Why does the Course say the world is a fact? Q #1000: From There is no world! (W.pI.132.6:2), to What the world is, is but a fact (M.11.1:9). Certainly in the illusion the world seems to us a fact and we experience it as a fact. I was surprised to find this reference to the world as a fact in the manual. Is this a reference merely to the natural world (grass, mountains, trees, etc.)? After all the references in A Course in Miracles to the world as an illusion, is this but one more example of another contradiction in words in the Course? Or is it an emphasis on informing us we must deal with the world we made as a fact? I am thinking here of: There are decisions to make here, and they must be made whether they be illusions or not (S.I.1:2:4). I found myself rather unsettled and somewhat confused after reading the statement in the manual. A: Yes, Jesus is making different points about the world in different places in the Course. This is why we stress the need to distinguish between the two levels on which the Course is written. Level One contrasts truth and illusion, wherein only God and Heaven are real (including His Son, Christ and the creations of Christ). All else is illusory and not real: There is no world! But since we are too fearful of accepting that and living accordingly, Jesus talks to us about the world as though it were real -- because we think it is. This is not really contradictory, as the sentences preceding and following the one you cite about decisions explain: “You have been told to ask the Holy Spirit for the answer to any specific problem, and that you will receive a specific answer if such be your need. You have also been told that there is only one problem and one answer. In prayer this is not contradictory. . . . You cannot be asked to accept answers which are beyond the level of need that you can recognize” (S.1.I.2:1,2,3,5) . Jesus is letting us know that this is a process -- like climbing a ladder. He thus gently and gradually helps us change our minds about the reality of the world by having us see that our perceptions are really interpretations emanating from the prior choice we make in our minds to take either the egos hand or his as we go through our day. This is the other level on which the Course is written -- Level Two, which contrasts the wrong-minded (the egos) and right-minded (the Holy Spirits) ways of looking at the world. The process involves bringing our wrong-minded perceptions to the truth of Heaven reflected in our right minds. And when at last our perceptions are all right-minded -- meaning we listen only to the Voice of the Holy Spirit -- our minds will no longer be split, and then love will just flow through us directing us in all we think and do. In that state of mind -- what the Course calls the real world -- we know the world is illusory and we will see all people as either calling out for love or expressing it. Jesus is gently leading us in that direction in all of his teachings and lessons. facimoutreach.org/qa/questions/questions204.htm#Q1000
Posted on: Sat, 01 Nov 2014 12:30:08 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015