Someone, Help Me Understand...! Part I

     While deeply engaged in living, and trying to understand death and dying, immortality, a God, faith, religion, people, things, ways and whys about all that is life these days, I reflect back on years past.  Then, I just stop…and vacantly stare.  I’m hoping, praying; feeling that I am just past midway in my life’s cycle.  My father is an 86-year-old man and if I am blessed to live that long, I still have 34 years, at least, and anticipating more.  I’m old enough to realize that the days of my most fascinating youth during the Sixties and Seventies, the days of that generation who almost changed America and came really close to changing the world, are truly historical.  I am the tail end of the Baby Boomers and the beginning of something I can’t quite clearly describe!

     I have watched the metamorphosis of a world society that, at that time, seemed to be on the verge of making another huge step toward further enlightenment.  Then JFK, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and Robert Kennedy were all killed.  Anwar Sadat and Indira Ghandi were assassinated.  Thoughtful world leaders, to whom we would have sworn allegiance said, “Not me” and that left the door open for those who would assume the leadership role by fear and intimidation.  Hate-mongers, under the guise of good, assumed control and we have not recovered, still! 

     In the name of nationalism and religion, nations have killed, no, slaughtered innocent people; sometimes their own.  China, Russia and South America have killed.  Afghanistan and Pakistan have killed.  Saddam had killed so many that it was difficult to keep an accurate account.  Recently, Libya, Yemen, Egypt and Iran have killed.  Under the banner of humanitarian intervention, America has even killed.  Not to mention, the world has taken turns killing Africa!  It seems that everyone’s god has demanded that they war against people of a different god.  Then a thought that almost frightened me in its simplicity, occurred.  How many gods are there?