Good morning. Happy Sunday!
As a minister, it is important that I do not share my opinion or endorse any political candidates. Keep religion and politics separate--or so They say, even though religion abounds in politics and politics plays out in any organized religion. We live in a giant hypocrisy, not a democracy, as was intended by our founding fathers, who, I might add, were also all white, rich, fairly religious men.
So, here is the thing then: While I cannot endorse any political candidate (and why would I want to at this point?), I can offer my opinion on how we as an American Culture can get out of the mess we are in, and it does not involve supporting the same old broken system. I say we abandon this sinking ship before it takes us down with it.
Several members of the alternative press have been writing about revolution coming to America. Certainly something is needed to change the power structure we all live under, but violence does not have to be the only way.
Once, I strongly believed the Occupy Movement was going to be enough to wake up a sleeping and brainwashed populace and engage everyone in taking back our country. Nope. Most Occupiers enjoyed the activism and the non-violent communication building techniques they learned, and then gave up when the states came down hard on Occupiers in various cities around the nation. It was scary, for sure, and I would be in error if I suggested all participants of the movement disappeared back into the mainstream from which they came. Many Occupiers have gone on behind the scenes to build more community and to remain active in subtle ways that will defeat the system in the long run.
That's what we need to talk about now--the subtle ways we can actively participate in changing the power structure of America and how We, the People, can take back our country.
Violence is not the answer. Guns will not save us, no matter how many firearms people hoard in their closets and compounds. You can't outgun a tank, or a bomb-dropping drone. And to assume your neighbors are going to join you in some armed uprising is hopeful, but doubtful, not to mention the really negative odds of the police force and military coming to aid in some civil uprising against the federal government. I just don't see it happening. There must be another way.
Without the violence, what do we have? Quite a bit actually.
Getting back to the whole idea of Oneness, how can we commit violence upon ourselves and not expect a disastrous outcome?
No, love is the only way. We must learn to love each other, and banish the fear that our government would have us live in. If we continue on in fear, we will only succeed in turning on one another, trying to protect what we think we need to have. Truth is we don't need anything so badly that we need to kill over it.
Now, I know it will take a while for people to realize that there is no lack, that there is enough for everyone, and every single day we can each do our part to help that idea come about. Share. Share love, share knowledge, share food, share time, share ideas, share kindness, share clothing and blankets, household items and tools, share skills, share whatever you can to help another when they need it, and in turn you will find the help when you need it.
Let us abolish greed in our own lives. We all live in abundance. We only need to open our eyes and our hearts to find that abundance and to let it into our world.
Start building a community within your community. Meet your neighbors. Start gardening and participating on local levels. People like to eat good, clean, organic food. The fastest way to meet others is to join gardening groups and visit your local Farmers' Market. If we all started growing our own food and buying our food locally, that would definitely cause a glitch in the workings of big government.
Buy everything local if you can. I like to shop in thrift stores for my family's clothing, and also for books, games and toys. This keeps money local, re-uses items, and does not support big industry. Revolutionary. Plus, it's a lot cheaper in an economy that is failing.
Barter. As we connect to more and more people in our community, we are finding more opportunities to trade for goods and services. We trade a lot of produce from the farm for things we can't make or grow, but that someone else can.
Ultimately, the less we rely on the government for our needs, the less power they have over us. As we begin to function as resilient communities, we will find new ways to overcome shortages and to meet the needs of all of our community members, thus functioning as one whole, interconnected community.
We are all One. Let's start acting like it. The rest of the world will come around...one person at a time.
Love to all.
~ Rev. Kerry
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