"In relationships I have found that people can dialogue, 'talk, discover areas of agreement, clarify misunderstandings, and bring about a meeting of the minds,' but nothing ever really seems to change, to really transform, except through forgiveness."

My fax to the Wapnicks of July 3rd, FORGIVENESS IS ALWAYS ... "A BETTER WAY,"  the Robert Perry and Allen Watson OPEN LETTER TO KEN WAPNICK that was released last Monday, and Hugh Prather's recent article entitled What is the Course?  Will it exist in the 21st Century? reflect exactly the same sentiments, all calling for loving communications, with forgiveness placed first and foremost in our hearts.  Part of that process, it seems to me, is for each of us who is committed to internally addressing this issue in a deep and honest way is to be willing to face and share what comes up for us, or to us, from a variety of different perspectives.

What has come up for me is another close look at Lesson 76 in the Workbook, an insightful commentary I just read today by a Susan Bradford (whom I do not know) over an ACIM discussion site, and an extremely interesting and surprising communication from Jon Marc Hammer, one of our better known Jesus/Jeshua channelers - all of which I would now to share with you without further commentary.

Here they are:

The first and sixth paragraphs from Lesson 76, "I am under no laws but God's."

"We have observed before how many senseless things have seemed to you to be salvation.  Each has imprisoned you with laws as senseless as itself.  You are not bound by them.  Yet to understand that this is so, you must first realize salvation lies not there.  While you would seek for it in things that have no meaning, you bind yourself to laws that make no sense.  Thus do you seek to prove salvation is where it is not ...

"There are no laws except the laws of God.  This needs repeating, over and over, until you realize it applies to everything that you have made in opposition to God's Will.  Your magic has no meaning.  What it is meant to save does not exist.  Only what it is meant to hide will save you."

From Susan Bradford, on the Australian UNIMELB website, this date:

...  Well, I can think of some other options...

--it might be possible that Ken asks for the Holy Spirit's guidance and abides by the Rules for Decision.

--it might be possible that having turned this matter over to the Holy Spirit's guidance,  the decision was made to allow Penguin to deal with the publication of the Course itself and copyright issues, and concentrate FACIM/FIP's more modest funding on the translation of the Course into other languages.  That was the information disseminated through the Lighthouse and on the FACIM website.  And that project is moving ahead.

--it might be possible that having made this decision, Ken is following Penguin's legal advice and not engaging in dialogue or the approval of other publications that might affect the case against Endeavor.

--it might be possible that once that case is decided, "lesser" copyright issues will be considered and approved.

--it might be possible that Ken does not perceive attack, thus not needing to defend himself.

--it might be possible that considering his position Ken knows that he is on the hotseat for being a prime "form" for The Authority Problem and lessons will ensue.

--it might be possible that Course Students will ultimately remember the Correction of Error section and remember not to apply the Course to Ken or Ken's "behavior," reflecting instead on their own investment in seeing sides and ego's.

--it might be possible that the Holy Spirit can use anything including seeming conflict for it's purposes.  Even giving "opposing" guidance.

--it is a "fact"  that there are a whole lot of teacher's of God out there whether they call it the Course or not, or call themselves teachers or not, who choose peace instead.

From Jon Marc Hammer, someone who has been channeling "the author of the Course" for the past 13 years:

Val:

Having read the letters zooming round cyberspace regarding the political environment of the Course non-community, I can only reply that I feel a heaviness come over my body, and a sad "drooping" in my heart.

We are blessed with a teacher (Jesus/Jeshua) who's love, and mastery of it, thankfully goes beyond being deflated by the vagaries and viciousness of ego, and, thus, will continue to serve to awaken us regardless of how insane we are with each other. He does so in whatever means he knows can work (he simply follows the guidance of H.S., without needing my, your, or Ken Wapnick's opinion).  And, he gets results that most of us who dare to view ourselves as "teachers" rarely match! (A vote for humility here..)

I have shared with you previously that long ago Jeshua "showed" Ken to me (our working relationship/my apprenticeship has been one of learning to see through other eyes, to depths of the soul).  He showed me his deep defenses against feeling old hurt and fear that transcends this current life.

