“We have it in our power to begin the world over again.” – Thomas Paine

I honestly believed, when my Spirit directed me to start this Lean/Six Sigma project on America, I was simply going to be developing and sharing some political opinions with you. I would sift through data and results, investigate the process, look at what we are doing, what we have done, what we hope to do, map out a value stream, and then share my thoughts, ideas, and assessments on what might be a better way to get there.  Period.  I knew bankruptcy wasn’t the best answer, so I thought I’d drop my preconceived ideas and instead, see if I could discover a good solution for us.

“It takes time to persuade men to do even what is for their own good.” – Thomas Jefferson

The Spiritual enlightenment that has accompanied this journey, what I now think was the whole point of it in the first place, is not what I thought I was seeking… funny how that works.  In any case, I didn’t expect that I would discover Life’s enlightenment, the message of the Ages, the reason we have religions, and the purpose of our lives – by looking at this complete mess of thing we call politics.  Now I know better…

“Those who say religion has nothing to do with politics do not know what religion is.” – Mahatma Gandhi

I get it now.  I firmly believe that is why we are called “God’s country” – one simply cannot earnestly look at the US, our purpose, our political structure, and our history, without revealing God’s message in the process.  The US is not just some abbreviation for United States, I assure you.  I understand what they meant when they said the US was the beacon for the World and why we called it capitol hill.  For our nation sits like a flashing neon sign, brightly displaying God’s message for the World to see:  “We the People = Us.”

“Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.” – Matthew 5:14

Here’s the honest truth from a fool, yours truly; until recently, I didn’t know what the “enlightenment” of our golden “Age of Enlightenment” was.  For any others out there working so hard every day that you’ve forgotten the enlightened message, here it is:  “We are an Us,” that is the enlightenment, and that is God’s message, pure and simple.

“And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand.” – Matthew 12:25

An Age of Enlightenment is simply an age in which the World recognizes that it is a Body, an Us, it is a period of time in which the Body becomes self-aware, and then good people try to promote the Body.  Early followers of The Way called it the Body of Christ, Emerson referred to it as an Over-Soul, but regardless of what you call Us, an Age of Enlightenment occurs when We internalize that we truly and literally are a Life… and then realize that We should not war with our Self.  

“The World is my country, all mankind are my brethren, and to do good is my religion.” – Thomas Paine

“I never considered a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, as cause for withdrawing from a friend.” – Thomas Jefferson

So what do you say, Us?  You ready to become self-aware again?  Ready to open our eyes to what We the People are?  Are you ready to surrender to the fact that we are all in this together?  Are you ready to accept the white flag of peace, unity, and brotherhood, enter the next phase of our development, the one where we simply grow?  Because Lord knows I am.  Peace is yours, it is ours, if only We so choose it.  Come on my friend, what say you?

“All for One, and one for All.” – Alexandre Dumas

There was a point in time when an enlightened We the People recognized that, if we leave it up to us good people, if we do our utmost to take the power out of the hands of our Government and our Wealthy, if instead we rely on the good Spirit our Creator provided us… we will find Peace.

It’s why we tried to keep our Government powers limited, why we must police our Banking industry, why we tried to stay out of the World Wars, and why We’ve been trying to promote democracy ever since.  It’s taken a while, it’s been a long road, but I feel we’re on the cusp… do you feel it too?  Or am I crazy?

“A question that sometimes drives me hazy: am I or are the others crazy?” – Albert Einstein

The Arab Spring, the wars abroad winding down, Democracy and Freedom spreading it’s seed… Iran willing to talk, a new leader in North Korea, talk of another Israeli-Palestinian peace conference, our troops leaving the East…  Al-Qaeda’s support diminishing around the globe, it’s leader eliminated, its ideology of Fear, Hate, and Anger destined for deaf ears.

“Every religion is good that teaches man to be good; and I know of none that instructs him to be bad.” – Thomas Paine

The connectivity of our flat world, the internet, the worldwide effects of economic collapse, international corporations, UN peace brokers, camera phones, language translators… do you feel Us coming together into another Age of Enlightenment?  My good friends around the globe, black/white, Jew/Muslim, male/female, gay/straight, even/odd, day/night, east/west – all of Us good folks everywhere, could our Body finally be settling into itself?

“An association of men who will not quarrel with one another is a thing which has never yet existed, from the greatest confederacy of nations down to a town meeting or a vestry.” – Thomas Jefferson

But it could be if enough of us choose peace and love – for it truly is our decision.  And although I can’t speak for you, I still have the faith…

“Competition has been shown to be useful up to a certain point and no further, but cooperation, which is the thing we must strive for today, begins where competition leaves off.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt

So I ask you, has our warring past forever defined our future, or are We finally ready to embrace one another as brothers and sisters in this One World, this One Body?  Could this be the beginning of another “Age of Enlightenment,” a World at Peace, a realization of the New Testament and the end of the great commission… could this be what the Mayans somehow marked as Dec 2012?

“Out of many, One.” – Great Seal of the United States (E Pluribus Unum)

I don’t know, but I’m praying that somehow, someway, the “End of Days” the Mayans spoke of was the end of those days… and the beginning of a New World.

“A people free to choose will always choose peace.” – Ronald Reagan

Yours in Faith for a better America and a better World.