The Cult of Sanders

Those of us who are moved by Bernie Sanders are often disparaged for our passion.

Critics say

“You’re really drinking the Sanders Kool-aid.”

or

“You Bernie-Bots (insert hateful remark here).”

We laugh it off.

We get things back on track by talking about issues.

We are like our leader in that way.

What we never do is acknowledge that maybe there is some truth to the claim that we are, in many ways, cult-like.

Many of us are atheist/agnostic, so the mere mention of organized religion strikes us with great offense.

How could we have rejected the old culture so severely, only to end up being in some way similar?

How can we stretch towards enlightenment, if we are mired in the flawed ways of our ancestors?

The critics are right.

We are, in some ways, cult-like.

But they are also wrong.

We are not Bernie-Bots, for if anything, we are the opposite of automatons.

Bernie Sanders followers may be loyal, but do not do yourself the disservice of thinking that we are in any way robotic.

In fact, one of the key components of the Sanders campaign is the incredibly creative ways in which his followers solve problems and create promotional materials.

Rarely has a leader inspired so many to create art in the way that Sanders has.

Rarely have so many people used technology so creatively.

These “robots” used social media to take a man who was literally speaking in back yards a year ago and elevate him to the clear front-runner for President of the United States (this would be assuming that we actually had a true democracy, which of course we don’t…more on this at another time).

So Bernie-BOT is not an apt title.

I get what you’re trying to say…

That we are simply waiting for our master’s next word and we all act in unison, and there is some of that, to be sure, but we are a creative lot, so perhaps we could find a more appropriate moniker.

I can’t come up with one right now, but I am sure millions of creative Sanders’ supporters are creating them as we speak.

 

As for the Kool-Aid…

We are definitely drinking it…by the gallon…

We are definitely “drinking the Bernie Sanders Kool-Aid.”

But only after we tested it extensively.

We found out that it was honest and pure, cost $27 a pac and contained none of the Monsanto GMOs found in the leading brand, so yeah, we are REALLY excited about the Kool-Aid.

It comes in blue, red and purple and a new color may be coming soon, depending on what the Super-delegates decide to do.

The critics are so right about how much we love the Bernie Sanders Kool-Aid, that Kool-Aid should actually produce a Bernie Sanders flavor.

Where the critics fall short is that they call us a cult.

Let’s be clear, there are far too many of us to be considered a cult.

We are technically a religion.

We are actually more than a religion.

We are what religion was supposed to be.

We practice faith and good works.

We put compassion to our fellow humans above all else.

We toil for free to build strength of character and to further a cause.

We are an all inclusive religion, that does not discriminate against other religions.

We are what religion once aspired to.

Another mistake the critics make is when they think that this movement is about Bernie Sanders.

This precedes Bernie Sanders and will survive him.

This movement is actually the movement that emboldened Sanders himself to stand up for civil rights before anyone knew who he was.

This movement is what helped him find the courage to stand up to those in power, when the only power he had was his voice and the willingness to sacrifice his body for the greater good.

Bernie isn’t our god…

He is our spokesperson.

He is our leader.

And as much as we hate the terminology, he is also a prophet.

Buddha does not mean God.

It means one who has attained wisdom through purely human means.

It means enlightened one.

Brother Bernie is enlightened.

Bernie Sanders will pass during most of our lifetimes.

A day will come when the entire world will mourn the passing of this great man.

What will never pass is the desire to be kind and compassionate.

The dual desires of freedom and self-actualization will forever be present.

The desire to take food from our plate and give it to our starving neighbor will not be crushed in this lifetime or any other.

We are a billion points of light, penetrating the darkness.

We are not robots.

We are thinking, feeling human beings from every corner of the globe.

And this is not a cult.

This is a religion.

One that has existed as long as humanity.

This is Humanism.