39. The First Misinterpretation of Facts
All negative emotions, suffering, are caused by a misinterpretation of facts. What was the first misinterpretation of facts?
Facts:
- We fell asleep.
- We had a dream.
Ego’s wrong-minded misinterpretation:
- We attacked God.
- We sinned.
- It cannot be corrected, only “atoned” for.
(This is the world’s definition of atonement. The act is unchangeable. All you can do is try to “atone” for it. As opposed to the Course’s definition; it never happened.)
- We are therefore guilty; unworthy of love and deserving of punishment.
- God is to be feared.
Our world is based on this first misinterpretation of facts. It is filled with stories of unworthy of love; abandonment, rejection, separation and deserving of punishment; attack, defense, crucifixion. Basically the world is our unconscious fear of God playing itself out through the symbols in this world of seeming form. We live in constant terror of abandonment and or retaliation. The Course labels those who fear abandonment, atheists and those who fear retaliation, martyrs.
No right mind can believe that its will is stronger than God’s. If, then, a mind believes that its will is different from His, it can only decide either that there is no God or that God’s Will is fearful. The former accounts for the atheist and the latter for the martyr, who believes that God demands sacrifices. Either of these insane decisions will induce panic, because the atheist believes he is alone, and the martyr believes that God is crucifying him. Yet no one really wants either abandonment or retaliation, even though many may seek both. Can you ask the Holy Spirit for “gifts” such as these, and actually expect to receive them? He cannot give you something you do not want. When you ask the Universal Giver for what you do not want, you are asking for what cannot be given because it was never created. It was never created, because it was never your will for you. (T9.I.8)
The facts are not the problem. The misinterpretation is what causes all suffering. The misinterpretation is a result of listening to the ego and using its sick thought system to interpret with. The way out is to learn to listen to the Holy Spirit, use His right-minded thought system and learn to interpret with Him.
Here is how the Holy Spirit interprets the first facts.
Facts:
- We fell asleep.
- We had a dream.
Holy Spirit’s right-minded interpretation:
- You fell asleep. You only had a dream– a fleeting thought.
- You did not attack God.
- You are not guilty.
- You are not unworthy of love and deserving of abandonment.
- You are not guilty and deserving of punishment.
- Why? BECAUSE IT NEVER HAPPENED. You didn’t do anything to be guilty of.
You are the Son of God, Spirit and eternal, asleep in His arms. He is calling to you to awaken, to come home. He loves you. He has always loved you. He always will. You are invulnerable and all powerful. You are loving and love. You have everything because you are everything. God’s certainty is yours. You are the PERFECT Son of God and nothing can change that, not even God Himself. You are what you are. Truth is true, unchangeable and eternal and so are you.