Illusion 103

2004-3-28 05:36:00

Thanks for your comments on illusion. Glenys makes a good point when she says: "I would have thought you could say that about any illusion as isn't all illusion a result of skewed vision?"

Yes, in every illusion has as part of its cause - a truth or piece of the puzzle which is hidden, or not seen.

Let us say you are putting together a puzzle of a 1000 pieces and only one piece has red in it. You have all the pieces together except the one red one. A friend looks at the picture created and comments - the picture has all the colors represented but no red.

The friend is a victim of illusion because the picture his viewing is missing the red piece. The only way he can overcome the illusion is to find the truth, that the final piece is red. Until he discovers this the illusion will have power over him.

Until he finds the final piece what can he do to minimize the illusion?

The important point is that he must not assume the final piece contains no red. He must remain open to all possibilities. The person who is truly immersed in illusion will maintain a preconceived notion as to the image of the last piece. He who makes such an assumption is fully enslaved by the illusion.

In our reality there is rarely only one missing piece but a number of them and there is not one puzzle but layers of them. To overcome all things the pieces must be found and seen and the layers must all overlap and fit.

Paul said that the last enemy to be destroyed is death. The true enemy to overcoming death is illusion so we could word this as: "The last illusion to be destroyed (or overcome) is death.

Why is death the last illusion? Because all other illusions must be seen and solved before this last illusion can be properly seen. There are a number of pictures that must first be seen before the big picture can be understood. Therefore, to attempt to overcome death before the preliminary pictures are put together would be a fruitless effort.

This same principle applies to many illusions that face us. We have heard that A, B and C are illusions, but we may be a long way from understanding the whole picture which will reveal the truth so the illusion can be understood and dissipated as the morning sun evaporates the fog.

That said, let us dispel one more illusion. Let us examine Glenys' "Peace at any price," deception.

It is true that those who buy into this have pieces to the puzzle missing, but what are the pieces?

Here are pieces that need to be considered:

(1) Suppressed hatred and differences are not a sign of true peace. Saddam Hussein had illusionary peace when he was in power because people were afraid to speak up. Now, even though there are many unpeaceful acts the people are closer to a fullness of peace than before.

Inactivity is not a sign of true peace.

(2) It is not worth the risk to escape a little pain now at the risk of great pain and destruction later.

This illusionary step to achieve peace was the cause of World War II. Europe did not suffer a small pain to stop Hitler when it would have been easy and instead suffered great pain for their mistake. The temporary peace was not worth it.

(3) Many think that death is the worst thing that can happen to us.

The truth is that loss of liberty is worse than the loss of life due to a just war. A war that ends suffering and frees the human soul is justified.

Now we must realize that just as some are against war because of illusion there are times that nations are deceived in going to war through illusion.

Explain how illusion can lead to an unjustified war.

I know of no higher fortitude than stubbornness in the face of overwhelming odds. -- Louis Nizer: (1902-1994) English lawyer