Moving Forward to America’s Spiritual Renaissance

May 2021

“We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory will swell when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.”  Excerpt from Abraham Lincoln’s Inaugural Address, March 4, 1861

“The thoughts of worldly men are forever regulated by a moral law of gravitation, which, like the physical one, holds them down to earth. The bright glory of day, and the silent wonders of a starlit night, appeal to their minds in vain. There are no signs in the sun, or in the moon, or in the stars, for their reading. They are like some wise men, who, learning to know each planet by its Latin name, have quite forgotten such small heavenly constellations as Charity, Forbearance, Universal Love, and Mercy, although they shine by night and day so brightly that the blind may see them; and who, looking upward at the spangled sky, see nothing there but the reflection of their own great wisdom and book-learning…

“It is curious to imagine these people of the world, busy in thought, turning their eyes towards the countless spheres that shine above us, and making them reflect the only images their minds contain…So do the shadows of our own desires stand between us and our better angels, and thus their brightness is eclipsed.”  Charles Dickens, 1841

The Premise

If one wishes to clean a polluted river, and the contamination originates upstream, then any attempt to do this by first trying to clean the downstream presents an unachievable goal.

When a society is suffering from increasing social ills and health crises of both a physical and psychological nature, which appear resistant to traditional solutions or cures, it may be time to consider an innovative approach. That new approach might be to look at society’s condition from an objective spiritual viewpoint.

As with the example of a polluted river, perhaps the solution for many societal ills may lie in the spiritual upstream.

With that assumption, we may be on the verge of finding innovative keys to unlocking many of our intractable and seemingly insoluble social problems.

If we were to conclude that “purifying the upstream” is a key to positive change and sustainable improvements for our nation, then what steps might we initially consider taking?

Some traditions believe that spiritual weakness in an individual is related to negative karma. If we accepted that assumption, could we not assume that the same principle might apply to societies and nations?

The Weight of America’s Past

The next question which may arise is: what is the negative karma of America? If it may be assumed that the nation’s karma is the collective karma of all the individuals and families since early times, that presents a rather overwhelming prospect. As a major factor, wars dramatically escalate karma with the massive numbers of violent deaths and injuries. This is then compounded with the negative emotions multiplied through networks of families and friends, their ancestors and their descendants.

Another factor from America’s past is the slave trade. Millions of family lives were horrifically disrupted, millions of souls suffered and died in dungeons and the revolting cruelty of slave ships; an endless life of slavery awaited those souls who survived. All of this contributes to a great karmic burden. 

Yet another negative factor adding a terrible historic burden to the sub-conscious conscience of the nation is the genocide of Native American tribes. 

The reckless destruction of America’s incredible wealth of nature and the extinction of many species of flora and fauna is also a collective responsibility of breathtaking proportions. Blowing up mountaintops and wiping out delicate eco–systems by filling in pristine valleys with toxic mining waste in West Virginia is just one of countless examples of the cruel destruction continuing today. After reforms in the early 20th Century to restrain some of the excesses of the meatpacking industry, after the heyday of the Robber Barons in the late 19th Century, we now have the regulatory agencies dominated by the interests they were intended to supervise. This applies to all State and Federal regulatory agencies, with few exceptions. This is referred to as “regulatory capture”.

The consequences of the relatively recent act of unleashing the atomic bomb’s technology upon humanity and the earth should give us pause to consider the spiritual implications. The original dream of “atoms for peace” has been far outweighed by the risks unleashed.

If there is a causal connectivity to all these karmic challenges, one might understand why social, health and environmental ills may be so serious and why institutional dysfunction is increasingly intractable. 

Moving Towards Solutions

So how do we attempt to solve these problems? How do we purify the upstream of America in order to generate sustainable improvements in the quality of life? The problems seem insoluble, at least through the application of human wisdom.

Of course, if each one of us tries to purify our spirit, mind and body, we would gradually transform our nation in a gradual and organic manner. We would create the synergy for an emerging virtuous circle and cycle. Accomplishing meritorious deeds individually and collectively would all contribute to this in a positive manner. To paraphrase Maimonides, writing in the 12th Century, “Each person should see themselves as though the entire world is on a delicate balance, and with one deed, including prayer, he or she can tip the scales.”

There are enlightened individuals and groups throughout the United States who might be envisioned as “points of light”. Is there a way in which we, as a society, can collectively make a quantum leap forward towards America’s spiritual purification, and, at the same time, connect the “points of light” across the nation? The critical mass of enlightened individuals needed to leverage positive change seems to be insufficient, but perhaps this is due to their being disconnected.

Is there a way to progress towards a New Eden, the Pure Land of Buddhism [Appendix A: The Chuson-ji Dedication] and the Peaceable Kingdom envisioned by William Penn (1644 – 1718) and as expressed in the painting of that name [Appendix B: Edward Hicks (1780 – 1849)]?

However brief, it has been possible to achieve periods of peace and enlightenment in history such as Chuson-ji in the 12th Century and the Pays d’Oc, prior to 1209. Here in America, in addition to Quaker communities, the Shakers reached a high point of 18 model communities in 1836, prior to the Civil War. 

America cannot achieve a firm basis for material prosperity or physical health until it first achieves a spiritual renaissance. A possible new beginning on the path to cooperative progress may be opened up through the power of a sincere national prayer of apology for past and present errors. In theory there is a national day of prayer on the first Thursday in May of each year. If offered with humility, a unified and sincere prayer may move us forward more quickly towards our spiritual rebirth. If many different religions and spiritual traditions join together in a common prayer, we could amplify the power of that prayer and progress towards the spiritual renaissance of America.

Thomas Jefferson wrote, “I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that his justice cannot sleep forever.” Let us take action so that justice may be tempered with mercy through our voluntary contrition.

Appendix A.

Lord Kiyohira of Oshu Fujiwara in the early 12th Century established a large community of temples that were based on the principles of Buddhism. An excerpt from the Dedication Pledge indicates the purpose of the community which was to manifest the Pure Land ideal. All travelers were to be greeted affectionately and receive blessings.

Excerpt from the Dedication Pledge for Chuson-ji (1126)

“The tolling of this bell resounds throughout all worlds, removing pain and comforting all people equally…how many have fallen in battles in the history of time? And not just humans. Animals, birds, fish, shellfish – uncountable life forms are still being sacrificed for our living…Their souls have all departed for the Next World; but their bones, having crumbled to become earth’s dust, remain on this land, filled with resentment.”

Appendix B.

The vision of an American “peaceable kingdom” envisioned by William Penn was expressed by Edward Hicks (1780 – 1849), the Quaker folk painter and minister. Hicks used his paintings as a way to define the quest for redemption. He was influenced by the Quaker belief referred to as the Inner Light. Hicks depicted humans and animals to represent the Inner Light's idea of breaking barriers to individuals working and living together in peace. This concept is also exemplified by showing Native Americans meeting William Penn and the Quaker community. The Treaty of Pennsylvania with the local Native Americans created a state of peace desired by the Quaker community founders, as a matter of principle. This treaty was one of the very few that were ever honored, even though only during Penn’s lifetime.

Jim MacLellan is Deputy Director of the Forum 21 Institute

He was an attendee of the Spirituality and Sustainability Conferences held in Rome and Assisi, Italy.