Month: November 2010

Thoughts of the Day:

“The most important decision we make is whether we believe we live in a friendly or a hostile universe.”
~ Albert Einstein

“Be the change you want to see in the world.”
~ Mahatma Gandhi

Will our world be love-centered or fear-centered?

In the United States, we just completed our mid-term election cycle. That is the election that occurs half-way through a President’s term and includes Congressional races for all house seats, one-third of senate seats, and many state and local elections.

Since the election I’ve been thinking that we ask our politicians – our perspective leaders – the wrong questions. This extends beyond the United States and to everywhere elections are held.

We ask questions like:

• Which party are you?
• Are you conservative or liberal?
• Are you left or right?
• Are you for big government or small government?
• What are you going to give me, if I vote for you?

These have become the default questions associated with elections around the world. Stop and think for a moment. Are those really the most important questions to you, your life, your children’s lives? Do those really answer the fundamental questions of life, the future, or creating a better world?

I have created a list, by no means exhaustive, of questions that empowered thinkers should be asking their politicians and leaders. What do you think?

• Love and fear – We live in a world that will either be created by loving mindsets or fearful mindsets. Do you support and promote a love-centered world or a fear-centered world? How would you act, as a leader, to transition our public discussion from fear-centered to love-centered?
• Abundance – Do you believe we live in an abundant world capable of meeting everyone’s needs or do you believe in a world of limits where have and have-not are a permanent characteristic of human society?
• Future – There are many entrenched interests trying to slow the future because they control the present. Do you support a society that pursues its best ideas now rather than waiting until certain interests have milked every last dime from the status quo? How would you act now to make sure our best ideas are leading us into the future?
• War – Do you believe war remains a legitimate avenue of state power or do you believe it is a childish and outdated means of settling human disputes? How would you act to make sure war is always an absolute last resort? Further, how would you work to promote more peaceful relations with friends and foes alike?
• Human dignity – Do you believe that every human being is entitled to pursue his or her goals and dreams fully? How would you act to demonstrate your support for that principle?
• Freedom – Do you believe in a world where economic, spiritual, and cultural ideals are not vilified? A world where we do not fear certain words and, instead, work for the best ideas that benefit the people? Do you believe in a world where the rights of all people to practice their spirituality freely and in peace is neither enforced nor discouraged?
• Financial – Do you believe the people of this planet, through elected leaders responsible to the people, should control their own currencies and financial existence? Or, do you believe the financial existence of 6.5 billion people should continue to be dictated to them by unelected, unresponsive entities (central banks) that have demonstrably created financial crises, squeezed credit markets, demanded bailouts, and now are in the process of crashing national economies to gain greater control? What would you do immediately to restore national control of currencies to the control of entities responsible to the people?
• “But They…” – Finally, do you believe in a world where powerful political, corporate, and spiritual leaders are not permitted to use the five-year-old refrain, “But they….” as an excuse for continuing the status quo?

These are just a few of the questions I believe empowered thinkers across the political, cultural, and spiritual spectra should be asking their leaders today. You probably have some of your own and I’d love to read them in the comments section.

One final question. If we were able to persuade our leaders to pursue a world like the one envisioned by these questions, would you be prepared to live in that world? It’s a serious question for all of us to consider.

One day we will live in a world where the main adjective we use to describe ourselves is human. That world cannot be forced upon us. We must grow enough to wear the clothes of that world. I believe we have it within us to be free, tolerant, and sharing human beings. That is the very essence of a love-centered world.

The powers that be and the purveyors of the status quo do not believe that. They believe the fear-centered, corrupt world is all we are capable of achieving. They believe this is “the best possible system”. Do you? Do the leaders you just elected….be they left, right, democrat, republican?

We can have a love-centered world where people are free, nations are prosperous, and we work together on issues of global concern. Or, we can continue down the path of centralized financial control, child-like squabbles over religion, economic systems, and natural resources; wasting generations of people as we go.

The choice, as it always has been, is ours. Which will we choose?

Stay inspired and be empowered!

Ray

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