First in Fear?

According to a Reuters article published August 28, 2007, the United States is the most armed country with 90 guns per 100 people.

One cannot help but wonder why?

Perhaps it is fear. Fear of losing possessions. Fear of losing control. Fear of dying.

According to the US Bureau of Justice Statistics, at the end of 2006 more than 2.25 million persons were incarcerated in US prisons and jails. That means that for every 100,000 US residents, 751 were incarcerated. Again, that puts the US in the number one position.

Could this also be fear?

We experience fear because we see ourselves as individuals, separated from others. We experience fear because we believe we can hold on to what we have—possessions, ideas, people, and even youth.

When we are fearful, we build walls to protect ourselves by keeping others away. Apparently, we then defend our walls by buying guns and imprisoning people. In the Pure Land there are no guns or prisons because they are not needed. Everyone has whatever they wish.

Instead of building the walls of our fortress higher and buying more guns to defend it, we spent the money on helping others have what we enjoy—food, housing, education, medical care—we wouldn’t need all those guns and prisons.