Weapons of Mass Destruction

I met a good friend at a bookstore last night (bookstores: not yet extinct), and while I put sugar in my tea at the "condiment/napkin/drop-it-in-the-hole-trash-receptacle counter, I peered over the shoulder of a reader. He was engrossed in an article titled something like “The Six Most Influential Weapons of Mass Destruction in History.” I think there was a picture of a mushroom cloud on the page, and it struck me as eerily beautiful.

As I made my way back to our table, I wondered what weapons the article mentioned. I tried listing them in my head, atomic warfare at the top. But then it dawned on me that no physical weapon of mass destruction has wiped out more "life" on this planet than the non-physical weapons we employ every day. These non-physical weapons may lead to physical results, but they are insidious poisons that do more damage than any mushroom cloud could. What are the Six Most Influential Weapons of Mass Destruction in History? Let’s see…

1. Fear. Fear is at the helm of every crime on this planet. We kill because we fear being killed. We lie for fear of being exposed (for fear our vulnerabilities will be exposed, that is). We steal because we fear lack. We cheat because we fear failure. We judge because we fear judgment. We covet because we fear loss. We hate because we fear love.

2. Greed. It has started wars in the name of God. And people believed, and fought, and killed under this guise. It is prevalent in those who fear (see #1 weapon of mass destruction) loss and lack. It is a direct insult to Source who provides for all.

3. Conceit. Bold-faced fear personified. Our perceived weaknesses or vulnerabilities are what make us human, connected, and "exalted." The meek shall inherit the Earth. Sound familiar?

4. Despair. Disclaimer: it is only natural to feel sad and to grieve. There is a season, so the famous passage goes. But I am referencing the Victorian widows who wore black every day for the rest of their lives due to a martyr complex. To wear one’s grief and loss as a medal will leave her with nothing but epaulets of pain. Push life away and it will soon do the same to you.

5. Ego. Ask yourself before performing any action “Is this what I (insert your name here) want, or is this what that devilish, spirit-eating aura slime Ego desires?” Answer honestly, and life will open up to you.

6. Thanklessness. Newsflash: There is something greater than you. It made you, You. A little gratefulness goes a long way. Tip for service.