Salvation of the world depends on me.
A Course in Miracles, Lesson 186
Here is a problem: seeing others’ beliefs as “wrong". The emphasis is to demonstrate how much you believe this can be the case. Specifically, this will revolve around spiritual beliefs, but all individuals have different paths, histories, and, frankly, randomly drawn conclusions that create their current and final belief set.
Like all things, all a belief set is for is forgiveness . An outside observer must forgive their self for seeing the “other” as other and judging them. The believer must learn that their beliefs are illusory and forgive themselves for misbelief.
This will be an examination of forgiveness via A Course in Miracles' Lesson 186: Salvation of the world depends on me. Let's begin.
Here is the statement that will one day take all arrogance away from every mind. Here is the thought of true humility which holds no function as your own but that which has been given you. It offers your acceptance of a part assigned to you, without insisting on another role. It does not judge your proper role. It but acknowledges the Will of God is done on earth as well as Heaven. It unites all wills on earth in Heaven's plan to save the world, restoring it to Heaven's peace.
All beliefs reduce to one’s belief of their core identity as a mind or a body; this belief is obscured by a myriad of opinions/options/beliefs that body-identity induces. Political, sexual, religious, racial, socioeconomic… the list goes on. All of these lay within the realm of body-identity.
A mind (an individual) that has been mind-identified may still see these differentiations. If they are visible, the goal should be to avoid investment and learn the lesson being presented. Turn to your inner teacher and ask “What is this? Why am I being shown this experience?”. Respect the answer.
The arrogant must cling to words, afraid to go beyond them to experience which might affront their stance. Yet are the humble free to hear the Voice which tells them what they are and what to do.
You don’t get to believe someone else is “wrong”/wrong/dumb. You are not right (emphasis His). (See: Lesson 151:1) Do you see how your belief about their beliefs is just another form of belief within the realm of body-identity?
You are only in the world to watch the experience as a mind and learn the lessons it presents. If you get caught up in the story, you have forgotten you are the observer; it would be like shooting a gun at the screen during an action movie.
And so we find our peace. We will accept the function God has given us, for all illusions rest upon the weird belief that we can make another for ourselves. Our self-made roles are shifting, and they seem to change from mourner to ecstatic bliss of loved and loving. Our very being seems to change as we experience a thousand shifts in mood, and our emotions raise us high indeed or dash us to the ground in hopelessness.
Is this the Son of God? Could He create such instability and call it Son? He Who is changeless shares His attributes with His creation. All the images His Son appears to make have no effect on what he is. They blow across his mind like windswept leaves that form a patterning an instant, break apart to group again, and scamper off.
The task right now is to understand this — if you listen to your own inner guide the only outcome is you fulfilling your function as given by God. Be wary of anyone trying to lead you with their inner guide resolutely, as if theirs is “right”.
Do as His Voice directs. And if it asks a thing of you that seems impossible, remember Who it is that asks and who would make denial. Then consider this — which is more likely to be right? The Voice that speaks for the Creator of all things Who knows all things exactly as they are, or a distorted image of yourself, confused, bewildered, inconsistent and unsure of everything? Let not its voice direct you. Hear instead a certain Voice Which tells you of a function given you by your Creator, Who remembers you and urges that you now remember Him.
You may be asking: "Isn’t this article exactly what I should be wary of?"
Yes. Use discernment.
Does your intuition align with this? What does your inner guide say? If you come back to this teaching, you come back. If you go, you go. If you do something in between, then that is what it is as well. Respect the events that happen, but do stay aware of the events – the literal scenes of experience in your life.
Let's close out the lesson with how to tell if "forgiveness" is working:
He would comfort you, although He knows no sorrow. He would make a gift to you, although He knows that you have everything already. For Love must give, and what is given in His Name takes on the form most useful in a world of form.
These are the forms which never can deceive, although they come from Formlessness Itself. Forgiveness is an earthly form of love which as it is in Heaven has no form. Yet what is needed here is given here as it is needed. Salvation of the world depends on you who can forgive. Such is your function here.
If you feel comforted, at peace, whole and free... It's working.
"These are the forms which can never deceive.." – you'll know it when it happens.
a.b's take? - In short, forgive. In long, read this book:
A Course in Miracles, Original Edition
What are your takeaways from Lesson 186?
- alex brady