Temptations of Babylon
Seek not any power over your fellow man, avoiding especially the powers of great wealth and positions of governmental power over your brethren. Be wise against these and remain humble before God. Shun them for the sake of your eternal spirit, knowing that you are not immune from the temptations that come with great power. For though true that all power corrupts the soul of a man, the powers of wealth and governmental authority are corruptive above all, bear the strongest temptations and have wrought the most evil upon the world. These are the most beguiling and deceptive of all evils, disguising themselves with pious intentions and actions that would help the poor, the abused and the oppressed.
For the pursuit of wealth can appear good, as it creates employment of many persons, all needed by the merchant for work in his fields or the manufacture of his goods. But inevitably the greed which tempts all men leads to the oppression of his workers and the stifling of their wages as the merchant demands ever greater output of those he employs. And if challenged on the oppression of his workers the pride which afflicts all men distracts the merchant from the mercy which he would otherwise bestow. For the pride of a man in that moment tells him that those who complain of oppression are ingrates in nature, forgetting that without the employment he provides, their poverty would be even more. The compassion which God would have him bestow is forgotten, his greed becomes rationalized and his heart is made hard against those whose labors have made him wealthy.
That merchant, though likely a good and humble man in his youth becomes deceived and pumped up with the praises of others who hold wealth more highly than virtue. He becomes deaf to the voice of God, coming to listen only to those who fill him with empty praises based on the weight of his purse rather than the righteousness of his character. And ultimately, as his riches make all things affordable, he becomes gluttonous in the vices which tempt all men, succumbing to their lure and becoming lost in the indulgence of their practice. For the wealth of the world makes possible all temptations of the fallen realm and blinds men to the ways of God, which are grace, charity, and the purity of spirit.
Likewise are powers of governing authority equally or yet more corruptive to a man's eternal soul. For the powers of government are greater than those of the merchant, as those in government position bear the power of law over the merchants of their society. Seek not then, positions of governance over the merchant nor the common citizen but know with all humility before God that the temptations of power afflict all men equally. Be content in the life which God has given you and seek not to enhance your standing over your brethren.
For those in the work of governance are ruled by parties and factions within their parties, all competing for the greater share of power over the people. And in their frenzy for the greater share of power the wellbeing of the citizenry is lost as the increase of each party’s power becomes a means to its own end.
In time, the differing factions and parties coalesce into a single, permanent ruling class of even greater power, stifling the rise of other parties and empowering their collective authority over the people yet more. They become unaccountable to the needs of the citizenry as their increasing power allows them to secure their positions of high office without end. And as their unaccountability to the people grows, so do they next grow complacent and forget their accountability before God. For the corruption of power is stronger than the disciplines of men and more deceptive than our wisdom can withstand.
Thinking themselves righteous they become blind to their corruption, serving not the needs of the citizenry but accomoding the will of whichever merchants finance their party. Thus do the corruption's of the merchants become one with the corruption's of the ruling class and the voice of the people become unheard by both.
This is the Babylon of ancient times, risen again in your age, still an affront before God as she seeks to supplant the divine laws of grace, charity and goodwill with the rule of fallen men corrupted by the powers wealth and governance. Be not drawn into the passions of competition between political parties, knowing that all of them serve their own corrupt ends rather than the will of God. Be not a divided people as the party rulers would have you be, separated into the same factions and parties of which have corrupted them. For by drawing you into the competitions and fighting of their parties do they draw you away from the greater ways of your God, taking you deeper into the heart of Babylon and her unholy ways.
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