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We, the Centers for Spiritual Living, are profoundly concerned by the recent ICE raids in Los Angeles and the President’s subsequent deployment of National Guard troops and the Marines. While we all agree that sound and rational immigration policy is important, these actions were taken without the consent of California’s governor. These events have inflicted deep wounds on communities already living under fear and uncertainty.
At the heart of Science of Mind is the recognition that every individual is a divine expression, deserving of dignity, respect and justice. Recent events highlight a fundamental injustice against humanity. During workplace raids and unchecked deportations — some occurring without warrants or legal representation — due process has been openly ignored. Many detainees, including longtime residents and parents, are being kept in crowded, inhumane conditions without basic necessities. Some have been deported under misleading circumstances, lacking proper paperwork altogether.
Dr. Ernest Holmes challenges us: “All the power of the universe is with you. Feel it, know it and then act as though it were true.”
Let these words inspire moral courage and wise action. The raids and military style response do not express life, peace or justice. Instead, they sow terror, erode trust and trample on essential constitutional rights that safeguard every person’s humanity.
The use of military force against civilians exercising peaceful protest, and the absence of legal protections, are profoundly inconsistent with the Science of Mind and the spirit of our nation. We stand in solidarity with Governor Newsom, Mayor Bass, legal advocates and all those who affirm that no person should be deprived of their rights or be torn from their families without due process.
In the face of this crisis, we call upon spiritual seekers and all people of goodwill to turn thought and prayer into compassionate action.
We can uphold due process by demanding legal representation, transparency and accountability for all. We can protect the vulnerable by supporting immigrant families and those unjustly targeted. We can pursue justice through peace by engaging in nonviolent advocacy that honors dignity.
True peace is not the absence of conflict. It is the presence of justice, equity, respect and the recognition of our shared human dignity. In this moment, let us act from the full power of our spiritual insight.
As Holmes reminds us, we carry divine potential to uplift and heal. Let that power guide our minds, words and deeds. Remember that CSL’s definition of sacred activism is “the intersection where consciousness becomes action, where prayer becomes movement and where spiritual principle becomes practice. Sacred activism is the activity of bringing our CSL Global Vision into reality.”
Rev. Dr. Soni Cantrell Smith, Spiritual Leader
Centers for Spiritual Living
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