The Crazy Apes: A Satire of Human Society

The Poor and the Sanctity of life

Life is a precious thing: it behooves us to treasure it more. But there's something holding us back: money.

I will let the Dalai Lama explain our problem with money.

When he was asked what surprised him the most about humanity, he replied, "Man: because he sacrifices his health to gain money, and then sacrifices his money to regain his health. He is so anxious about the future that he doesn't enjoy the present, with the result that he lives neither the present nor the future. He lives as if he is never going to die, and dies without having really lived."

The pursuit of money has closed our eyes to the sanctity of life: all life, not just that of the privileged!

The following dialogue is between two chimpanzees named Abu and Mabu: I use A and M to distinguish the speaker.

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M: Isn't it ironic how humans view life?

A: What's on your mind, Mabu?

M: Well, humans believe that life is a divine gift that should be treasured.

A: I don't see anything wrong with that? We believe in Mother Nature as the giver of life, they believe it's a divine being. It amounts to the same thing.

M: It's the treasuring part I have problems with.

A: What do you mean?

M: If it's a gift from their god that's worth treasuring, then why do they treat some humans like garbage?

A: Are you talking about the poor and destitute who are thrown out in the street by their brethren and abandoned to die in the cold?

M: Yes. Exactly. Aren't they also gifts from the same divinity to be treasured?

A: Obviously, they are the scum of the earth. Their god made a mistake when she created them!

M: Perhaps you're right. Yet, it makes no sense to me when humans treasure an embryo more than the destitute. They don't even know before birth whether that embryo will turn out to be another divine error! Yet, hungry children are left to die of hunger and cold.

A: I'm surprised at you Mabu! You lived long enough with humans, but you failed to learn that poverty is what determines whether or not god makes a mistake when creating a new life. All those good-intentioned and god-fearing humans that treasure the life of an embryo live comfortable lives!

M: So it must be Abu. Poverty is not a sign of neglect and exploitation of those less fortunate by the rich: it's a sign of divine error!

A: So it was in the beginning and so it shall be until the end!

M: Still, I'm puzzled. Why do they believe in a god that makes so many mistakes?

A: By they, do you mean the privileged?

M: Ah so!

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Indeed, there are many well-intentioned people who fight to protect embryos, which means denying women a fundamental right to choose what's best for them, while condoning immoral activities, such as millions of children forced to die every year for lack of clean water and food as a result of corrupt governments and institutions. Isn't it better to fight against poverty to save the millions already born?

Where were all those well-intentioned people in 1994, when Rwanda suffered the worst genocide since World War II?

Almost 90% of Rwandans were Christian. Those persecuted took refuge in churches of all denominations, but none were spared. In some cases, the priests and ministers tried to stop the atrocities, but in others they were complicit. Moreover, the pope and other religious leaders, with immense power over their own churches, and not insignificant political power, were silent. Were those who perished not also children of God?

Where are all those well-intentioned people now that we have massive refugee crises in Africa and the Middle East? Are they the same ones that voted for Trump to keep refugees out of America and to deport those who are already there?

The hypocrisy of it all!