What if Christ of Buddha Returned as a Businessman or Even a Politician?
© 2006 Corinne McLaughlin

    A businessman or a politician, you say?  Impossible!  Never!  But let’s reflect on this a little more deeply. Why do we have such a limited idea—that Christ can return only as a religious leader?  Every religion expects the return of a great Master and some are expecting him very soon:  the Christians expect the return of Christ; Buddhists expect the Maitreya Buddha; Muslims expect the Imam Mahdi; Jews expect the Messiah, etc.

    Last time Christ, Buddha and other great Masters were on earth, they were primarily teachers, helping people learn how to transform themselves individually.  But this time, wouldn’t a Master show us how to transform society as well?

    When Christ was in Palestine 2000 years ago, he shook up expectations by being born poor.  What if this time he challenged our expectations by being very rich and/or powerful in the world?  What if Buddha returned, born as a prince in a palace again—but this time decided not to leave?  Why not?  Throughout history there have been wealthy and powerful leaders who were very spiritually advanced—King Soloman in ancient Israel, Ahknaton in Egypt, Akbar in India, Count St. Germaine in Europe, etc.

    Down through the ages, in every culture, at the hour of greatest need, and in response to humanity’s invocation, a great Master has appeared—from Krishna to Buddha to Christ to Mohammed, etc. This is sometimes referred to as the Doctrine of the Avatars or Divine Messengers.  And God knows, we could use a little help today!

     The key to the return of a great Master is the awareness of the simple truth of God Immanent—the widespread recognition by humanity of the Divinity within each human heart.  By honoring the inner divinity within ourselves and with each person, and helping others to do the same, we help prepare the way for this great return—and guarantee we’ll recognize him when he comes.

     Everything in creation, every atom, every planet, every star holds within its livingness the Presence of Divinity.  It is the fiery light that creates the magnetic love energy vortex we call the electron and the atom.  Our physical bodies are built up of this Presence, as is every other physical form. This is part of the great revelation.  We need only open our eyes--and our hearts and minds--to this living truth.

     We can help precipitate this great event by creating the necessary preconditions—such as cleaning up the corruption in political, business and religious institutions and creating a greater degree of economic well-being through sharing, thus creating peace, for all.

But a Politician or a Businessman???

     What arena needs him more?  Things look pretty dark in politics everywhere in the world today--the abuse of power, the scandalous influence of money, the corruptive power of lobbyists, the over reliance on opinion polls, and fraudulent elections in even the oldest democracies.  Government is at an all time low in the public’s mind.  And culturally, we’re in an extreme anti-hero, anti-leader mood.  Every public figure is minutely scrutinized and quickly attacked for any faults--rightly or wrongly.

     Politics is supposed to be an arena for leadership.  Yet we have so few real leaders—those who are courageous enough to take initiative, stand for principles, and really lead by inspiring people with an uplifting, yet practical, vision of the future.  Most politicians nervously commission a poll to check public opinion before launching a new initiative.

     So why would Christ or Buddha or some great Master do such a crazy thing as return as a politician?  

     Well, for one thing, wouldn’t he look for a way to reach as many people as possible?  A politician could have a national and even a global platform from which to reach humanity.  Through the miracle of modern communication, he could address every issue of modern life, as politics increasingly covers it all.

     As a practical matter, what better way to get instant media attention than to run for national office?

     Maybe a great Master would get his start as an enlightened businessman, selling a product or service that was beneficial and truly needed and perhaps even visionary.    Can you imagine what he’d do differently than the typical man or woman in business?  Visualizing this is a very interesting and powerful exercise.  This type of meditation can make a significant contribution in preparing the way for his return.

He could show us how it’s possible take care of your employees, protect the environment, give back to your local community--and still make a profit.  He’d care for both the material and spiritual aspects of his employees, without laying a religious trip on anyone.  He could demonstrate how to have a clear sense of purpose and a willingness to stand for principle, with skill in action. He might even take his company into the international arena and demonstrate the importance of creating good working conditions in developing countries.

The Example of the Dalai Lama

      An experience I had sometime ago in a dialogue with the Dalai Lama and his government in exile in India catalyzed something in my thinking. If such an advanced soul in the Buddhist tradition reincarnates time after time to head the Tibetan government, why could this not happen in the Christian tradition—or Islamic or Jewish tradition?  How far fetched can it be for Christ to return as a politician?  Imagine someone with the compassion and wisdom of The Dalai Lama in a western democracy.  Why not?

    If Christ returned as a politician, he would embody, yet transcend, Christian doctrine and appeal to all faiths, just as The Dalai Lama transcends Buddhism. Likewise if he were Jewish or Muslim or Hindu. He would most likely transform political institutions, just as The Dalai Lama is now doing by introducing democracy into the Tibetan government in exile.

