Video showing abuse of elephant in UK circus

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/29/elephant-abuse-video_n_842092.html

This video is terrible to see, but hopefully it will touch hearts and raise awareness about the kinds of things that are going on in our world.  Right now, we are living on a low-consciousness planet, caused by our own apathy and ignorance -- just look at the present carnage going on in Libya against humans.  This video had me in tears for the poor elephant and other animals chained, confined and subjected to abuse by the circus employees.  Our planet could be a much different place--a true Garden of Eden--with higher consciousness beings living on her.  She and her innocent animal inhabitants deserve better than this. The animals are a simple expression of Nature, just being who/what they are, with no hidden agendas. But we humans bring our troubles all on ourselves.  Warring and fighting over self-concocted, ever-changing borders, and claiming territories of Earth as "our own," we wantonly kill others and lay waste to the planet itself, stupidly making it uninhabitable for ourselves and our children.  After centuries of repeating the same greed-and-power-based actions over and over, and experiencing the same terrible results, we still haven't learned very much, have we?

Religions haven't solved anything, either; in fact, they've made things worse, as their "believers" hate and kill in the name of God, each one claiming God to be on "our side."  This, to me, seems to be great arrogance, trying to reduce an all-knowing, ever-present, all-powerful God to our low level of understanding.   This is sheer ignorance on the part of the people, abetted and encouraged by the also ignorant authority figures in the pulpits all around the globe.  Only a few sages down through time have pointed the way to true and lasting peace--and it must begin within ourselves.  How different it could all be if everyone would really hear and follow the teachings of their chosen masters: 

Christ: "The kingdom of God lies within you." and "Love one another." and "Then Jesus said to him, "Put your sword back into its place;  for those who live by the sword, die by the sword."  and "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth... Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy... Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God." and "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.   If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?   For even sinners love those who love them.   And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you?  For even sinners do the same."

Mohammed: "Whoever is kind to the creatures of God is kind to himself." and "Riches are not from abundance of worldly goods, but from a contented mind." and "Every good act is charity. A man's true wealth hereafter is the good that he does in this world to his fellows." and “The best richness is the richness of the soul.” and “You will not enter paradise until you have faith; and you will not complete your faith till you love one another.”

Instead, we make up our own religions to suit and justify our greedy, self-serving desires--and then proclaim them to be "the word of God."

And should someone in a powerful position step up and speak truth--and try to change things, they are soon silenced by those who would rather serve their own interests than allow wisdom and love to penetrate the minds and hearts of the people.  Take note of the following men who did speak up--and remember what happened to them:

Mankind must put an end to war, or war will put an end to mankind...War will exist until that distant day when the conscientious objector enjoys the same reputation and prestige that the warrior does today.
~John F. Kennedy

One of the most persistent ambiguities that we face is that everybody talks about peace as a goal. However, it does not take sharpest-eyed sophistication to discern that while everybody talks about peace, peace has become practically nobody's business among the power-wielders. Many men cry Peace! Peace! but they refuse to do the things that make for peace.
~Martin Luther King, Jr.

Each time a person stands up for an ideal,
or acts to improve the lot of others,
or strikes out against injustice,
he or she sends forth a tiny ripple of hope.
Crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring,
those ripples build a current that can sweep down
the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.
~Robert F. Kennedy