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Ravikant Kolli's avatar

I once blabbered to my American boss that this country needs a revolution. :-) The look on his face (I was driving him on the Autobahn at that juncture) told me that my statement didn't land correctly, and I realized why. The West is mostly aware of violent takeovers and revolutions that spill a lot of blood on the street. So I quickly reminded him that all of the revolutions in India were spiritual and non-violent, and he settled down.

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AmylouiseDonnelly's avatar

There is something going on in India right now that it's not spiritual, it is low-grade persistently violent, and it is ultimately dangerous.

India is an ancient, complicated country with a difficult history as well as an elevating, highly sophisticated spiritual history. I never say anything broadly about India because it's impossible to capture all of it.

That is its value, it's greatest gift to the world, as well as its greatest weakness to itself. The richness, born of complexity. And complexity is impossible to control.

That's why it's destined to de-evolve.

And perhaps to eventually rebirth itself.

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Ann Bogard's avatar

Marianne, you are so right. Inner changes of love, light, and unity need to fill the hearts of people all over r the world in order to affect political change.

With you in your effort to raise the vibrational level.

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John Colgan's avatar

Thank you 🙏 This is what we are being called to do - organize. Compassion in action.

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AmylouiseDonnelly's avatar

Her parting statement contains a lot of wisdom. " I know we're all freaked out by what Trump will do, what Musk will do. But wait and see what love can do."

I'm reminded of a powerful Whitney Houston song. Her song was about romance, but if Whitney were alive, I wonder if she would sing to this moment. If she would sing with all her chest and all her soul about love.

"Look what love can do."

I'm glad she's quoting A Course in Miracles now because that is where her power lies. And her profound applied understanding of that exceptional book.

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Jenny Pearce's avatar

There's two realities I've noticed. The one that we're living in now and the one that can be ours. Our willingness to understand others is a foundation of the miracles that we can use to influence both of those realities.

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AmylouiseDonnelly's avatar

I like this understanding and I'm glad Marianne does too.

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Carla Crocomo's avatar

Thank you for remembering and reminding us that love transforms reason-not the other way around.

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AmylouiseDonnelly's avatar

It's in the books and it's in the lessons. Reminding us of this is where Mary Ann is at her most inspirational, and ultimately her most influential.

She made some good reading recommendations. One that I might question is reading about Malcolm. I read Malcolm when I was a teenager. I had a teenager's understanding of his evolution from criminal to Muslim to eventual, we're he to live, Peacemaker.

Malcolm was murdered before his soul could realize its penultimate mission in life. There are many places in his autobiography that are problematic, and it could lead people astray.

But reading that book changed me. I had to hide it from my Conservative family when I read it but I'll never forget the impact it had on me.

Malcolm opened the door to a completely new world for me, one that in one way or another I have pursued ever since.

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AmylouiseDonnelly's avatar

*typo Marianne

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Laurie Z's avatar

Jesus was a revolutionary figure who taught to resist not evil. He wasn’t here to make of himself an idol but to usher in the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom is within, he said, it’s an experience of individual consciousness. He taught we are to pray in secret, to turn within and tune into the infinite invisible and away from temporary material reality. Yes, read, study, ponder and above all learn to be in silence. One consciousness at a time is the only way. Thank you!

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Chris Hart's avatar

Good post Marianne, bravo

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Gary Boivin's avatar

In Baha'i teachings, America will come to lead the world spiritually, as it has been leading materially. The former will indeed lead to a Golden Age, just not the one Trump has in mind. The latter is what led us to this point. The idea that "the chief business of the American people is Business" (Calvin Coolidge, 1925) has opened the door for success and prosperity at any cost-which has led us to Trump, Musk, Thiel, Karp and Vought. When the Wrecking Crew is done, or think they are done, then the spirit of the American people will truly reveal itself. We will have collectively awakened (not "woke") from our torpor. We will collectively cast off the Wrecking Crew, as they work to perpetuate their rule.

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L duffy's avatar

Thank you so much for this hopeful reminder and helpful recommendations. I pray the renewed DNC will give you a large platform and voice. You need a million followers, not 100. Ty again, truly, for your continued teachings.

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Michael Goldstein's avatar

Yes! And I have an offering related to that, a little book about a) how peaceful revolution is the only way to stop the rise of fascism and build a caring, sustainable society, and b) some practical suggestions on building the movement for that. It has a whole chapter on why nonviolence is essential, though--like the civil rights movement--we'll take some casualties, but far fewer than with the other options (violent resistance, not creating a revolution).

https://www.amazon.com/Blessed-Disillusionment-Letting-Cannot-Turning/dp/0578978318

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Metta's avatar

Thanks, Michael, just downloaded your book to kindle. You may also be interested in checking out Brian McClaren's book, Life After Doom: Wisdom and Courage for a World Falling Apart. https://www.amazon.com/Life-After-Doom-Courage-Falling/dp/1250893275

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Fanny Bea Wilde's avatar

Life after doom is an important read. McLaren is well balanced and the book calls us towards action and reality. Thank God for Marianne and people like Brian. We got this!!

