November 4, 2008, the earth will stand still.  There are moments in human history when all people of all nations stop – they pause their lives – they watch.  Sometimes we are captivated in hopeful anticipation, other times frozen in fear and awe.

September 11, 2001 was a day of fear and awe.  July 20, 1969 was a day of hopeful anticipation – The United States landed a man on the moon.  The world watched, collectively holding their breath.  The return of the astronauts a few days later created the same type of anxious anticipation.

What is it that brings people together?  The polar opposites of either fear or faith, doom or hope.  Fear is a temporary phenomenon.  Grasping the primordial instincts and wrenching people in a sling shot of cascading emotions – fear corrodes and destroys.   Hope is enduring, providing strength and nourishment, confident of negotiating the storms ahead.

The past eight years have brought truck loads of fear and doom – the products of evil minds.  The evils of the seven deadly sins consumed humanity.

Osama Bin Laden brought everything evil about fundamentalist religion to the surface – driven by the single purpose of viral hate.  Bin Laden is driven by envy, pride, wrath, and greed.  The response to Bin Laden was to dip into the same bucket of destruction – The United States acted out of the same destructive evil – lusting for vengeance and wrath.  Pride reached out with the tentacles of fear and struck out wantonly around the globe.  Nations fell, people died.

Using a Free Market argument, the rich and powerful masked their greed, envy, and lust for material wealth.  The promise of wealth blinded the Sheriff, Alan Greenspan.  Laws were relaxed and the Cowboys of Tombstone fame ran the financial industry.  The only product of greed, envy, and lust is disaster.  World financial markets have collapsed.  Wealth is lost.  Jobs are lost.  Hope is lost.  Fear grips every household.

Civilized man has forgotten the historical lessons of Hammurabi‘s Code.  Perhaps the turn from laws of civilized people to the desire of individuals resulted in a loss of faith in governing bodies.  Whatever the cause – the unity of a civilized world collapsed under the weight of evil fear.

Hope has returned to the world.  Whether by intention or chance – the United States of America has become the dominant influence in the world of nations.  All people of all nations are watching the election of 2008.  The historical magnitude of this election equals any event of the past.  The world is asking – Will the United States continue with the divisiveness of power and control, or will the United States turn to the unity of hope and faith?

The earth will stand silent in ancitication on November 4, 2008.  Will we vote for fear – or will we vote for faith?