )e%s on!y human& after a!!. A!so many such records& (articu!ar!y those that have been around for a !on" time& are not immune from bein" a!tered to suit different (o!itics& so how can they be re!ied u(onC With on!y a few non$foundationa! uotations and no statistics on which its credibi!ity mi"ht de(end& this te-t uses on!y visua! evidence& common sense and !o"ica! ana!ysis in its ambition to show that which tradition is concea!in" from us and which is thereby active!y (reventin" our seekin" and understandin" the actua! 0as o((osed to decreed1 facts about our e-istence here. 'his brin"s u( the obvious uestionB does the writer be!ieve in 4odC Let%s (ut it this way. 'he im(erative issue is that of evidence& that which is (ositive!y confirmab!e& rather than that of the ?,ut there 6K*' be...@ cu!ture. 'here is sim(!y no evidence to (rove that 4od doesn%t e-ist& any more than that there is a 4od. 'he on!y 1>>L$definite is that we& a!! of us& don%t know the answer& and to ru!e out any research and !earnin" by thinkin" 0and it is mere!y thinkin"1 that one does know& effective!y (rec!udes bein" o(en to further& and inevitab!y educationa!& know!ed"e. +oes that not make senseC Ine of my few& but very re!evant& uotations is from *Mren Nierke"aard 01819$18;;1B #'here are two ways to be foo!ed. Ine is to be!ieve what isn%t true& the other is to refuse to be!ieve what is true.% Ine of the most cited re(udiations a"ainst te-ts of this nature is the ar"ument that certain academics are uite adamant in their be!iefsE Eua!!y& thou"h& there are certain inte!!ectua!s who are no !ess adamant in their disbe!ief. 'hat issue is ana!ysed and& as is e-(!ained in some de(th& the matter& the sheer unrea!ised inf!e-ibi!ity and b!ind stren"th of ear!y$years formative teachin"s is (ut into its (ro(er& rationa!ised (ers(ective& as is the unrea!ised dan"er of its effects. <ina!!y& there%s another uestion which needs to be answered& and that is ?What ri"ht or ca!ibre of e-(ertise does this (erson have to uestion that which .%ve ha((i!y be!ieved a!! my !ife2 that which my own (arents to!d me is the truth and which has been confirmed by (rofessiona!s at schoo! and in our churchC Why does he think that his views on !ife and its foundations shou!d be any more va!id than mineC .n any case& as thin"s are& any chan"es in my out!ook wi!! on!y rock the boat socia!!y& so is it not better to !eave thin"s as they areC@ 'hree "ood (oints& of course& but the first cannot be answered in a few words as& bein" of such (ossib!y !ife$chan"in" "ravity& it takes an entire section of this book to carefu!!y e-(!ain the circumstances which answer it. .ndeed& in order to com(i!e a convincin" back"round to how the !o"ic of this contention evo!ved& it is modest!y thou"ht that the bio"ra(hica! section cou!d we!! (rovide a we!come and interestin" break from the rest of the te-t. 'he second (oint& however& which is simi!ar!y ana!ysed& can be brief!y (ut into conte-t with reference to rockin" the boat2 an honest and candid (erusa! wou!d revea! that the ?boat@ is s!ow!y sinkin" anyway& under the !oad of its im(!ausibi!ity. 'o c!ose& then& this is not a manuscri(t that may a((ea! to the !i"ht$minded reader& as it studies a !ot of often disre"arded but very serious matters rea!istica!!y& rather than masueraded behind se!f$(rotective& com(!acency$sustainin" facades. 'his is a book that o(ens u( 0with fu!! e-(!anations1 the virtua! /andora%s ,o- of the catac!ysm ahead of us. D .t is not for faint$ hearted traditiona!ists& un!ess of course they have an under!yin" sus(icion that thin"s mi"ht not be uite as cosy and secure as re!ated to the (ub!ic. /erha(s they are concerned enou"h about their and their offs(rin"%s future to !ook into this a !itt!e further. 'here%s abso!ute!y nothin" to be !ost by investi"ation& after a!!. "hapt e r # An Essential Prologue with an Explanatory Reasoning ocusin$ on %elie&s'!ithout'credence and suppositions seen &rom a &resh aspect WhyC What can be the reason for havin" such a cautious introductionC 'he answerB it%s because the subAect matter of the fo!!owin" com(osition is uniue!y (rob!ematic. 