What happened? Almost every single culture tells the story of a teacher or prophet, a savior who bears Good News of love and hope. I believe some prophets are real and I believe some were imagined, but the result is the same. Worldwide, all stories of prophets bear one common thread: Someone who grasps how the world and human relations work warns us about our own wrongdoing toward others and repeatedly reminds us that good is at hand. It is a choice.

If this Savior is part of our mythology, what is the giant leap of faith that leads us to create entire media presentations that focus on war, violence, useless products that do not enhance our human relations, bad news and hopelessness for the celestial body we call earth. This makes no sense at all. Do we not want to remind each other of the magnificent things we are capable of instead?

We engage in a persistent battle against cancer, war, famine, drought, lack, obesity, death and the common cold. We design products that kill 99.9 % of bad germs, not thinking one second that these products also kill 99.9 % of the microscopic scavengers we need to fight disease, process ingested foods and maintain a strong, natural defense against common ailments. We place our faith in bits and pieces of news that focus on what is wrong and all manners of evil that may befall us, instead of focusing on the stories of those who have overcome these “evils” without losing their homes, health or sanity in the process.

They are all around us: Cancer survivors by the thousands, peacemakers by the thousands, uneducated turned businesspersons by the thousands, thieves turned humanitarians by the thousands, homeless turned apartment dwellers by the thousands. All of this happens every second of every day, but it only happens when someone stops long enough to notice, shift gear and decide to lend a helping hand, believe in possibilities and believe in the very basic ability to overcome.

In truth, there is no gap. We believe our prophets without evidence of their teachings and pronouncements. We are wired to believe, to trust, to embrace any notion that is presented with enough gusto to ignite our passion, or assuage our fears. It is not a gap; it is a twist in our thinking. Rising against something feels a lot like passion, but often it is rooted in fear and fear makes us feel threatened and self-centered. Passion, on the other hand, opens the imagination.

Every day, there are people who save the world from disease, famine, war and pollution. In interviews, every single one of them speaks the language of compassion. They do not say, “I fear for myself”; they say, “I fear for the world and the children of the world. What can I do?” These four words are the turning point, the key, because once we ask, “What can I do for others?” we initiate a wave of constructive actions that do not rob others of their rights, self-esteem or dignity. 

A product cannot do much for us on its own. A forecast of looming hardships or illness can have an impact on the mind and body that far outweighs the ravages of any disease. A disease, in itself, cannot touch the essence of a person. A war, in itself, cannot touch the essence of a person. A neighbor who shares his or her time and resources or a researcher who passionately seeks answers, can change the world. That is pretty good news.

Whether our mythology is based on established prophets or experts or our own imagination, we must consider the source of our beliefs. Prophets do not inspire disciples to listen by enumerating statistics regarding the likelihood of bad weather, bad health or bad relationships. Nor are they reporters or marketing gurus, seeking the best angle to illustrate a story. They are keen observers who study the world and explain it back to students so that they may have the necessary tools to overcome hardships without creating disaster, overcome conflict without resorting to fights and overcome weaknesses by choice.

Slainte!