11/06/2012

Think About It ...


A few years ago, whilst still living in Glasgow, I had the pleasure of meeting up with a lovely Chinese lady for a coffee. She was studying in Glasgow for a year, and had left her husband and her five year old son in China. 

She was a scientist, as was her husband. They lived in an apartment which was situated in a huge complex, the size of a town, she told me. In this complex was their home; their son's school; their medical centre; the place of scientific research at which they both worked.

The complex also contained all the shops they needed for food, clothing and any accessories they wished to buy.

"In other words," she said, "we never have to leave our complex."

I asked her how she felt about this, and she stared at me for a short while, wondering why I would ask such a question. How did she feel about it? Well, this simply wasn't an issue. The State provided all this for her, and she knew she was really well off compared with most other Chinese people. How could she not feel well off? She had all her needs provided right there 'on her doorstep', and her son was receiving a fantastic education.

I then began talking about her son, and I asked her if she ever wished she could have another child. 

"Never," she said.

She went on: "In China," she explained, "there are far too many people. We need to reduce our population and this is such a good way. There is one major problem, though, with the policy ... "

Ahhhh, I thought, she does see at least one problem ...

"The problem is this: all our educated people stick to the rule, and we have one child each. Unfortunately, many of the farmers and peasants have more than one child, so that means that over time the gene pool in China will be worsened by them."

This was her one and only problem with the policy. It was the problem of those pesky peasants, who wouldn't stick to One Child Policy.

It was all so clear to her. So easy to grasp. So beneficial for China. So easy to implement. So worthy, because the child you did have was able to have the best education and the best opportunities. 

Initially I was surprised. Shocked, even. But then, I was simply sad.

Sad at how easily a person accepts their being bound, if all their wants are provided. Sad at how a person's liberty to choose can be totally removed, and that person doesn't even bat an eyelid. In fact, they wouldn't change anything about it, even if they could (except for the pesky peasants). 

In the past, Patrick Henry cried, "Give me liberty or give me death!".

Queen Boadicea cried: "Is it not better to be poor and free than to have great wealth and be slaves?"

But hundreds, thousands, millions in the world today prefer wealth and comfort rather than true liberty.

Countless numbers of well-fed, well-dressed, well-educated people are told what to do, how to live, what to think, how to act, where to live. They are told how many children to have. But in exchange, they are given job opportunities, homes (though not their own), access to healthcare and to education. 

And the 'people would have it so'.

This lady was Chinese. But was she really a million miles from where we are today in our Western world?

Go on - think about it. I dare you.





13 comments:

  1. I liked the quote from Queen Boadicea, Sometimes I wonder do people care about anything enough to die for? Like Patrick Henry.
    Great thoughts!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I fear that people are so comfortable with all they 'get on a plate' from government in a hundred different ways, that they just wouldn't be willing to go through the hardship of *really* having to fend for themselves ... even for liberty. Sad days :(

      Delete
  2. It frightens me how easily people are lulled into submission. If they have all they need, then they don't care about much else. So many people live in a tunnel, me, me, me. They listen to the news, but its just like listening to a reality show, they don't think it concerns them. Wake up folks!!! EVERYTHING CONCERNS YOU!! Do NOT SELL YOUR BIRTHRIGHT FOR A BOWL OF BEANS!!! Vote RIGHT AND WRONG! Vote GODLY principles!!! I will not vote for any candidate supporting gay marriage or abortion. SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS!!! When America turns back to our God, then all other things will come into line. That is how I believe, and that is how I will vote. Thank you so much for this first hand knowledge of what it is really like in other countries. Bless you today my friend!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Amen...
      "If my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."

      Delete
  3. Yes, Farm Girl, they do! Give me Teddy Roosevelt's strenuous life any day, and let me breathe the air of freedom, that freedom born of obedience to God's law. Give me God's curse any day over tyranny's blessing. Let me work until I fall dead versus the ease the state would hand to us in exchange for liberty. Yes, there is a price to pay for freedom; it is hard, hard work--blood, sweat and tears, but it is SO worth everything. And may the peasants continue to expand their forces.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Worth it ... not only for ourselves, but *especially* for our children and our children's children. We *could* be seeing the beginning of a movement - a real grass roots movement. Let's pray ...

      Delete
  4. Another sad part of it is this - the Chinese people are about to come into huge problems. Their population is an upturned pyramid, if you will. One child is going to have to provide for/earn/care for - 2 parents, and 4 grandparents. They will develop an aging population, without enough of a younger generation to support it. I shudder to think where that could lead. Culling the elderly?! *shudders*

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, Caroline, going by my conversation with this lovely Chinese lady, she would possibly not have thought too much of such a thing: what was good for the nation came first :/

      Delete
  5. By the way, Americans could use your prayers today, friends from over the sea. Today we must place in office men who will uphold what we believe. Pray that we will vote, not out of fear, but with the knowledge that Christ is our sovereign King, and He sits on the throne, no matter the outcome.
    Thank you!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, many of us are praying for you, and for your nation. But as you say, whatever happens, our Lord sits on the Throne and is sovereign over the whole earth .... that does *not* make us blasè, but does give us hope

      Delete
  6. Well said! What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul?

    ReplyDelete
  7. This was certainly an inspiring post..
    The world today has not lost it's focus but changed it to the inward and what profit there is for themselves.. Bible based roots are torn up and replaced with shallow theories of just whatever turns a person's crank and what feeds self indulgence..
    When we know Jesus Christ as Lord and God then we have a sure hope within our hearts that no matter where the world is headed then we are standing on the solid rock...We shall not be moved..

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts with Thumbnails