One Universe Under God (LLJL)

One Universe Under God

by Linda Living Joy Lorenzo on Tuesday, January 20, 2009 at 5:02pm

One Universe under God
by Linda Lorenzo
written, March 2006

Since 9/11 our country and its people have gone through a myriad of changes. We experienced together the same phenomenon and went through the same process of shock, fear, disbelief and grief...it was a time of coming together as a country, as a people.

But, in the subsequent years, I have noticed a resurgence of what is being called a new "national pride" and a renewal of misguided "patriotism."

What is interesting is that this seems to be manifesting in a number of religious based issues.
I have been receiving countless emails and articles, of late, on both the issues of the use of “under God” in our pledge of allegiance and the controversy about prayer in public schools. I have heard many opinions on these subjects both for and against and for a vast number of reasons.

These debates have caused me to look deeply at my own values and revisit some of my own deep-seated beliefs.

You see after the events of 9/11 my reactions were much the same as the rest of the country ... all of them fear based.

I heard many phrases bandied around by the media and by politicians. They all spoke of separateness, enemies, attacks and counter attacks. They used words like “them and us “, “the good guys (us) and the bad guys (them,)” ,” those who would attack our freedom and our way of life”, “ those who hate us”. For the first time, in my adult life, I found my belief system begin to crumble as I was spiraling out of control fueled by panic and terror.

But Spirit, found a way through the fear and brought me back to the Truth that was at the core of my reality. As I was riveted, like the rest of my fellow countrymen to the news channels and the speeches, it was one term that smacked me back to my heart s foundation...it was the words “ the evildoers.”

It was at that instant that I could feel a shift occur within my entire being...in that moment I became aware that the enemy was not outside of our borders but within ourselves.

At that defining moment, my fear for my own personal issues shifted to a concern for the consciousness of the entire planet.

The famous words rung true in my ears...and took on a meaning that I had never considered before...”We have nothing to fear ,but fear itself.” I understood with an awareness that goes beyond all words....that it was the fear and the fear alone that would destroy us...not our so called “enemies.” And then another quote surfaced..."The fault, dear Brutus lies not within our stars, but within ourselves.”

All that week, we went into our churches and synagogues and places of worship. We prayed for solace, we huddled together in candlelit prayer vigils, we mourned our dead and then we waged war in the name of ”God “ and righteousness.

And my soul was crying out in pain...for I knew that in that moment we were not expressing the “God” we professed to worship.

Everything inside of me knew that the only way to honor this Spirit would be to extend to those fists that were clenched in fear, rage and anger towards us, the outstretched, open hands of love, peace, understanding and compassion.

It was a wake up call to build bridges...not to destroy them.

And now over two years later we are entering into a frightening and arrogant place of religious fanaticism instead of evolving into a spiritual awakening.

We have forgotten the very tenets on which this country that we all love so dearly was founded. Freedom, the freedom to say or not say whatever we believe is true for us.

The freedom of the individual to worship or not worship in the manner that best befits his own souls growth.

You see we are not One Nation, under God we are citizens of the Cosmos and the Beloved Creations of the One Universal Mind.

We are all One. We are not separate from each other. We say this so often but do we really understand the full implications of its truth?

I am reminded of a dear friend s sudden awareness earlier this year to the question that had plagued her for some time. She said one day, as if a light had gone on... “I will never again ask if I am my brother s keeper.. for I am my brother!”

You see, we do not honor our Creator by making our selves separate from those who walk this earth with us, or by reciting words that we learn by rote...they are meaningless if we are not expressing Spirit for all that inhabit this planet with our thoughts and our actions of compassion and understanding and love.

I would like to share with you the words written by Edna Reitz when she penned the Global Pledge of Allegiance in 1988, which has hung proudly on my wall for 15 years.

"I pledge allegiance to the Earth
And to the Universal Spirit
Which gives us Life;
One planet, indivisible.
With Peace and Justice for Us All.

I pledge to do my best
To uphold the trust bestowed
In the gift of my Life;
To care for our planet and
our atmosphere,
To respect and honor
all her inhabitants,
All people, animals,
plants and resources,
To create a legacy
for our children
And our children's children
In a world of Harmony and Love.

I pledge allegiance
to the Universal Spirit,
By whatever name it may be called.
To align my Life
With the ongoing process
of Creation;
To grow myself with care,
To act from my own integrity,
To be for others
How I would want them
to be for me.

Together,
May we carry this vision
In our hearts,
Into our daily choices,
And through our
expanding consciousness
Within and beyond our planet... "

It is time, to turn our swords into plowshares and reach across the oceans of space and time to touch our brothers and sisters hands with the unconditional love that Spirit has bestowed upon us all..and to finally fully understand that we are All truly One!