Any election, any race
The first thing an enlightened person realizes is… that it doesn’t really matter. All will work out for the benefit of all concerned.
The second thing is, in this illusion of separation, we have made choices at a deep level that are, a) temporary and b) are a meaningless illusion with no Real effect on our permanent existence in Heaven or Nirvana. “Nothing Real can be threatened.”
That said, who should you vote for? There is an election and choices need to be made. Many people do not pay attention to the details of this dream that is at times wonderful and at times a nightmare of hellish proportions. Not thinking about it is one way to cope – ignore it. “Nothing Real can be threatened.”
making choices in a crazy physical world
Then there are those of us who believe that politics matters, at least in the here and now. Some support only “their team,” an organization that might have been passed down in the family or other important relationships. They often do not know much about the “team” or what is currently going on. The choice is to support the team or be ostracized by other team supporters, no matter what is going on. I can relate: in sports, I support my alma mater, in good times and bad. Go Big Red!
Political parties often change and adjust. It is useful to pay attention if one wants to make a decision that will benefit the most people. [opinion] Vetting the people in charge is useful too. [Judging] Politician are famous and infamous for promising one thing and then doing another. It is just the price of getting elected, the lying, cheating, subterfuge and outright theft that many people are willing to ignore if it makes sure their team wins. The ends (team winning and in power) justifies the means. It is after all, war. No rules, even if there are rules.
The problem for the spiritual person is that the ends do not justify the means, and in fact it is the opposite. It is better to fight for Life, Liberty, happiness and the maintenance of the Constitutional Republic in a way that is consistent with the spiritual end: “Love your neighbor as your Self.” After all, we literally are part of the same Self or family of man, sons and daughters of The Divine Creator. Win this worldly election and lose your sense of love for all of your opponents. It’s a hard choice for some.
seeking enlightenment is not dependent on the outside world
Some people reach for enlightenment in hard times. Others have the time to meditate and come to the realization of their enlightenment in calm and peaceful times. Both are possible and it doesn’t matter in some ways, it is really up to each of us to reach for a win-win if we are the ones thrust into leadership roles, one way or another. Figuring out which leader, which party is best for all concerned is a personal, inside job.
what motivates you? a crisis or meditation?
It isn’t easy to evaluate other people’s motives. It’s often more important to notice their actions, not their words. Psychology and Religion demonstrate that people seldom change after their childhood unless there is a significant and often traumatic experience or event. If you are to try to figure out the truth in the separated human world, with propaganda and now artificial intelligence (with the potential for propaganda on steroids), it comes down to this: policies must be win-win for both sides or it doesn’t work for long. Maybe both sides are wrong and there is no good solution.
Some people believe that they know what is best for all people and will work tirelessly to get the power to force other people to comply. History is nearly unanimous in demonstrating that this never works, not in a family, not in school, and not in the political world. Yes, it can be forced for a while, but the force doesn’t change minds and and often generates an equal and opposite reactive force bent on getting rid of the offending actions and the people that perpetrated them. Rebellion is often the result of trying to force people instead of persuading people. However, persuasion takes both offering truth and the time and skill to demonstrate that truth. It can’t be one overnight very often.
Another hallmark of bad politics is when it demonizes the other side and all too often both sides are guilty, making it difficult for a spiritual person to support either side. In that case, one might consider doing nothing until the situation clarifies itself and then going ahead.
making choices in the dream
If a choice must be made, the Enlightened Politiholic suggests you follow the inner guidance of the Holy Spirit as you experience it. Realize that in the end, you still have to “Love your neighbor as your Self,” so tread lightly and lovingly. Where lying, cheating and hatred are rampant, return only only Love, for that is the only way out of this temporary nightmarish thing called politics. Politics often argues about the organizing of the “deck chairs on the Titanic;” the end of this world is not going to be a violent dystopia, but the disappearance of that dystopia in favor of the underlying Love that is always there. Even if we do not see it now, it is there when we choose to uphold it. Love moves the world in sickness and in health, in peace and war.
So, it is up to you to figure out how you should vote. Just be willing to Love the ones that “win” because winning really has nothing to do with government or politics. Jesus demonstrated an excellent way to handle it when his personal situation “went to hell:” do nothing but Love your neighbor. “Nothing Real can be threatened.”
[Nothing Real can be threatened is a cardinal point of A Course in Miracles, a course in Mind Training focusing on understanding, finding peace, Love and forgiveness.]