Question: I just watched your conference video at ft. lauderdale Florida, and I've noticed that you talked about not taking spirituality seriously, but just to instead laugh at it. You also talk about how the choices that we've made up until this point in our lives, we couldn't do it any differently. What do you mean by this, don't we have a choice? Towards the end of this conference, you talked about us not really having free will. Growing up, I was always taught that free will was a gift, from our Creator. What's your take on this?

Answer: This is something that A Course in Miracles helped me understand. I could not figure out how come most of the choices I made did not leave me to where I wanted. And I did not understand how could it possibly be that things would fall apart in my life at times when I needed them the most. And the reason being was, this world is not of my Creators' for if that was the case, how come God that is love would create a world filled with hatred and anger, in other words, separation?

A Course helped me understand that the world I seem to be living in was my own projection so that I can make myself believe that I could create another world beside God's. In this world I projected, I also projected the script. In other words, if I could create the world I really want, there would be no reason for me to want to return to the Real world, also known as the Kingdom.

So in the divine scheme of things, not being able to have what we want in this world, sooner or later is going to lead us to questioning everything. In that questioning is where we begin to turn within and realize that if we keep choosing the ego as our guide, we will project a world of duality, which sooner or later is going to hurt us. But if we choose the Holy Spirit as our guide, in other words, the voice within us, we can then live a more peaceful life before we can experience the Kingdom, which is "not of this world."

That's why the Course then reminds me:

"4 An imprisoned will engenders a situation which, in the extreme, becomes altogether intolerable. 5 Tolerance for pain may be high, but it is not without limit. 6 Eventually everyone begins to recognize, however dimly, that there must be a better way. 7 As this recognition becomes more firmly established, it becomes a turning point. 8 This ultimately reawakens spiritual vision, simultaneously weakening the investment in physical sight. 9 The alternating investment in the two levels of perception is usually experienced as conflict, which can become very acute. 10 But the outcome is as certain as God." T-2.III.3:4-10

So the choice is, do we want to suffer or do we want to be free? If we choose the ego, we will end up suffering no matter what. If we choose the Holy Spirit we will live a more peaceful life, AND, we get to eventually experience the Kingdom, which once again, "it is NOT of this world."

So really, if one choice leads to suffering and the other one to freedom, do we really have a choice? In the end, no. Because nobody wants to suffer. And sooner or later, we are all going to turn within. In regards to fee will, A Course in Miracles reminds me:

"The acceptance of the Atonement (meaning our oneness with God) by everyone is only a matter of time. 2 This may appear to contradict free will because of the inevitability of the final decision, but this is not so. 3 You can temporize and you are capable of enormous procrastination, but you cannot depart entirely from your Creator, Who set the limits on your ability to miscreate." T-2.III.3:1-3

In other words, you can project, which seem as if you are making choices. However, if your choices lead you more and more to separation, there are limits to which you will not be able to continue projecting. And that is why we don't have the free will to make all the choices that we want. And sooner or later our frustrations will lead to let go and let God.

Finally, not taking spirituality seriously, is because who we are is pure joy! This world is hell! And the reason why we experience hell in this world is because we are looking at it, and believing in it. How can you take something serious that does not exist? Well, I will be very honest with you, that has, and still is, one of my biggest lessons. However, only practicing offering my thoughts to the Holy Spirit can assists me is seeing Truth instead of illusions. Once we learn to look at the world with vision, not eyesight, we can then laugh it all away!

"In gentle laughter does the Holy Spirit perceive the cause (the mind), and looks not to effects (the world that we see). 2 How else could He correct your error, who have overlooked the cause entirely? 3 He bids you bring each terrible effect to Him that you may look together on its foolish cause and laugh with Him a while. 4 You judge effects, but He has judged their cause. 5 And by His judgment are effects removed." T-27.VIII.9:1-5

Don't expect to make sense or intellectualize what you've just read. When you are ready to let go and let God, it will all make sense, not because you have found an answer but because you have had the direct experience.

"The ego will demand many answers that this course does not give. 2 It does not recognize as questions the mere form of a question to which an answer is impossible. 3 The ego may ask, "How did the impossible occur?", "To what did the impossible happen?", and may ask this in many forms. 4 Yet there is no answer; only an experience. 5 Seek only this, and do not let theology delay you." C-in.4:1-5

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