I continue to read 'King Leopold's Ghost'. My progress is slow, but the impact of the book is no less unsettling. If you are not familiar with the book, it details the conquest of the Congo region of Africa in the 1890's. Not to be overly dramatic, but I am close to tears even as I start to type about it. I am crushed by the horrors that men inflict on each other for a myriad of reasons. All of which are insignificant in regard to the reality of another human life. Murder and slavery are justified in the names of 'civilization' , 'religion', 'money', 'power.' Sometimes under these names as a disguise by the perpetrator, but other times in good faith and total ignorance.

The story that hit me hardest was that of Ota Benga. A pygmy from the Congo region who was taken to the US and displayed in the Bronx Zoo. Ota was placed in the monkey house and shared his living space with an orangutan. The New York times put this spin on the situation saying that Ota was brought

"From his native land of darkness
To the Land of the Free
In the interest of science
And of broad humanity."

Ota was eventually let go, worked at a tobacco factory and later committed suicide.
Africans were also displayed in mock villages in Belgium where they were becoming sick from being fed candy by visitors. To remedy the situation a sign was added; "The Blacks Are Fed By The Organizing Committee." When the Africans were taken back to their continent by boat, the a Belgian paper wrote. "The soul of Belgium follows them, and, like a shield of Jupiter, protects them. May we always thus show the world an example of humanity!"

In all of this the thing that breaks me the most is the fact that i recognize this same spirit in myself and in so many others. I do not think that i would lock another man in a cage and place him on display. But every day I try to overlook the people around me. Everyday my pride places me above others and justifies my actions of disregard in the name of a thousand different virtues. Can I say with integrity that i have never put another on display as a fool in order to promote my way of life? The answer simply is no. My compassion and capacity to cover over the faults of my neighbors is quite shallow and the selfish ideals that I follow instead are repulsive.

So I am not writing this to call the Belgians horrible people. Instead I wonder what actions of mine that I believe serve good will be exposed evil as more truth is revealed to those who follow.

And my final thought is this. I hope to become a man who understands that men seldom, if ever, lead each other to better ways of life by pronouncements of judgement; in the denouncement of the ideals of others or in the elevation of their own held ideals. I would rather be a man of mercy.

"So when you, a mere man, pass judgement on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgement? Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance, and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance."
Romans 2:3-4