A Sensational Soul Journey

Once there was a great king named Vishwamitra. One day he learned that there was a saint in his kingdom whom everybody adored. The name of this saint was Vashishtha, and everyone gladly touched his feet. Now, although Vishwamitra was a very great king, nobody used to come and touch his feet. People were afraid of him, and they would tremble before him. But with Vashishtha it was different.

People gladly touched Vashishtha's feet with deepest appreciation and admiration. So Vishwamitra was extremely jealous of Vashishtha. Vashishtha was a very great saint. After praying to God for many, many years, Vashishtha had realised God and could speak to God face to face. Vishwamitra knew that this was the reason why everybody was adoring Vashishtha instead of him, so he too started praying to God. He prayed to God for a couple of years very seriously, often fasting but still he did not realise God. Then he became impatient. He went to Vashishtha and said, "You have realised God, but I have not been able to. I wish you to tell the world that I have also realised God, like you."

Vashista replied, "How can I say that?" "You can say it," the king insisted. "If you tell people, everybody will believe you, because you yourself have realised God. You know who God is you speak to God. Tell everyone that I have realised God. Otherwise I shall kill your children!" Vashishtha said, "You can kill my children, but I cannot tell a lie." Vishwamitra was a most powerful king.

One by one he had the hundred sons of Vashishtha killed. The hundred sons were very well educated, kind and spiritual. They had studied the Vedas, the Upanishads and other religious and sacred books. Nevertheless, the notorious king killed them all. Even after doing this Vishwamitra was not satisfied because Vashishtha still refused to announce that he had realised God. After a few months he thought, "This time he has to tell the world that I have realised God, or I shall kill him!" With this idea in his mind he went to Vashishtha's small cottage. Before knocking at the door he stood outside quietly listening to the conversation inside. Arundhati, one of Vashishtha's wives, was saying to her husband, "My lord, why don't you say that Vishwamitra has realised God? If you had said it I would still have all my children.

They were such nice, kind, devoted children. They were all jewels. But just because you wouldn't say that he has realised God, he has killed all my children, and who knows what he will do next!" Vashishtha said, "How can you ask me to do that? I love him. He has not realised God. How can I tell people that he has realised God? I love him and that is why I cannot tell a lie."

Even though Vishwamitra had killed the hundred sons of Vashishtha, the father could still say that he loved him! When Vishwamitra heard what Vashishtha said, he came running in and touched Vashishtha's feet, crying, "Forgive me, forgive me, forgive me, my lord. I never knew that anyone on earth could love a person who had killed all his children." Vashishtha placed his hand on Vishwamitra's head and blessed him. He said, "Today you have realised God, because today you know what love is, what truth is. God is all forgiveness. I am forgiving you because the God in me is forgiving you. Today you have realised God." What do we learn from this story? We learn that the ideal of forgiveness is the supreme ideal. When we pray to God we see God's qualities: love and forgiveness.

When we receive love and forgiveness from God we can behave like God towards other people. Vashishtha's hundred sons were killed, yet even then he loved Vishwamitra. Then, when Vishwamitra begged for forgiveness, Vashishtha gave it immediately, as well as giving him his inner Light, Joy and Power. Like Vashishtha, we always have to forgive people when they do wrong things. In this way we give them our Light, our Truth, our Joy. From this story we also learn the importance of associating with holy men. When we are in the company of a spiritual person, even for a second, what transformation takes place in our life! Our life is changed in the twinkling of an eye.

I forgive easily when I remember that there are universal laws, which allow to happen to me only what I create, deserve and is beneficial for my evolutionary process.

I forgive easily when I think that a just and wise Divine Being allowed the other to do whatever he or she did to me.

I forgive easily when I understand that I exist within Divine Plan. That all is happening to me for my long-term benefit.

I forgive easily when I realize that the other is an expression of the Divine with whom I have made a secret agreement to test my faith, love, understanding and inner strength.

I forgive easily when I perceive the other as a soul who behaves in this way because of ignorance of his true divine nature and out of fear and insecurity.

I forgive easily when I remember all of my own mistakes and moments in which I have behaved without love or sensitivity having been mislead by my needs and fears.

I forgive easily when I put myself in the other's position and realize the emptiness, confusion and pain, which lead him to these acts.

I forgive easily when I take responsibility for my reality and remember that only I create in my mind what I feel.

I forgive easily when I need nothing from the other and thus am no longer in a position to be hurt or disappointed.

