Ramon’s Comments (group member since Nov 19, 2015)

Ramon’s comments from the ACIM: Listen, Learn and Act group.

Angelanadine wrote: "Chapter 4 discusses amongst other things the concept that death does not exist because of the 'law' (what law?), why does this offer only protection, what else is there to want? How does witnessing..."

My response in under the topic - The Escape from Darkness.

Okay – it took me awhile to find that what you were referring to isn't in chapter 4 – but, Subsection 4 of chapter 1 - “The Escape from Darkness” - so I will make a separate folder for that topic.

ACIM states: “The emptiness engendered by fear must be replaced by forgiveness. That is what the Bible means by “There is no death,” and why I could demonstrate that death does not exist. I came to fulfil the law by reinterpreting it. The law itself, if properly understood, offers only protection. It is those who have not yet changed their minds who brought the “hell-fire” concept into it. I assure you that I will witness for anyone who lets me, and to whatever extent he permits it. Your witnessing demonstrates your belief, and thus strengthens it. Those who witness for me are expressing, through their miracles, that they have abandoned the belief in deprivation in favor of the abundance they have learned belongs to them.” T-1.IV.4.

Okay – he is making reference to statements recorded in the Bible. More specifically – The New Testament. Jesus demonstrated that death could not hold him when he was raised from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. The law he was referring to was the law of Moses, which the Jewish leaders had, over time, misinterpreted the law to their people. So, Jesus reinterpreted the law to what it was meant to be. In that day, the law of Moses was used to as a means of providing peace of mind to the Jewish people to deal with their errors (that is - their sins). The protection it offered was against their belief of going to hell. The term 'witnessing' along with the term 'demonstrates' – at least how I understand it – is doing what Jesus had his apostles do – being of one mind with Him (Jesus) by spreading the word (truth) and healing the sick (correcting error).

You know, when I first read ACIM, about 15 years ago, I was amazed at how close it followed the spiritual plan found in the Bible. As I have read and studied the Bible nearly my entire life, it was not to hard for me to see and follow the parallel. The Jewish leaders of Jesus' day aren't so different from the religious leaders of today. Just something to think about.

I hope this helps you out and if you want, we can discuss this further. If you see something that I have overlooked, please let me know.

Julie wrote: "Can we discuss the term, "fear"? I am reading about it and understand it's meaning in the text, but I cannot identify it. What is the fear of? Where did the fear come from?"

The answer to your question is found in Chapter 2 of ACIM. But, we can discuss it here and now, because I also think it's a good question that needs to be addressed sooner than later. Plus, you may have to bounce around the text a bit to actually link it all together.

The title of the first topic in chapter 2 is - The Origins of Separation. Separation refers to the separation of man from God (or, how ACIM puts it, the “detour into fear.”).

The questions: “What is the fear of? Where did the fear come from?” can now be answered.

First, we should remind ourself of our condition before the separation (or fear) occurred.

ACIM: “You have not only been fully created, but have also been created perfect.” T-2.I.1.

So – God is perfect – Man is perfect.

So where does fear come into play?

ACIM: “Only your mind can produce fear. It does so whenever it is conflicted in what it wants, producing inevitable strain because wanting and doing are discordant.” T-2.VI.6.

ACIM: “This process involves the following steps:”

“First, you believe that what God created can be changed by your own mind.”

“Second, you believe that what is perfect can be rendered imperfect or lacking.”

“Third, you believe that you can distort the creations of God, including yourself.”

“Fourth, you believe that you can create yourself, and that the direction of your own creation is up to you.” T-2.I.1.

ACIM: “All fear is ultimately reducible to the basic misperception that you have the ability to usurp the power of God. Of course, you neither can nor have been able to do this.” T-2.I.4.

ACIM: “Everyone experiences fear. Yet it would take very little right thinking to realize why fear occurs. Few appreciate the real power of the mind, and no one remains fully aware of it all the time. However, if you hope to spare yourself from fear there are some things you must realize, and realize fully. The mind is very powerful, and never loses its creative force. It never sleeps. Every instant it is creating. It is hard to recognize that thought and belief combine into a power surge that can literally move mountains. It appears at first glance that to believe such power about yourself is arrogant, but that is not the real reason you do not believe it. You prefer to believe that your thoughts cannot exert real influence because you are actually afraid of them. This may allay awareness of the guilt, but at the cost of perceiving the mind as impotent. If you believe that what you think is ineffectual you may cease to be afraid of it, but you are hardly likely to respect it. There are no idle thoughts. All thinking produces form at some level.” T-2.VI.9.

