Under a Banyan Tree

Early America was a place for people to come and find a religious freedom that they felt they did not have in their native lands.  Some of these religious groups played a prominent role in  forming the original thirteen colonies as did their religious tenets.  The Pilgrims, Quakers and the Puritans are prime examples of this.  The Puritans tried to make everyone in the colonies practice religion in the Puritan manner.  They persecuted other groups, banished and even whipped people in order to bring Puritan conformity to the colonies but eventually freedom of religion won out.   Only the Salem witch trials seemed to permanently mar this zeal to practice religion freely in the new colonies.

Anglicans, Catholics, Presbyterians and Baptists soon arrived from England.  Later Lutherans arrived from Germany.   Freedom of religion became firmly established in the original colonies and religion became very involved in American politics.  Eventually however, the founding fathers began to debate the separation of church and state and they decided to keep religion out of politics.  This did not sit well with many groups but the founding fathers felt such a separation was necessary.  Indeed, many of the influential founding fathers were deists who believe that God did not bother himself with human affairs and that faith and organized religion were not necessary to prove God created the universe and everything in it.

When we look at America today, we notice that religion still has a grass roots appeal to many citizens.  Athletes are constantly thanking God for their exploits on the field of play.  Movie stars, politicians, announcers, American Idol participants and countless other individuals and groups are often giving credit to God.  This happens more in the United States than it does in Canada and if we do hear it in Canada, usually it is an American athlete saying it.  I suppose there is nothing wrong with this, but it does seem odd to think that God would involve himself in such inconsequential actions with humans when he has a universe to run.

Then of course you have the evangelical set who preach scripture in a manner that brings back ‘Old Testament’ images of fire and brimstone.  They and other right wing theologians seem to have quite a calling in middle America that no amount of poor ethical behaviour on their part undermines to any great degree.  Their strong influence on politicians and politics,  if not out of place in the politcal arena can be downright scary.  This influence can and has reach to the highest echelons of power – the White House and even the President himself.

In war, everyone seems to think that God is on their side.  In fact, George W. Bush is quoted in the new book by journalist Bob Woodward, Plan of Attack, as describing himself as a “messenger” of God who is doing “the Lord’s will.”  If he is such a messenger, then his wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were religious wars.  He certainly does seem to be a messenger for the religious right but he and the United States seem to be going down a road that the founding fathers of America termed dangerous.  Combining religion with governance puts us on the same slippery slope that has trapped many theocracies.  When you are divinely guided, how can your leaders be wrong and if they are never wrong what about the other side who claims they are also divinely guided?

Has former President Bush caused a “Holy War”?  Muslim extremists certainly think so.  He and his buddies have given not only extremists but even moderates reasons to doubt the United States’ foreign policy.  When religion gets mixed in to foreign policy, all hell can and will break loose.  Calm minds are needed that are connected to what the world needs.  Thus, more of a need to connect to an inner self that views an overall picture connected to the needs of the nature, the planet and the universe.  That inner voice will find solutions that work for everyone and everything because we are all connected.  Everyone, every animal and plant and everything is here because it is universal consciousness.  Everything is part of everything else and everything is God.  We are not separate. We are not islands alone in a sea of turmoil.  All has to work together and those things that don’t do this will cease to exist.  We think as humans, we will always be here.  Why?  Does the world really need us – maybe and maybe not?  I for one don’t think we are indispensible.  If we become extinct, that does not mean that our being is gone from universal consciousness.  The parts we have played and did not play will always be resident in that consciousness because that consciousness is God.  He is everything that has existed and that will exist.  God experiences life through everything that has ever existed and we experience God by tapping into that inner voice that guides us into making better choices and decisions.  If we let ego get in the way, we often make the wrong choice.  Religion and politics seem to focus on ego.  To make wise choices mankind must seek the answers that the universe will supply.  The answers are there if we truly want to find them.  The world needs to work together to find acceptable answers or soon there will be no more questions.

Will the United States be able to reach out to others.  So often they seem to think that such reaching out is socialism – a hated concept in the heartland of America.  But humans are a social animal and if we don’t take care of each other, who will?  Why is it wrong to supply basic security to citizens so no one has to worry about food, shelter, education or medical care.  Give everyone an equal footing in the beginning and just see what might happen to the growth of a country and its citizens.  Taking care of people is not a bad thing.  Social consciousness is not a bad thing.  Why are Americans so frightened of these concepts?