T-2.III The Altar of God
1. The Atonement can only be accepted within you by releasing the inner light.
²Since the separation, defenses have been used almost entirely to defend against the Atonement, and thus maintain the separation.
³This is generally seen as a need to protect the body.
⁴The many body fantasies in which minds engage arise from the distorted belief that the body can be used as a means for attaining “atonement”.
⁵Perceiving the body as a temple is only the first step in correcting this distortion, because it alters only part of it.
⁶It does recognize that Atonement in physical terms is impossible.
⁷The next step, however, is to realize that a temple is not a structure at all.
⁸Its true holiness lies at the inner altar around which the structure is built.
⁹The emphasis on beautiful structures is a sign of the fear of Atonement, and an unwillingness to reach the altar itself.
¹⁰The real beauty of the temple cannot be seen with the physical eye.
¹¹Spiritual sight, on the other hand, cannot see the structure at all because it is perfect vision.
¹²It can, however, see the altar with perfect clarity.
Expanded
The Atonement can only be accepted within you by releasing the inner light.
²Since the separation, defenses have been used almost entirely to defend against the Atonement, and thus maintain the separation.
³This [defending against the Atonement] is generally seen as a need to protect the body.
⁴The many body fantasies in which [body-fantasies] minds engage arise from the distorted belief that the body can be used as a means for attaining “atonement”.
⁵Perceiving the body as a temple is only the first step in correcting this distortion [the distorted belief that the body can be used as a means for attaining “atonement”], because it [perceving the body as a temple] alters only part of it [the distorted belief].
⁶It [perceiving the body as a temple] does recognize that Atonement in physical terms is impossible.
⁷The next step, however, is to realize that a temple is not a structure at all.
⁸Its [a temple’s] true holiness lies at the inner altar around which [altar] the structure is built.
⁹The emphasis on beautiful structures is a sign of the fear of Atonement, and [a sign of] an unwillingness to reach the altar itself.
¹⁰The real beauty of the temple cannot be seen with the physical eye.
¹¹Spiritual sight, on the other hand, cannot see the structure at all because it [spiritual sight] is perfect vision.
¹²It [spiritual sight] can, however, see the altar with perfect clarity.
Substituted
The Atonement can only be accepted within you by releasing the inner light.
²Since the separation, defenses have been used almost entirely to defend against the Atonement, and thus maintain the separation.
³Maintaning the separation (or defending against the Atonement?) is generally seen as a need to protect the body.
⁴Minds engage in many body fantasies — body fantasies arise from the distorted belief that the body can be used as a means for attaining “atonement”.
⁵Perceiving the body as a temple is only the first step in correcting the distorted belief that the body can be used as a means for attaining “atonement” — because perceving the body as a temple alters only part of the distorted belief.
⁶Perceiving the body as a temple does recognize that Atonement in physical terms is impossible.
⁷The next step, however, is to realize that a temple is not a structure at all.
⁸A temple’s true holiness lies at the inner altar — the temple is merely the structure built around the altar.
⁹The emphasis on beautiful structures is a sign of the fear of Atonement, and a sign of an unwillingness to reach the altar itself.
¹⁰The real beauty of the temple cannot be seen with the physical eye.
¹¹Spiritual sight, on the other hand, cannot see the structure at all because spiritual sight is perfect vision.
¹²Spiritual sight can, however, see the altar with perfect clarity.
Simplified
You believe you need the body to attain Atonement.
In separation, you defend the body against Atonement.
You protect the body by making it into a temple.
You must realise a temple is only holy because of the altar inside.
Spiritual sight will show you the true altar.
2. For perfect effectiveness the Atonement belongs at the center of the inner altar, where it undoes the separation and restores the wholeness of the mind.
²Before the separation the mind was invulnerable to fear, because fear did not exist.
³Both the separation and the fear are miscreations that must be undone for the restoration of the temple, and for the opening of the altar to receive the Atonement.
⁴This heals the separation by placing within you the one effective defense against all separation thoughts and making you perfectly invulnerable.
Expanded
For perfect effectiveness the Atonement belongs at the center of the inner altar, where it [the Atonement] undoes the separation and restores the wholeness of the mind.
²Before the separation the mind was invulnerable to fear, because fear did not exist.
³Both the separation and the fear are miscreations that must be undone for the restoration of the temple, and for the opening of the altar to receive the Atonement.
⁴This [opening the altar to receive the Atonement] heals the separation by placing within you the one effective defense against all separation thoughts and making you perfectly invulnerable.
Substituted
For perfect effectiveness the Atonement belongs at the center of the inner altar, where the Atonement undoes the separation and restores the wholeness of the mind.
²Before the separation the mind was invulnerable to fear, because fear did not exist.
