Opinion Forum

Lust for Money and Power

September 15th, 2009

By Tim Seretis

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 25, December 10, 1948:

Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.

For humanity to go forth, it is crucial that we realize we are all brothers and sisters. All over the world, including here in the United States of America, the so-called richest nation on earth, men, women, and children do not have the essentials to stay alive. This crime should shame us all. We are not savages, yet we act like animals. Humanity, we call ourselves humans and we are above all other species, yet we allow children to die right before our eyes because they have no food, no water, no shelter, no future.

If humanity is to move forward, we must learn the concept of sharing with people everywhere. Can we as humanity stand alone and watch children die? No. It must end now. If humanity does not learn the concept of sharing and living peacefully, we will all perish. The lust for power and money must end.

Sharing and Justice, Brotherhood and Freedom are nothing new — in fact, that is what gave birth to this great God-blessed nation of ours, the United States of America. All the riches of the world have been placed here on this soil, on this land, and we must take a moment to pause and ask why. The answer is simple: We must work together with other nations and realize that the lust for money and power in a monetary based economy will bring the destruction of humanity. We need to open our eyes, our hearts, and our souls and realize we need to become a resource-based economy, and this will bring out the best in humanity.

For years I have been one of those who was wearing blinders. Just like a horse wearing blinders so it does not get distracted, I was the same way. I was not able to see what was to the left or right of me and could not see what was around me. I was also bombarded by rhetoric and brainwashed thinking that the only way to move forward is with more lust for power and greed and to be in bed with all those who only saw one thing — money. But that is over for me.

What happened to change me like this overnight? My friends, my peers, and even those I argued with over political, national, world, and financial issues are asking what has happened. Most of them want nothing to do with me now. Most of them think that I have lost it and that they are the ones who are truly in the right. So be it.

I can’t exactly pinpoint when I started to think this way, but I think deep down in my heart and soul I always wanted to do something for those in need and to speak out against the harm that is being committed by world governments and financial entities. It is obvious in some of my many writings over the years that I did attack those entities, so, yes, there must have been a dim light in my heart and soul, but now that light has lit up and my whole being and my whole focus will be in trying to make people aware of the need to help and work with each other.

I have met some new people recently, and yes, I do believe that God brings people together for a reason, even if it is for a minute, a day, or a lifetime. There is a plan at work, and with these new people around me, I am able to obtain and gather their knowledge, wisdom, and feelings about issues, and I do believe that these people were and are instrumental in opening my eyes and turning on the light in my heart. I am now able to feel good about the direction I want to go, and I must say to all, “The question is not where we are now, but what direction we are heading.” Is humanity going to achieve greatness, or is humanity going to regress to the Stone Age?

Another wake-up call for me was when a friend sent me an e-mail with a YouTube link that dealt with child poverty and hunger, and it broke my heart. I asked myself, what are we doing? Why are we allowing innocent lives to starve to death?

Has the lust for money and greed blinded us all and put a veil over our souls so we can’t feel pain for others in need?

Humanity must learn to share the resources God gave to us on this planet. Here in the United Stated alone we have the capacity to feed the world. Here in the United States we have the ability to give shelter and basic necessities to those in need throughout the world. The United States must take the lead and the initiative to bring in a new era of sharing, and slowly the rest of the nations will follow suit.

The United States must set forth a new agenda, and give up the lustful desire for money and power. The U.S. Government must divorce itself from bankers and those who are willing to sell their souls to the Devil for personal gain as the slaughter of innocent children is going on worldwide, even here in the United States.

Tomorrow begins today in making people aware, and with that in mind we must ask ourselves not where we are, but in what direction we are heading. Humanity must evolve to a higher level and not regress to the dark ages.

Tim Seretis, 45, was born in Dover, NJ and lives in Hawley, PA. He lived in Greece as a child and is experienced in the restaurant business. He’s politically active and worked for President Bush’s 2004 re-election. E-mail: efthimios1@verizon.net

(This article was also posted at Seretis Notes.)

