Solidarity should be based on human dignity

We often hear of nations declaring solidarity with other nations, in the apparent principle of enhancing good livelihoods. On paper, nothing invites suspicion, as solidarity suggests good intentions. However, there is more significance in service, rather than the mere pronunciation of solidarity.

Criminals can foster solidarity, among themselves, yet destined to eventual demise. There is no perpetual survival in criminality, whether in this life or in in the life to come. Criminal solidarity carries the false impression of survival when the opposite would be true.

Solutions to any problem, in this world, are handled scientifically. Wickedness can only be in solidarity with another wickedness. Goodness, also, thrives in solidarity with other forms of goodness. Problems of humanity emanate from mixing falsehoods with truths.

For a problem to be classified as problematic, it has to contain a lie, without which problems are nonexistent. Problems arise when mixing what is positive with what is negative, leading to non-survival consequences.

The electric power current flows when connected to a Power source, generated by both negative and positive electric flows. However, while symbiotic, the positive and negative currents cannot occupy the same space, as designed not to share space from the same source of power.

The electric current flows only when the two are distinctly opposed to each other. The physical universe is governed by such laws, effectively useful, as long as aware of their general operational laws in existence.

Although not an expert in electric engineering, a neophyte can understand the elementary mechanisms of electric engineering. Such applications are as synonymously workable as all matters of principle. God’s laws are scientifically applicable, including the co-existential human relations.

Humans were created to co-exist with one another, without engaging in wars. The idea of manufacturing weapons is a gross misapplication of scientific laws. The manufacturers of such weapons, are themselves, qualified engineers, fully aware of the consequences of violating the scientific laws of nature.

For instance, the discovery of nuclear physics, ought to have been for purposes of solving problems. However, as currently known, nuclear physics is boastfully used by the so-called advanced and economically stable nations. Such technologies are threateningly stockpiled to annihilate humanity.

There is, obviously, a cause for every effect, according to the scientific laws. The less developed countries are, actually, envious of such developments. After also becoming economically advanced, the previously less privileged nations start tinkering with the idea of manufacturing nuclear weapons.

This projects an unnecessary competition, in eliminating one another. Meanwhile, the United Nations was formed to protect humanity. Yet, appearing as unable to find solutions to such purposelessly designed problems in weapon manufacturing.

As stated earlier, for a problem to be classified as problematic, it has to contain falsehood. This is axiomatic, as to be applicable in the scientific world. No problem exists without lies. This is just as there cannot be an electric spark where there would be no contact between the positive and negative wires.

Imagine a liar convincing an ignorant person that he would be safe when jumping from a fifty-meter-high pylon? The deceived person could jump, leading to his demise. The Criminal investigation would not even be conclusive, after the demise of the deceived person.

The deceiver would never disclose being responsible for misinformation. The liar may have deliberately misled the victim. But it could as well be that the deceived person got the wrong information through misunderstanding.

Nothing is problematic, without misinformation. It is possible to analyze any problem using, at least, the five whys. The problem could be small, or gigantic. For instance, let us use the five whys to diagnose the problem of poverty, as affecting most African people:

• Why are Africans the poorest, when compared with other races?

• Why are Africans affected by lies, more than other races?

• Why, after receiving education, Africans cannot solve their problems?

• Why are Africans suspicious of other races?

• Why do Africans regard themselves as inferior to other races?

The first question suggests falsehood, leading to the looting of African resources, by the Western nations. Others go further to suggest that the Bible was used to deceive Africans. Suggesting that missionaries had an ulterior motive, stupefying Africans, in order to loot their resources.

The false datum is sustained in that supremacy is galvanized in weaponry, rather than galvanized in dignity. This lie was adopted in place of the eternal truth in that human dignity is more valuable than the gold that the Western nations sought.

An educated person ought to know that there is no mineral resource that comes closer to human dignity. In their uneducated viewpoints, Africans had to assume that those carrying sophisticated weapons were superior. But, if, indeed, feeling superior, due to carrying sophisticated weaponry, those whites were just as uneducated as Africans were uneducated.

Interestingly, the former Western colonialists are still using the advantage of sophisticated weaponry to loot from the African continent. This can persist, for the next two thousand years, keeping Africans in their subjugated condition.

To be free, Africans have to apply the axiomatic principle that dignity is more valuable than mineral resources. It is a question of recovering the lost dignity, before worrying about the manipulative looting of mineral resources in Africa.

The second question touches on why falsehood affected Africans more than other races. The question is, actually, misplaced, as suggesting that other races are superior. In appearance, Africans are disadvantaged. But, in their ignorance, Africans could have, actually, been better, when ensconced in humility, without pretending to be knowledgeable.

Dignity dislodges all pretenses. The problems of humanity are neither ensconced in knowledge nor in ignorance. They are ensconced in falsehood, whose agenda is mixing knowledge with ignorance. On its own, ignorance does not pose problems to those aware of being ignorant.