³Both the separation and the fear are miscreations that must be undone for the restoration of the temple, and for the opening of the altar to receive the Atonement.
⁴Opening the altar to receive the Atonement heals the separation by placing within you the one effective defense against all separation thoughts and making you perfectly invulnerable.
Simplified
Fear did not exist before the separation.
Separation and fear must be undone.
The Atonement is the defence against separation thoughts.
3. The acceptance of the Atonement by everyone is only a matter of time.
²This may appear to contradict free will because of the inevitability of the final decision, but this is not so.
³You can temporise and you are capable of enormous procrastination, but you cannot depart entirely from your Creator, Who set the limits on your ability to miscreate.
⁴An imprisoned will engenders a situation which, in the extreme, becomes altogether intolerable.
⁵Tolerance for pain may be high, but it is not without limit.
⁶Eventually everyone begins to recognize, however dimly, that there must be a better way.
⁷As this recognition becomes more firmly established, it becomes a turning point.
⁸This ultimately reawakens spiritual vision, simultaneously weakening the investment in physical sight.
⁹The alternating investment in the two levels of perception is usually experienced as conflict, which can become very acute.
¹⁰But the outcome is as certain as God.
Expanded
The acceptance of the Atonement by everyone is only a matter of time.
²This [inevitable acceptance of the Atonement] may appear to contradict free will because of the inevitability of the final decision, but this is not so [that invevitability contradicts free will].
³You can temporise and you are capable of enormous procrastination, but you cannot depart entirely from your Creator, Who [your Creator] set the limits on your ability to miscreate.
⁴An imprisoned will engenders a situation which, in the extreme, becomes altogether intolerable.
⁵Tolerance for pain may be high, but it [tolerance for pain] is not without limit.
⁶Eventually everyone begins to recognize, however dimly, that there must be a better way.
⁷As this recognition [that there must be a better way] becomes more firmly established, it [recognition that there must be a better way] becomes a turning point.
⁸This [recognising that there must be a better way] ultimately reawakens spiritual vision, simultaneously weakening the investment in physical sight.
⁹The alternating investment in the two levels of perception is usually experienced as conflict, which [conflict] can become very acute.
¹⁰But the outcome is as certain as God.
Substituted
The acceptance of the Atonement by everyone is only a matter of time.
²Inevitable acceptance of the Atonement may appear to contradict free will because of the inevitability of the final decision, but the invevitability does not contradict free will.
³You can temporise and you are capable of enormous procrastination, but you cannot depart entirely from your Creator — your Creator set the limits on your ability to miscreate.
⁴An imprisoned will engenders a situation which, in the extreme, becomes altogether intolerable.
⁵Tolerance for pain may be high, but tolerance for pain is not without limit.
⁶Eventually everyone begins to recognize, however dimly, that there must be a better way.
⁷As recognition that there must be a better way becomes more firmly established, recognition that there must be a better way becomes a turning point.
⁸Recognising there must be a better way ultimately reawakens spiritual vision, simultaneously weakening the investment in physical sight.
⁹The alternating investment in the two levels of perception is usually experienced as conflict — the conflict can become very acute.
¹⁰But the outcome is as certain as God.
Simplified
Everyone has a pain limit.
Everyone eventually recognises there must be a better way.
Then spiritual vision can be reawakened.
4. Spiritual vision literally cannot see error, and merely looks for Atonement.
²All solutions the physical eye seeks dissolve.
³Spiritual vision looks within and recognizes immediately that the altar has been defiled and needs to be repaired and protected.
⁴Perfectly aware of the right defense it passes over all others, looking past error to truth.
⁵Because of the strength of its vision, it brings the mind into its service.
⁶This reestablishes the power of the mind and makes it increasingly unable to tolerate delay, realising that it only adds unnecessary pain.
⁷As a result, the mind becomes increasingly sensitive to what it would once have regarded as very minor intrusions of discomfort.
Expanded
Spiritual vision literally cannot see error, and merely looks for Atonement.
²All solutions the physical eye seeks dissolve.
³Spiritual vision looks within and recognizes immediately that the altar has been defiled and needs to be repaired and protected.
⁴Perfectly aware of the right defense it [spiritual vision] passes over all others [defenses], looking past error to truth.
⁵Because of the strength of its [spiritual-vision’s] vision, it [spiritual vision] brings the mind into its [spiritual-vision’s] service.
⁶This [being in spiritual-vision’s service] reestablishes the power of the mind and makes it [the mind] increasingly unable to tolerate delay, realising that it [delay] only adds unnecessary pain.
⁷As a result, the mind becomes increasingly sensitive to what it [the mind] would once have regarded as very minor intrusions of discomfort.
