The text reading, the Message of the Crucifixion [CH 6, II acim-oe], reminds me of an AHA that came to me some years ago.  As someone who was brought up Jewish in a mostly Christian society, my early learning from the world's curriculum was that Jesus was not for Jewish people, as he was the center of Christianity, and certainly they were "different religions" as all religions are different from all others; Part of the belief system we engage in here.

Yet it was also apparent to me that Jesus was Jewish never knowing what a "Christian" was as practiced by 500 million people worldwide. Concurrently, I also saw the way that Christians by their talk and actions condemned the Apostle, Judas.

They would name their children and churches after all the other Apostles gladly, even those that denied and doubted Jesus yet totally condemned the "betrayer" Judas.

Many years later, I was led to A Course in Miracles [ACIM], and after going through the Text back in 1978, I found on Page 87 (page 95 in the numbered Foundation for Inner Peace edition, CH 6, I 15), under Chapter 6, The Lessons of love and the Message of the Crucifixion, where Jesus speaks very personally in the "first person" of his experience with his own Apostles, and comes back to correct the record of his relationship with "Judas" his brother and an Equal Son of God. Equality and inclusion invites Atonement automatically.

Even as it is impossible, yet we believe in it, as we believe in guilt. Guilt equates to "betrayal" or "denial" which is as total as Love is. So the lesson of Judas is for our own healing, for while I see betrayal and guilt in another, to protect my own rusty halo, Love is denied and what is not love is murder, as Jesus says.

It is clear from his Message to us that he could never have said "Thou betrayest me with a kiss" the famous line that has endured for 2000 years and has turned generations of Christians "to despise Judas as having done the unforgiveable", which is betraying the SON of God.

As we read, study and practice ACIM, it is clear why we choose to leave Judas as "unforgiveable" as he is the symbol of "our own guilt" based on our belief that we "betrayed our Father, Creator, Love, Our Self and it is this guilt, we would project out and onto the "scapegoat" Judas.  The Course tells us on every page of its 1200 pages that this is impossible. We cannot betray either God, His Son, or Love, except in our dreams of sleep and forgetfulness.

Jews perceive Jesus as the "one to blame" for their centuries of being nomads without a country, and for their persecution as a "hated minority" responsible for the death of the "Son of God". Again, this is an impossible dream exposed as the illusion we believe in and by our belief, strengthened so it becomes hardened in our minds . This dream remains intact until we bring it to the Light and expose its fallacy.

Yes, I see it is a mistake of the same level and proportion.

Jews need to forgive Jesus for what he did not do as Christians need to forgive Judas for what he did not do.

Jews do not see Jesus as ONE with them. They project onto Jesus as the "source to blame" for their being "persecuted and discriminated against" over the centuries. In a way, He is a Jew who betrayed them. Of course that is pure projection of the idea that we are unloved and are outcast nomads from our Home.

Christians do not see Judas as ONE with All the Apostles choosing to name their children and churches after all the Apostles except Judas, for he has done the "unforgiveable” - betrayal.  Betrayal is what we all believe we did, as that is the "source of guilt" from all who have renounced their Creator and Home and Self, in favor of being author of their own will and world.

Even thought this is impossible, yet we believe in it, as we believe in guilt. Guilt equates to "betrayal" or "denial" which is as total as Love is. So the lesson of Judas is for our own healing, for while I see betrayal and guilt in another, to protect my own rusty halo, Love is denied and what is not love is murder, as Jesus says.

Betrayal, in any form is impossible and if you believe in it we use it to perpetuate the dream for it serves only to reinforce our "fearful weak self".

The Son of God, when He identifies with the strength of God as His source, and extends love can only create by extending His Love.

These are the thoughts that came to me, many years ago when I came across this section of A Course in Miracles.

IN FULL APPRECIATION,
David Fishman,
Author of "Into Oneness, Thoughts and Prayers on the Way"
http://www.intooneness.com

 & Co-Creator of www.ONEMINDfdn.org 
Tune-IN at www.ACIMGatherRadio.org

JOYnUS at OPEN MINDS for ACIM & NTI on Facebook at
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=108385025862794&ref=mf

~*~

*[FROM HIS WEBSITE] H. David Fishman has been a leading teacher of A Course In Miracles for over 25 years. He has used its principles of spiritual psychology as a basis for relationship counseling.  David is author of Into Oneness, Thoughts and Prayers on the Way
and is currently hosting meetings on the Internet at ACIM GATHER. For many years, David served as Commissioner of Human Rights for the city of Yonkers, New York and recently established the One Mind Foundation.

David can be reached at hdfishman@aol.com