As we get into Chapter 2, we will be able to spend much more time with the topic of fear. Fear for many of us is a feeling in different degrees. ACIM teaches that all those feelings are created by us. The how and why we create those feelings are touched on in many places throughout ACIM. So, this discussion is by no means complete.

ACIM states: "The world of perception, on the other hand, is the world of time, of change, of beginnings and endings. It is based on interpretation, not on facts. It is the world of birth and death, founded on the belief in scarcity, loss, separation and death. It is learned rather than given, selective in its perceptual emphases, unstable in its functioning, and inaccurate in its interpretations."

ACIM states: "Knowledge is truth, under one law, the law of love or God. Truth is unalterable, eternal and unambiguous. It can be unrecognized, but it cannot be changed. It applies to everything that God created, and only what He created is real. It is beyond learning because it is beyond time and process. It has no opposite; no beginning and no end. It merely is."

The Principles of Miracles is the first of seven topics in the chapter - THE MEANING OF MIRACLES. The other six topics are:

Revelation, Time and Miracles;

Atonement and Miracles;

The Escape from Darkness;

Wholeness and Spirit;

The Illusion of Needs; and,

Distortions of Miracle Impulses

We are now getting into the text. Here we can handle each of the topics separately. If we have any difficulties with any of the terms, we should start with them as soon as they come to our attention. I will make a separate folder just for discussion of terms. The first two terms discussed will be 'knowledge' (real) and 'perception' (unreal).

Some of the statements in our topic - Principles of Miracles - may be real eye openers - but I eventual got through them by accepting the premises made as being true. I later became more aware of their truthfulness as the premises for them clearly outweighed any premises against them.

So, if you find yourself resisting any of these statements, do not become alarmed. In time, we will become comfortable with these terms.

A very nice video. I will view this video many more times. The reader speaks clearly and the images help visualize the information expressed.

I hope this video will help you to better understand the information provided in our textbook - since it is presented in a different way.

Click on the videos - watch and listen to - What It Says.

Here is where ACIM defines two topics that we will be discussing at length throughout the course. A fundamental distinction between 'the real' and 'the unreal' is made here; and, the basic definitions of both are expressed.

It is here where we need to begin our clarification of what these distinctions are truly saying. Our awareness of these two topics must be made here and should be understood now - as best as we can before we move on.

Much of what we say will fall into one of these, as will become more obvious once we have that proper understanding. The suggestion I would make is to read the topic - What It Says - intently with your mind open - noting the terms expressed and their stated meaning.

What it is - is open for discussion - for anybody who may want to discuss any point under this topic.

While the topic is - How It Came - I would like to point out that this is also where we find the book's purpose: "Its only purpose is to provide a way in which some people will be able to find their own Internal Teacher."

The book's stated purpose was an important point for me.

Well - that is a very good question. Both Julie and I have read the text already. But, both of us are reading it again - only our reason is different.

Let us start with The Preface - How it came - What it is - What it says.

Then, the Introduction.

And through subsection one of chapter 1 - Principles of Miracles.

It will give you some context and allow Julie and I to review. Of course, we can ask questions at any time.

Our first topic will depend on the questions brought up. I will certainly ask for thoughts concerning anything that comes to my attention as well.

The only recommended schedule comes from when we get to the lessons, which won't be for some time.

Welcome to Julie and Angelanadine to our new group. Also, Julie has been added as a moderator.

ACIM has been with me for about 15 years. A friend of mine was reading it and I wanted to read it as well. So, I wrote a letter to the Foundation for Inner Peace and they sent the book to me for free. It took me about 18 months to complete the text and do the lessons. My thought process has been altered ever since.

ACIM has since become a reference book for me. And, now, I have decided to read it again - entirely. One reason for this is because it has been revised. And, this time, I would like to have others with me on the journey.

Here, we are introducing where we are in reference to ACIM. For instance: You just started reading ACIM and know very little about it. Where did you hear about ACIM? What do you think caused you to begin reading ACIM? What do you expect to get from reading ACIM? Information that would allow others in the group to know where you are. And to clarify the topic - we are not interested in who you think you are personally, as ACIM will certainly tell us that we do not really know our true self.