Going After Cacciato (vol. II)

I found Pr. Randal O’Brian discussion about man’s terrible love of war particularly fascinating. Indeed, one might easily few the rise and fall of civilizations throughout history as an expression of humanity’s desire to conquer. Humans possess a terrible lust to extend their dominion over everything. Anthony Hopkins in the movie Instinct says, “We have only one thing to give up. Our dominion. We don't own the world. We're not kings yet. Not gods. Can we give that up? Too precious, all that control? Too tempting, being a god?” The desire to control can lead men to create Hell on earth, a state we refer to as war. In war, human relationships are torn apart and the evil which exists in all men is clearly displayed. Perhaps it is in these moments that hope is most necessary and that hopelessness is so easily fallen into. In war men must either choose to life in a state of escapism (seen in the rampant drug use during the war) or attempt to muster the courage to face the evils. O’Brian was able to choose the latter because of his ever-deepening faith in God. I found it a great testament of his discovery of hope in a dark night of humanity and the insight that perhaps it is precisely then that a man truly understands what it means to cry out for deliverance.