The "Golden Bull" at Occupy Wall Street
As a new Tikkun Daily author, this is an introduction to the themes I will cover in my postings to this blog. Many of these themes are covered in detail in my book, Shaking the Gates of Hell: Faith-Led Resistance to Corporate Globalization, which makes the case that today’s dominant global economic system, based on unrestrained free market capitalism, is damaging the human family and destroying the earth. The book is a call to action and a call to spiritual renewal. It proposes a way for people of faith and conscience to join together to resist corporate domination and to work for a peaceful, just, and sustainable world. My blog postings to Tikkun Daily will touch on these themes and will relate to the following three aspects of globalization:
1) Corporate Globalization: This is the current system of global economic integration, dominated by transnational corporations and based upon the ideology of Market Fundamentalism. The U.S. military/industrial complex enforces this interlocking network of political, economic, military, and ideological institutions, which Walter Wink calls the “Domination System.”
2) The globalization of harm: The outward effects of corporate globalization include climate change, loss of biodiversity, pollution, shortages of food and water, increasing inequity, violence, terror, and endless war. The inner, spiritual effects include moral confusion, a sense of futility, loss of hope, and relinquishment of moral agency.
3) Globalization from below: The antidote to the harm caused by corporate globalization is a “peoples’ globalization” or “globalization from below.” There is an emerging paradigm of values that include sustainability, justice, equity, diversity, community, peace. Around the world people are rising up in nonviolent resistance, sharing in community action and in the hope for a transformed world.
I believe that success in these efforts will require a widespread awakening to what is at stake and to the need for spiritual empowerment and divine aid. For this reason, my writings usually address or imply the question, “Where does faith fit into these real world issues?” While I often refer to my own (Christian) faith, my purpose is to challenge people to go deeper into their own faith traditions to find the inner resources that will revive their hope and motivate them to action toward a peaceful, just, and sustainable world.
I write on a variety of issues, but this is where they all tie together: Corporate domination of the world’s cultures, economies, and political systems is harming God’s good creation and we human beings, with God’s help, are the only ones who can turn this around.
Sharon,
A lot of people have been on this same track for a loooooong time? The latest, OWS, Idle No More, etc. We all have the right “principles and ideals”, and network resources, but most of us have run out of money. We have plenty of LOVE, courage, fight and humbled wisdom. We feel God will Provide a source for that money, are you that source??? We HOPE so!!! We share the same FAITH!
Let us unite and share resources!
Mark