I forgive easily when I am free from the game of "who is right" and understand that saying, 'I forgive you" does not mean, "You were right", but simply that "I understand you and chose to love you as you are."

I forgive easily when I am liberated from the role of the abused who needs abusers.

I forgive others when I am free from the mistaken thought process, which says, "since I am the victim, the other is the abuser and I am good and the other is evil. I am worthy and he is not.

The victim finds his security and self worth in being victimized, and believes that, if he forgives, then he loses his self-worth.

I forgive easily when I remember Christ's words "Whoever has not sinned, let him throw the first stone."

I wonder then, what right could I ever have not to forgive?

Upon what perfection am I basing my right to condemn?

I think, "He forgave those who crucified him, saying, 'They know not what they do.'" Because he saw them through divine eyes although they remained totally ignorant of their Divine origin.

And when Peter asked him, "How many times should we forgive, Seven times?" Christ answered, "No Peter, not seven times, but Seven times seventy times," In other words - without end.

And when I am truly conscious, I also ask forgiveness from all who I have felt hurt or disappointed by my actions, voluntary or not.

If possible, I seek to correct any wrong that has been done and desire to lessen their pain - if they allow me.

Then I communicate with God, confess my weakness and acknowledge my mistakes and egoism.

Then I forgive myself.

When I forgive - all including myself,
We then all gather in love
In my heart.

As I watch people’s lives unfold, I am often struck by how sensitive we all are. I see it in others and certainly feel it in myself as well. It is more than likely you have already experienced your profound sensitivity more than once this very day. The deepest motivation within us all is good… in fact, divine. We all feel that deep within us. Any conflict or criticism feels like an assault on that innocent divinity. It hurts. Children seem to more readily display that hurt openly. They cry. Adults seem to more readily shroud it with defenses such as anger and retaliation.

Whether we are hurt or we hurt others, our vulnerability is pinched. We feel bad. We do well to come back into balance sooner rather than later, coming to a place of understanding… a place of self honesty regarding our hurt and sadness. After the initial reactions, there ideally comes a time of forgiveness. Yet that can be a most difficult task. Some may not be willing to go there. Hurt and resentment are often self perpetuating and held indefinitely. Even after you may come to a place of willingness to let go and move forward, fear that the others involved will not move forward can linger and cause pain, long after the initial hurtful incident.

I am often asked about forgiveness. How can we bring it about? If we are to forgive or to be forgiven, this question remains. Yet in either case, the answer is the same. You need to find the strength within yourself. There’s a delicate balance here. You need to have self-honesty regarding what you’re feeling… not to suppress it, yet not to lose yourself to it. Suppressing or denying your hurt feelings reduces forgiveness to little more than an overlay. However, losing yourself to those feelings makes forgiveness impossible. If you were hurt, you need to find it within yourself to let it pass… let it heal. By balancing inner feelings with inner strength, you attain understanding which is the gateway to true forgiveness.

If you hurt another and long for their forgiveness, it also starts with holding the sadness in your heart with strength and dignity. If you do that, it invites the others involved to also move forward to forgiveness. There may be some snide remarks or even outright verbal assaults before they come to that place. You may hear of their criticism or negativity through the grapevine. You may be directly criticized, challenged and hurt again.

Your stance is best always held with inner strength. That strength brings understanding. It offers a willingness to give things time to settle. If you bring forward the requisite strength to hold a healthy understanding in your heart, in time that will be felt by those around you. It will stand as an offering of the symbolic olive branch of peace. You may desire an immediate resolution and verbal acknowledgement of your offering. However, the strength required more often must be held in your heart over time. Slowly, the others will feel it and it will assist them in coming back into balance and peace.

You are tremendously sensitive and vulnerable. This is what it means to be human. Some hide it, or try to. Others do not. But know without question that the sensitivity is universal. It may at times feel like a flaw. It is not. It comes along with the love that dwells within us all. Hold it gently, while finding the strength within to hold it with dignified understanding and honor. This is the gateway to forgiving others, as well as the healing balm often needed to receive loving forgiveness from others.

Forgiveness is an intimate relationship with mercy that soothes pain, dissolves anger and releases attitudes that don't serve our own life potential or humanity.  Forgiveness is a journey that develops and requires that kind of courage that changes our lives in a wonderful way.  This courage compels us increasingly to seek truth and compassion.  Along the way, love's presence sustains us when our effort is great.  As we deepen in our forgiveness practice, we come to know how we are to express ourselves in the world.

