“When it is dark enough, you can see the stars.”
—Charles A. Beard
Introduction
This is a book about betrayal, a dark human experience that is uninvited, unwanted, and most commonly unexpected. It is a timeless, costly, and ever-reaching experience. Almost no one is exempt from its infectious fabric. Its historic infamous fibers weave their way back even as far as the Greek gods and goddesses. The Greeks’ rich elaborate myths, based on their pantheon, are filled with tales of deception: Zeus betraying Hera, Hera betraying Zeus, Zeus along with the aid of Poseidon casting Odysseus (from Homer’sOdyssey) out to a ten-year exile from his homeland for betraying them. The Greeks at once feared and revered their gods, never knowing how, when, where, or why their loyalties to them may be tested.
The timeless myths are just as relevant today as we read them and tap into the common emotional fabric of deception. Through the threads of time, we continue to see that even Jesus was not left unscathed by betrayal, not just by a vast army of Romans or, more personally, by his own people, but more intimately by one of his loyal disciples—Judas. Those of us who know the story are both sickened and moved by its outcome and implications. Sadly, most of us can relate to the story because we have come face to face with this cancerous emotion. It can rear its ugly head at any time, in any place, and with anyone. And if it doesn’t infect us, it is probably targeting someone we know or know of. There is no sanctuary from betrayal; it touches every aspect of our lives: spiritual, relational, political, environmental, behavioral, and the list goes on.
As I write this book, the word “betrayal” is being thrown around every day, on almost every news story. Populations in the United States and around the world face both internal and external injustices being waged against them by forces out of their control. Tragically, on a daily basis, the fallout from these betrayals is seen and heard in the lost visions of its peoples.
•“We were lied to by our leaders, again. Their abuse of power is unconscionable. We are not better off than before; things are much worse.”
•“No, you are the one who is disloyal. You need to stand by the decisions made. By not doing so, it shows others we are weak and vulnerable.”
This is not a book about who is right and who is wrong, but about the depth and prevalence of betrayal in our society and about its implications for us.
•“We don’t feel safe living here anymore. Who is going to stand with us? Who is going to help us?”
•“I don’t know who to trust anymore. I have always believed that we were a government for the people and by the people. But when I don’t believe that my voice or my vote matters, I don’t see much hope anymore. We have every right to feel betrayed. Where do we turn? Who can we believe?”
Political, social, and economic violations exemplify the vast scope of betrayal, those deep dark injustices and injuries rebuking all reasoning. Betrayal is an emotionalstate of being, commonly felt and yet uncommonly dealt with. When betrayal is expr
