It is only with the eye, and heart, and mind of God that Karma can be weighed in order to determine what causes have elicited what effects, and what place Grace or mercy shall play in the evaluation of these causes. Karma is both an 'impersonal' force within the Universe - the Law of Cause and Effect balancing what goes out with what comes back. But it is also a force whose operation is held within the mind and heart of God, and in this sense alone it can be considered 'personal' as well.

         What this means is that the out-picturing of Karma can be affected by Grace, superceded by Grace, even suspended by Grace, when an individual repays in full measure of intensity their debt of energy to the universe. The origin of this debt may have accrued over many lifetimes, yet, in the case of negative Karma, when the moment is right, a sufficient amount of recognition, feeling, remorse, accompanied by a crying out to God, can, sometimes in the space of a moment, wipe the slate clean. The love and mercy of God can forgive or lessen the consequences of what would otherwise be an impersonal force through the Heart of God, which is the Christ consciousness.

     Bearing this in mind, we can never say that there is a one-to-one correlation between an action taken and an action returned. There is a correlation, but very much depends upon the circumstances that led up to the action, the intention held while carrying it out, and the healing of consciousness within the individual or nation that may take place following the action. Nevertheless, all actions, thoughts, and emotional energies that emerge from our consciousness elicit Karma, that is, the return of a similar energy to us in the course of time.

     We, as a nation, generate Karma not only in the present, but from our past as well.

     We are accountable for the actions of our pilgrims in relation to the native peoples they encountered.

     We are accountable for the actions of our governments in relation to the land that was taken from these peoples.

     We are accountable for the institution of slavery which formed part of our historical foundation and for the legacy of racism which remained even after slavery was abolished.

     We are accountable for our incursions into the territories of other countries that we sought to impose our will upon, and for the lack of interest in still other countries, both near and far, when they cried out to us for help. All that we have done as a nation, past and present, generates our national Karma.

     While we are accountable for harm that we have done to others, both past and present, and for neglecting to act when it was needed, at the same time we are also accountable for the goodness that we have generated. For the fact that:

     Since our founding in 1776 we have held free elections - a tribute to democratic process that has been stable for more than 200 years.

     We have not overthrown our duly constituted governments by violent means.

     We have striven to respect the rights of individuals as defined by our constitution.

     We have striven to uphold the freedom of each of our citizens and to offer them due process of law.

     We have made efforts to establish equality among diverse groups within a pluralistic society, and,

     We have welcomed the poor and destitute from elsewhere within our borders so that they could taste freedom and participate in the life of opportunity that was and still continues to be offered here.

     In the presence of whatever mistakes we have made, and there have been many, we have continued to uphold democracy and the ideals of liberty.

     All this gets added up upon the scales of Karma. It is weighed within the mind of God and we, as a people, both government and governed, are held accountable. Of course for us as individuals, national Karma is not the only source of our individual Karma nor even the primary one, for there are many things that our nation and our government has done that we, as individuals, have had little or no say in. Nevertheless, national Karma is part of the composite karmic picture for every individual within every nation.

     What does all this mean for us, the United States of America, now that we have, within the last century, participated in two World Wars, created a bomb that had never before been seen, then used it in Hiroshima and Nagasake, fought a war in Korea then one in Vietnam, and are now fighting a 'war against terrorism' - a war that has no boundaries either in time or space - a war that will continue for as long as we deem it to be necessary.

     What does it mean as we occupy territories of other nations, theoretically to liberate them from terrorism or from despotism, but in fact to preserve our own national security and national self-interest? What does it mean, that we are seen as imperialists, as 'occupiers' rather than 'liberators', as arrogant and superior in our ways of relating to the Arab world, much of which has come to hate us?

     What does it mean? It means that we, as a people and as a nation must wake up to our responsibility - to find a means of relating to the life of the world other than by being the greatest 'superpower' of all time.

     Our identity as 'superpower' must transform itself into an identity as advocate for the welfare of all.

     Our isolationism must transform itself into a globalism which would prompt those in positions of decision-making to allow our share of the world's wealth and resources, inequitably distributed at present, to be shared with all.

     Our protectionism of self in the sense of 'national self-interest' must be replaced by a desire to protect the physical earth which we all share, and,

     Our self-righteousness and moral superiority in relation to other cultures that we don't understand must be transformed into a willingness to accord dignity and respect to all who are different from us.

     It is only through the transformation of our consciousness that the national Karma we have acquired can ultimately be mitigated and transformed. There are many, many good things that we, as the United States of America, have done, not just for ourselves, but for all people. Yet, there are also many things that we have left undone, that we have given only lip-service to doing, that have caused the world and the peoples of the world to be treated indifferently at best, and harmed, at worst.

     It is time for us to become accountable. Our very existence as a free and virtuous nation, founded on the highest ideals of mankind, is at stake. As individuals and as a nation, it is time for us to become accountable not only for our actions, but for our consciousness which gives rise to these actions. We each may feel very small in our capacity to influence those who govern in our name, but we are in fact large. If our consciousness demands truth, then our leaders will become more truthful. If our consciousness requires selflessness and we each start thinking selflessly, then our governing officials will have a new directive guiding them. And if having more becomes less important so that others may thrive, then the foundations of much of what drives us today, economically and politically, will change.

     We can change the Karma of a nation by changing ourselves and our consciousness. Only in this way will those who govern, ultimately become accountable to the fact that we share one Earth and that we are one people.

