There was a time not too long ago when the United States of America was the pinnacle of greatness. The world looked to the United States for leadership. America became the moral compass of the world. It seemed that when international events occurred, it was America that stepped in and rose above the muck. America took the high road.
As we look at this great country today, it is impossible to not notice how the landscape has changed. The military is diminished as it fights to remain strong as it is bogged down in two wars. There is a housing crisis that is bringing down the entire economy. The banking industry is in shambles and Wall Street is caving in under all of these weighty matters. Or, is the banking industry in shambles because of Wall Street?
And we wonder. How did this great country ever get to this point? How did it happen so quickly? Who caused it? Could people like myself have anything to do with this?
The ancient wisdom of Kabbalah states that man’s basic nature, is egoistic. On this planet man operates under the law of “give me.” Give me what? Give me everything and anything as long as I get pleasure from it. And, when is it enough? The answer is never! As man accumulates more and more of everything, man still never feels full, therefore, not really desiring to share his accumulated mass.
As man becomes more and more obsessed with the need to acquire more and more, is there any wonder we are the witnesses to the demise of capitalism? And, is there anything wrong with capitalism? Of course not. What is wrong is the greed of those manipulating the system. Every American should be outraged. He or she should be outraged at our government, our CEO’s, our judicial system, and most importantly at his or her self. Each of us is at fault.
Dr. Michael Laitman, a great Kabbalist said on his daily blog, ” I am not a prophet, but following Baal HaSulam’s texts, for the past six years I have been speaking and writing books and articles about the crisis. There was no way to prevent it, but there is a means to come out of it. I’ve spoken to important people about this, telling them that it is necessary to institute “global education,” or in other words - “Love thy neighbor as thyself,” because otherwise things will get bad. However, they laughed at my naivety.”
Is this really such a naive thought? Everyone on the planet knows the United States just had one of the most important presidential elections in the history of it’s existence. This is the time in the midst of all the chaos to become the change that will eventually lead to harmony. What is truly amazing is that the above quote by Michael Laitman is playing an active role in this most important election.
In March of 2008, Barack Obama delivered a speech in Philadelphia. This is what he said: “In the end, then, what is called for is nothing more, and nothing less, than what all the world’s great religions demand: that we do unto others as we would have them do unto us. Let us be our brother’s keeper. Scripture tells us, Let us be our sister’s keeper. Let us find that common stake we all have in one another, and let our politics reflect that spirit as well.”
Interesting. Is finding the common stake we all have in one another and loving one’s neighbor as one’s self, really naive? Or is it the key to salvation for the United States and the rest of the planet. We have seen during this financial crisis, every spot on the planet has been affected.
Perhaps it is time to recognize that if we continue life as usual we are on the path of collision. Perhaps now is the time to look at the same idea of loving one’s neighbor as one’s self by two very different professionals. One is a spiritual leader and the other is a politician. This most simple statement just might be the profound action necessary to change the direction of the United States as well as the Global Community. Perhaps this is just the prescription, that if followed, will put America right back up on it’s once sturdy feet.
