Library of Christ Mind Teachings
ACIM Original Edition
Hang on a sec…
The relationship of anger to attack is obvious, but the inevitable
association of anger and fear is not always so clear. Anger always
involves projection of separation, which must ultimately be accepted
as entirely one’s own responsibility. Anger cannot occur unless you
believe that you have been attacked, that [the attack was unjust, and]
you are in no way responsible. Given these three wholly irrational
premises, the equally irrational conclusion that a brother is worthy
of attack rather than of love follows. What can be expected from insane
premises except an insane conclusion?
2 The way to undo an insane conclusion is to consider the sanity of the
premises on which it rests. You cannot be attacked; attack has no
justification; and you are responsible for what you believe. You have
been asked to take me as your model for learning, since an extreme
example is a particularly helpful learning device. Everyone teaches and
teaches all the time. This is a responsibility which he inevitably
assumes the moment he accepts any premise at all, and no one can
organize his life without any thought system. Once he has developed a
thought system of any kind, he lives by it and teaches it.
3 You have been chosen to teach the Atonement precisely because you have
been extreme examples of allegiance to your thought systems and
therefore have developed the capacity for allegiance. It has indeed
been misplaced, but it is a form of faith which you yourselves have
been willing to redirect. You cannot doubt the strength of your devotion
when you consider how faithfully you have observed it. It was quite
evident that you had already developed the ability to follow a better
model if you could accept it.