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Idols

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Definition

False substitutes made of nothing, established by belief alone, kept in place to hide the truth within you and attempt to prove that something outside yourself can make you whole.

Arc in Brief

Idols are substitutes—sickness, specialness, bodies, goals, even self-images—raised to give what only God gives, and they fade when their purpose is given to the Holy Spirit.

Across the Sections

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257 sections
SectionIdols
Text Introduction
Introduction
T-1. The Meaning of Miracles
I. Principles of Miracles
II. Revelation, Time and Miracles
III. Atonement and Miracles
IV. The Escape from Darkness
V. Wholeness and Spirit
VI. The Illusion of Needs
VII. Distortions of Miracle Impulses
T-2. The Separation and the Atonement
I. The Origins of Separation
II. The Atonement as Defense
III. The Altar of God
IV. Healing as Release from Fear
V. The Function of the Miracle Worker
VI. Fear and Conflict
VII. Cause and Effect
VIII. The Meaning of the Last Judgment
T-3. The Innocent Perception
I. Atonement without Sacrifice
II. Miracles as True Perception
III. Perception versus Knowledge
IV. Error and the Ego
V. Beyond Perception
VI. Judgment and the Authority Problem
VII. Creating versus the Self-Image
T-4. The Illusions of the Ego
Introduction
I. Right Teaching and Right Learning
II. The Ego and False Autonomy
III. Love without Conflict
IV. This Need Not Be
V. The Ego-Body Illusion
VI. The Rewards of God
VII. Creation and Communication
T-5. Healing and Wholeness
Introduction
I. The Invitation to the Holy Spirit
II. The Voice for God
III. The Guide to Salvation
IV. Teaching and Healing
V. The Ego’s Use of Guilt
VI. Time and Eternity
VII. The Decision for God
T-6. The Lessons of Love
Introduction
I. The Message of the Crucifixion
II. The Alternative to Projection
III. The Relinquishment of Attack
IV. The Only Answer
V. The Lessons of the Holy Spirit
T-7. The Gifts of the Kingdom
I. The Last Step
II. The Law of the Kingdom
III. The Reality of the Kingdom
IV. Healing as the Recognition of Truth
V. