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In a message dated 9/14/2004 5:34:25 PM Pacific Standard Time, [member
of another list] writes:
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Your interpretation (in black) is fairly accurate, but lacks clarity due to
word usage.
If by truth, you mean that which we receive intuitively as insights to the
thinking mind's perceptions, then truth IS illusion, despite its poignant
purpose...and is more related to the happy dream than to reality. Since the
first sentence reads: "The
opposite to illusions is truth" (as the quote also read), the statement
of opposition denotes the usage as illusory, and thus the above comment
applies.
If by truth, you mean the ultimate whole realization of the knowledge of
god...or what acim calls "the final step" and "awakening to heaven," then truth
is love and is without opposite...and is not merely related to reality, but IS
reality (and yet, such "truth" is not expressible in words).
Anything we express here is truth of the first variety, and as such, is
variable and subject to perception of degrees. The truth itself (by that
denotation) is unreal, as is its seeming changeability, and its level of value.
While completely meaningless because it is nothing, it yet has a value, which
lies in its purpose...that of assisting the mind to look beyond it to
reality.
With regard to such variable truth, as noticed in spiritual learning and
growth (both of which are unreal), one may believe they have chosen truth. If
they remain in that belief, they will find the same misery as believing in
choosing any illusion. However, if they discern that which lies beyond the
illusory truth, thus appreciating its value, and placing their attention upon
that which lies beyond it...this evokes a miracle, and the miracle shifts the
attention from the illusory truth to spirit, thus undoing the error of looking
at nothing. From perception's view, this appears as insights, as increase in
intellectually learned and gathered spiritual understanding, as miraculous
attitudinal shifts in and around the perceived self, and as miraculous events
such as bodily healing, hurtful relationship healing, and so on. But the
replacement of aligned illusory truth by looking beyond it, effectively erasing
it, is the real miracle...and not these appearances.
Believing is a primary "form of" choice. One believes one or several things
instead of another or several other things. ALL of the possibilities of choice
are unreal. While one may look upon the truth of reality as a choice, such view
is a false view. Therefore, when one chooses this false truth view, they are
failing to look beyond it, and even the (illusory) truth becomes trap-like in
nature. Choice and believing go hand in hand, for believing IS choice, which is
to say, believing is unreal, completely regardless of what is believed.
There is such a thing as a "final choice"...however, it is truly final in
nature, and is more accurately described as relinquishment of choice. ACIM
describes this as the realization that choice is impossible...which realization
is final only when as it shifts attention wholly beyond the intellectual idea of
this to that reality where the idea of choice simply is not seen or thought of
any longer.
When you say "If I am to "select some aspect of it"
you imply an assumption of the necessity to
select and then use the assumption to support the activity. Actually, both the
assumption and the activity are false, are untrue, are unreal...and can never
be, for they call directly upon the attention or looking function of mind,
asking it to see duality in order to select. No requirement has been placed upon
you to select anything at all...despite ACIM's many references to it as such
(for ACIM mixes word usage continually). Your only requirement is accepting the
atonement now, and this requires no choice, but simply requires cessation of
choosing against it (evidenced only by looking at it). For the atonement is not
only inevitable, but is automatic as the direct effect in vision of looking upon
spirit. Thus looking wholly brings seeing wholly, for the intention is wholly
employed to reveal its reality. Choosing however, insists on duality, and thus
always promotes the blocking of whole vision by its very nature.
Egoic ideation such as this is included in ACIM and its instructions in
this area due to the teaching method used. That teaching method of juxtaposing
truth and truth-like falsehood side by side, always points to the requirement to
"look and see." For this message is the entire message of the atonement.
Whatever of forgiveness one could ever truly know is embodied wholly in these
simple words..."look and see." Even logic's circular pathways all converge on
these simple words, which were spoken in another way by the scribes of ACIM when
they said "There MUST be a better way!" "Look and see" is beyond logic's
refuting nature, leaving only ruse to hide it covertly as its ploy. Thus it is
said "choose again" over and over, offering solace in hiding the painful nature
of choosing nothing, by saying one is choosing "something." But the "something"
has been reduced to an intellectual idea "about" reality, and the narrowing of
vision produced by the process of selection and its insistance upon duality,
does effectively hide the truth behind the illusory truth. This shell game, this
bait and switch, is clever in its inventiveness and in its ploys of symbolic
sacredness and distracts people to "almost look"...and to "look later"
(after enough growth through choosing and learning is "believed to" have
occurred). However, its cleverness becomes obviated when even the "highest good"
choices fall away into sadness of loss, and somehow never quite being there
(according to perception's beliefs). The decades roll by and disappointment and
doubt replace firm beliefs in choices made, and the idea of "choose again" comes
full circle...offering once again the simple instruction to "look and
see."
altarlight The inner light can answer any of this world's queries and resolve any of its problems. Beyond all of these concerns, the inner light will show you who you are and your relationship to all...and bring you an understanding of love and peace that transcends ordinary human thought processes. Discover what it truly means to "love one another" and to "see peace."
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