Yesterday's London Times has an article titled "National Intelligence Council report: sun setting on the American century." The article begins: "The next two decades will see a world living with the daily threat of nuclear war, environmental catastrophe and the decline of America as the dominant global power, according to a frighteningly bleak assessment by the US intelligence community.
“The world of the near future will be subject to an increased likelihood of conflict over resources, including food and water, and will be haunted by the persistence of rogue states and terrorist groups with greater access to nuclear weapons,” said the report by the National Intelligence Council, a body of analysts from across the US intelligence community."
“The world of the near future will be subject to an increased likelihood of conflict over resources, including food and water, and will be haunted by the persistence of rogue states and terrorist groups with greater access to nuclear weapons,” said the report by the National Intelligence Council, a body of analysts from across the US intelligence community."
So, here's our [possible] future:
- daily threat of nuclear war
- environmental catastrophes
- decline of America as the dominant global power
- increased conflict over resources such as food and water
- terrorist groups have easier access to nuclear weapons
And...
- global warming will aggravate the scarcity of food, water, and energy resources
- climate change will force 200 million people to migrate
- the wealth - poverty gap will widen
- there will be a global economic balancing
- organized crime will increase, maybe even take over entire countries in Europe
The bleak article concludes with one sentence: "On a positive note it added that an alternative to oil might be in place by 2025." Well that makes me feel better!
To all this I say... why not? Anyone with even a slight understanding of history knows all of this is possible. And, when I think of my children and potential grandchildren, it's sad. As a Christian theist this kind of report only strengthens my conviction that our real hope lies in the kingdom of heaven coming to earth. Most of these depressing possibilities concern human choices and what they lead to. The Jesus-message of the Kingdom says this: change human hearts and socio-cultural transformation will inexorably follow.
