On today, after finishing working out on the basketball court earlier this morning, I noticed this sign posted in the male bathroom. In the past, I would just walk past it or somehow, just did not pay it any mind. That changed today when I have moved to dedicate this blog post on human exploitation and the marginalization of Living Souls.
The Department of Homeland Security defines human trafficking as a “modern-day form of slavery involving the illegal trade of people for exploitation or commercial gain.” In 2012, the International Labor Organization estimated that there are 20.9 million human trafficking victims worldwide. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, sexual exploitation is the most commonly identified form ahead of forced labor. Numbers released by the National Human Trafficking Resource Center suggest that also holds true in the U.S., where more than 4,000 cases of sex trafficking were reported. And as a whole human trafficking is a lucrative industry that around the globe rakes in $150 billion.
Exploitation and Marginalization of Living Souls
In an effort at not over-simplifying a very evil and complexed social problem of human trafficking, I wish to at least shed some light on some of the basic dynamics that undergird this systemic evil.
Where ever the society, and or leaders, or those who possess vast wealth, exploitation/marginalization will exist. Those who are unfaithful or unfamiliar with God’s covenants naturally will pursue wealth [the love of Mannon is the root of all evil, 1 Timothy 6:10] and status at the expense of the marginalized and the poor. This reality is the very by-product of the class structure that is intact toward the maintenance of the isolation of the wealth and power in the hands of the privileged minority.
From a Godly perspective within the human social order, the exploitation of the poor for the advancement of the social elite is a breach of God’s covenant claims on his people to be his people. Those who are followers of Messiah are to become inspired toward proactive measures in the concern for justice and freedom for all who are victims of exploitation. All around us we are able to witness within families, cities, corporations, and nations how individuals defraud and deceive others for evil and selfish gain.
Practical Steps To Help Fight Human Trafficking
- Learn the indicators of human trafficking
- If you are in the United States and believe someone may be a victim of human trafficking, call the 24-hour National Human Trafficking Hotline line at 1-888-373-7888.
- Be a conscientious and informed consumer.
- Encourage your local schools to partner with students and include modern slavery in their curricula.
- Be well-informed. Set up a web alert to receive current human trafficking news.
- Work with a local religious community or congregation to help stop trafficking by supporting a victim service provider or spreading awareness of human trafficking.
- Other ideas can be noticed on this link: https://www.state.gov/j/tip/id/help/
In closing, I am compelled to list what it is to be human among a growing culture of inhumanity like never before.
- A need for dignity. Having a healthy self-awareness of personal worth and acceptance as being human, within the context of limitations and success.
- An awareness of power. Having the courage to become actively apart of this world, with all of the rights and liberties associated with one’s citizenship.
- Freedom. A human right to be loosed from the negative results that are associated with our human capacities at failure, mistakes, habits, and addictions. We are to become life-long learners as we attempt to learn newer healthy ways at navigating through this life.
- Search for meaning. The importance of a sense of purpose in our living, whether a calling and or vocation in the world/family/community. For many, the true essence of one’s meaning will be realized once humanity comes into contact with one’s Creator.
- Love, The opportunity, and capacity to give and receive love from another or others. The ability to become vulnerable in reaching out to others, caring and feeling for healthy on-going [hopefully], lifetime relationships.
- Rest. The most important need to find comfort in a safe place where you can let go and just Be. This place enables you the unique yet important daily need to surrender from life’s burden of control, insanity, and uncertainty. It is during the time of rest that we learn the inner ability to release those things which are beyond our control and or power.
- The celebration of living. At least sometime during one’s day, we are in need to learn to affirm the wonderful nature of this physical life that essentially is transcendent and holy in contrast to the often-time mundane experiences of everyday life. In an effort at the celebration of this life, we seek to find reasons to be grateful, thankful and giving as one develops spiritual maturity through prayer, worship, fasting, reading the Holy Scriptures and serving others.
Grace and Peace