Due to our advanced technological capabilities, we have no choice but to play "God." From abortion (which I'm for), to pulling life support systems, to culling wild horses (which I'm against), "we are the ones we've been waiting for" and we must decide. We are the ones who decides who lives and dies, among us and around us.
There's a laundry list of things which previously were decided by fate, but now our destiny is to have the "red phone" on our desk. If it rings, we have to pick it up, and God doesn't have an answering machine to record our emergency calls.
In the case of fetuses, of course, a spirit has entered from the moment of conception, but I believe in reincarnation (otherwise how do you explain birth defects?). If the soul has chosen a dubious human vessel, karma can be harsh or abrupt. And I think life support is doctors playing God in the best sense, but then they become afraid to pull the plug when humanity tells them it's time to do so.
In the case of weeding out some wild horses for sustainability, the main lobbyists for this corralling are cattle ranchers who over graze our "public" lands for very low rent. Just the use of helicopters (drones to animals) to round up the four-leggeds is technology on a rampage. The terror created in the minds of these magnificent creatures is the same terror that was created in the minds of the Vietnamese when they heard an American chopper approaching. It obviously did the same damage to our soldiers who now have PTSD, when their auditory canal picks up local law enforcement hovering over the city. It puts them right back in the jungle. Look, I'm not comparing the suffering of animals and humans, per se... but maybe we can start by treating animals more like people, then maybe we will treat people like people.
So Mr. Densmore, are you going to deny technology and stop flying on airplanes, disconnect your computer (which your writing on at this moment!) and communicate by carrier pigeons? No, technology is here to stay, for better and for worse, so you have to "play God." The question is: "What are the criteria for decision making?" Supposedly, hopefully, God would be benevolent and wise. He or She would care for its creation... the human race. But in the Old Testament, God is pretty rough (an eye for an eye, etc.), and that has produced what feels like a "rat race" where everyone is trying to get ahead no matter what. Of course, according to the Tibetans, rats have rights, too.
If we can't sensibly regulate guns, we should all be armed to the teeth, many people argue. Kinda feels like God, being able to take someone out so easily; just pulling a trigger. And I've heard that the feel of shooting off a gun with rapid, mega-rounds is quite a thrill. Sort of like the look on Laurence Fishburne's face when he started shooting his machine gun from Martin Sheen's boat in Apocalypse Now. Then he got scared, and started shooting at anything. Wouldn't it be nice if human nature could learn stuff before we get to the brink? It seems we have to experience it first. Once again... kinda like being God. But then there's the aftermath. The "oh shit" moment... what did I just do? Did I just kill Trayvon? As George Zimmerman said, "It's all God's plan."
So... in the spirit of technology, and self-defense, I don't want to be shortchanged. I'm thinking of trying to get a drone for myself... for personal protection. Mess with me, and I'll drop one on your house before you drop one on mine. Imagine if everyone had a drone. Why not? It's just video games come to life!
The makers of the nuclear bomb tested it, but unfortunately didn't experience it until we nuked a couple cities. I know, I know, John, it saved American lives. That's one theory... I've heard others. Dr. Cornel West says that Nagasaki was a war crime. Couldn't we go back to having a Gladiator or two representing each country, and the loser would only lose one or two guys? We're supposed to be much more civil now, but instead of for sport, we might be able to save millions of lives by having this "primitive" ritual decide national conflicts.
We can kill millions in a few minutes and we can create incredible stuff, too. "We are stardust. We are golden. And we've got to get ourselves back to the garden." With the advent of the global village, we now must manage the earth as if it was our personal garden. On a national level, the U.S. might let one country go to "seed," when the result of doing that is horrendous "collateral damage." Another country we might "prune the shit out of it" as in Iraq, and there won't be much roots left to grow. Obviously the only way to work together globally is have an international nursery govern the planet, as in the UN. Of course, if rogue nations don't respect it, especially big ones, it ain't gonna work.
So all animals should be equal, only some are more equal. Human beings are the top of the heap, so we must act like kings (hopefully compassionate ones) and make decisions. Not that there isn't a higher power. If you just listen to Carl Sagan's rap about the size of the universe... just the size, it make you a believer cause you can't wrap your mind around those stats. But as a renegade Catholic, I don't like the G word. My G is better than your G... so let's have a war. Let's kill each other over that question. That's why I'm a renegade. I always say I believe in "the mystery." I don't take it any further. Now the "G spot," is another matter all together. Or maybe not... when pushed, or rubbed, it elicits a feeling not far from the God Complex.