Category: Frontiers

Frontiers

Abused Children Can Become Violent

I see from 35 years of experience helping young people overcome the traumatic effects of childhood violence – be it psychological, verbal, physical, economic, military, emotional and sexual abuse – that it seriously damages lives, restricts full human development, reduces potential and can lead to childhood psychosomatic illness. It causes teenagers to become violent, bullies, teenage shooters, indulge in criminal behavior and suffer from adult neurosis. In others, children grow into aggressive and violent teenagers and adults. The absence of parental and family acceptance, understanding, nurturing, and affirming love creates a vacuum and vulnerability for negative and violent influences to dominate the lives of these children and youth.

Frontiers

The Political Power Of GM Seeds

Chairman Mao once said that all political power grows from the barrel of a gun, another said it grows from a barrel of oil, and now it looks like it is going to grow from a barrel of seed. For a generation, many believed that “they who have the oil will rule the world, and if not, they will kill for it.” The thousands of dead women and children, soldiers and civilians in Iraq is strong evidence that it is true indeed.

Frontiers

Pope’s Islamic Stumble

Pope Benedict is learning the hard way that interreligious dialogue these days is a complex and delicate business. Though he has affirmed his respect for Muslims, in a long quotation from the official policy enunciated forty years ago by Vatican II, his decision to quote a polemical medieval text against Muhammad and the Qur’an during a lecture remains puzzling.

Frontiers

God Was With The Poor

When I first went to Calcutta to work in the houses for the dying of Mother Teresa, among the lepers and with the hungry street kids that populated the railway stations, I was a temporary chaplain to the Brothers of Charity founded by Mother Teresa.

Frontiers

The Trafficking Of People

The trafficking of women and children and men, too, as modern slaves is the third biggest earning illegal business in the world today after illegal arms trading and drug. It is a problem that is getting worse as global poverty grows in poor countries and millions more are vulnerable to any kind of false promises of a good job.

Frontiers

A Different Law For The Poor

If ever there is any single piece of evidence that illustrates the gross inequality in the Philippines, it is the treatment of those innocent children accused of crimes and rich politician behind bars. It is a rare once-in-a-life-time event when a rich politician is convicted and jailed for child sex abuse or any other serious crime. Thousands of innocent young people have been arrested, jailed and left to languish in prisons and police station jails with adult criminals and pedophiles in filthy conditions. So just to get one powerful Philippine politician behind bars to serve his sentence gives hope to victims.

Frontiers

Passing By On The Other Side

There has been one more G8 summit, gathering the world’s most powerful leaders. Some more rhetoric moments.

Frontiers

Blessed Are The Peacemakers

Twenty-five years ago, some friends and I professed a vow of nonviolence, as Gandhi did a hundred years ago. Not long afterwards, Pax Christi asked Eileen Egan and me to draft a vow, which they offered to Pax Christi members as a way to dedicate our lives to the Gospel path of nonviolence. Since then, tens of thousands have professed it.

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