I think a large percentage of the trouble in this world stems from the desire of people to want something for nothing.

Theft, extortion, bribery, ponzi schemes, etc., are the result of taking something you have not earned.

Rape, kidnapping, murder, slavery, etc., are acts of taking something that you have not earned.

Sloth, procrastination, idleness, etc, come from a desire to get through life without expending effort.

We invent religions in which we accept unearned guilt as the human condition and then turn to god looking for an unearned salvation from our wickedness and a free ticket to paradise. Following our free salvation experience we turn our eyes heavenward looking for free answers to all our problems, free guidance for every step we take, free protection from all bad things real and imagined, free knowledge and understanding, and, since all things work together for good for them who are called according to his purpose - a free insurance policy against bad outcomes of any sort. All for the small price of turning your life over to god.

How about politics? Politicians in quest of unearned prestige and power steal from the producers of this world to give unearned goodies to anyone with their hand out. Every desire imaginable morphs into a right, to be supplied and paid for by someone else. Businesses flock to their lawmakers to gain privileges over competitors, and unions strangle businesses to gain a larger share of a diminishing pie.

I think its time for a religion that enshrines personal effort and accountabilty, rather than telling people they are crap and they must forsake their own desires to serve another.

I think we need a return to our Constitution, were govenment is handcuffed and people are left free to exercise their right to life.

I think people need a guiding philosophy that tells them they are not a slave to anyone and they have no right to enslave anyone else, either. If you want something, go out and earn it. And in all human relations, the initiation of force is fobidden.

Today, pride is something to be ashamed of. But I think a person deserves pride when he looks at the world with all it's challenges and says "I may not have all the answers, but given my freedom to think and act, let's see what I can make of this!"