The mind that believes in separation from Source will teach and learn of the belief in being responsible for making something out of nothing. Falsehood is repeated over and over and the subjectivity of unreality seems to become more and more solid, and thus more of an obstacle to peace.
Having learned only errors via the split-minded belief in sin “being real” himself, a parent will view his control over his children’s minds and bodies as being second chances to “get things right”. Thus, the split-minded parent will outsource his own belief in “guilt-for-having-sinned” to his children, for correction. What he erroneously sees in himself, he will believe is in need of correction within his children.
“Correction, to a mind so split, must be a way to punish sins you think are yours in someone else. And thus does he become your victim, not your brother, different from you in that he is more guilty, thus in need of your correction, as the one more innocent than he. This splits his function off from yours, and gives you both a different role. And so you cannot be perceived as one …” (ACIM text page 571)
The healed mind cannot see himself apart from his Source and thus knows no guilt. He shares One Mind and Its Innocence with all. There is no such thing as sin and there is no need for correction.
True correction, or judgment, is actually the Holy Spirit’s job – because only the Holy Spirit, or the Voice for God, can convey the Truth to the mind that believes in a split. In this way, the Holy Spirit is the only parent who “has it right”. The Holy Spirit’s judgment is always the same. He looks past all belief in separation and guilt over it to the Absolute Truth, to the Whole Mind, to where Healing is at its Source.
Ask not how to punish a child in order to correct his illusions, for this will only keep the mind seemingly split and reinforcing the belief in separation. Give parenting, of oneself and one’s children, to the Holy Spirit, for He sees no sin anywhere. He sees only the Truth, and thus dispels the notions of sin and guilt altogether.
Darcie French 