With forgiveness promising so much, why do we often hesitate to actively engage it?  Even when we deserve to face long-held feelings and let go of painful wounds, we shy away from the depths of what forgiveness would have us experience.  We may be reluctant to join hands with forgiveness because we lack the know-how, the tools of forgiveness.  Or at some level, we may misunderstand forgiveness and decide it is not appropriate for us or that we are not ready.

Myths about forgiveness, such as "forgive and forget" misinforms us.  Forgiveness it not amnesia.  We forgive and remember.  Remembering helps us to break harmful cycles and reduces the likelihood that we will be hurt, or hurt others, in the same old ways.  Forgiveness does not dull pain.  It is not an escape route from intense emotions tapped within - or from the work required to understand and release those feelings.  Forgiveness does not condone; we forgive the doer, not the doing.  Forgiveness is letting go of intense emotions with the full knowledge that the behavior was cruel and that all parties involved were hurt by it.  Treating pain with kindness produces insight and we come to realize the ignorance and history that fueled the event.  We can then examine our relationships through the eyes of mercy.  Understanding human frailty, we are all more able to forgive ourselves.

Healing happens over time.  We heal at one level at a time, then another.  We make the decision to forgive, again and again.  Saying words of forgiveness is the first step.  Reciting the words creates an opening and willingness, and moves us into a body, heart, mind and spirit process of remembering and releasing.

There is an Indian proverb that says that everyone is a house with four rooms, a physical, a mental, an emotional and a spiritual.  Most of us tend to live in one room most of the time, but unless we go into every room every day, even if only to keep it aired, we are not a complete person.  Our bodies hold the imprints of unforgiven hurt and anger, and we must forgive with our entire being.  Forgiveness literally becomes a healing way of life that embraces well-being, a lifestyle that keeps our inner rooms healthy.

How then, do we forgive?  There is no religiously correct or universally agreed-upon approach to forgiveness.  Yet, there are tools that support and even accelerate the process.  We begin by letting go of our unforgiving stance. We acknowledge the events and feelings that really happened.  We admit that the past cannot be changed.  However, through healing we can leave those yesterdays in the past and create a better tomorrow.  Realizing that forgiveness is our own personal journey, we release expectations that others will respond to our work, even though each person's healing has positive rippling effects.  While journaling, drawing, dancing, breathing, and talking... we face whatever our body, heart, spirit and mind present next for our healing.  Through these processes, we begin relating differently to our suffering.  We don't hold back.  We gently swathe our pain with love.  We allow thoughts and feelings to rise into awareness where they are recognized and permitted to pass on through.  Setting aside sacred time daily, we pray and meditate on forgiveness, and we commune with the divine.  And we trust... knowing that grace and a great wisdom are embracing our efforts.

The two most important words are "I apologize"

Why is it that our prisons are full, countries and groups are forever waging war, and wherever we go, we are exposed to mistreatment? Is it because we were made from clay, and like pottery, we are fragile and imperfect? No matter how magnificent a ceramic work of art is, it remains delicate and must be handled with care. Are we any different? Won't a harsh word, a critical look, or angry shove shatter the person it's directed at?

Because of our imperfections, we occasionally say and do hurtful things. That's why the two most important words are "I apologize." True, an apology cannot undo the harm already done, but at least it can restore the dignity of the victim.

Some are fearful of apologizing, believing it to be a sign of weakness. They don't want to appear submissive or hand over power to another. But when they committed their hurtful acts, weren't they aggressive, and didn't they usurp the power of the victim? So, it is only fitting that they reverse roles by sincerely expressing their sorrow for acting inappropriately.

When one offends someone, they've done the wrong thing; not to apologize is to refuse to do the right thing and compound the offense. Refusing to apologize is not a sign of strength but weakness. After all, one who refuses to say they're sorry acts out of fear, but one who admits they were wrong and asks for forgiveness acts out of courage.

What do you do if your apology is rejected? Respect the right of the victim to do so. Yet, if your misconduct was not exceptionally grave and your apology was sincere, their refusal to accept it makes them equally guilty, for now they are being hurtful. At such a time, don't perpetuate the problem by expressing anger. Rather, acknowledge that you've arrived at this point because of your own misconduct, accept the humiliation, forgive the person you offended, and move on.