'he contents (resent a frank disc!osure and un$"a""in" of issues which some readers mi"ht fee! a !itt!e uneasy about. .n order that this book isn%t f!i((ant!y tossed aside as distastefu!& it is c!ear!y essentia! that the writin"%s subAects and substance (rovide an interestin" and thou"ht$(rovokin" study. A!thou"h its !ines of reasonin" mi"ht (ossib!y "ive the im(ression of bein" austere and even confrontationa!& the evidence that they hi"h!i"ht and the contentions that are subseuent!y raised are unemotiona!!y rea!istic and convincin"!y matter$of$fact enou"h to ensure the reader%s continued (erusa!. /ut another way& the utter!y essentia! reader$em(athy factor has to be very de!icate!y ba!anced& with the interest com(onent on one side and the discomfort e!ement on the other& in order to achieve its conce(tua! acce(tabi!ity. .n other words& there mi"ht be certain submissions the subAects and ana!yses of which& at first "!ance& cou!d be thou"ht too contentious or discomfitin" to the reader. .t%s an automatic im(u!se to bin anythin" that is unsett!in". In the other hand& if its im(ortance is made obvious and is c!ear!y such that any u(set is secondary to the subAect matter& its conseuences and re(ercussions& then the book wi!! have achieved its (ur(ose. 4ettin" this ba!ance ri"ht (resents an onerous taskB that of euatin" readabi!ity a"ainst the barrier of dis!ike& whi!e (rovidin" information that (eo(!e need to know for their own sakes& even if they wou!d rather not know about it. .t is a demandin" undertakin". .t is as a resu!t of this cha!!en"e and carefu! consideration about how best to dea! with it that the main e!ements of this very demandin" com(osition wi!! initia!!y be carefu!!y (resented in their ordained sense& with their materia! conseuences& before any investi"ation about their va!idity is embarked u(on. 'his care is essentia!& as there is the (arado- of havin" to introduce situations that are confirmab!e a"ainst be!iefs which are both inconsistent and sometimes (hysica!!y un!ike!y. A!! this must be done without offendin" the readerE Without shirkin" from statin" that which mi"ht not be so!ace to traditiona! ears& it must be stated that a!! the observations and contentions wi!! be carefu!!y (resented in a c!ear and unambi"uous fashion so that the reader%s own !o"ic can be Audicious!y a((!ied. )owever& this natura!!y means that the verbosity and !en"th of sometimes com(!e- rationa!isations mi"ht be adverse!y affected. *o& for those to whom that which fo!!ows is o!d news& or for those who mi"htn%t need such in$ de(th e-(!anations& (!ease understand the need for this di!i"ence and bear with it. /robin" into and ana!ysin" matters about which some (eo(!e have very fi-ed& #traditiona!% o(inions& i.e. notions which are norma!!y not expected to be o(en to any de"ree of uestionin"& it is im(ortant at this (oint to em(hasise another issue concernin" this artic!e. Whi!st there wi!! be conc!usions e-(ressed which are based on "eo!o"ica! observations& historica! re(orts& cerebra! characteristics& and !o"ica! rationa!e etc.& it has to be (ointed out that every one of the conce(ts bein" offered are (resented mere!y as the writer%s (ersona! o(inion. )owever& they are a!! offered with thorou"h and a((ro(riate e-(!anations in the ho(e that& if the reader a"rees with that observed and submitted& they mi"ht brin" into focus new& a!ternative view(oints about subAects that for various reasons may have been taken for "ranted. 'hese are neverthe!ess (erfect!y vindicated and hence va!id.. We are (robab!y a!! fami!iar with matters which we have re"arded as beyond uestion or not to be ta!ked about since chi!dhood. As such& these issues have been considered as bein" #above% any norma! meanin"fu! and essentia! authentication. ,ut common sense demands that we ask why. 