{"article":{"id":116028,"heading":"An Open Letter of Conscience and Choice","author":"Robert Rabbin, et al.","created":"2004-08-24 02:33:03","modified":"2013-11-11 00:30:42","last_modified":"Mon, 11 Nov 2013 07:30:42","article":"

An Open Letter of Conscience and Choice

To All Spiritual, Metaphysical, Yoga, and Meditation Communities

by Robert Rabbin, Stephen Mitchell, Rabbi Michael Lerner, John Friend, Dan Millman, Riane Eisler, Tom Hayden, et al.

There are times in life when we must act. And when those moments come, we must act with our truest heart, our clearest mind, and our noblest intentions.

November 2 is such a time. On that day, we will take in hand one of the tools for social transformation. We will exercise our right to vote and our responsibility to voice our values and conscience. We will choose a new president and vice president. We, the signers of this letter, after full consideration, careful study, and deep reflection, endorse and recommend John Kerry and John Edwards for these offices. We urge all of you to vote for them. This is a matter of great importance and urgency.

The Kerry\/Edwards ticket is not perfect, and we have many serious disagreements with them, especially in the area of militarism and defense spending. But Howard Dean rightfully cautions us to not let perfection become the enemy of the good. In this election, we have two clear choices. By any standard or measure—policy, ideology, humanity, truthfulness—Kerry is better by far than George W. Bush, and Edwards is better by far than Dick Cheney. We believe their cabinet selections and their many other appointments, including to the Supreme Court, will be better by far than those of George W. Bush. We urge you to register and vote for John Kerry and John Edwards.

There are many reasons to not vote: cynicism, apathy, distrust of candidates, or the conviction that spirit transcends politics and we dare not risk our spiritual brightness by descending into the murky depths of political darkness and intrigue. But these are not legitimate reasons. It is an inappropriate spiritual response to our times to be socially aloof and politically uninvolved. The Dalai Lama encourages us, \"Sometimes we look down on politics, criticizing it as dirty. However, if you look at it properly, politics in itself is not wrong. With good motivation—sincerity and honesty—politics becomes an instrument in the service of society.\"

The self-evident fact of inter-dependence will not allow us to stand on the sidelines of life, to ignore what is happening in our own backyards. We live in society, and society lives in us. This awareness requires responsibility. This awareness requires participation. This awareness requires expression.



We all know from our studies, practice, and experience that the inner and the outer are more than mirror images of each other: they are each other. There is no separation, no difference, no distance between them. This is why the philosopher J. Krishnamurti said, “The crisis is not out there in the world; it is in our own consciousness.” A flower is not separate from its fragrance.

We have been refining our inner consciousness. We have been purifying our inner consciousness. We have been liberating our inner consciousness from the stranglehold of limiting and hurtful beliefs and images and concepts. For years, we have taken this “hero’s journey” to inner truth, freedom, and wisdom in order to become whole and free. But we have not taken this journey for ourselves alone; we have also taken this journey for others and for our world.

It is not just for ourselves that we love wisdom and practice compassion, not just for ourselves that we pursue truth instead of falsehood, not just for ourselves that we ask those fearsome questions that lead to knowledge of the soul. No, it is not just for ourselves that we do this. We do it equally for others. Our very quest for wholeness of being is at its core a service to others. The Kabbalah reminds us, \"First we receive the light, then we impart the light. Thus we repair the world.\" And now it is time to begin healing this world, our world, in the same way we have sought to heal ourselves from the diseases of hatred, violence, and greed; in the same way we have sought to heal our own hearts of anger born of fear, and fear born of separation.

Voting for John Kerry and John Edwards is a positive step towards this social healing. To be sure, it is just one step in a long journey, but one we should all take on November 2.

Signed (as private citizens, not as representatives of any organization):

Robert Rabbin, writer, speaker, creator of TruthForPresident.org

Stephen Mitchell, writer

Rabbi Michael Lerner, author, editor of Tikkun Magazin

John Friend, founder of Anusara Yoga

Dan Millman, author, teacher

Riane Eisler, author of The Chalice & The Blade and The Power of Partnership

Tom Hayden, author, activist, former California legislator

Sharon Steffensen, yoga teacher, editor of YOGAChicago

Saniel Bonder, author, founder of Waking Down in Mutuality work

Judith Whitson, publisher, writer, lecturer, teacher

William W. Whitson, writer, speaker, retired Army officer

Jonathan Granoff, Esq. (Ahamed Muhaiyaddeen), author, screenwriter, speaker, activist

Larry Robinson, Vice-mayor, Sebastopol, CA

Tami Coyne, author, spiritual teacher

Pamela Miles, founder of Institute for the Advancement of Complementary Therapies

