Question:

I hung up the phone last night after talking to my best friend of 30 years. I haven't been able to think of anything else, since then. So, I decided I needed to ask someone I admire to help me understand. She and I have spent so much time learning about different paths to spirituality, reading The Power of Now, Conversations With God together, and traveling to Las Vegas to see all of you wonderful teachers at the "I Can Do It" Events. So my question is this: She told me on the phone that the Mexican immigrants are ruining everything in CA. They take jobs away from us and don't want to work just drain the government, etc. She called President Obama the Anti-Christ. She said he's going to make medical care into socialism, etc.

How can I reconcile this behavior with who I thought she was and accept or help her see exactly what she is saying. I tried to ask her where she got those facts and she said, "I do my research". Am I crazy? It just seems that the "right wing extreme positions" (I don't know how to describe that) cannot coincide with A Course in Miracle's teaching of love and acceptance and abundance for all. Help me, I don't want to lose my dear friend but I don't know how to talk about things with her anymore. Thank you for any insight you may have for me.

Answer:

It helps to remember that her political views are only her views, they aren’t who she is. You can still love and respect her fully for who she truly is, regardless of whether you agree with her positions on immigration and health care. I understand that this is a big adjustment from your long-term friendship of 30 years, where you enjoyed sharing ideas of self-empowerment through love and the development of consciousness.

This is a far cry from worrying about the Anti-Christ and Socialism, but for whatever reason, that is a part of her path now. Even though it is not your path, you can still hold her as a friend if you can agree to interact in the other areas of interests you hold in common that are non-confrontational. You don’t need to try to convince each other of your respective ideas. Then agree to respect each other based on who you actually are, not based on your beliefs.

Love,
Deepak

Author's Bio: 

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