Editorial
 

BEWARE OF THE SNARE

In Genesis 3:4-7 we read about the scene in which Satan ensnares man and leads him astray. Eve was seduced to believe the empty promise that if she acted contray to God's commandments, her eyes would be opened and that she would become like unto God. Imprudently she plucked the fruit, ate it and gave it also to her husband. But she did not become like unto God. She opened her eyes and realised that she was naked. The consequence was the loss of Paradise.

 The powers of darkness are even today offering to man several things that give a false hope of happiness and well-being, things that are fascinating to the eye and the heart. It is not a very rare experience to find the mind of man captivated by strong reasons and arguments that are presented under the guise of truth through the attractive mass media. Those with vested interests, amass untold wealth and influence by deliberately misguiding the weak and susceptible with the false promise of peace, energy, release of tension and solution to problems, happiness, good sleep and physical stamina through the use of alcohol and drugs. At the same time hundreds of thousands of people are marching towards self-destruction. What we see around us is the sight of human beings becoming victims of alcoholism, drugs and smoking. They are distroyed like flies in the fire. And yet we do not learn a lesson.

 We have not solved any problem through the use of drugs; or eased any tension; or attained peace or happiness or well-being. Drugs are not a remedy for financial problems or mental conflicts. Neither is it possible through drugs to live in peace and quiet in the imaginative world of forgetfulness. Man loses utterly that what he is madly running after. Adversity will pursue him (Is 5:13;5:24); mental illness will overtake him (Hos 4:11); he loses his wisdom (Prov 20:1); poverty becomes his bed companion (Prov 23:21; Sir 19:1); he loves to quarrel; he loses his stength (Prov 23:29-35), vile inclinations are fostered (Eph 5:18). In short, it brings about incurable diseases of the soul, mind and body. And what are the end results? Stark despair, guilt feeling and suicide. Alcohol separates money from the pocket, peace from the family, delicious dishes from the kitchen, happiness from the home, husband from the wife, father from the children, health from the body, love from the heart, thought from the mind and life from the soul.

 Let us, therefore, be wise enough not to fall into this snare and save ourselves and the future generation from the disaster. Observe the following points: 1. Refrain from serving alcohol in your house or elsewhere even at celebrations. Do not co-operate with those who cannot do without it. Give up all kinds of addictions like smoking and chewing pan. Hospitality does not consist in offering poison. 2. Do not give on rent your property-land, house or shop for running a business in alcohol. Do not permit liquor to be extracted from your coconut palms. 3. Those who are already engaged in this business as proprietors or workers give it up and do some other trade or find some other job for the sake of common good. Religious organisations should co-operate with the Government in creating job opportunities. 4. Boycott social miscreants who destroy society through the distribution of drugs. 5. Be actively involved in anti-drug campaigns and conscientisation. 6. Co-operate to rehabilitate victims of drug and alcohol abuse and those rendered jobless on this count. 7. Exert pressure on the Government authorities to build up a nation free from drug-abuse according to the directives of the Indian Constitution. 8. Give ample instruction and take precautions in schools and other educational institutions to preserve the growing generation from the effects of drug-addiction.

 Editor

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