I was wrong. So, very wrong….

I’m embarrassed. And I was wrong. There, I said it.

Words that Mr. Donald Trump would never allow to escape his lips. Which brings me to the subject at hand: I gave Trump the benefit of the doubt. Even though I would never vote for him, I honestly thought he would moderate some of his nuttier comments and I was wrong.

The events of this past weekend show that he is, indeed a dangerous man. He is appealing to fear and anger and our basest and most destructive emotions.

At this point, it seems impossible for anyone to support him and yet, he’s drawing crowds and votes.

I keep reminding myself that I’ve seen a revolution on the horizon and that I know this kind of turmoil must happen in order to move forward and transform our country. This undercurrent of anger and hatred and fear and bigotry and aggression has been building for years. I’ve said it before: we are a violent and aggressive country and culture.

Trump has tapped into that and has emboldened some people to hate their fellow Americans. He is inciting people to actually act on this anger and hate and it’s very dangerous. For us and for the candidates. But, it’s probably a necessary evil and is part of our cultural cleanse that we need. Let this stuff see the light of day. Look at it closely, then look in the mirror and see how you may be contributing to this division.

We are in a pivotal moment where courage and integrity are of paramount importance; from all of us. We like to blame Washington, D.C., the politicians, the immigrants, the minorities, the gays, the women, the men, the rich, the poor, the aliens…they are us. We must stand up and examine our beliefs, our actions, our words. Don’t call Trump voters names, but rather, lead by example. Stay calm, focused and summon up what you know, in your belly, is right and just and good. We are all Americans. We are all humans trying to make our way on a troubled and complicated planet.

Simplicity is called for: Be kind.

Love CAN win

Love Wins. The celebratory statement after the Supreme Court’s ruling legalizing marriage equality was handed down this past week. What a beautiful statement in a world that is, as it always has been, burdened by hate. Two simple words that, if taken to heart can transform our existence on this planet.

Which is why I’m here to co-opt that phrase for my spiritually evangelical purposes.

Those two words are what we are missing as we struggle to find our way forward in these very confusing times. The world seems to be exploding in violence and conflict. We are in the middle of another potentially explosive racial divide here in America.

Last week, 9 people died at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina when a young, white man who was motivated by racial hatred, shot them while telling them they “had to go”.

He spent over an hour with them in Bible study, where they welcomed him into their church and their group with open arms. When he was arraigned on these murders, various family members of the victims showed up to tell him that even though their hearts were broken, they forgave him and would pray for his soul. Love wins.

This is what religion teaches. These people live their faith in a way that most cannot or will not. Most of us call immediately for revenge before justice. We want to strike back at those who cause us pain. It’s all about ‘getting even’. Jesus advised turning the other cheek. Buddha said hate doesn’t dispel hate; only love dispels hate. Dr. Martin Luther King told us that only love can drive out hate. Yet, in times of great pain and anguish, we ignore those who we admire for their wisdom.

I honestly believe that some of the events of the past week may be the beginning of a tipping point toward love winning. I’ve felt such despair over so many global events and issues. I don’t even need to list the things that are happening that cause me to want to weep or vomit every time I read or watch the news. You know. You feel it too, but you feel powerless.

This is why this past week is so powerful. In just a few short years, gay marriage has become not only accepted by a majority of Americans, but it is now the law of the land. I know that many are not happy about it and try as I might, I cannot understand their opposition. How can allowing more commitment, more love, more families to form ever be a sin? How can allowing all of our fellow humans to have the same legal protections that straight humans have had, be a bad thing?

You can of course, remain true to your religious beliefs by following them. All of them. Because it seems to me that Jesus’ main message to his flock was Love Wins. In the face of anger, crime, bigotry, hatred, insults, misunderstanding, miscommunication, impatience, somebody cutting you off in traffic or irritating you by paying with a check at the supermarket, Love Wins.

That’s it. Two words that we all need to adopt as our mantra going forward. WE are the ones that have to fix what’s broken. Don’t rely on politicians or pundits or various know-it-alls who populate our media and culture. YOU. ME. We have to start loving our fellow humans, particularly when they irritate or insult or even attack us.

This is the hard stuff that we have to face as spiritual beings having a human experience. You can think and analyze and ask why, as I often do; as I constantly do. Let me do that for you, if you’d like; it’s a dirty job, but I’m happy to carry that burden. The bottom line is that we need to be more forgiving, more compassionate, more kind and more charitable to the other residents of this planet, be they human, animal, plant, etc.

This week gave us a beautiful lesson in the midst of tragedy and triumph for gay rights. Take this lesson and run with it. Spread it around. Re-think some of your beliefs. Share this blog post freely. Let’s start a bigger movement.

Love Wins.

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