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Center Field's avatar

Thanks for this book link.

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Michael Goldstein's avatar

I will check out Life After Doom--thanks!

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Michael Goldstein's avatar

(Amazon's got the info, but one can order through a bookstore or bookshop.org. Or, Marianne, I'll be happy to send you a copy.)

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Rosa Zubizarreta's avatar

Yes, I agree, Michael, that nonviolence is essential...

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AmylouiseDonnelly's avatar

Thank you for this.

I'll give it a serious look. 💟

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RubyLouise's avatar

Thank you for your messages of love and truth. You are a beacon of light in this storm.

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Jean Knowlton's avatar

Only I take issue with this part: "The arrogant, elitist, smug, amoral, self important shrine to Western materialism that is America’s political establishment now finds itself powerless before the might of a political strongman and the movement he created." The strong man you're talking about, Trump, Musk, are the smug elitist amoral self-important shrine to Western materialism, so how would they find themselves powerless before themselves? If you're kicking stomachs along with the right wing noise machine that tries to characterize liberals in politics as smug and elitist, again, that isn't true of liberals at all. We tend to be compassionate and caring, working with a purpose, a mission to help others. We are the ones finding ourselves powerless now, not the "arrogant, elitist, smug," etc. that you mentioned. Stop enabling the anti-liberal propagandists.

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Center Field's avatar

I agree with Marianne's original statement. I've been thinking the same for some time. I would gently state that to solve this puzzle, we should not assign various descriptive words to actual people, but instead assign those descriptors to concepts and symbols that will not advance anger...but which will allow us to fairly arrive at that place of love. There is an answer. It is found through love.

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Jean Knowlton's avatar

Not that we are entirely powerless. Jay Kuo shared this on his Substack earlier today or last night: "Need some good news? Trump has not won a single court battle since taking office. Not one. He’s taken a lot of shots, but the coalition of lawyers, activists and blue state attorneys general blocked his orders in court each anc every time. That includes his minions like Elon Musk at DOGE.

Per Democracy Docket:

___

Trump has not prevailed even once in court over the last 18 days since he took office.

As of last week, two separate judges in Rhode Island and Washington D.C. issued temporary restraining orders blocking administration guidance that effectively instituted a government-wide freeze on all federal agency grants and loans. The judges said the freeze — which caused entities like emergency shelters and healthcare providers to be shut out of funding portals or denied mission critical resources — likely violates federal law and the U.S. Constitution.

On Wednesday and Thursday, federal judges in Maryland and Washington State issued nationwide preliminary injunctions blocking Trump’s executive order purporting to severely restrict birthright citizenship. The courts sided with immigration advocacy groups, affected individuals and Democratic attorneys general who alleged the order likely runs afoul of the 14th Amendment’s Citizenship Clause. At a hearing, the judge in Washington — an 84-year-old Reagan appointee — said “the rule of law is a bright beacon which I intend to follow… I refuse to let that beacon go dark today.”

Courts handed down even more rulings against the administration Thursday, including in the aforementioned DOGE and deferred resignation cases as well as in other ongoing lawsuits."

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TMark Commons's avatar

I felt like Marianne was referring to the democratic leadership: politicians, lobbyists and hypocritical oligarchs. Not the soul, like her and you and me. The truly good politicians don't take oligarch money and they call themselves progressives. They caucus with the democrats because the dems, who are just as self serving, at least lie and claim to care. That is not much of a redeeming value. I do not want to continue to caucus with subtle evil out of fear of more open evil. Progressives should form their own, third party and at least stand apart as a real alternative. If the majority still choose evil, then we can still pray and activate. But we need to stand up for truth and stop being cowed. (sorry, cows)

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Jean Knowlton's avatar

Breaking off from the Democratic party would not be prudent at this point in time. There may be a few Democrats like you describe, but most are not like that. I'm not onboard with everything progressives back, either. I think they overly villainized Israel blaming them for civilian casualties that were actually caused by Hamas and fell for a lot of the millions of dollars worth of propaganda they spread in our college campuses to get kids riled up without knowing the full picture. Very few know that when Israel has had rockets shot at them, when they defend themselves, they target the location of where those rockets were launched. They also give a warning so civilians can vacate the area. Hamas chose heavily populated areas to launch their rockets from, and then they prevented civilians from leaving the area. They knew they were going to start a war and could have prepared by stocking in supplies and arranging to evacuate civilians. They made no such preparation because they are terrorists who don't care who dies. They think their cause matters more than anybody's life. They are an autocratic extremist country, not a democracy, so of course Biden would choose to aid a fellow democracy in their fight against these terrorists. That's the only area where I see myself as a moderate. I want universal healthcare and for public utilities to be free. I want net neutrality because otherwise we are paying to not have our internet deliberately hobbled, which reeks of protection racket mentality to me.

