Continued from Part 1 -
It is hard for me most of the
time to remember that. After all, trusting my perceptions and believing in my
perceived reality comes so naturally to me. A Course in Miracles (ACIM) states
that we are very lax in controlling our thoughts, and gently reminds us that
the Course is, in short, a course in mind training.
As the Monsignor observed about
the Roman Catholic Church – “…the majority of [the Church’s] teachings were
directly related to its own interests….” I can say the same thing about
Protestant teachings, Jewish dogma, Evangelical beliefs, out-of-context literal
Bible interpretations, and – most importantly – my own perceptions and beliefs.
As the political conventions and
the partisan speeches unfold, it is always very interesting for me to try to
spot all the things that remain unsaid. All speakers are putting their spin on
a remembrance and, in so doing, attempting to create their own version of
reality and then sell that version as Truth.
Do I question the reality I
create? Yes. However, I use ACIM and Jesus’ message, as recorded in the New
Testament, as reality checks. In the New Testament I concentrate on Jesus’
parables, his one-liners, and the Sermon on the Mount. If I use other parts of
the Bible, I find myself selecting texts based on my desire to prove that my
version of reality is the “correct” one. That’s very dangerous for me.
It might be dangerous for you,
too.
That’s why I began this message
with a quote from a recent email from Rabbi Michael Lerner, Editor Tikkun
Magazine and Chair, the Interfaith Network of Spiritual Progressives. It just
might be the case that your perceptions and beliefs are held dearly because
they simply bolster your perceived
reality.
Thanks for listening, and – as
always – feel free to forward this message to your friends, family, and those
accompanying you on your spiritual journey.
Don
#1 September, 2012
Copyright, 2012
Postscript:
I’m pleased to announce that you
can now get an eBook version of my book, How
the Bible became the Bible, for a Kindle or Nook Tablet. You can also
get the abridged version of my book, as an audio CD. It is titled The Gospel of Transformation, at
CD Baby. The prices are cheaper than purchasing through my publisher.
An eBook for a Kindle Tablet: http://www.amazon.com/How-Bible-became-ebook/dp/B008MOT54S/ref=tmm_kin_title_0
An eBook for a Nook Tablet: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-the-bible-became-the-bible-donald-l-odell/1028962987?ean=2940014686969
For an audio CD: http://cdbaby.com/cd/donaldodell2
Thanks for all your support.
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