'o be more bruta!!y s(ecific& it is this anoma!y that ca!!s into uestionB 0a1 'he actua!ity of certain testimonies which have a!ways been acce(ted as bein" factua! without any evidence whatsoever to su((ort their une-amined and (resumed soundness2 0b1 'he need& even the sim(!e !o"ic& of unnecessari!y and incautious!y (rotractin" dee($rooted and considered routines which& if !eft unaddressed& wi!! be res(onsib!e for nothin" !ess than actua!!y endan"erin" human !ife on Earth. .t is crucia!& and it is substantiated !ater in the te-t. What are these matters in uestionC 'he first is the com(!e- but e-treme!y (ersona! and sensitive one concernin" re!i"ious be!iefs and the fundamenta! bases which under(in them a!!. 'hese to(ics are euated with a few of the ironica!!y unho!y activities and random!y$e-ecuted atrocities which 0direct!y or indirect!y1 emanate from or are e-ecuted in the cause of re!i"ious e-tremism. 'he second issue is& uite sim(!y& one which cou!d resu!t in anythin" from mass starvation to a revo!ution& or an instabi!ity$ created nuc!ear wi(e$out. .t is the inane& irres(onsib!e and b!ind dismissa! of the obvious wor!d$wide over(o(u!ation crisisE ?,ut these are (ersona! matters@& ?sacrosanct and (rivate@& ?nobody e!se%s business@B a!! these are ty(ica! defensive retorts whenever the subAect is raisedE ,ut are these disdainfu! re(udiations (roc!aimed so vociferous!y to avoid the discomfort of havin" to acknow!ed"e an issue which& at best& is indefensib!e and unavoidab!eC 'o a((!y some sim(!e !o"ic and to (ut forward a (ositive (oint& if some a!ternative view(oints such as those which fo!!ow can be thou"ht about in a dis(assionate and im(artia! way and can be uashed with sound and sensib!e ar"uments which (!ain!y Austify dismissa! of the (ro(osed new views then& sure!y& it must resu!t in these ori"ina! conAectures bein" stron"er and more substantia! for their havin" withstood o(en!y bein" uestioned. )owever& whether that is !ike!y can on!y be assessed after readin" and& if not& then that wi!! (ut their soundness into (ro(er (ers(ective. /erha(s . can (ut it another wayB if the reader fee!s that this writin" infrin"es #(ersona! correctness% in that it ou"ht not ca!! into uestion matters that have been unconditiona!!y acce(ted& for whatever reason& throu"hout one%s entire !ife& or if it shou!d be a case of ?this is what .%ve been to!d is the #truth% and& in any case& it%s what a!! the others be!ieve inE@2 then& it is ar"ued& with this !eve! of credence& any such (roof demands to be substantiated. With such !ife$directin" assertions to have been "iven unuestioned credence on the stren"th of nothin" more than hearsay or word$of$mouth& without any (ro(er evidence to substantiate them& then is it not basic common sense to (ause and have an educated !ook in an unbiased and im(artia! manner both atB 0a1 'he soundness of what you%ve been to!d& in (articu!ar those assertions that actua!!y re!y on un$checkab!e antiuity for their hard!y$credib!e e-(!oits bein" acce(tab!e2 0b1 'he feasibi!ity of other a!ternatives. After a!!& whether or not a theory or a view(oint succeeds or fai!s to be verifiab!e after rationa! investi"ation& the resu!t cannot be other than informative& educationa! and& most im(ortant& (ossib!y en!i"htenin" know!ed"e. At the same time& it is c!ear!y to the advancement of one of the two differin" factions. As said ear!ier& what (ossib!e harm can a common$ sense e-amination of basic facts doC 'hat over(o(u!ation and re!i"ion are so often defended in such a s(ontaneous& instinctive and vi"orous way sure!y dis(!ays awareness of a fundamenta! im(!ausibi!ity. 