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Mort's avatar

Maybe Not just progressives exactly. I think we need a new party. One that seeks to end all parties and put people in government who are knowledgeable about the real world and willing to listen. A party that helps the people organize, debate, and work together with consensus of the country that we need to create. With people like us, with leaders like marianne, this country will rise from the ashes more united than ever. Marianne would you lead a new party? It would take a miracle but I'm in...

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Mort's avatar

Wow. I just wrote in the post above about needing a new party and how someone like marianne can lead people who are ready to wake up and work for the America we want. And at a glance, forwardparty.com looks like what I've literally been waking up at night and thinking about, wondering how I could help. And the second miracle is the way you accidentally put a space there sent me to party.com. A domain name that recently came available (for $1M I assume party city bankruptcy). Marianne if you are listening, BUY IT. Please. I can't explain it, I just know we need something. People searching for a new party will absolutely come across that domain and it will go fast. And no I don't make money off this sale... I just literally am in this synchronous universe where this feels like the obvious next step in my dream for a new America

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TMark Commons's avatar

That you Jean. But everything that you said seems TO ME to be coming from a perspective of "practicality", short term expediency. The early Christians could have chosen to be practical, and avoided crucifixion. I think that true change, rather than an empty appearance of change, will not come until we stop compromising with evil to be practical. Until then, have at it, knock yourself out, when you despair enough, you will say, "get thee behind me", not,"what kind of deal can we make". If we think that we need to make a deal with Satan, to defeat Satan, then we have been deceived by Satan (the Greek term for the ego in the early scriptures.

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Jean Knowlton's avatar

I am coming from what would be the smart thing to do for the greater good. I don't identify as a Christian or with a particular faith especially one that relies on patriarchal references to supreme beings or a completely evil being. I see what you may refer to as "God" as the energy of conscious caring that can flow through any of us who choose to let it. It is often called inspiration. What you call "Satan" is someone who is not only closed off from the conscious and caring energy, but who hates people who express that and look to subvert it and works to prevent them from spreading and healing the planet. But they are working against our true natures, and usually that's where what people call karma can factor in and it results in them basically taking themselves out with all that toxic spite.

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TMark Commons's avatar

Thank you for conversing. I love you and appreciate you and you are clearly helping. I use all terms loosely, because nothing semantic can contain the Truth. I have been an ACIM devotee for forty years, but most do not understand that terminology. So, I just use Satan for any tendency to separation and God for any tendency to union. I won't quibble over any attempt to understand by words. But I will also disengage when words are being used to separate and condemn.

"Insanity can be held onto, or released. Any attempt to understand or fix it falls in the category of holding on."

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Jean Knowlton's avatar

There is already a third party, the Green Party, and the result of a third party is the Republican party takes over the country. That's just the way it is right now. Maybe infiltrating and changing the Republican Party would be the better tactic, but it has just undergone a terrible change for the worse being taken over by oligarchs who manipulated pseudo Christians and racists. If numbers without the Democratic Party were large enough to overcome both parties, it would be different, but they just aren't. There are too many people who could vote who choose not to vote. I am not altogether sure they don't have a point, that the system is rigged and our votes aren't actually tabulated correctly when someone like Elon Musk has the ability to hire those with the cyber capability to change those results. It's pretty clear that happened this time since Trump's support is much smaller than the number of votes tabulated would make one believe. His support has been visibly waning with former supporters even campaigning for the Democratic candidate. It has definitely not been growing over the years.

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John Halderman's avatar

In Oneness we thrive, in separation, we don't.

The error of man is taking on an erroneous perception of separation, thinking that we are not innately connected as One.

Once an individual recognizes or re-recognizes their/our innate connection, Oneness, then love, unity, honor, respect, care, and consideration are the basis of their perspectives, thinking, reactions, and behavior.

Oneness can be looked at as spiritual, being created from and as One "something."

And also through a scientific lens, as research now points to everything being of or made of the same "stuff"... whatever it is.

Consider that we each operate through our 'Foundational Perceptions' about life and self, which are those ideas we have accepted, claimed, and declared to be true, real, and who I am.

And the most foundational perception is, am I connected with or separate from other people, creatures, and things?

Because when you Know you are connected, then you tend to honor and respect other people, then treat them with care and consideration, as you are going about doing for yourself.

However, if you perceive being separate from others, you tend to not have the same honor and respect for them as you do yourself, thus you devalue "others" and treat them with little to no care and consideration.

So, how individuals think about and treat others is based on their most foundational perception of life—connected or separate—this is the root of it.

All human caused discord is based on perceived separation; this is The human Problem; all else are symptoms.

Yet, most efforts to make life better remain focused on addressing the symptoms, not the root cause.

Operating in unity is a spiritual solution and it is a logical solution.

We are One Something; what if we all could act like it? ... and we don't have to know exactly what "One Something" is!

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Brenda Green's avatar

Thank you Marianne, this is so right on! 💜☮️

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Eileen Ward's avatar

Spot on!! Thank you

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Thomas Fallon's avatar

wow!!! you are right on time - thank you for your wisdom - keep it up!!!

Thank you - you are helping us all tremendously

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