What is a person's basic nature? Are we born with the original blessing or with original sin?

by Susan Schmidt

It is written in A Course In Miracles, "You are a work of God, and His work is wholly lovable and wholly loving. This is how a man must think of himself in his heart, because this is what he is." T-1.III.2:2-4

This statement affirms the idea that human beings are born with an original blessing and are basically good. It is the drama of the ego plane which distorts their perceptions which influences dysfunctional behavior.

As the 4th Tuesday night class emphasizes, the Unitarian Universalist value of the inherent worth and dignity of every person puts UUs at odds with much of the culture they find themselves living in. This has significant implications for a UU way of life which won't be described here at this time but which you can pause and imagine in your own mind. I'm sure, if you are living the first principle, you have your own story of conflict and disagreement with the predominant culture you are living in.

It is written in A Course In Miracles, "As long as a single 'slave' remains to walk the earth, your release is not complete. Complete restoration of the Sonship is the only goal of the miracle-minded." T-1.VII.3:13-14 If we are to take this statement from ACIM seriously, it means that we UUs have a lot of work to do to raise the consciousness of our fellow human beings who are "slaves" to norms and beliefs in our culture which are antithetical to the Atonement. The most important function of UUs in our contemporary world is to witness to the truth, and in this case, the truth which we covenant to affirm and promote is the inherent worth and dignity of every person. Amen! May it be so.