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Showing posts from July, 2013

Ask: How do I practically apply "salvation lies in your brother"?

Salvation lies in your brother – the power and glory are in him. The inference is that there is no salvation without your brother’s. How do you respond to this in a practical way? – TS             Helen Shucman and Bill Thetford were in a unique Holy Relationship where they were at an equal teaching/learning level. They were partners in salvation [correction of the perception of separation from God (Truth)] in a way that most students do not experience. They each, simultaneously, saw Christ (the part of every mind that is One with God) in their minds reflected in the other. As it says in the Manual for Teachers, these relationships are rare.             What this quote was saying to them was that the Christ that each saw reflected in the other was salvation for them because it showed them that they were not separate from God. They could see Christ in the other because the Christ Mind was in their own minds.             But you do not need to have a partner in salvation in the

Ask: Do you think all of the channeled material available now is authentic?

There seems to be so much “channeled” material available now. Do you think that it is all authentic?   I’m sure that the vast majority of channeled material out there is offered sincerely. I have not looked at any of it extensively. But I have looked into some of it and generally I’ve found the usual religion-like jumble of Truth and spiritualizing the personal thought system (ego) that indicates that the channeler is not very advanced in their awareness of Truth. There are limitations to material channeled by people who have not yet spent the many years it takes to sort out the Voice of Truth in their mind from the personal thought system. They often do not realize that the personal thought system has gotten involved in their channeling. And even when the personal thought system is not involved their inward hearing is not perfect. They are the first student of the material that they channel. And the material often far outstrips their awareness of Truth. So they do not notice in

Ask: Are not murderers, etc., guilty?

My problem with the Course is it seems irresponsible to say that there is no such thing as guilt. What about murderers? What about rapists and child molesters? Are they not guilty? If we don’t say that some behaviors are bad or wrong then the world would be even more chaotic than it is... When A Course in Miracles says that there is no guilt it means that in God (Truth, Reality) there is no guilt. But in the mistaken construct of a reality (illusion) that we call a world there must be rules for living with each other in relative harmony. So there is in the world guilt under the law. The guilt that the Course says does not exist would be an internal feeling of “I am wrong/bad” or “I have done something wrong/bad”. This is the guilt that is not real. In the world, legal guilt does not refer to an internal experience of guilt. It refers to socially inappropriate behavior. The ego (personal thought system) confuses them, however, to explain the internal guilt that you feel is

Ask: How do I deal with obsessions and compulsions?

I am a recovering anorexic/bulimic, alcoholic, codependent. I have been studying ACIM for 2 years, and have felt the benefits of it. My one goal is "salvation", to know and be love. However, i have a lingering obsession, i feel that i must walk a certain amount each day.  if i don't do it i feel guilty because i feel like I broke an unspoken rule i established, and if i do it feel guilty because i feel like i'm giving into the obsession… i know ultimately guilt is the belief in separation.  but knowing this and having this truly change me isn't coming on this point.  my mind feels torn.  so i guess the question is how to deal with obsessive thinking and compulsive behaviors… the problem is that my thoughts about the whole thing are totally conflicted.  i think it is because of my history… – KL             First, you may need to evaluate whether you need medication and therapy to deal with your illness. These will not remove your underlying belief in guilt but

Ask: Will others be going with me as my life takes this new direction?

“ …I have recently retired and have taken this opportunity to start going deep into my study of ACIM and my spiritual path in general. I have recently encountered a lot of confusion about what the direction of my life will be from here and if my wife and any of my friends and family will be going there with me. I have felt like I have to place all of these things in my life on the altar as it were and be willing to live with or without them. I am assuming that this is a somewhat normal occurrence but it is becoming very disruptive in my marriage as I express my confusion and the change in my energy and actions is being felt by both of us. I can tell that there is fear of the unknown present and I have given it to the Holy Spirit to show me the truth of the situation…” - MG             It is common for students to become aware of internal shifts in their perspective and values as their goal changes to inner peace. And this is usually accompanied by fear that this will cause extern