Nice Way to Choose a President!
The democratic process (election campaigns) has become one of the ego's greatest excuses to choose denunciation, fear, anger and overall unhappiness. So this February, a month of intense Presidential campaigning, we remember two important teachings of Jesus: 1) none of this matters, our kingdom is not of this world; and 2) from the Holy Spirit's viewpoint every ego move is meaningless, allowing us to know with confidence and joy the Holy Spirit is in charge ... or as some would say: "God is in charge."
It must have been much easier to see from a spiritual viewpoint during the first two American Presidential elections when there was no campaigning. George Washington didn't really want to be President, but was willing to serve and was elected by the electoral college unanimously in both 1789 and 1792. Maybe if we didn't have Presidential campaigns and the electoral college was required to find a man or woman who they could all unanimously feel right and good about ... everyone in all states could more easily find a way to choose happiness.
The process of unanimous consensus which was used to choose George Washington is not outmoded. It is used, for example, even today to select the president of Gov. Romney's Mormon church:
"The appointment of a new president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints happens in an orderly way that — remarkably in today’s world — avoids any trace of internal lobbying for position or rank. It is devoid of electioneering whether behind the scenes or in public.
"Moreover, it is not only the structure of Church organization that governs this process. There is also a deeply ingrained tradition in the Church that personal aspiration for leadership at any level is inappropriate. Instead, the emphasis is on personal worthiness and a humble willingness to serve when invited." - LDS Living Magazine
February is the month we officially celebrate George Washington's legacy with a national holiday. Unfortunately, this holiday has in pop culture become known as "Presidents Day," which offers us the contradiction of an unholy holy-day by attempting to reach beyond Washington and Lincoln who were born in February and embrace all Presidents, even those whose campaigns were objectively proven to be corrupt and fraudulent. The good news is the official name of the holiday is still Washington's Birthday:
"Presidents Day (or Presidents' Day), is the common name for the federal holiday officially designated as Washington's Birthday. As the official title of the federal holiday, Washington's Birthday was originally implemented by the federal government of the United States in 1880. In the late 1980s, with a push from advertisers, the term Presidents Day began its public appearance." - Wikipedia
Born on February 22nd, George Washington was born in Pisces energy (like Mitt Romney). Pisces is the least ego-aggressive, most naturally spiritually-driven energy of the universe ... feeling a deep abiding need to serve. No wonder he didn't crave to be President, but simply could not feel right about avoiding an opportunity to serve.
A good first step to happiness this February (and any February) is to refuse to use the watered-down term "Presidents Day," and stick to celebrating the glorious spirit of George Washington ... no campaigning to be President, no ambition to be President, only a willingness to serve as called.
Some would argue that America was formed as a republic and the more democratic it has become the more the electoral process has fostered dirty politics, dishonesty, and cheating in every way. A democracy and a republic are not only dissimilar but incompatible. There is a fundamental difference between (a) pandering to voters in a democracy allowing the majority to rule over what is right for individuals in a minority, and (b) a Republic under a written Constitution which safeguards the rights of individuals in the minority.
America has abandoned its Constitution to the point where not only do we now have serious "tyranny of the majority" (which was foreseen by the great French social scientist Alexis de Tocqueville) and blatant "violence of the majority faction" (which was considered the highest danger by "the father of the Constitution" James Madison), but even individuals not part of the majority feel the need to "do what it takes" to defend. The American electoral process has become more than chaos. Perhaps it should be called "evil."
So a second step toward happiness might be to honor George Washington's example by each February re-energizing a personal resolve to work peacefully to aid any efforts to junk the democratic process as it has evolved and pull America once again back to a republic which strictly adheres to its Constitution.
And yet Jesus teaches us that even while taking any steps our holy spirit guides us to take here on earth, we must keep our focus on our true nature: "And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." (Mark 12:17) In other words, even while helping our holy spirit right the wrongs the ego has put into place, keep our focus on the light, love, peace, and joy who we really are. Have fun "enjoying the game," so to speak.
In his revelation for the Twenty-first Century, A Course in Miracles, Jesus puts it this way: "The world may seem to cause you pain. And yet the world, as causeless, has no power to cause. As an effect it cannot make effects. As an illusion it is what you will. And so again we make the only choice that ever can be made; we choose between illusions and the truth, or pain and joy, or hell and Heaven. Let our gratitude unto our Teacher fill our hearts as we are free to choose our joy instead of pain, our holiness in place of sin, the peace of God instead of conflict, and the light of Heaven for the darkness of the world." (ACIM Lesson 190)
Crucial to the maintenance of joy while serving on earth is the understanding that we cannot judge our brothers for following their divine guidance which might appear different from our own divine guidance. Everyone on earth is learning from a different perspective. Many might hear inside to support Mitt Romney. Others might hear inside to support Hillary Clinton. There is no contradiction. Maybe those hearing to support Mitt Romney are opening in one way and those hearing to support Hillary Clinton are opening in another way ... but everyone is opening.
As the Holy Spirit is fond of saying: "It all comes out in the wash ... and I AM the washing tone."
So this month, even while watching all the political happenings let's choose constant happiness by maintaining a 100% commitment to following only our deepest spiritual guidance (not our intellectual [ego] thoughts) regarding politics and by enjoying our holy spirit's amused detachment when it comes to results.
And let's honor the One who Fathered America by chanting silently in our mind:
Thank you Father,
For founding a Republic,
Of Liberty and Justice for all,
For gathering a people,
Who can say with joy,
"In God we trust!"
"...nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you." (Luke 17:21)
Click below for more information on A Course in Miracles Light Sessions:
Holy Instant Christian Fellowship in Salt Lake City
