Comfortably Numb – America’s Addiction to War!

In 2008 Barrak Obama was elected President of the United States by the largest majority in history. His campaign slogan, “Change You Can Believe In,” was embraced by the American people. But the change Americans had hoped for didn’t happen. Perhaps one of the reasons it didn’t happen is because one man, even if he is the President, can’t possibly create the kind of change the world needs. Perhaps change on that level can only materialize if the majority of the people themselves are ready to embrace that change.

Amy Goodman from Democracy Now recently stated, “The only thing that is powerful enough to change our world is the will of the people.” And I concur. For generations people from politicians to rock stars have talked about peace and, despite knowing that violence isn’t the answer, these same generations have observed an escalation in war and violence. Telling people to stop killing has been as effective as telling a raging alcoholic to stop drinking. They needed more. They needed a recipe for change which addressed the problem at its core: the ego! As we clamor for peace, the fact is the 12 Steps is the only program I am aware of which is capable of including every single human being on the planet regardless of race, wealth, or religious affiliation. All that is required to begin is a commitment to live in peace.

For the past few months I have been asking people, “Can our society continue in the same direction we have been going in for the past several years? Is this working?” The response has been an almost unanimous, resounding, “NO!” People want change. And, not only do I believe change of this magnitude to be possible, I have seen it happen. Millions of people are now living in peace after having their desperate and chaotic lives miraculously transformed by simply choosing the manner of living described in 12 Step fellowships. The recipe works – all you have to do is start cooking!

As I began writing The 12 Steps to Peace I began to see the spiritual malady of our society. How many of us, in the depths of our souls, really want to inflict pain on other human beings? How many of us want to see children suffer and die? How many of us have become numb to the pain and suffering around us? Why do we accept the killing of thousands in war and other acts of violence? Are we spiritually bankrupt? Have we become, as Pink Floyd put it, “Comfortably Numb?”

Many of us feel helpless. The dissatisfaction in our culture is widespread and has fueled such movements such as Occupy Wall Street, which has brought a great deal of attention to the issues of corporate greed and corruption in our financial sector. Changing our society is a daunting task. But it begins with the simple understanding that the thought precedes the action. An alcoholic thinks about picking up the drink before he actually picks it up, and the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous have taught millions of people to change how they think about picking up that first drink. Can we not use the same recipe in an effort to learn to change the way we think about picking up a gun? Or to fix the environment? Or to change the financial system? Or to simply do the next right thing for no other reason than it is the right thing to do?

Alone, I do not have the answers. But together WE do. Alone I may be powerless, but together, with the help and support of others who share our common problem, we can change our world. We just need a recipe.