Ignoring suffering for a few gold coins

Lenin once said that capitalists were so cynical that they would sell the Soviets the rope with which they would hang them. Lenin and communism have passed away, but that cynical indifference to suffering when profits are involved remains.

So does the article start, that carries on blaming Europe business and political leaders for their hypocrisy in treating Belarus despot Lukashenka as a favored business partner while the EU Parliament denounces him as being Europe's last dictator.

This must change, the writer rightly says. Europe should stand for its democratic ideal and put pressure on Lukashenka. Unfortunately, greed knows no principle but that of short term profit.

In this instance, Europe is behaving like Judas Iscariot, who sold Jesus to Pilate for a few coins. A betrayal of his friend, of his teacher, of his principles, for the sake of a small materialistic gain.

It would be easy for us to blame our political and economic leaders and see in them as many Judas, selling their soul just for a little more earthly pleasure. Unfortunately, we all behave like Judas every day. Never mind our leaders. We, ourselves, keep selling out our ideals, what we believe in, just for the sake of our greed, our gluttony, our laziness...

We most gladly forget about the ills of this world just so that we can enjoy better our television program. We forget our own God and choose our petty addictions instead.

It's easy to call on a government to stand against a dictator. But let's try, for a day at least, to stand against our own vices, however benign their might seem to be.

Then, when we realize what it is that we are doing everyday, then we must know that we must change, indeed.