    What kind of changes would the Christ make if he were elected as President of the United States, for example?  Could he help us create an enlightened democracy where conditions are optimal for everyone’s spiritual growth and true happiness?

How Would We Recognize Him?

    Given the sorry state of politics, you’d think that someone with any degree of light, compassion and integrity would stand out dramatically.  But how many people recognized Christ when he was in Palestine 2,000 years ago? How many recognized Buddha, Krishna, Moses, or Mohammed at first?

    A great Master who returned would probably be low key at first, acting as a unifier, rather than a divider of people, without needing to take credit for his good work.  If he showed up in the U.S., perhaps he would run for a seat in a state legislature or Congress.  He would not only give inspired talks, but he would actually “walk the talk.”  That would be really unusual in politics!  He would set a standard, showing that integrity and wisdom can be popular.  This might help other politicians do the same. 

     At first, most of the public might only see a politician whose ideas they may agree or disagree with.  He might only be recognized by those who are more advanced spiritually, as they would be more sensitive and so would recognize his higher vibration.  They would also respond intuitively to the wisdom of his ideas and would support his work.

      They would recognize him also by his compassion, humility, and universality—embracing all kinds of people from all religions.  He wouldn’t insist that people worship him, but rather ask that they try to live as he does, embodying the great virtues found in all spiritual traditions.

     Christ was only recognized by the masses when he worked miracles, healing people and raising men from the dead.  Maybe this time we won’t need to experience dramatic powers to accept him.  We would be more ready for him within ourselves, because we have recognized our own Christed nature or Buddha nature, the God within each of us.  Then we could more truly recognize him for who he is. 

     If we met him in person, wouldn’t we recognize him by the depth of love in his eyes?  Wouldn’t we be affected by the power of his energy field?  Wouldn’t his words be intelligent and insightful, stimulating our intuition?  He would have infinite patience in teaching us again and again to love all and forgive all. 

    Like The Dalai Lama, wouldn’t he love his enemies—even if they had killed his people and destroyed their culture?  He would treat them fairly and would see his enemies as his greatest teachers.  He would observe the whole karmic history of each person or group and thus be more understanding.

What Effects Would He Have on Our World?

     If a great Master returned, he would bring out the very best in each of us when we are  in his presence. He would embody a deep and unshakable integrity that couldn’t be corrupted.

     He would be courageous and innovative, but would also know the value of dialoguing with those who disagree with him. He would listen to views on all sides of an issue and find higher common ground. He would follow through on all his promises, and encourage other politicians to do the same.  Maybe then people would trust politicians again. 

     He would courageously stand for principles, regardless of the political cost. He wouldn’t need to consult polls to know the heart of his people.  He would naturally work for the highest good of the greatest number.

     In meeting with other world leaders, he would hold them to a higher standard. He would respect them as peers and would find solutions to problems that would benefit the good of all nations, not just his own country.  He would most likely support the United Nations, as it represents the soul of humanity—a united humanity working together to solve international problems—and find ways to make it more effective.

Would He Be a Liberal or a Conservative?

     Ah, yes, the big question.  If he ran for office in the U.S., he might shake things up by running as a “trans-partisan”—transcending and transforming old political categories, taking the best of both liberal and conservative perspectives and creating a higher synthesis.  Isn’t it time we move beyond the deadlock and polarization in politics today?  If we’re really honest with ourselves, isn’t there a grain of truth on each side of any political issue?

    For example, like the liberals, a great Master might promote policies that provide for the needs of the poor, the sick and the old.  But like the conservatives, he would also develop policies that help people learn how to help themselves and become more self-sufficient. He would have the wisdom of Soloman in deciding about controversial issues like abortion, perhaps getting both sides to work together to prevent unwanted pregnancies and make adoptions more easily available.

But--What if He Were a She?

     Hold on--let’s not automatically assume that a great Master would return as a white male!  Perhaps Christ would return as a woman—even a Black, Asian or Hispanic woman.  Why not?  She would be unusually strong and courageous as a woman, centered in herself and confident of her own abilities.  Whether a male or female, she or he would have both the archetypal male qualities of dynamism and daring, and the feminine qualities of gentleness and compassion.  Just as Jesus did 2,000 years ago in Palestine.  And as Buddha did in India. And as every great Master and Teacher in all religious traditions down through the ages did.

     Maybe this time, a great Master would not be coming to correct our mistakes and cleanup the mess we’ve made. Rather, he or she would come to establish the principles and techniques for creating right relationships, as this is the foundation of everything.

  And maybe this time s/he wouldn’t have to work miracles to be recognized by the masses.  Unless you realize it’s a miracle to have an informed citizenry actively engaged in their democracy and a world at peace, with abundance for all.