Serious problems stem from knowledgeable people when selfishly keeping knowledge to themselves. Knowledge alone is not problematic, but it becomes problematic when not applying it with dignity, to the ignorant.

That behavior, itself, is based on the false assumption that being knowledgeable makes one superior to ignorant people. This world carries no superior or inferior beings. It carries humans, created in God’s image. Such humans are divided into the knowledgeable and the ignorant ones. Neither knowledge nor ignorance can either confer superiority or inferiority to an individual.

The third question points at: Why, after receiving education, Africans are still unable to solve their problems? Indeed, many of our African people, in the diaspora, hold influential positions in the world of scientific advancement. Their lives are up-class, while their own African people live in appalling abject poverty.

The answer takes us back to the problem, generated by the false assumption that knowledge is inwardly advantageous. This serves to supplant false assumptions in place of dignity. Numerous people consider money to be more valuable than dignity.

The majority aim at achieving the feat of becoming billionaires, like their European counterparts. However, there is no value in becoming a billionaire, without benefiting others. The value of a human being is found in true dignity. Jesus revealed this when conversing with a rich young man:

“If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God” (Matthew 19:21-24 NIV).

The fourth question is: Why are Africans suspicious of other races? It seems impossible for whites to politically campaign for leadership in Africa. Those whites may have legitimately been born in Africa. The overbearing evils of colonialism will never make it possible for the whites to be trusted in Africa.

A black man can be trusted for political office in Europe. Hence, President Obama became the first black President of the United States of America. Does it seem Africans will always carry unnecessary circumspection against the whites?

Nevertheless, there is no difference between whites and blacks, except the paranoia, embraced by blacks, springing from self-distrust. God does not look at humans according to skin color. As created in God’s image, humans are spiritually identified.

“Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him, the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord” (Ephesians 2:19-21 NIV).

The above Scripture refers to those having received the Holy Spirit. But it confirms the reality that humans are indivisible, as created in God’s image. The value of any individual is dependent upon what he does or does not do for others.

The fifth, being the last why; in diagnosing African poverty: Why do Africans regard themselves as inferior to other races? I am aware that many of my African brothers would vehemently protest the aspect of idolizing the whites. But the behavior of most blacks, regarding the aspect of “Hondo ye minda,” in Zimbabwe, confirmed this reality.

The hatred against the whites confirms that the whites are generally viewed as superior. It seems the black people refuse to accept the reality that being black does not make one inferior. Such a refusal is a sign of deficiency in dignity, causing some blacks to assume that behaving like whites is progressive.

Millions of Africans have, actually, changed their original national identities, yearning to be classified as whites. Bleaching is known to be applied by blacks rather than the other way round. Let alone the brisk business in Peruvian or Brazilian hair, intended to enhance the looks of an African woman.

There is an undeniable truth in that an African who speaks with an English intonation gets promoted ahead of his/her black counterparts. You are regarded as civilized when able to copy the cultural behavior of the white people. The bottom line is that without dignity, one seeks to attract attention by pretending to be something else, other than himself.

There is nothing wrong with copying what is valuable, from the white community. But there is everything wrong when copying the valueless cultural behaviors of the whites. For instance, wealth accumulation is attractive, only to those without dignity. Being a billionaire is considered as dignifying, by the uneducated.

True dignity is not induced by physical possessions, nor what is necessarily admired by others. True dignity is simply measured by how many people benefit from the individual concerned. False dignity is measured by one’s gender, or how the person looks, how he speaks, whether white or black.

A good example that can be used, as caricatured from Zimbabwe, is of the beloved late former president, Robert Mugabe. I suppose no one can deny that Robert Mugabe was the most articulate African President, the world had ever had. In his prime time, his stature and behavioral pattern were also gorgeous.

However, it is now in the public domain that in Robert Mugabe we had the most undignified individual. The problems of this world are ensconced on conferring value on valueless objects. This includes honoring a useless person, for the car he drives, rather than what he does, to benefit ordinary people.

My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? (James 2:1-4 NIV).

The most important datum is in that those evil thoughts are inspired by falsehood, more than inspired by truth. People talk of solidarity as being virtuous, without making a distinction between false dignity and true dignity. There is a need to coalesce people around true dignity, rather than coalescing them around false dignity. Solidarity is a virtue, only when inspired by true dignity.

Also, there is no dignity that comes with self-praise. A dignified person does not seek to be praised by anyone. He seeks to add value to other fellow humans, without necessarily attracting adulations from them. The best example of true dignity remains to be that of Jesus, serving without seeking to impress anyone.

Andrew Masuku is the author of Dimensions of a New Civilization, laying down standards for uplifting Zimbabwe from the current state of economic depression into a model for other nations worldwide. A decaying tree provides an opportunity for a blossoming sprout. Written from a Christian perspective, the book is a product of inspiration, bringing relief to those having witnessed the strings of unworkable solutions––leading to the current economic and social decay. In a simple conversational tone, most Zimbabweans should find the book as a long-awaited providential oasis of hope.

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