“It has always been this way. Death is followed by birth. To reach paradise, man must pass through inferno.”
I’ve always tried to see the
world in black and white because moral grey areas tend to create circular,
sometimes paradoxical arguments that only end up confusing me. However, for a
second there, author Dan Brown in his latest instalment of the Robert Langdon series,
Inferno, made me doubt my own
long-established beliefs about life and death and the future of mankind. And
that mere second was enough to unhinge me.
Inferno narrates how famous
professor and symbologist Robert Langdon races against time (and powerful
enemies) to decipher codes and clues that will help him stop a mad genius from
unleashing a scientific creation of apocalyptic potential; a potential to
decimate a third of the world’s population.
I’ve been reading books since I was
4 and in that time, the roles of the protagonists and the antagonists have
always been clear cut: the former are the good guys and the latter are the bad
guys. This is something I have never ever questioned and have taken as a given.
That is, until now.
I
find myself both fascinated and horrified that, for the first time, I understand
and even agree (to a certain extent) with the antagonist of this story, The
Lanky Man with Green Eyes. He believed that, at this rate, if humankind
continues to procreate, our species will eradicate what resources we have left
on this earth and, ultimately, die out. Mathematically speaking, this is an
undeniable truth and for that reason, he intends to release a virus that would put a stop to the exponential growth of the world's population. But then, here lies the dilemma… the moral grey area I was
referring to: who are we to play God? Why can’t we just let nature take its
course since the only real salvation for humanity lies in the coming of the
Kingdom of God? But then, here’s another counter argument (yes, I occasionally debate
with myself): If we have the ability and the resources to save ourselves, why
shouldn’t we do it? We have been doing it for decades with anti-aging products
and surgical procedures designed for longevity. So how is this any different?
I’m
just going to let those questions hang there because I can debate with myself
all day long and still not come up with a reasonably justifiable answer.
However,
for the record, I still stick to my beliefs as a Christian and that’s not
changing anytime soon. (WrittenBy:AyesahTecson)
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