Spiritual Diplomacy

Spiritual Diplomacy attempts to resolve conflicts between nations and within state borders by relying on the peoples’ spiritual values. This may be the only remaining strategy that provides a true key to the survival of the human race.

Mikhail Morgulis, president and founder of Spiritual Diplomacy, is a well-known writer in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and throughout the C.I.S. countries.  While still living in the Soviet Union, he was awarded the First Prize in Literature by the communist government in 1972.  He underwent a spiritual transformation to become a prominent Christian leader who in 1987 was the first to broadcast Christian programs on state-owned radio stations inside the U.S.S.R.  His message was heard on many Christian radio programs in the world, and millions of believers and nonbelievers in the C.I.S. know his voice.  In 1991, he led a delegation of prominent American Christian leaders to Moscow to visit the Supreme Soviet, the Council of Ministers, the KGB, and the Kremlin.  There, for the first time in history, Morgulis prayed in front of KGB generals and other senior officers. In the Kremlin, where the delegation was received by Mikhail Gorbachev, he also prayed, and President Gorbachev prayed with him.

 “…Finally, the President of Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev invited us to the Kremlin. When we were with Mr. Gorbachev, I asked him if it would be possible to pray in the Kremlin. He told me, ‘Mr. Morgulis, the Kremlin is not a church,’ and then, after a pause, he said, ‘but why not.’ So I started to pray about his mother, my mother, and all people – and I prayed ‘In Jesus’ Name!’ – recalled Morgulis in his bestselling book Return to the Red Planet.

Mikhail Morgulis, with help from friends, has published more than a hundred titles of Christian books in Russian translation.  He is well-connected with numerous notable people in government and business in America and Russia, not to mention his connections within the Christian world.  He has helped American Christian businessmen make important connections in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and other C.I.S. countries.  He has spearheaded humanitarian efforts for those in need in the C.I.S.: orphans, the homeless, the children of imprisoned women in Mozhaisk, families of the Kursk  tragedy and, more recently, families that lost their children in the Beslan terrorist attack, to mention only a few.

Mikhail Morgulis has done many good things for people. One of the most important works of his life centers around the concept of Spiritual Diplomacy. Mikhail Morgulis continues to meet with the leaders of the countries of the former Soviet Union and other states in an effort to spread the ideas of tolerance and peaceful coexistence.

“Spiritual Diplomacy is a new spiritual political concept. In the years after the meeting in the Kremlin, we were in Ukraine. We met with the president of Ukraine and also the president of Georgia, and four times with the president of Belarus. We’ve also met with the Prime Minister of Israel. Also, I prayed in the Knesset in Israel. I prayed with Palestinian Muslim leaders, and this is all Spiritual Diplomacy. The idea is to stop any religious, political, social, or ethnic conflict with the use of the Christian message from the Bible.

Mikhail explains further: “We don’t punish or force people. We try to change the hearts of the leaders of these countries with love and respect. By changing the hearts of the leaders we change the situations in these countries.”

As the former Prime Minister of Israel Ariel Sharon put it, “Spiritual Diplomacy is the one last realistic chance to find peace on this Earth.” Leaders of the Palestine Authority agreed that Spiritual Diplomacy proposes a practical way for reaching peace and understanding. In his presentation in front of the Knesset and the Palestinian leaders, Mikhail said that Spiritual Diplomacy will not make them love each other right away, but will teach tolerance. The flowers of love will have a chance to blossom from the roots of tolerance.

The President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, to whom officials in the Bush administration referred as the Europe’s “Last Dictator” has always welcomed Mikhail’s advice. The relationship between the two countries is starting to change now in part thanks to the endeavors of Mr. Morgulis.

“We also try to improve the relations between the United States and Belarus. I spoke before the U.S. Congress and addressed the Helsinki Committee. I said: ‘If you do not like President Lukashenko, you don’t have to love him. He is not an angel; he is just like all of us. Not one of us is an angel; otherwise we would be in Paradise. I have not seen any angel-presidents. Neither George Bush, nor Vladimir Putin is an angel. To make matters worse, President Lukashenko, with his charismatic character, expresses himself in much stronger terms than he really means. You need to love the people, even if you do not care too much for the leader’ … I also met with President Lukashenko several times and discussed spiritual subjects with him. He is nothing like the media wants us to believe. He has a capacity for making deep judgments. He can understand you. Lukashenko is not at all a blunt farmer, as some want to portray him. He is a historian; he majored in history and has a fine knowledge of world events and the history of religion.

After Mikhail’s last return to the U.S. from a long trip to Russia, Ukraine, South Korea, and Thailand, we decided to ask him several questions.

– How do you see the role of Spiritual Diplomacy in today’s circumstances?

– Everything in the world is currently changing, including the concept of interrelations between countries and individuals. New ideas, which had previously seemed utopian, are now starting to appear. If a hundred years ago someone would have run to the patent bureau with an idea to create a computer, they would have immediately been hospitalized in the psychiatric unit. To everything its time, as the wise Solomon had said. And that time always arrives.

Spiritual Diplomacy is a relatively new concept, which strives to eliminate conflict with the help of spiritual values of the conflicting sides. Not long ago this all seemed a utopia, but now, with the help of spiritual values important to the conflicting sides, military and other conflicts can be stopped. This may be good or bad, but, traditional forms of diplomacy are eliminating themselves. No one believes diplomats, and diplomats do not believe each other. But, all nations relate to each others’ spiritual values.

I had once spoken in Israel and had repeated the same thing on Palestinian territory: “It is not necessary to love each other, find the strength to be patient towards and tolerate one another. Only in the future, on the roots of tolerance and patience will the flowers of love possibly bloom. We will probably no longer be alive at the time, but these flowers of love will remain after us.” There is nothing better than those flowers. I believe in improbable things. I know that Mrs. Clinton, within some part of her soul, believes in this as well. In some parts of the world, these flowers have already started blossoming. I would very much want the relations between America and Russia to grow into a wonderful garden from the flowers of love.

– Do you see a solution to the difficult situation, which the world has fallen into?

– Incorrectly speaking, I am a pessimistic optimist. I do not believe that humanity will be able to get out of the pit into which it had climbed without any aid. God gave us the freedom of choice, and we had ended up in the pit. The only way from this pit is up; only up above is there rescue. It is extremely difficult to climb out of the pit – it is a very bloody process. But, if we just continue to dig, we will only dig ourselves deeper into hopelessness and become even dirtier than before. The only rescue – to go up; the skies are above, God is above.

Contact information:

Spiritual Diplomacy –

International Foundation Headquarters

PO Box 7789

North Port, Florida 34287

Tel: 630-417-0306

630-330-9258

info@spiritualdiplomacy.org