From: milsom@ntb.ch (Paul Milsom)
Subject: Re: A Course In Miracles / Reincarnation
Keywords: A Course In Miracles
Reply-To: milsom@ntb.ch (Paul Milsom)
Organization: Neu-Technikum Buchs 
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1992 12:46:06 GMT





Hello Jean-Marc (Vezien). Thanks for your comments. You write:


	>The idea of a book which has ALL the answers is IMHO a bit premature. 	
	>We're still in the childhood of humanity, after all.

	Yes, we do seem to be. The answer that ACIM gives is twofold:  We have 
been this way before. We are just doing re-runs of lives we have already seen.
	The whole physical universe is an illusion, albeit a very clever one. We 
have trapped ourselves in it. The quick way out is to "do unto others as you 
would have them do unto you", and through forgiveness.

We are all one consciousness, but believe we are split into countless 
individuals. It's almost impossible to accept this, I know. As you say:

		>A thousand men, a thousand pain / Each pain is different.

Our ego, a "mechanism" that we consider to be ourselves, tells us we are 
separate from each other. The same ego tells us our feelings of hate, anger, 
jealousy, lust, fear.. are justified.

	>Of course, you could say my ego cannot accept such a wonderful book.

I do not mean this to be sarcastic, but that's exactly it. My ego tells me 
things like that all the time, too. Sometimes I notice that somehow I've been 
given a feeling that I didn't order. My ego would live my life for me quite 
easily. It's my ego that tells me that if a person steals something from me, 
it's only right if I take it back, or even take him to court, even if he 
needs it more than I do.

		>>Lesson 2 then continues with "I have given everything I see in 
		>>this room (on this street...) all the meaning that it has for 	
		>>me"... Now I had simply not seen it like that before, but as 
		>>soon as I read it I thought to myself "Hey, that's true!" I had 	
		>>assigned meaning to things subconsciously. Presumably we all do.

	>I don't want to brag, but one doesn't need any miraculous revelation for 
	>that. Read some philosophy books, and soon everything is meaningless. 	
	>Don't try and tell me this is a new idea.

I don't claim it to be a new idea, and I'm sure you're right about some 
philosophy books. (Our philosophy teacher's ego obviously wanted to keep us 
away from that kind of book.) I didn't say that I noticed that things were 
meaningless, but that I do assign meaning to everything material, including 
people.

		>> Heaven is the original state of everything. Bliss. Being one with 
		>>God. We have somehow altered this state for ourselves (by some 	
		>>*mistake*, not a sin) and believe we are separate from God. We will 
		>>all return to God (to the "state" of Heaven) in the end. God has 	
		>>arranged this for us, but only when we want, as we have free will. 
		>>We are all souls. (Greys probably are too!) We have decided 		
		>>(because we feel separate) to take up bodies and live lives. 

	>Boy, is that original. "The fall of man", again and again. ALL the 	
	>cosmogony myths, throughout the world, say the same thing. Which doesn't 
	>mean it's true. It's just that the universe is so harsh and cold and the 
	>man so little and helpless....	

I had never heard this particular explanation of "original sin" before ACIM, 
nor that it was indeed not a sin at all. And apparently we're not so "little 
and helpless" after all - we're God's own children. He loves us and wants to 
help us.

	>What if I don't want to come back to God but rest in peace after a 	
	>pleasant life spent drinking beer and loving women ???

A very good point. It sounds very tempting. It may be possible, at least 
until the rest of us get our act together (and then everybody gets back 
home), I haven't read so far yet. Maybe you could live a life where you stay 
attractive and rich and healthy enough to fulfil this for a century or so. 
Maybe that's why the greys are here actually, to find out how to have fun! 
Or, of course, to find out how to better their soul (if they have a soul).

		>>Love and blessings to you all.        Paul.

	>Why, thanks !!  

You're very welcome. If you can't use them, please pass them on.

	>Now give me your left cheek .

Sure. Here...

					And some more blessings to you.      Paul.

Paul Milsom
milsom@ntb.ch
Neu-Technikum Buchs Switzerland
Xref: sparky talk.religion.newage:4711 alt.alien.visitors:7418 sci.skeptic:17932