You Don't Need to Save the World
Many students come to A Course in Miracles from social or religious traditions that have taught them that they are supposed to make a difference in the world, make it a better place, save the world one person at a time. Often they don’t let go of their attachment to the idea of saving the world and they see the Course as a means to attaining their goal. Some even believe that the goal of the Course is to bring heaven to earth, to return us to “Eden”. But anything to do with the world is about separation from God.
Let’s take a thorough look at the idea of a perfect world. First of all, what would the perfect world be? Would we all be Democrats or Republican, Greens, or non-partisan? Christians, Muslims, Buddhists? Would monogamy prevail or would there be a return to universal polygamy? What kind of family would be the perfect family? It’s clear to see that we would not be able to agree on what a perfect world would be. But let’s put aside our obvious differences and get idealistic here. Perhaps we can agree that a perfect world is one where there are no wars, we all live in harmony with nature, there is no illness of any kind, every family is perfectly functional and everyone just loves, loves, loves everyone else. But there’s still a major hitch. God is one formless, eternal, infinite Being. No matter how perfect the world is, it is still limited, diverse, material form – the opposite of God in every way. Even in a perfect world you would still be perceiving separation from God. In a perfect world you would still be inherently unhappy because you are not in your natural state of Being.
One thing you can admire about the world as it is is that it is honest. Its wars and diseases and dysfunctions honestly express the pain of your separation from God. Putting aside that it is impossible, a perfect world would be no more real than the world you live in now. The world is not of God.
Preoccupations with problems set up to be incapable of solution are favorite ego devices for impeding learning progress. (T-4.V.6)
The only way to lasting peace and happiness is to awaken from the world to your Oneness with God. The ego loves the idea of saving the world because it is impossible and because it offers so many opportunities for it to get strokes for being “good”. It tells you that you are selfish to be concerned only with your own awakening because it doesn’t want you going on an inward journey. As you go inward you find God and learn the ego isn’t real. You learn that there are no “others” in the world to save, only your own thoughts projected outward that you need to release so you can extend God’s Love in their place.
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At www.acimmentor.com find information on one-on-one mentoring, a free weekly telephone study group, study and practice aids, and answers-by-topic from this blog.
Let’s take a thorough look at the idea of a perfect world. First of all, what would the perfect world be? Would we all be Democrats or Republican, Greens, or non-partisan? Christians, Muslims, Buddhists? Would monogamy prevail or would there be a return to universal polygamy? What kind of family would be the perfect family? It’s clear to see that we would not be able to agree on what a perfect world would be. But let’s put aside our obvious differences and get idealistic here. Perhaps we can agree that a perfect world is one where there are no wars, we all live in harmony with nature, there is no illness of any kind, every family is perfectly functional and everyone just loves, loves, loves everyone else. But there’s still a major hitch. God is one formless, eternal, infinite Being. No matter how perfect the world is, it is still limited, diverse, material form – the opposite of God in every way. Even in a perfect world you would still be perceiving separation from God. In a perfect world you would still be inherently unhappy because you are not in your natural state of Being.
One thing you can admire about the world as it is is that it is honest. Its wars and diseases and dysfunctions honestly express the pain of your separation from God. Putting aside that it is impossible, a perfect world would be no more real than the world you live in now. The world is not of God.
Preoccupations with problems set up to be incapable of solution are favorite ego devices for impeding learning progress. (T-4.V.6)
The only way to lasting peace and happiness is to awaken from the world to your Oneness with God. The ego loves the idea of saving the world because it is impossible and because it offers so many opportunities for it to get strokes for being “good”. It tells you that you are selfish to be concerned only with your own awakening because it doesn’t want you going on an inward journey. As you go inward you find God and learn the ego isn’t real. You learn that there are no “others” in the world to save, only your own thoughts projected outward that you need to release so you can extend God’s Love in their place.
>>>>
At www.acimmentor.com find information on one-on-one mentoring, a free weekly telephone study group, study and practice aids, and answers-by-topic from this blog.
Comments
Jesus says in the Course that He awakened for all of us and it's only a matter of time for us to recognize that
oh, i love this. it helps explain a layer of the feeling of discomfort when attempting to change someones mind. i have been recognising over the past couple of years that i am more dishonest than those im trying to 'help' out of their painful views, blimey.