"Bush sorry medical group left Afghanistan." (Aug. 3, 2004)http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/international/AP-Bush-Afghanistan.html

A sad commentary and follow-up regarding the group, Medicins Sans Frontieres, which is leaving Afghanistan after 24 years of working there. MSF's stated reasons are in the article as are the President's comments.


"All the Pretty Words." NY Times (Aug. 2, 2004) http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/02/opinion/02herbert.html

An op-ed piece by Bob Herbert regarding the difference between 'truth' on the campaign trail and within political officialdom, and the practical realities of life. Herbert writes: "Unfortunately, we've become a society addicted to the fantasy of a quick fix. We want our solutions encompassed in a sound bite. We want our leaders to manipulate reality to our liking."

     This article is not about Afghanistan but includes it in the list of media-enforced images which enter the public domain that depart from what ground observers know to be true.


"MSF pulls out of Afghanistan." (July 28, 2004)http://www.msf.org/countries/page.cfm?articleid=8851DF09-F62D-47D4-A8D3EB1E876A1E0D

A moving testimony to this group's long dedication to the cause of humanitarian service and its present view on why this is no longer possible.


Other articles of interest:

"Deepening Anti-U.S. Rage Casts Doubt on Iraq Leaders' Ability to Restore Order." (Aug. 7, 2004)
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0807-04.htm

Analysis: Interpreting Islam. (July 9, 2004)http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3880151.stm

"Evicted from camp, Sudan refugees suffer in limbo." (Aug. 3, 2004) http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/03/international/africa/03darf.html

     Elected officials, governments, corporate leaders, candidates, national and international non-governmental agencies, can have goals and plans to reach these goals that are not made public. These plans are not necessarily 'secret'. They may just be private, in the sense that we all have private things that only those we choose to share them with will know. These private things become 'hidden agendas' when the stated goal or cultivated image of an official, government, corporation, or agency is put forth within the public domain in order to cover-up or conceal other plans or aims that the public would either disapprove of or seek to prevent, if known.

     Subterfuge and deception are practices that are deliberate. They include misrepresenting known facts, hiding documents from exposure, concealing intentions to break the law - either national or international, and most especially, using a public display of partial truth - that is, a plan which represents a portion of what is genuinely operating as motive - in order to cover up a more basic truth that would not be palatable.

     To know that individuals, agencies, governments, and groups can have hidden agendas, can prompt us to become more discerning regarding truth and truthfulness. Disillusionment, which often leads to despair, anger, or withdrawal in the presence of dishonesty from those in positions of power or leadership, is not of value here. It is not constructive. What is of value is the growing ability of each of us to tell, moment to moment, speech to speech, situation to situation, who is speaking with greater truth and who with lesser.

     Our capacity for discernment must grow by listening. But listening is not enough. We must also pray for clarity and light to enter our awareness so that we can hear clearly. It is not enough to hear with our own ears. We must hear with the ears of our soul and with the ears of the spiritual realms and God. Without the alignment of prayer to perceive truth, we become involved with opinion and are susceptible to the distortions that our personalities impose on our view of events. With alignment with light and God, we grow in our capacity to distinguish truth from falsehood and light from darkness. This has always been important, but it is especially important now that the stakes are so high for our safety in this country and for the safety of the world. We need to know, as best we can, what is operating behind the scenes in our movement into Afghanistan, into Iraq, with the Saudis, with Israel, and of course domestically, just to name a few critical areas. These are powerful involvements, and they require of us an equally strong intention to see clearly so that we can know more - not from the media, but from within ourselves, about what is going on.


         In this context, here is an example of 'truth' questioned by former presidential-hopeful Howard Dean during a recent CNN interview, http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0804-10.htm>http

And another article giving voice to the widespread uncertainty regarding this same subject - the raised terrorist alert. (Aug. 5, 2004) http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/05/politics/05react.html?hp<

In a similar vein, the following article concerns itself with U.S. involvement during the first Gulf War in Iraq - Operation Desert Storm:

The Lies We Are Told About Iraq. (Jan. 5, 2003)
http://www.commondreams.org/views03/0105-02.htm


         There are many other writings and opinions concerning U.S. motives for military engagement in Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia, and elsewhere, that speak to the hidden side of world events. Some are more informational; some more angry; some seem bent on just being oppositional. Here, as everywhere, the need to pursue truth is our only defense against falsehood and misrepresentation. This pursuit, combined with alignment with light and God, is necessary in order that we remain steadfast in relation to purity in the midst of all that would obscure it.



Israel plans settlement expansion in the West Bank.

         Related to the everpresent need to examine motives and motivation, a situation of great importance and potential consequence is presently being generated by Israel's decision to pursue the building of new homes within the West Bank. What makes the situation ambiguous, is that the stakes are so high in terms of the increased enmity that such an action arouses - not only among Arab countries but in world opinion as well - that it is difficult to see how this course can continue to be pursued. It should also be noted that Israel's present stance contradicts its former commitment to pursue the goals of the 'roadmap to peace' which included not building more settlements in occupied areas.

"Israel Confiscates Thousands of Acres of Settlement Land to Build Israeli Wall" (June 14, 2004)http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0614-10.htm

"Israeli Settlements Control Nearly Half of West Bank" (May 14, 2002)http://www.commondreams.org/headlines02/0514-04.htm

Should Israel end settlement activities? (BBC online readers speak out): http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3531396.stm