'hat is the strate"ic necessity for a thorou"h and in$de(th e-(!anatory introduction such as this one. .n fact& it is the rea!ity or e-istence of this a!most natura! defensive barrier which has to be hi"h!i"hted& reco"nised and understood& before either of the defended issues can ho(e to be (ut into their (ro(er (ers(ective. In!y then can a fair and un(reAudiced Aud"ement of the issues% soundness be conducted. *o& if it can be conceded that an o(en mind is not a sinfu! one and that& as in any democratic court& both sides of any debate must be heard before a fair and va!id decision can be drawn& then the fo!!owin" re(resents the case for the defence 0the side of a contention which the maAority dismiss as bein" in the wron" without& in most instances& even bein" heardE1 *o& with your consent& a new !ook at the evidence. 'he defence o(ens with advice that every observation and subseuent inter(retation which mi"ht be described in this com(osition is nothin" more than a sim(!e& !o"ica!& reasoned ana!ysis that is bein" offered& as o((osed to ordained& to the reader. *econd& these submissions are s(e!t out in uncom(!icated& non$statistica!& easi!y$verifiab!e form& wide$o(en to bein" discredited and reAected& which& it%s humb!y su""ested& is more than can be said about the ta!es we are force$fed from chi!dhood by those who have a!ready been indoctrinatedE A !on"$winded introduction& maybe& but . ho(e it c!arifies both the reasons for the writin"%s (ossib!y (ro!on"ed and verbose (resentation& and to e-(!ain why some descri(tive sections have necessitated the use of com(arative (ortraya!s that mi"ht& if not forewarned& cause offence to some readers. 'he ne-t cha(ter introduces some of the subAects which make this a distinct and (erha(s unusua!!y controversia! com(osition. )owever& from the way that the media%s news re(orts are& if s!ow!y at (resent& increasin"!y dis(!ayin" evidence ofB 0a1 'he ar"uab!y unsto((ab!e co!!a(se of (!acidity and contentment around the wor!d2 0b1 'he nationa! financia! breakdowns which resu!t from borrowin" more than can be re(aid and afforded2 0c1 'he "rowin" c!imatic instabi!ity2 0d1 'he dustbow!s downstream from where river water is dammed and redirected2 0e1 E-(andin" terrorism2 0f1 3e!i"ious focussin" on e-treme faiths whi!st (!acid be!iefs shrink2 0"1 'he b!ind!y unacce(ted crisis that the over(o(u!ationJdiminishin" resources conundrum is "ivin" rise to. 0And the !ist "oes on and on1& then Aud"in" from the way that a!! of these issues and many more are ty(ica! items in our dai!y news& it%s about time that they are (ut into their (ro(er (ers(ective. .nter(reted& if you !ike& for what they rea!!y are& sym(toms of a ma!aise which cou!d be termina!E *o why haven%t we seen this comin" crisis beforeC 'wo reasons. 'he first is that such individua!!y distressin" matters are becomin" a!most a dai!y (art of our news and& a!thou"h any one of them mi"ht have caused u(roar a few decades a"o& they are now Aust tiresome ta!kin" (oints for a day or two. *econd& they are not thin"s which those who have most to !ose by e-(osure wou!d want to make known& are theyC )ence it is a norm of safe (o!itics to kee( thin"s hidden or discreet!y camouf!a"ed where (ossib!e. We!!& wou!dn%t you do the same thin"C .f that has whet your a((etite then& rest assured& there%s a !ot more in this te-t that mi"ht rea!!y "ive "ood cause for concern. "hapt e r ( The Urgency and the Current Signiicance A rationalised vie! dra!in$ attention to the ur$ency and need &or action *o why nowC Why shou!d any of these subAects warrant a new and radica! study at this (articu!ar timeC We!!& in the case of the issues which have a re!i"ious content 0and that a((!ies to more matters than mi"ht be thou"ht at this (oint1& there are two main factors2 0a1 'here are thou"ht to be certain factions which have on!y recent!y mana"ed to acuire access to the source of (otentia!!y !etha! wea(ons& whose devotees& it has to be remembered& are uite (re(ared to forfeit their own !ives in order that their im(act on !ess$e-treme& civi!ised society is accom(!ished with the ma-imum de"ree of dama"e& distress and (o!itica! re(ercussions2 0b1 .t is a !on"$overdue res(onse to the u(risin"s and instabi!ity that are breakin" out& not Aust in the 6idd!e East and Africa now& but within a new ran"e of different areas around our fati"ued (!anet and2 0c1 We are enterin" an era when the traditiona! stories we were brou"ht u( to be!ieve in without uestion are becomin" increasin"!y sus(ect. C!ear!y& at one time such ta!es wou!d have been the on!y fu!fi!!in" or understandab!e e-(!anations for a mu!titude of the then$unanswerab!e uestions& but today it%s different. .n the modern wor!d& scientific& medica!