Substituted
Spiritual vision literally cannot see error, and merely looks for Atonement.
²All solutions the physical eye seeks dissolve.
³Spiritual vision looks within and recognizes immediately that the altar has been defiled and needs to be repaired and protected.
⁴Perfectly aware of the right defense, spiritual vision passes over all other defenses, looking past error to truth.
⁵Because of the strength of spiritual-vision’s vision, spiritual vision brings the mind into spiritual-vision’s service.
⁶Being in spiritual-vision’s service reestablishes the power of the mind and makes the mind increasingly unable to tolerate delay, realising that delay only adds unnecessary pain.
⁷As a result, the mind becomes increasingly sensitive to what the mind would once have regarded as very minor intrusions of discomfort.
Simplified
Spiritual vision looks past error and sees truth.
Spiritual vision awakens the mind.
As the mind becomes more awake, you become more sensitive to error and pain.
5. The children of God are entitled to the perfect comfort that comes from perfect trust.
²Until they achieve this, they waste themselves and their true creative powers on useless attempts to make themselves more comfortable by inappropriate means.
³But the real means are already provided, and do not involve any effort at all on their part.
⁴The Atonement is the only gift that is worthy of being offered at the altar of God, because of the value of the altar itself.
⁵It was created perfect and is entirely worthy of receiving perfection.
⁶God and His creations are completely dependent on Each Other.
⁷He depends on them because He created them perfect.
⁸He gave them His peace so they could not be shaken and could not be deceived.
⁹Whenever you are afraid you are deceived, and your mind cannot serve the Holy Spirit.
¹⁰This starves you by denying you your daily bread.
¹¹God is lonely without His Sons, and they are lonely without Him.
¹²They must learn to look upon the world as a means of healing the separation.
¹³The Atonement is the guarantee that they will ultimately succeed.
Expanded
The children of God are entitled to the perfect comfort that comes from perfect trust.
²Until they [the children of God] achieve this [perfect trust], they [the children of God] waste themselves [the-children-of-God’s own selves] and their [the-children-of-God’s] true creative powers on useless attempts to make themselves [the-children-of-God’s own selves] more comfortable by inappropriate means.
³But the real means are already provided, and do not involve any effort at all on their [the-children-of-God’s] part.
⁴The Atonement is the only gift that is worthy of being offered at the altar of God, because of the value of the altar itself [altar’s-own-self].
⁵It [the altar] was created perfect and is entirely worthy of receiving perfection.
⁶God and His [God’s] creations are completely dependent on Each Other.
⁷He [God] depends on them [God’s-creations] because He [God] created them [God’s-creations] perfect.
⁸He [God] gave them [God’s-creations] His [God’s] peace so they [God’s-creations] could not be shaken and could not be deceived.
⁹Whenever you are afraid you are deceived, and your mind cannot serve the Holy Spirit.
¹⁰This [being afraid/deceived, not serving the Holy Spirit] starves you by denying you your daily bread.
¹¹God is lonely without His [God’s] Sons, and they [God’s-Sons] are lonely without Him [God].
¹²They [God’s-Sons] must learn to look upon the world as a means of healing the separation.
¹³The Atonement is the guarantee that they [God’s-Sons] will ultimately succeed [in healing the separation].
Substituted
The children of God are entitled to the perfect comfort that comes from perfect trust.
²Until the children of God achieve this perfect trust, the children of God waste the-children-of-God’s own selves and the-children-of-God’s true creative powers on useless attempts to make the-children-of-God’s own selves more comfortable by inappropriate means.
³But the real means are already provided, and do not involve any effort at all on the-children-of-God’s part.
⁴The Atonement is the only gift that is worthy of being offered at the altar of God, because of the value of the altar’s-own-self.
⁵The altar was created perfect and is entirely worthy of receiving perfection.
⁶God and God’s creations are completely dependent on Each Other.
⁷God depends on God’s-creations because God created God’s-creations perfect.
⁸God gave God’s-creations God’s peace so God’s-creations could not be shaken and could not be deceived.
⁹Whenever you are afraid you are deceived, and your mind cannot serve the Holy Spirit.
¹⁰Being afraid/deceived / not serving the Holy Spirit, starves you by denying you your daily bread.
¹¹God is lonely without God’s Sons, and God’s-Sons are lonely without God.
¹²God’s-Sons must learn to look upon the world as a means of healing the separation.
¹³The Atonement is the guarantee that God’s-Sons will ultimately succeed in healing the separation.
Simplified
The children of God are entitled to perfect comfort [that is, peace and free of pain —Ed.].*
God gives what is needed for our comfort.
Being afraid is being lonely.
The separation will be healed.
The world can be a means of healing the separation.