So much for trying to save the world. I guess there is little point in whining about countries like Nigeria — much of Africa, actually — that oppress LGBTQ people and others. We have to depend on our leaders to speak up, and take action.  For example: if I am not mistaken, the United States buys a fair bit of oil from Nigeria . . . President Obama could put a stop to that, just as that country shut the door on Cuba so long ago.

Individually, we can boycott the products of countries that we feel are guilty of human rights violations. It’s just that so many countries are oppressing people, and how we can we ever keep up with it all?

I am reminded of what some sages have said, that we are spirits living in the material world, a world that is not meant to be perfect (Garden of Eden stories notwithstanding). It is a world of illusion, a school of hard knocks — even hell — and the idea is to develop spiritually enough so that we can progress to higher realms and not be reborn here. I wonder how many of my readers believe that the spirit transcends the death of the physical body and carries on, perhaps reincarnating here time and time again until they can get off this wheel of life and move onto higher planes. In my heart, I feel it is true, but I don’t have a shred of evidence to prove it.

On the other hand, eternal sleep — and no more responsibilities, no more oppression, no more pain, no sorrow — may not be such a bad thing, either.

One thing for sure: I wouldn’t want eternal life on Planet Earth, as the Jehovah’s Witnesses pray for. Could you imagine living in an oppressive regime like Nigeria forever?

I’m with George Harrision on this:

I’m living in the material world
Living in the material world
Can’t say what I’m doing here
But I hope to see much clearer,
After living in the material world

How about you?

Jillian