& "eo!o"ica!& +5A$(rofi!in" and simi!ar!y e-(andin" disci(!ines firm!y confine increasin"!y more of those !on"$standin" and traditiona! re!i"ious ta!es and conAectures into new and com(!ete!y different conte-ts. ,ut not a !ot of (eo(!e wish to know thatB it%s the cu!ture and the comfort of !ettin" s!ee(in" do"s !ie. )owever& in Aust the same way as +arwin%s very un(o(u!ar evo!ution ar"ument& the su((ortin" evidence accumu!ated and +arwin%s case "radua!!y became irrefutab!e to a!! but the most obstinate. 'he case for a serious rea((raisa! of traditiona! thinkin" wi!! eventua!!y (revai!2 it%s Aust a matter of time a"ainst obstinacy. 'his is a!! (art of the (revious!y mentioned ma!ady. When a disease of such "ravity strikes any society a!ready sufferin" with se!f$concea!ed sym(toms of the cancer of over(o(u!ation& where there are more meta(horica! mouths to be fed than the resources are ab!e to su((ort& then the resu!tin"& and "rowin"& ma!i"nancy can on!y have termina! resu!ts. *o& how does re!i"ion come into the formu!aC We!!& ima"ine yourse!f as (art of an overcrowded& im(overished third$wor!d economy& with no !aw or socia! security to (rotect you and with on!y your own means to e-ist on. /!ace yourse!f in that situation. .nevitab!y hun"ry and (robab!y co!d& with a !ar"e fami!y to su((ort& and on!y the s(iritua! so!ace of a for!orn and des(erate!y ho(ed$for comfortab!e after!ife to !ook forward to as the on!y form of ho(e. 'hen it is understandab!e why the embracin" church is resorted$to with the stren"th and trust of resi"nation. )owever& inherent with such des(air is an obvious vu!nerabi!ity to e-(!oitation by any ruth!ess "urus of that faith. .t is a case of the needy bein" o(en to the ?nothin" to be !ost@ cu!ture which faci!itates the evi!s of war and terrorism. 3eca!!& if you wi!!& the much$vaunted ?ho!y war@& ?ethnic c!eansin"@& ?chosen to carry out a +ivine Assi"nment@ idioms& and then doesn%t it a!! Ai"saw to"etherC At this (oint in what mi"ht seem to be a cha!!en"in" manuscri(t& it is an o((ortune moment to em(hasise that none of us can say with abso!ute certainty that which other (eo(!e te!! us is true. Whether it is read from any (rinted scri(t& or whether the te!!er is on an ornate rostrum& dressed u( in Aewe!$encrusted "own and readin" from a !eather$bound vo!ume& or if it is Aust an account from an ordinary "uy !eanin" a"ainst a bar& then the information& the instructions or the "!orifyin" rhetoric is on!y as factua! as the s(eaker or the writer of the account wants it to be& or thinks it to be in the best understandin" of the day. ,ut& im(ortant!y& as far as historica! descri(tions are concerned& the fact that an a!beit sincere be!ief or assum(tion is of sim(!e and unso(histicated ori"in& and has been recorded without any method of confirmation& sure!y means that it is no more factua! than the ta!! story that the "uy at the bar is tryin" to s(in. .n fact& as a!! this (rehistoric narration has been (assed on by word$of$ mouth for many decades before bein" written down 0writin"s can be modified too1& it rea!!y doesn%t carry a !ot by way of "uaranteed authenticity& at !east& not to anyone with a sense of rea!ity. *o& if that which has been ordained as a fact is& after reconsideration in the !i"ht of im(artia!& inte!!i"ent study& !o"ica!!y conc!uded to be at !east uestionab!e& then is it not a virtuous and mora!!y correct move to acknow!ed"e that a (revious #o(inion% was not a fact at a!!C 'hat restated narratives are utter!y fa!!ib!e. .f this is information which has been stated as #fact% then& sure!y& it is nothin" more than conditionin" of a vu!nerab!e mind. ,ut the obAect of this section is thisB !ife is a (rocess of !earnin". 