Political partisanship and "collective karma"?

[Arthur E Gregory]

Since I'm fairly new on this forum I don't know if this has been discussed before so I decided to just throw it out here...!

I would say for myself that I believe in being informed.. so I might attend a program that informs people about various positions politically or I might discuss various issues but where I draw the line is on partisanship.

My own experience tells me that when we become partisans we're locked in to one approach that is usually controlled by someone else..through the necessity to "act" collectively and there's a cost I think to that..

I think there could be something I would call a collective group "karma", so if you align yourself in a partisan way with a political group you are also buying into an extent what that group does and has done to be where they are..

There can be a lot of noble goals or objectives to a political group that are attractive

but sometimes there are less well known factors that have shaped a political organization and that's where I believe you can be affected even without being particularly aware of it.

You could also become involved in actions that normally you wouldn't involve yourself if you were more independent in thought

or you might have your own principles compromised.

[christinaleestemaker]

Heh heh the moderaters throw this spammer Joy out of the game, after I send message, if this stay here, we all can check out.

[christinaleestemaker]

I see we have a perrot here!!!! She use Nabils words. to promote her spam!!!!

[Ramona McKnight]

I think there's group "karma" that affects us all to a certain degree. It could be political, social, family especially, nationally, religious. It is is said that we incarnate with those around us in our lives to learn and grow. When I lived outside the States I saw through the rest of the world's perspective. Looking back on us, I was seen as part of my countrymen by them, although sometimes I felt that I transcended my gender, nationality, etc. I felt like I was on the outside looking in. During the 9/11 fiasco as we were in pain, it got to my core too, just like the rest of the world. We all felt it...I think it's always good to step back and see where you are. My experience there I stood on the fence and watched how much we were the same more than our external differences...I'll never trade that experience for anything.

[Arthur E Gregory]

Ramona,

Thank you for your post! and your excellent comment:

When I lived outside the States I saw through the rest of the world's perspective. Looking back on us, I was seen as part of my countrymen by them, although sometimes I felt that I transcended my gender, nationality, etc.

I wonder too about all the karmic connections that went on around and before that disaster.. How actions lead to reactions and ultimately the build up of energy that leads to what we call a disaster.. and reactions to that and it goes on and on and is still going on.. action-reaction, etc.

What, now, is "karmically unwholesome?"

In Bodily Action it is destruction of living beings; stealing; and unlawful sexual intercourse.

In Verbal Action it is lying; tale-bearing; harsh language; and frivolous talk.

In Mental Action it is covetousness; ill-will; and wrong views.

And what is the root of unwholesome karma?

Greed is a root of unwholesome karma;

Anger is a root of unwholesome karma; Delusion is a root of unwholesome karma.

[The state of greed, as well as that of anger, is always accompanied by delusion; and delusion, ignorance, is the primary root of all evil.]

Therefore, I say, these demeritorious actions are of three kinds:

either due to greed, or due to anger, or due to delusion.

((The Eightfold Path), Buddha, the Word (The Eightfold Path))