October 24, 2010
Rev. Carmen Cameron
Louisville Class Notes
October 28, 2010
Guidelines from ACIM on interpersonal interactions
Going beyond the broad strokes of non-judgmentalism and
forgiveness
1. Every child of god is entitled to complete courtesy.
- "You should know that all god’s children are fully
worthy of complete courtesy. You should never join with one at the expense of
another."
- "You could have laughed with him, but not at her.
Real courtesy never does this."
2. Don't attack error, stand for truth: in your
demonstration of it or just mentally.
- do you want to be right or happy?
.-"Live and let live" happens to be a very
meaningful injunction.
...When you do not share a thought system, you are weakening
it. Those who believe in it therefore perceive this as an attack on them. This
is because everyone identifies himself with his thought system and every
thought system centers on what you believe you are.
...I repeat again that if you attack error, you will hurt
yourself.
...The main point to be understood from these notes is that
you can defend truth as well as error, and in fact, much better.
3. See all of your brothers as your equals, neither as
competition nor with awe
"This brother neither leads nor follows us, but walks beside us on the selfsame road. He is like us, as near or far away from what we want as we will let him be.
"We make no gains he does not make with us, and we fall back if he does not advance. Take not his hand in anger but in love, for in his progress do you count your own. And we go separately along the way unless you keep him safely by your side. Because he is your equal in god’s love will you be saved from all appearances, and answer to the Christ who calls to you."
4. Love and devotion: there's a distinction
- what is not love is murder. What is not loving must be an
attack.
- you are not asked to fight against your wish to murder.
But you are asked to realize the form it takes conceals the same intent.
- this is your part; to realize that murder, in any form, is
not your will. The overlooking of the battleground is now your purpose. Be
lifted up, and from a higher place look down upon it.
- an elder brother is entitled to respect for his greater
experience, and a reasonable amount of obedience for his greater wisdom. He is
also entitled to love, because he is a brother, and also to devotion, if he is
devoted. It is only my own devotion that entitles me to yours.
5. Appreciation and gratitude: you can benefit from both his
love and unloving actions = see the gift!
- you cannot love what you do not appreciate...
- your gratitude to each other is the only gift I want. ...
To know your brother is to know god.
- ...You need to develop your weakened ability to be
grateful, or you cannot appreciate god. He does not need your appreciation, but
you do.
6. Faith: see your brother as further along than his current
level of progress = call forth the Christ in him.
- the miracle is the act of a son of god who has laid aside
all false gods, and who calls on his brothers to do likewise. It is an act of
faith because it is the recognition that his brother can do it. It is a call to
the holy spirit in his mind, a call to him which is strengthened by this
joining. Because the miracle worker has heard him he strengthens his voice in a
sick brother by weakening his belief in sickness, which he does not share. The
power of one mind can shine into another ...
- the power of the sons of god is operating all the time,
because they were created as creators. Their influence on each other is without
limit, and must be used for their joint salvation.
7. Use the spiritual eye: see your brother as something far
greater than a physical entity
- when you look upon a brother as a physical entity, his
power and glory are lost to you, and so are yours.
- there is a great deal more to a person than intellect
& genitals. The omission was the soul.
Who hangs an empty frame upon a wall, and stands before
it, deep in reverence, as if a masterpiece were there to see? Yet, if you see
your brother as a body, it is but this you do. The masterpiece that god has set
within this frame is all there is to see.
8. Understanding irritation with others: when a brother's
negative or odd behavior becomes a focus for your irritation.
- this should be met with great charity, rather than with
great fury. The fury comes from your awareness that you do not love [your
brother] as you should, and you narrow your lack of love by centering your hate
on trivial behavior in an attempt to protect him from it.