Frankly, I see Ken as one whose defenses are so strong and eloquent and "reasonable" that he has effectively forgotten to be a perpetual student of Jesus/the Course.  But, that is what ego does.

In Robert's letter, certain quotes from Ken clearly show classical psychological projection neatly hidden in very logical, even caring tonality of words.  It is not the Course he is defending.... there is a deeper fear which is the soil from which his insane actions emerge.

Until something of a metanoia occurs in him, a willingness to penetrate what I call the Land of What I don't Know I Don't Know is Running Me, he will continue to fence himself off from the love (through the community, as well as from a deepening of his relationship with what H.S. can offer internally) that heals.

So... Love, or fear?  We must all deal with how deeply fear has made a home in our minds over endless time, and it can seem "fearful" to allow our treasured "anchors" to our sense of who we are to be dislodged (doesn't the Course indicate there is always a period of disorientation?).

I know Ken is operating as if his actions make sense, but isn't that so for all of us when we behave insanely? Our fear makes us so strongly defend what seems "reasonable."  Yet, as a direct result of my nearly 13 years with Jeshua, I have learned how fear "grows" such "reasonable perception" as a projection that is "obviously just."  ALWAYS, under it is a fear that just has not been embraced, allowed, and felt all the way through until it loses its grip, and a shift of mind occurs: the fear was illusory.

Proper quoting of ACIM in books is easy; it happens all the  time, and we all know it.  Rumi, Buddhism, and even Pat Robertson are "protected" by others quoting and referencing appropriately.  And we are all the richer for it.

Regarding ACIM, no student learns the same way, or is at the same level of understanding as another.  Anyone, even Ken, must admit that a section read and "understood" a certain way that seemed like "IT" in 1985 suddenly means something far deeper in a reading in 1990!!! And aren't we surprised at how we failed to get it the first time?

We are all students of a Mystery beyond the intellect's ability to know or even fully comprehend, which is why I feel the proper orientation to God is one of devoted humility and constant studentship.

I pray for Ken, and for the sane availability of one of Jesus/Jeshua's most exquisite teaching tools: ACIM.  It is still only a tool, a menu pointing beyond itself, and I agree with Tara Singh, the Course must be lived, not merely believed or studied, or talked about, or analyzed.

The most important question Ken could be asking is: "What is the deepest truth about my belief that my action is protecting the Course?" - remembering that the ego always speaks first, so THAT answer cannot be the truth!  It lies much deeper, in something only the feeling aspect of Mind can access, and that will require him to let go more deeply than he has known.  How can I say that?  By "looking" the way in which Jeshua has taught me to look.

I agree with Robert, let's not go the way of the Church in its suppression of the Gnostics (not to mention the Essenes, or anything that did not conform to doctrine; i.e., threatened some ego's power base). ACIM is sufficient unto itself. Any book or teacher that might attract a student's attention to it is very valuable; for once there with the book open on one's lap, in dedication to being shown a new way to see, the One Teacher will be present, and the proper path of revelation (unique to each soul) is perfectly certain, with, or without Ken, you, Robert, Allen, me, or anybody!

Jeshua reminded me ad nauseum that at no time do I know what my brother or sister needs.  I know what it means to feel "certain" that another is sailing their ship onto the rocks, and wish they could only see what is best for them - like I do!  Ha!  It takes great vigilance to allow H.S. to be the real teacher and guide, while honoring the sovereignty of each soul in its creation of its path back home.

Ken is not in charge of defending the True Path.  He has no idea (except insane ones) what that is. The Course need not be protected, or defended, since these rest on the illusion of fear, and any such attempt to defend and protect is really a subtle attack.

Perhaps what many need to do is write a thousand books quoting and commenting on the Course, bring it to the courts, and then have the illogic, and even unlawful control that seems to be the need of Ken to be revealed for what it is: powerless, as well as antithetical to the precious and necessary freedom of the flow of opinion, perspective, and understanding that can be shared in innocence and equality, thus in service to us all.

Blessings,
JM