Saturday, September 1, 2012

Part 2 - My Desire To Be “Right” Or Have The “Right” Ideas Leads Me Off My Spiritual Path


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.
Thanks for all your support.

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