There Are No Others

Much of the rhetoric of this election focuses on our differences. Lines are drawn between types of people. Between Americans and foreigners, legal and illegal immigrants, Republicans and Democrats, red and blue states, conservatives and liberals, pro-life and pro-choice, north and south, white and black, gay and straight, fascist and socialist, Christian and non-Christian, Jew and Muslim, and on and on and on and on. 

I understand why differences can seem like a big deal. But the differences seem inconsequential compared to what unites us. When I look at people who are “different” from me, I see variety but not separateness. There is a visceral feeling of unity. We are one human family. 

I like old photographs. Especially those from the early years of photography. I do not get onto Facebook much except to post links to this blog. When I do, I take some time to look at short motion pictures and still photographs of ordinary people in the 1890’s and 1900’s.  

I look at these pictures, and I see family. It does not matter if they are related to me or not; they are family. I look at their eyes staring into the camera lens, and I see myself staring back. I recognize myself in those eyes. It does not matter what race or gender the people are, or their nationality, ethnicity, economic class or religion. I see myself. 

I mean this quite literally. We share 99.9% of our DNA with every other human being. We are only one-tenth of one percent different. Physically we are nearly identical. Also we are one spiritually. We share one soul, if you want to call it that. Emerson called it the Over-Soul. Perhaps a better word is Spirit. I don’t know what to call our common nature, but I see it. 

For that reason I cannot see people as other than me. They are me. If we realize this deep truth, then our behavior reflects the truth. Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.... Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.”  

That is why Moses told the Israelites, “You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.” JFK had it right. “Ich bin ein Berliner.” I am the foreigner. I am the immigrant.   

I am the extremist on the far end of the political spectrum. I am the enemy, which is why Jesus told is to love our enemies. I am the misogynist, the bigot and the racist. I am the transgender person. I am the queer person. I am the prisoner and the prison guard. I am the Gazan. I am the Israeli. I am the atheist and the Christian nationalist.  

Looking at it from another perspective, I am none of these. These are just labels that draw attention to differences that we have invented. They are not real. Instead of calling attention to the differences, let’s pay attention to our common identity. Our true identity is the oneness that we share.  

That common identity fosters love instead of hate. It encourages generosity instead of greed. It produces kindness instead of meanness. It means that we care about the well-being of our neighbor as well as ourselves. “Love your neighbor as yourself,” Jesus said. That is because your neighbor is yourself.  

The Indian sage Ramana was once asked, “How should I treat others?” He responded, “There are no others.” We are the other. That goes for other creatures also. We are the other creatures with whom we share this planet. You can experience that for yourself simply by looking into the eyes of an animal. There are no others. There are only other forms of our greater Self.