'hrou"hout our educations we !earn about matters we were either not aware of& or that we mi"ht have incorrect!y surmised. If course& there mi"ht be some thin"s that we%d been wron"!y informed about in a!! innocence. 'his ha((ens a!! the time. .t%s no dis"race to acce(t a ta!e or account as true& es(ecia!!y if it is has been to!d in sincerity by someone trusted. 'hat& thou"h& is what education is a!! aboutB the assimi!ation of new know!ed"e and the correction of o!d where necessary. 'he on!y sadness is to witness how many ostensib!y inte!!i"ent fo!k sim(!y wi!! not !isten to anythin" other than that which common sense shou!d te!! them is& at best& fa!!ib!e. 'he en!i"htened must inevitab!y be a wiser individua!& and this wou!d be es(ecia!!y meanin"fu! if a !ife!on" conviction has been rationa!!y (ut into a !o"ica! (ers(ective. Enou"h about mind$chan"in" for now. 'his wi!! be studied in more de(th at a !ater Auncture. ,ack to the over(o(u!ation issue. Knbe!ievab!y i"nored or (ut to one side by the maAority& the "ravity of this im(endin" crisis is hei"htened by the re(rehensib!e fact that it is de!iberate!y bein" concea!ed from the (o(u!ace by those in inf!uentia! and contro!!in" (ositions who ou"ht to know better. 'hese (eo(!e& either for (ersona! or (o!itica! reasons& avoid the inevitab!e& (rofession$(reAudicin" u(set of disc!osure by takin" the easy way out. 'hey sim(!y kee( schtoom and !eave the (redicament to intensify as it continues a!on" its !etha! course. ,ut is it not unsur(risin" that they choose this a!ternativeC /ut yourse!f in their shoes. Wou!d you re!ish facin" your e!ectorates% reaction when the essentia!ity of mandatory contro! of need!ess re(roduction was dec!ared and a((!iedC Can you ima"ine the ?civi! disobedience@ and tryin" to contro! the virtua!!y inevitab!e insurrection or even anarchyC Ince a"ain& it%s a case of the !et s!ee(in" do"s !ie& 0or the #Cosythink Cu!ture%1& but it doesn%t mean that the do" isn%t becomin" more rest!ess with (assin" time. 'his scenario fri"htenin"!y a!!udes to a #,i" ,rother% wor!d& but somethin" of that horrifyin" sca!e is abso!ute!y unavoidab!e if D when D the minera!& food and water resources run out or cannot meet the sustenance$demands of the (o(u!ation. 5ow& fau!t these (redictions if you can. .f there%s even a chance that they%re authentic& then we%ve "ot some serious (rob!ems to sort out. .f this book conveys a sense of des(eration& now you know why. 5ot comfortab!e readin"C 6aybe& but that doesn%t make it any !ess (!ausib!e or diminish its im(ortance in any way. 'hat is the (ur(ose of this introduction& to (re(are the reader for some unadorned and un(!easant facts of !ife. 5o !ess vita!& it (!aces some of the (seudo$comfortin" fantasies that are we!! (ast their use$by date into a rea!istic conte-t. .t a!so !ays down the "roundwork for hi"h!i"htin" some di!emmas which we seem to be s!ee(wa!kin" into. .t rationa!ises the back"round& the deve!o(ment and the basic viabi!ity of severa! conce(ts that the reader mi"ht find and a"ree wou!d seem to be (art!y or who!!y res(onsib!e for the comin" crises. .t offers conc!usions from some inhibition$free thinkin" 0and the va!idity of such a bombastic and e-trava"ant c!aim is furnished !ater1. A!! this and much& much more is in the writin" that%s ahead& which is (resented with the o(timistic aim of convincin"!y su""estin"& some ideas which mi"ht at !east (re(are us in some beneficia! way. .t%s not an easy task tryin" to (ut a!! of this hi"h!y controversia! matter into a reader$friend!y com(osition& whi!st (resentin" some c!ear!y distastefu! issues as com(rehensive!y and as unambi"uous!y as (ossib!e. .t%s a hu"e& u(hi!! uest. 'his mi"ht on!y be a !itt!e drum& but someone%s "ot to ban" it as !oud!y and cons(icuous!y as (ossib!e.