Ironically, our misconduct can act as a blessing in disguise, for it is an opportunity to awaken to our faults, express remorse, and change our ways by repenting. It is an opportunity for spiritual growth. Remember, however, that this opportunity came about at the expense of another, so don't forget the pain you inflicted and do everything in your power to eliminate it.

Both Jesus and Muhammad (570? ~ 632 AD) spoke highly about repentance. Christ said, "There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance" (Luke 15:7). Similarly, Muhammad taught, "A sincere repenter of faults is like him who has committed none." An apology, then, can be an important first step in the process of repentance. I refer to it as a process because repentance is not about FEELING sorry or SAYING, "Sorry!" But it is about DOING something about it; it is about making amends, making up for the harm already done. We can offend someone in the blink of an eye and apologize just as quickly, but making up for it can take time, so be prepared to invest that time.

More reasons for and benefits of apologizing include the following 1) Justice and fairness demand that we apologize any time we hurt others. 2) It is an opportunity to grow more spiritual by practicing humility. 3) It is a gift we offer our victim, for by showing them they are worthy of an apology, we are offering them respect and restoring the esteem we took away by the offense. 4) It can heal damaged relationships, for by apologizing, you are expressing that the relationship is important to you and you want to make amends. 5) When you recognize and accept your weaknesses, you'll be better able to do the same for others, which is important because people are imperfect, mistakes will be made, and apologies will have to be accepted to restore harmony.

Still other reasons and benefits include 6) We allow our victim to grow spiritually by offering the gift of forgiveness to us. 7) By accepting responsibility and showing respect for the injured party, we may actually strengthen the relationship. 8) By recognizing that we have acted inappropriately, we are beginning to act appropriately and mend our ways. 9) By making up for our misconduct, we will be free from remorse, regret, guilt, and unhappiness. Instead of being ashamed of our behavior, we will become proud of it.

A further point is so important, it deserves its own paragraph. Apologies play a crucial role in family life. Parents need to treat their children with dignity and apologize when they are wrong. Likewise, children need to treat their parents with respect and say they are sorry when they misbehave. But how can children do so unless they learn from the example of their parents? Parents that are constantly squabbling set a poor example. Husbands and wives must beware of taking their mate for granted. Being married is no excuse for treating your partner unfairly and rudely. On the contrary, no one is more worthy of respect and appreciation than your spouse, so if you occasionally slip up, apologize as quickly as possible and make amends. Apologies and forgiveness, like love and trust, begin with a decision, so make a decision today to never take your spouse or children for granted. If you commit to them, they will commit to you.

An apology isn't complete unless we take all of the following steps.

1) Apologize quickly because you do not know how soon it will be too late.

2) Admit what you did.

3) Express your sorrow.

4) Be sincere by speaking from the heart and feeling the victim's pain.

5) Give your victim the opportunity to vent their feelings.

6) Make up for the harm you've done by taking corrective action, offering compensation, or making restitution.

7) Learn from the experience. For as Robert South (1634 ~ 1716) has aptly written, "True repentance has a double aspect; it looks upon things past with a weeping eye, and upon the future with a watchful eye."

8) If your victim accepts your apology, accept their pardon with gratitude.

We have seen how our missteps, mistakes, and misbehaviors can prove to be a valuable opportunity to become a better person. Nevertheless, it remains true that the greatest gift we can offer others is to lead a life that doesn't need any apologies. Although it is hardly likely that any of us can reach that ideal, we must cling to it to limit the damage we cause. I hope you don't mind if I end here, because I can carry out something far more valuable by apologizing to someone I recently offended.

I Forgive Easily When...

When we forgive we are actually benefiting ourselves.
Below you might find some thoughts that facilitate that process.

I forgive easily when I remember that there are universal laws, which allow to happen to me only what I create, deserve and is beneficial for my evolutionary process.

I forgive easily when I think that a just and wise Divine Being allowed the other to do whatever he or she did to me.

I forgive easily when I understand that I exist within Divine Plan. That all is happening to me for my long-term benefit.

I forgive easily when I realize that the other is an expression of the Divine with whom I have made a secret agreement to test my faith, love, understanding and inner strength.

I forgive easily when I perceive the other as a soul who behaves in this way because of ignorance of his true divine nature and out of fear and insecurity.

I forgive easily when I remember all of my own mistakes and moments in which I have behaved without love or sensitivity having been mislead by my needs and fears.

