How many times does one come upon battles between good and evil throughout a lifetime? Don't bother counting. It may be recognized in daily life or even the scope of one's lifetime, but imagine it on a world scale. That massive and threatening evil battling against the moral and sane good in most of us.

I am speaking of such battles as the illegal trade of wild exotic birds, the ongoing threat of big oil drilling in our most sacred of lands, the Arctic Wildlife Refuge, and the rapidly vanishing "ancient forests" of the Pacific Northwest. But don't forget about the battles against hunger, poverty and injustice as well as the fight to preserve what is left of the precious tropical rain forests.

The sane and moral army consists of groups like the Humane Society of the United States, World Wildlife Fund, Natural Resources Defense Council, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, Greenpeace and the National Audubon Society as well as Oxfam America, Covenant House, The Southern Poverty Law Center, the Native American Rights Fund, and Habitat for Humanity. These "armies" look to us for their "ammunition," whether it be a financial contribution or a letter to a senator or representative voicing our opinions on a certain issue.

In our daily lives, how effective are we in fighting these battles? Or rather how could one man have fought and won World War II? Impossible. But as an army, our strength is in numbers, theirs is centered around money most often. We must support our army and pray that they are soon victorious, for it is the world as a whole, society as one, who will suffer and feel the devastation of such a loss.

We fight and pass legislation in Congress or purchase land solely to preserve its wildlife. We fight and win when a family once threatened by the Ku Klux Klan regains peace of mind and safety and when a village in Africa is taught the ways of survival. We must never stop fighting and never be satisfied with anything less than victory.

The evil presses on to destroy the earth and everything on its fertile soil. The so-called dependency on oil steadily increases the greenhouse effect while renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind are neglected and ignorantly set aside. We would be better off in the long run if we invested in these environmentally kind renewable energy sources for future generations. The rapid destruction of the tropical rain forests also increases the greenhouse effect. Unknown to many is the fact that a large percentage of the ingredients in prescription drugs are found beneath the lush canopies of these forests. The wildlife and plant life are spectacular in range and precious in existence.

And yet evil presses onward. Puppy mills in Tennessee and Kentucky "manufacture" puppies for the pet industry. These poor creatures are subject to starvation, filth and overcrowding, inclement weather and cruelty. In the hands of domestic owners, the "family dog" is a sickly and deprived animal that may die soon. The cruel and unusual treatment of livestock through intensive confinement is another outrage. These innocent creatures are "raised" as though mere merchandise on an assembly line. They never see the light of day, feel the dirt beneath their feet, smell the fresh air or eat what they please. Rather, they live their lives in the intensive confinement of cramped stalls where they are unable to turn around, in cages with others on the verge of cannibalism and eating what they are fed to sustain life, usually antibiotics and meat tenderizers. All this for the consumer, you and me. Imagine that, the meat and eggs in the local supermarkets are a little bit of evil that we seem to be condoning.

What a shame; how can we allow this? Will the situation improve for our children? Will there be a planet earth in the year 2050? Who knows, and it appears that no one cares ... BUT WE MUST CARE! We must concentrate on the here and now and provide for a better future. These years are critical. We must be victorious in all that we do and must press onward with greater force than our opposition. Remember ... One World, One Chance.

ACTION: If this WWIII has angered you, take action immediately:

f Write to your state and national representatives and senators and continue writing as various issues arise.

f Find out more by contacting one of the groups mentioned above.

f If possible, financially support a worthy cause.

f Be a wise and conscious consumer by purchasing organically raised and recycled or recyclable products.

f Finally, pray for peace and sanity for God's Green Earth. n