Articles written by Guest Author
Tags: greed, human rights, money, power
Categories: Economics, Life, Politics | Comments (7) | Home

7 Responses to “Lust for Money and Power”

doris | September 15th, 2009 at 4:43 pm

Amen,brother,but how pray tell do you get this enlightened,and how do you change the world?How can you even hope the rich and those who can, will give and give to those in need?You sound very idealistic and wonderous,but reality is,alot of folk don’t care and won’t help.Greed will be our downfall,for sure,and the rich get richer and greedier, in either party.You sortof sound like my old friends in a commune I frequently visited in the early 70’s.They did do alot of weed[not me],to tell truth.I wish it could be like you say and we could all get along,but most of us can’t even get along with our spouses,much less the world.Beware, you also sound like someone in the Jim Jones cult or a fundamentalist religion.I wouldn’t shun you if you were my friend,I would embrace you,and check for pot,then I’d still love you,maybe more,cause it sounds real nice.

Tim Seretis | September 15th, 2009 at 8:07 pm

Trust me, I do not do weed, and yes I do like a glass of red or white wine, and coffee is my addiction. Over the years I kept opening my eyes slowly and have seen the distraction. I have been active and outspoken in the years past as a Republican, and have been guilty of being outspoken about how and where money should be spent, and yes I did state that “why do we need to feed those that do not want to work for a living”, and I now realize how wrong I was.

No commune, no cult. Happily married with two small boys, and I work hard 6-days a week,and bowl once a week, to provide a happy and healty household.

As for changing the world, it up to people to start speaking up and be afraid. We need to keep writting an dkeep sending out E-mails and faxes to anyone and everyone, and even some praying for others to wake up as well. Is it hard? YES!!! BUT, it would be a sin if we just sit back knowing what we know and we do nothing.

Thank you for your feedback!!! 🙂

doris | September 15th, 2009 at 9:29 pm

You really didn’t sound like a bowler!!!!No weed for me,no drink either,don’t need it,life is a trip,if you see it through open eyes.Don’t expect alot of change going about it like that.We could all help feed someone,even those without jobs,on purpose,probably have hungry children,no fault of their own.

Brian Bagent | September 16th, 2009 at 1:41 am

Tim, we are in agreement on the banking industry. The Federal Reserve has got to go. The best blessing we have is freedom, the freedom to succeed or fail. In this republic, we all have the same opportunities to grow wealthy or to founder.

Read some Napoleon Hill, and even more than reading his work, read about his history. To paraphrase Lincoln, you cannot raise the lowly by tearing down those that have lawfully and ethically accumulated wealth. We have what we have because we are the most productive people on earth, ever.

As I indicated a couple days ago in response to another article, I am convinced that productivity is synergistic, but so is destruction and consumption. There is no stasis, no middle ground. You are doing one or the other.

Who do you think has done more good for more people, Bill Gates or Mother Teresa?

Alan | September 16th, 2009 at 9:31 am

Before we go feed the world, the U.S. needs to take care of problems here. People are starving, homeless, unemployed months at a time, without healthcare, and uneducated right here. We need to come together as a nation long before we can even consider feeding the world.

Harvey | September 16th, 2009 at 10:09 pm

Tim,

The responses to your post are great and I can’t find much to add except that the United States (and that means EVERY taxpayer, rich and upper or lower middle class) give millions (or is it billions) to poor nations with every intention of feeding the impoverished. Unfortunately many of these nations are run by people who care only about lining their own bank accounts and care little or nothing about the starving and dying in their “care”. Unless we propose hostile takeovers of the many hundreds of governments involved, the poor will stay poor and the dying will finally rest.

larry | September 18th, 2009 at 1:07 pm

Tim
Your ideals are well intentioned I’m sure. Many of us feel as you do but many such as my self have reached a point where the outlay is about even with the income. Such a situation makes helping people outside the family very difficult.