Ramon Arias| March 10, 2014
I have visited nations in different continents that were shattered by their civil wars. I have also been to a country during an actual war with other nations. The kind of devastation, death and suffering it brings is horrendous and world wars only multiply this desolation.
I know humanity has been at war for thousands of years in different parts of the world. Anyone would think that by now we would have learned all the possible lessons from it and would be more knowledgeable, understanding and wiser as a result of all that experience. We should now know how to effectively deal with conflicts and stop them before they turn into merciless slaughters.
When the Cold War started in 1945 and ended in 1991 with the collapse of the Soviet Union, this gave the impression to the nations that they could breathe easier thinking the shadow of nuclear war was defeated. Well, here we are again facing the same threat except now we have more nations with nuclear capability and many more are in the process of developing theirs. We should not forget that the United States of America has fought several wars since WWII and continues to do.
Venezuela is an important oil exporter to the United States. The Venezuelan people are going through the same social, political and economical problems as the Ukraine and yet very little attention is given to the Latin American country. Why is it that Ukraine has become so incredibly important?
We would think that America’s priority would be to do everything to stabilize Venezuela due to its important oil commerce. After all, we are always hearing about protecting the U.S. interests and national security in other parts of the world. Why the silence here? Could it be because oil sales to the U.S. are dropping? Or, is it because the government is socialist-Marxist and has the support from the left in the United States? Or is it both?
Why the Ukraine? According to the left, Vladimir Putin does not represent Lenin and Stalin’s brand of Marxism but is a strong nationalist, and sent, with Parliament’s approval, a strong-armed force to Crimea to protect the small peninsula which has a large Ukrainian population that speaks Russian and wants to be part of Russia. Let us not forget it is where the Russian naval base has their Black Sea Fleet.
Russia not only has national interests in the peninsula but in all of Ukraine. Do not expect them to back down from their plans in spite of the U.S., the European Union and the rest of the world’s diplomatic pressure. The Russian government doesn’t even care that the leaders of Ukraine are saying they will not cede any part of their national territory. Putin laughs as he continues to militarily strengthen his takeover.
The European Union and Corporate America want what Ukraine has—their vast undeveloped deposits of oil and natural gas found in the Black Sea region. Europe needs the natural gas pipelines to continue to provide this precious liquid to the European market.
Ukraine is also very important to Europe because of their agricultural region that has been the finest in the world. Whoever controls Ukraine becomes important not because it is for the good of the world, but because of the theft, greed and covetousness from leaders who want the upper hand. These are the root causes of mankind’s conflicts throughout history and the cycles of war continue to move to the beat of the drums. Some knuckleheads love war because their foolishness blinds their minds, others want war in order to plunder, both are dead wrong.
Don’t get me wrong! I strongly believe in having the most powerful armed forces in the world but they should never be used in the service of evildoers at home or abroad.
Nations, like people, are recipients of negative judicial sanctions when they violate God’s Commandments which include the 8th, 9th, and 10th as revealed in Exodus 20:15-17. God has been sanctioning the violation of these Commandments throughout history.
We are faced with two opposing worldviews, two opposite sources of knowledge, understanding and wisdom. These worldviews are the ones that dominate man’s ideas but only one is destined to dominate the world and you can bet your life it is not man’s worldview but God’s, for it is written:
“No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the Lord,” Proverbs 21:30.
“Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?” 1 Corinthians 1:20.
“For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile,” 1 Corinthians 3:19-20.
“Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic” James 3:13-15.
Historical fact: Arrogance blinds and destroys men.
Historical fact: Humility before God Almighty and acceptance of His revealed truth in Scripture truly makes a person and nation wise and useful to all.
Thomas Jefferson was right when he said: “Commerce with all nations, alliance with none, should be our motto.” Commerce done with God’s ethics can never do wrong to others. This is shining God’s light into a darkened nation. Alliance binds people and nations to do the wrong things for the wrong reasons and always getting the wrong results. In our modern history two world wars and many wars after that should tell us it is so.
As for the drums of war getting louder and louder, fear not and let your voice be heard to stop them. As a nation we do not have to continue down that path. It has never worked for us! Before you challenge me on this, please, do yourself a favor and do your homework in depth with an open mind and study what the Founding Fathers knew and understood about not making alliances with other nations to go to war. They were right and others have been wrong.