Illusion 104
A reader presents the illusion of truth being relative referring to the often stated phrase, “You have your truth and I have mine.”
Part of the problem is the lack of accuracy in the wording which should read: “You have your opinion and I have mine.” An opinion may or may not be true.
We did discuss this quite a bit years ago. I think you could find some articles on it by doing a search on freeread for the words “Absolute Truth.”
It is interesting that many students of the Course In Miracles see the truth as relative when the course itself says:
“The truth is true and nothing else is true.”
When one falls for the illusion that truth is relative then he can change the truth into a lie and has no foundation of truth with which to build a philosophy of life.
Stephen Spielberg is upset at Mel Gibson for making the movie – The Passion of Christ. He thinks it is an insult to the Jews, of which he is one.
To counter the Passion movie he is said to be working on three movies about the Crusades which will portray Christians as murderous thugs. He thinks this will provide balance for Gibson’s movie.
Question: What is the illusion that is motivating Spielberg?
First of all we owe thanks to a reader for exposing illusion within the question itself. He tells us that this story is a fabrication that is circulating around the web.
I’m trying to remember where I read this. It seems it was some kind of news site but now I can’t seem to find the original source. I usually see though these type of deceptions, but I missed this one.
What does this teach us about illusion itself?
First it teaches us that something which is not true yet plausible is extremely easy to accept as a true fact from which other assumptions can be derived – some which could be false.
The disciple must ever watch for signs of illusion even in areas where all the data seems to fit neatly together. In this case the deception was plausible, for Spielberg is a Jew and did make a rather terse statement about the film that left me wondering if he was offended by the Passion.
One thing this illusion teaches us is that those caught up in it are neither good nor bad, intelligent or not so intelligent but can be honest students of the path of wisdom or just sincere businesspeople. DK tells us that even the Masters are subject to certain types of illusions. There are numerous veils of illusion that we must pass through as we progress. When the disciple passes through the third initiation he therefore has not conquered all illusion, but instead has laid a foundation of holding his mind steady in the light so the deception behind illusion will manifest itself as he moves forward.
Even though the Spielberg story is a fabrication it does illustrate a very probable reaction that some have to the success of contemporaries. For the sake of this discussion then let us pretend that Spielberg did make that statement about Gibson’s movie.
Where is the illusion?
Remember an illusion is a trick of the mind caused by a missing or distorted piece to the puzzle. The piece our imaginary filmmaker missed was this.
He was offended and made the assumption that he had to pay Gibson back – and perhaps teach him a lesson. Why? Because he assumed Gibson, perhaps because of his Dad, had an anti Jewish bias and felt that he had an impure motive in making the film. Gibson had a subtle hatred toward Jews and thus made a film to nurture this hatred.
Now the problem is this. There is no evidence that Gibson hates Jews at all but probably made the film with the pure motive of portraying something that was dear to his heart.
In other words, Gibson creates a work designed to build something positive with no intent to destroy.
The imaginary filmmaker misread Gibson’s heart and thus incorporates a wrong piece to the puzzle. This distorts his own work in the opposite direction. Instead of working with the motive to create something of value, his motive is to destroy.
This little fictional idea thus illustrates the upside-down direction created by illusionary vision which is often amplified in harm by an impure motive.
One with an impure motive has much difficulty in dispelling an illusion because he desires to hold on to his motive and looks away from the truth which will set him free from it.
Even though the Spielberg story is fabricated I’ll be willing to bet that there are people in powerful circles who are contemplating the making of movies which would be controversial like the Passion, but tear down rather than build up a belief in Christ. I think that whoever started this fabrication picked up some thoughts that are in circulation in the ethers.
That said what is the principle behind the illusion under discussion? We could word it this way.
The deception caused by misreading the intent behind the work of a brother and responding to that work according to imaginary judgment rather than the known truth.
I have seen this illusion appear in a number of individuals in connection with myself. A number of people have seen wrong motive, ego, desire for wealth, power etc as the reason I write and teach. They thus form false conclusions and seek to destroy and pull down rather than create something of value in their own sphere.
“Communism is like prohibition, it’s a good idea but it won’t work.” — Will Rogers: (1879-1935)
April 2, 2004
Copyright by J J Dewey
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