I forgive easily when I put myself in the other's position and realize the emptiness, confusion and pain, which lead him to these acts.

I forgive easily when I take responsibility for my reality and remember that only I create in my mind what I feel.

I forgive easily when I need nothing from the other and thus am no longer in a position to be hurt or disappointed.

I forgive easily when I am free from the game of "who is right" and understand that saying, 'I forgive you" does not mean, "You were right", but simply that "I understand you and chose to love you as you are."

I forgive easily when I am liberated from the role of the abused who needs abusers.

I forgive others when I am free from the mistaken thought process, which says, "since I am the victim, the other is the abuser and I am good and the other is evil. I am worthy and he is not.

The victim finds his security and self worth in being victimized, and believes that, if he forgives, then he loses his self-worth.

I forgive easily when I remember Christ's words "Whoever has not sinned, let him throw the first stone."

I wonder then, what right could I ever have not to forgive?

Upon what perfection am I basing my right to condemn?

I think, "He forgave those who crucified him, saying, 'They know not what they do.'" Because he saw them through divine eyes although they remained totally ignorant of their Divine origin.

And when Peter asked him, "How many times should we forgive, Seven times?" Christ answered, "No Peter, not seven times, but Seven times seventy times," In other words - without end.

And when I am truly conscious, I also ask forgiveness from all who I have felt hurt or disappointed by my actions, voluntary or not.

If possible, I seek to correct any wrong that has been done and desire to lessen their pain - if they allow me.

Then I communicate with God, confess my weakness and acknowledge my mistakes and egoism.

Then I forgive myself.

Set yourself free from anything that might hinder you in becoming the person you want to be. Free yourself from the uncertainties about your abilities or the worth of your dreams, from the fears that you may not be able to achieve them or that they won't be what you wanted.

Set yourself free from the past. The good things from yesterday are still yours in memory; the things you want to forget you will, for tomorrow is only a sunrise away. Free yourself from regret or guilt, and promise to live this day as fully as you can.

Set yourself free from the expectations of others, and never feel guilty or embarrassed if you do not live up to their standards. You are most important to yourself; live by what you feel is best and right for you. Others will come to respect your integrity and honesty.

Set yourself free to simply be yourself, and you will soar higher than you've ever dreamed.

Ahhhh, how wonderfully Divine Intelligence guides us, linking together seemingly unrelated experiences until we "get" the lesson. Oh, how USUAL!!!

Today a beloved visitor is leaving to return home, and expressed dread at having to travel across the country. She said she used to enjoy travel in the past, but now sees it as nothing but a hassle. I asked why, and she said she had traveled so much in recent years that the fun of it had gone.

Many of us reread the ACIM lessons each year, beginning with Lesson 1 on January 1st. Today's lesson, number 7, is one of the most powerful - "I see only the past". I realized that the dread of traveling was because of this human characteristic of seeing only the past, and then the snowball of awareness started to roll until it became an avalanche of understanding. Examining my life and that of those I know, I see that virtually EVERYTHING that interferes with pure happiness is based on past experience, judgment of how the experience will turn out or fear that it will be as "bad" as a similar experience in the past. Based on this, we alter our behavior, close our hearts and shut down our emotions.

When we look at children, we see the unbridled JOY of BEing. Each moment is FUN for them because THEY HAVE NO PAST!!! Nothing is judged or feared because there are no past experiences to cause judgment or fear. Each new experience is entered into with enthusiasm, they know no other way.

We become conditioned by our experiences, and project the past into the future. Sometimes it is with dread, when we remember past experiences and fear their recurrence. Sometimes it is hope, as we anticipate rearranging the past to better suit us the next time around. What we do NOT do is "come as little children" living in the NOW, full of love and joy and enthusiasm at the wonder of BEing.

We must forgive the past, for it is not here NOW unless we recreate it in our minds. As someone said "the past is history, the future is mystery, the only gift we have is NOW, that is why they call it the PRESENT".

Unconditional love, means unconditional freedom. Love and freedom are two of those words that are interchangeable. Freedom of choice is unconditional love, unconditional freedom. Choice is another of those words that are interchangeable. Love, freedom and choice.

For the most part man has not understood what the word unconditional means. Unconditional means ?NO CONDITIONS.? This lack of understanding is what has gotten man into trouble throughout his sojourn in this physical reality. It is again his ego trying to grasp the idea, and not being able to surrender to its meaning. Let me demonstrate. The one common thread that I have found weaving through man?s many belief systems is; God is Unconditional Love. I have yet to have anyone tell me, that this is not so. It seems to be accepted by all religions. If you are in disagreement with this statement then there would probably be no sense in you reading further.

