Knocking on heaven’s door.

We said before that the Holy Spirit is evaluative, and must be. He sorts out the true from the false in your mind, and teaches you to judge every thought you allow to enter it in the light of what God put there. Whatever is in accord with this light He retains, to strengthen the Kingdom in you. What is partly in accord with it He accepts and purifies. But what is out of accord entirely He rejects by judging against. This is how He keeps the Kingdom perfectly consistent and perfectly unified. Remember, however, that what the Holy Spirit rejects the ego accepts. This is because they are in fundamental disagreement about everything, being in fundamental disagreement about what you are. The ego’s beliefs on this crucial issue vary, and that is why it promotes different moods. The Holy Spirit never varies on this point, and so the one mood He engenders is joy. He protects it by rejecting everything that does not foster joy, and so He alone can keep you wholly joyous. T-6.V.C.1:1-11

A Course in Miracles (pp. 238-239). Foundation for Inner Peace. Kindle Edition. 

The challenge in living a good life is discerning God’s will for us. Who is it that God wants us to become, and what is it that God wants us to do with our life? How do we know if we are discerning God’s will correctly? The litmus test is does our choice give us peace and joy or fear and guilt?

In Unitarian Universalism some of us covenant together to affirm and promote the free and responsible search for truth and meaning. This search for truth and meaning is discerning God’s will. What would Love have us do? If we are unsure we can ask the Holy Spirit for guidance. Jesus told us, “Seek and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened to you.”

Today it is suggested that we knock on the door of the Kingdom of God.

The Judeo-Christian mistake

Human exceptionalism, the idea that humanity has the right to rule over nature, has brought us to the brink of environmental disaster in the form of climate change. Clearly, it is time for the world to reject the arrogant and mistaken belief that the Earth’s resources can be consumed and exploited without consequence. Roger Santodomingo, UU World, Fall, 2022

The idea from the Book of Genesis (1:28) that God gave the earth to homo sapiens to dominate,  subjugate and exploit is a pernicious and misguided teaching. This idea has led to genocide, speciescide, exploitation, degradation, harm, and extinction. 

With disastrous consequences of this false teaching becoming ever more apparent, it is time for homo sapiens to wise up, acknowledge wrongdoing, repent, and repair the harm that has been done. But first hearts and minds must change their thought system. The earth is not ours to exploit but to protect and nurture.

Unitarian Universalists covenant together to affirm and promote a respect for the interdependent web of existence of which we are a part. Let us lift up, teach, and be creative in ways of applying this principle in our lives personally, community, and societally. We might begin with challenging the idea that homo sapiens have the right to exploit and dominate other living things. Rather, we are here to nurture, enhance, and facilitate evolutionary processes.

Who and what can be forgiven?

You are not asked to make insane decisions, although you can think you are. It must, however, be insane to believe that it is up to you to decide what God’s creations are. The Holy Spirit perceives the conflict exactly as it is. Therefore, His second lesson is: To have peace, teach peace to learn it. T-6.V.B.7:1-5

A Course in Miracles (p. 237). Foundation for Inner Peace. Kindle Edition. 

It is easier said than done when the ACIM teaches, “To have peace, teach peace to learn it.” A reader might ask, “How the heck am I supposed to do that?” The answer is “forgiveness.” Jesus said to turn the other cheek, and if someone wants your coat give him your shirt as well and if a person asks you to do them a favor, do them two.

In Unitarian Universalism there is not a principle that directly applies to this idea of forgiveness. This deficit is a crack in the foundation of UU. The closest UU comes to the idea of forgiveness is in the second principle of justice, equity, and compassion in human relations. Compassion is not the same thing as forgiveness but forgiveness may be a preliminary step in compassion.

Today it is suggested that who and what can be forgiven is worthy of consideration.

The vision and mission of the UUA

In the rush down the hole of racism and social justice topics the UUA has forgotten the vision and mission of the association.

The vision of the UUA is the creation of a better world of justice, equity, and compassion.

The mission of the UUA is to nurture and enhance the ability of its member congregations to raise the spiritual intelligence of their members and the world.

The UUA has forgotten who it is and what it is about.

Discerning Truth, Goodness and Beauty

There can be no conflict between sanity and insanity. Only one is true, and therefore only one is real. The ego tries to persuade you that it is up to you to decide which voice is true, but the Holy Spirit teaches you that truth was created by God, and your decision cannot change it. As you begin to realize the quiet power of the Holy Spirit’s Voice, and Its perfect consistency, it must dawn on your mind that you are trying to undo a decision that was irrevocably made for you. That is why I suggested before that you remind yourself to allow the Holy Spirit to decide for God for you. T-6.V.B.6:1-5

A Course in Miracles (p. 237). Foundation for Inner Peace. Kindle Edition. 

In spite of what the postmodern philosophy teaches that truth is a social construction, there is Truth, Goodness, and Beauty and it is from God and fundamental to life.

In Unitarian Universalism some of us covenant together to affirm and promote the free and responsible search for truth and meaning and this search takes us to the Holy Spirit and the Truth of God.

Today it is suggested that we consider what is True, Good, and Beautiful and ask the Holy Spirit to guide us in our discernment.

Who do you think you are?

The first step in the reversal or undoing process is the undoing of the getting concept. Accordingly, the Holy Spirit’s first lesson was “To have, give all to all.” I said that this is apt to increase conflict temporarily, and we can clarify this still further now. At this point, the equality of having and being is not yet perceived. Until it is, having appears to be the opposite of giving. Therefore, the first lesson seems to contain a contradiction, since it is being learned by a conflicted mind. T-6.V.B.3:1-6

A Course in Miracles (p. 236). Foundation for Inner Peace. Kindle Edition. 

The passage above articulates a fundamental concept in the metaphysics of A Course In Miracles, the distinction between being and having. The idea so difficult for the ego mind to grasp is that being is having. In Buddhism the phrase, “It is what it is.” has become a meme in our contemporary culture. God says “I am who I am.” God is a verb not a noun. As long as we believe that having things will make us happy and give us peace we are conflicted. What we are yearning for is an experience of peace and joy not any particular object. Another way of stating the first lesson to be learned is not only “To have, give all to all,” but “To have, be all to all.”

In Unitarian Universalism some of us join together to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person. This inherent worth and dignity does not come from what we have but from what we are.

Today it is suggested that we answer the question, “Who do you think you are?”

Would you seek and know unconditional love?

All good teachers realize that only fundamental change will last, but they do not begin at that level. Strengthening motivation for change is their first and foremost goal. It is also their last and final one. Increasing motivation for change in the learner is all that a teacher need do to guarantee change. Change in motivation is a change of mind, and this will inevitably produce fundamental change because the mind is fundamental. T-6.V.B.2:1-5

A Course in Miracles (pp. 235-236). Foundation for Inner Peace. Kindle Edition. 

Motivation for change is the key. The change itself, union with the Transcendent Source, is intrinsic, even if not recognized and acknowledged. The Transcendent Source is from whence we have come and to which we return consciously now rather than unconsciously as before. The raising of consciousness of our Transcendent Source is the change we seek, and yet  captured by the conditioning and socialization of the ego, we are not motivated to shift our perception from the world of the ego to the Kingdom of God. Good teachers motivate their students to recognize, acknowledge and enter on the journey of learning which raises their consciousnesses ultimately to the non dual, unitive, level where they become one with the All.

In Unitarian Universalism some of us covenant together to affirm and promote the free and responsible search for truth and meaning, and we accept one another and encourage spiritual growth.

Today it is suggested that we consider what really matters to us. Would we seek and know unconditional love?