“…For hate is strong and mocks the song of Peace on Earth, Good Will to Men”

I have, for days, been pondering this line from the Christmas song, ‘I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.’ The line, standing alone, is true. The conclusion that hate and its derivatives will win the day however is not.

News reports from the sectarian violence of the Middle East, and of the senseless violence in the drug wars of Mexico, and the sexual violence perpetrated upon children, and of economic and other social ills suffered by millions, if that is all one digests, discourages many into believing otherwise.

But when all the lines from the song are read we get a much more optimistic view of the story of mankind’s life and the destiny of this earth. Of course, you say, this is only a song; but Handel’s Messiah is “only a song,” and both proclaim great truths. The good will ultimately be victorious; evil, hate, and violence will not win the day. The Holy Scriptures and revelation to living prophets and to my soul strongly convince me of this.

These thoughts were brought to fore by a video on YouTube recently suggested to me by a good friend. I watched ‘Pale Blue Dot’ by the late astronomer Carl Sagan. The photographs from space and the musical score by Vangelis and the compelling voice and narrative by Mr. Sagan were beguiling but were symptomatic of the existentialism and nihilism of so many of today’s generation. As Brigham Young once suggested, there are 99 truths mixed with one falsehood that brings many down. Satan (yes, I believe he is real) is a great counterfeiter. Satan always has used ‘the philosophies of men mingled with scripture’ to good advantage.

After watching the video I read the comments made by other watchers of the video, most, I suspect who were young adults. Many of the comments were vulgar; most were nihilistic; and Mr. Sagan was elevated to the status of a secular scientific prophet (as I suggested was Steve Jobs as the tech prophet of our age). Sagan’s is the voice, I believe, of the ‘me’ generation or of ‘generation ‘x’ as you will have it.

Mine is a counterpoint (as you know if you have read any of my commentaries) that sustains me and gives me great hope for the destiny of mankind.

We will be in for some very rough times in the future—far beyond what many of us who sit in our warm and comfortable homes have ever experienced—but there are ‘islands of safety’ and messages of hope that ring true for any who have ‘ears to hear and hearts to understand.’ Seek, and you shall find them.

And you will probably not find these on YouTube.