Craig R. Kelso

Monday, January 27, 2014

Evil uses our weakness against us.

Several years ago, a priest, Fr. Jude Egbuna, from Nigeria and I went to the Stations of the Cross in San Luis, Colorado. We had some good conversations and enjoyed whole experience. During our conversation, Fr. Jude told me about how he was once robbed when he lived in Nigeria. He speculated that the thieves who had stolen money from his residence had consulted witch doctors to determine that there was money to be stolen at his residence. He explained that witch doctors can see some kind of smoke, not from fires, emanating from homes that may be good targets. I asked him why that kind of stuff (witchcraft, etc.) doesn't happen as much in the United States. He responded that Satan uses our greatest weaknesses against us, and that devil uses materialism against us in the U.S. It may be that the robbers had a different way of knowing that Fr. Jude had money in his residence, but Fr. Jude's statement that Satan uses our weaknesses against us holds true.

There is an ongoing debate in the U.S. about who are the really bad guys. Is it the big corporations who won't share with the poor and have too much control of the government? Or, is it the socialist-minded people who want to transform the U.S. into a Utopia and want big government to control us? I would say that it is both. Those who have a lot should be willing share with those who have little. But, it should not be forced on them by the government. Charitable giving should be something the wealthy do because it is morally the right thing to do. Socialistic-minded people should realize that putting the responsibility on the government will only take away individual rights and lead to tyranny.

When either group fails to do what is right, that is when evil gains a foothold.