Gilles Marin, author, founder of Chi Nei Tsang Institute

Raphael Cushnir, author, spiritual teacher

Stephen Dinan, author of Radical Spirit, progressive activist

Sandra Sedgbeer, publisher of PlanetLightworker & Children of the New Earth

Connie Shaw, publisher of Sentient Publications

Laurie Schryver, psychic, teacher, progressive activist

Robert Skutch, author

Lee Skutch, psychologist

Kanu Kogod, Ph.D, anthropologist, author, founder of Bridges in Organizations

David Lurey, yoga teacher

Debbie Milam, author, Reiki master, president of Unlimited Inspiration

Rev. Laura R. Davis, co-founder of Wisdom & Wellness Expo, Reiki master

Rev. C.J. Davis, spiritual teacher, Reiki master,

Elizabeth Ann Bloom, president of Here There & Beyond, Inc.

Mary Alice O'Connor, interfaith minister

Amy Kahn, yoga teacher

Gina Rabbin, psychic, life and business coach

Chetan Parkyn, author, spiritual teacher

Carolina Eastwood, author, spiritual counselor

Sister Mary Jude Jun, OSU is an Ursuline Sister

© 2004\/Robert Rabbin\/All rights reserved

Robert Rabbin, the creator of this \"Letter,\" is a writer, speaker, and spiritual activist. He is the author of numerous books and articles, and the creator of TruthForPresident.org, an online spiritual activism resource. Visit: http:\/\/www.robrabbin.com<\/a>.

<\/p>\n","contact":"rob@robrabbin.com","link":"http:\/\/www.truthforpresident.org","address":"","phone":"","parent_id":0,"mime_type":"text\/plain","summary":"Spiritual leaders and yoga\/meditation teachers endorse Kerry\/Edwards and urge voter registration and electoral participation.","numcomment":60,"fileurl":"\/uploads\/","filesize":null,"article_url":"\/news\/2004\/08\/116028.php"},"attachments":[],"comments":[{"id":116032,"heading":"The real deal","article":" It's more than just that \u201cThe Kerry\/Edwards ticket is not perfect\u201d because Fascism with a smother face is still the death knoll of liberty and justice and it's still Fascism. The merger of corporate and state policies whether or not one wears a brown shirt with swastika or an American flag pin, is Fascism.\r\n\r\nOne Big Property Party, Part One \r\nhttp:\/\/radio4houston.org\/takingaim\/takingaim040629.m3u \r\nOne Big Property Party, Part Two \r\nhttp:\/\/radio4houston.org\/takingaim\/takingaim040706.m3u\r\n\r\nopens with Real Player.\r\nWe are being played like a tin drum as we get herded like farm animals by fear of OUR government. It's time to make it OURS again.","author":"Sheepdog","parent_id":116028,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","created":"2004-08-24 13:15:53","modified":"2013-11-11 00:30:42","fileurl":"\/usr\/local\/www-domains\/la.indymedia.org\/public\/uploads\/2004\/08\/flag.jpgk7xsss.jpg","image":{"original":"\/usr\/local\/www-domains\/la.indymedia.org\/public\/uploads\/2004\/08\/flag.jpgk7xsss.jpg"}},{"id":116049,"heading":"How did Ghandi...","article":"\r\n\r\n<\/HEAD>\r\n\r\n

