Are we a different society than the societies we detest, and the societies that we teach about in high school history courses as being so destructive, cruel and evil? Do we not conquer? Do we not exploit others for their resources, and fight wars — bloody wars — for their acquisition?

What has changed over these centuries? Perhaps what has changed is the perception of wealth. The underclasses and the wealthy share the same turf now. We all have the ability to drive the same cars. But the rich grovel in their control over the perceived wealth of the poor. With every loan taken out, with every credit card over its limit, the rich line their pockets.

And how is there no more outrage? How can the general public simply eat the lies fed to them? We live in fiefdom, and I am a lord of the manor. I was born into a field of plenty. I have never starved. I have always had the best education.

And HOW can the politicians in their booths far above the room, claiming to have a direct line to the Lord, claim to understand and even control the kingdom of heaven.

According to Pat Robertson, 9/11 happened, and the hurricane happened, as a divine event aimed towards the destruction of homosexual people.

According to George Bush, there was no class discrimination in the treatment of flood victims.

Hallelujah that the underclasses of New Orleans now have a voice. Out of horrible tragedy emerges a seed of wisdom.

Will we ever have the strength, in this country, to feed and clothe the widow and the orphan? Will we ever decide to educate our children instead of incarcerate them? Will we decide to harvest the products of the earth, and not take what we need and leave destruction in our wake…

My belief is that I share the responsibility, as an American, and as a member of the world, I am responsible for the poverty. I am responsible for the hunger…

And what lifts me up is the promise of equality. Not on this earth, but the equality in the eyes of God of the rich and poor. I don’t know about hellfire and heaven, but I believe that a reckoning happens, and that is the stripping of wealth.

I suppose heaven is socialist. Could it be any other way? So how could it be Christian to pursue wealth and power? Even our concept of ’safety’ is skewed. If we want a safe world, we will abandon our hunger for revenge.

If George Bush prays in the White House, I wonder what he prays for. I hope he prays for the hungry and the homeless, the oppressed and downtrodden. I believe he does. We can all hope so.