Jesus: The Ultimate Red Herring. (3 min 18 sec)

So, you've heard the hype about having a personal relationship with Jesus, right? Maybe you've even nodded along, thinking it's a must. But here’s the truth: Jesus doesn’t need to have a personal relationship with you. Yep, you heard that right.

The whole "personal relationship" thing is a bit of a red herring. Jesus, in the grand scheme of A Course in Miracles (ACIM), is not about exclusivity or special connections. He’s a symbol — a representation of your non-ego self. And while it's tempting to get caught up in the idea of having a personal link with him, that's not the core message.

Let’s cut through the fluff. For two millennia, churches have pushed this narrative: confess Jesus as your savior or face eternal damnation. It’s a hard sell that misses the point. Jesus, in the Course, is meant to be a symbol — nothing more, nothing less. He embodies the non-ego part of you, not a special, exclusive relationship.

But here’s the rub: in Western culture, it’s nearly impossible to avoid some kind of association with Jesus. Whether you’re a Jew, a Christian, or an atheist, his symbol is embedded in our collective psyche. He’s everywhere, whether you “believe” in him or not.

So, how do you actually navigate this relationship? Start by ditching the special relationship angle. Don’t force a connection with Jesus. Instead, let your feelings and thoughts about him come to the surface naturally. The key is to unravel your negative associations — whether you harbor secret grudges or misplaced adoration.

The Course teaches that true progress comes from undoing the negative, not from building a relationship from scratch. Forgiveness is about dismantling the ego's guilt and attack, not about forging a direct link with Jesus. Think of it like cleaning out the clutter to make way for clarity.

Jesus, as the Course presents him, is a part of the material, but he’s not the be-all and end-all. Think of him as a mirror reflecting your inner conflicts and attachments. The real work is to examine and clear out the negatives — your hurts, dependencies, and ego-driven needs.

Focus on identifying and addressing these negative aspects rather than obsessing over developing a personal relationship with Jesus. Your true inner teacher—the part of you that represents the non-ego—is what you should be connecting with. Whether you call it Jesus or something else, what matters is engaging with that non-ego presence within you.

Don't get tangled in the personal relationship trap. Instead, use the teachings to uncover and address your inner conflicts and attachments. That’s where the real transformation happens.

#thinkgod
I am sorry.
Please forgive me.
Thank you.
I love you.