defeat the Brits by \r\nmaking \r\nsalt<\/A><\/SPAN>?<\/FONT><\/DIV>\r\n
 <\/DIV>\r\n
Would Ghandi's tactics have worked against Nazi \r\nGermany?<\/FONT><\/DIV>\r\n
 <\/DIV>\r\n
Why not?  <\/FONT><\/DIV>\r\n
 <\/DIV>\r\n
Because fascism declares that "God is \r\ndead".<\/FONT><\/DIV>\r\n
 <\/DIV>\r\n
When Right and Wrong become subjective - defined \r\nsolely by the will of a \r\ntyrannical<\/SPAN> majority - then, so long as the collective agrees,  \r\nmass murder becomes acceptable.<\/FONT><\/DIV>\r\n
 <\/DIV>\r\n
CS Lewis referred to this as "The \r\npoison of subjectivism"
<\/A><\/FONT><\/DIV><\/BODY><\/HTML>\r\n\r\n\r\n","author":"MadMaxim","parent_id":116028,"mime_type":"text\/html","created":"2004-08-24 15:46:43","modified":"2004-08-24 15:46:43","fileurl":""},{"id":116055,"heading":"apologists","article":"but lewis's arguments are far from convincing. he often makes use of such artful apologetic dodges as the false dichotomy (e.g., Jesus as either son of god or madman, with no intermediate possibilities, such as his just having been plain wrong about himself).\r\n\r\nthere are many books available on ethics without the need of a deity. i don't like pain, hunger, getting screwed over , etc., so i try not to inflict these things on others. similarly, i appreciate a helping hand when i'm down, so i do what i can for others. it's rational, with no supernatural baggage.","author":"bert russell","parent_id":116028,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2004-08-24 17:23:57","modified":"2004-08-24 17:23:57","fileurl":""},{"id":116057,"heading":"Rationalization","article":"\r\n\r\n<\/HEAD>\r\n\r\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV>\r\n
"it's rational<\/STRONG>, with no \r\nsupernatural baggage".<\/EM><\/SPAN><\/DIV>\r\n
<\/FONT><\/SPAN> <\/DIV>\r\n
Social \r\nDarwinism is quite rational.  Very useful \r\nfor<\/FONT><\/SPAN> a \r\nrationalizing the implementation of the "final \r\nsolution" by expressing a "will to power". <\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/DIV>\r\n
<\/FONT><\/SPAN> <\/DIV>\r\n
"i don't like pain, hunger, getting \r\nscrewed over , etc., so i try not to inflict these things on \r\nothers"<\/EM><\/SPAN><\/DIV>\r\n
<\/FONT><\/SPAN> <\/DIV>\r\n
But, given that altruism is disposed of by \r\nDawkins "selfish gene", how does the collective react to \r\nnon-conforming individuals - especially when confronted with a scarcity of \r\nreproductive resources?<\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/DIV>\r\n
<\/FONT><\/SPAN> <\/DIV>\r\n
The selfish \r\ngene will always rationalize selfish behavior.  <\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/DIV>\r\n
<\/FONT><\/SPAN> <\/DIV>\r\n
The selfish gene is \r\nthe result of nature.<\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/DIV>\r\n
<\/FONT><\/SPAN> <\/DIV>\r\n
Altruism thus \r\ntranscends nature.<\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/DIV>\r\n
<\/FONT><\/SPAN> <\/DIV>\r\n
Altruism is \r\nSupernatural.<\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/DIV>\r\n
<\/FONT><\/SPAN> <\/DIV>\r\n
"For \r\nGod so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,..." John \r\n3:16<\/A><\/SPAN><\/DIV><\/BODY><\/HTML>\r\n","author":"MadMaxim","parent_id":116028,"mime_type":"text\/html","created":"2004-08-24 19:09:04","modified":"2004-08-24 19:09:04","fileurl":""},{"id":116069,"heading":"social darwinism","article":"actually, social darwinism is neither rational nor scientifically tenable, in that it does not take into account the built-in inequities for members of lower socioeconomic strata as compared with the ruling class in our present economic system.\r\n\r\nas for those who are deviant or disobey agreed upon rules of society, they ought to be rehabilitated if possible, and if not, isolated from society. what's the big deal, it's what we do now, except with an acknowledgement that the standards for accepted behavior (no murder, theft, rape, etc.) come out of a consensus of more or less ordinary folks instead of being imposed by fiat by moses, hammurabi, justinian, mohammed, whoever. once people can accept that, it doesn't matter so much whether or not there's a god, because god is no longer necessary to provide moral guidance.\r\n\r\nps -- no need to quote the new testament...i've read it.","author":"bert russell","parent_id":116028,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2004-08-25 00:29:30","modified":"2004-08-25 00:29:30","fileurl":""},{"id":116070,"heading":"Then genocide is acceptable...","article":"...as long as there is a "consensus of more or less ordinary folks" that says so.\r\n\r\n","author":"MadMaxim","parent_id":116028,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2004-08-25 00:46:51","modified":"2004-08-25 00:46:51","fileurl":""},{"id":116073,"heading":"but...","article":"i don't know anyone personally, nor have i ever, who feels that genocide is an ok thing. racists and holocaust deniers, perhaps, but they are not ordinary people, are they!\r\n\r\nyour comment ignores my earlier statement that i (and many non-religious people) base morals, at least in part, upon what we like and do not like done to us. i wouldn't want my entire ethnic group exterminated, again, at least in part, because it includes me!\r\n\r\ni'll let you have this one, madmaxim, because you have a flair for hyperbole, and i grow tired of this exchange. please excuse that bit of ad hominem, and have a great day.","author":"bert russell","parent_id":116028,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2004-08-25 00:59:00","modified":"2004-08-25 00:59:00","fileurl":""},{"id":116076,"heading":"In Nazi Germany..","article":"\r\n\r\n\r\n