Now it must be made clear in this example, that ?unconditional,? means, that there is no ?condition,? to God?s Love. Do you understand and agree, that ?unconditional? means no ?conditions apply?? Be sure, because it gets more difficult to differentiate as we move along.

Do you understand that if there was a condition to God?s love, then God would be giving ?conditional? love. I have never heard or read anywhere that God gives conditional love, have you?

Love and freedom are the same, if there is a condition to freedom, then it is not unconditional. Freedom is given from unconditional love. Freedom of choice is the same thing as unconditional love, they are all the same thing. Can you follow this simple reasoning? If you can follow this understanding and accept it, then there is something further you need to understand.

This is extremely difficult for most all humans to do. Because love, freedom and choice are unconditional, there can be no ?PUNISHMENT? for practicing them, once again ?No Punishments.? Here is where the so called enlightened, fall by the wayside. They cannot accept any of these things without the recourse of punishment. You can practice unconditional love, unconditional freedom and unconditional choice with no punishments! God will never punish you! Retribution is a lie, it was all made up. Only ?Man? will punish you. Anyone who tells you different, is not coming from unconditional love. They live in fear of your practicing these things. They do not understand what unconditional means.

Most all who have read the first half of this article will not have problems with it until they get to the No Punishment part. At this point man?s ego takes over and will try to reason his way out of agreeing with the principle. He will begin to say, yes I understand what unconditional means, but! Then he will start, you can?t have people running around doing what ever they want. There is a price (condition) for freedom. You can not freely love anyone you want, that is immoral (conditional). Our choices are limited by are colour, sexual orientation, creed, age, sex, geographic region (conditional).

If you believe in these conditions, then you are in direct contradiction with what you agreed with when you started reading this. If you didn?t agree to the first part, then you have read farther then you were supposed to. You were warned! For those that did agree that God is unconditional love, and don?t understand the contradiction, let me explain. There seems to be a paradox here. Can unconditional love and conditional love exist at the same time. The answer is yes, because we have forgotten our heritage, we have moved away from unconditional. God gives unconditional love, man does not! This is were the contradiction comes from. We understand the love of God, and feel inferior. We can not except that unconditional love is who we really are, and therefore apply conditions to our love and freedom. We apply our human emotions to God and that is where the contradiction lies. We attach certain conditions to his love as we would, if will do not follow his will (which we gave him), we will be punished by him, as we would punish. Man?s love, freedom and choice is conditional, because we have always had freedom of choice to choose and accept those conditions that are conditional, it?s paradoxal, God has NO conditions!

Who is it that is teaching us about conditional love? Who is actually separating us from the love of God? It?s in the Newspaper and has been for weeks. I?m in Canada, its August 08, 2003. For weeks now there has been a major controversy about legalized gay marriages. Who do you think is at the forefront of all the objections? Who is it that is using fear tactics to persuade politicians and supporters to change their policies? Who has come out and said that they fear for the souls of those supporters? It is the same institute that has for centuries, taught us of Gods ?conditional? love. They have taught us that God?s love is unconditional, but we will be punished for practicing it, therefore it is conditional. They have used fear, punishment and death to implant this lie into our belief systems. They have been the false profit. The institute does not correctly reflect God?s love, nor come close to interpreting it. Their interpretations reflect only their fear for their own mortality.

As you reason these contradictions, listen to yourself. Are you coming from unconditional love, or are you reacting from fear. What ever you believe, it will be your new belief, you will have chosen it from unconditional love. It will be your reality.

Feel the unconditional love as you make a free choice. As you make the choice, you should notice that you are not being punished for it. That may come later, not from God, but from those that appose your choice. If nothing else, understand the contradiction. But also understand that who you really are is ?free.? Do not fear for your soul, your soul can take care of itself and of course that is exactly what it is doing. It is the ?BLIND FAITH,? (which is not surrender) that leads you into darkness, when you do not question it. Not taking responsibility for your own salvation has given power to those that would use your vulnerability to keep you on the straight and narrow. Not yours, but theirs.

The human ability to see ?black? and call it ?white,? is both a blessing and a curse. Tait Montague said: Facts and figures never stand a chance in collision with human nature, and the instinct to see things in one?s own best light.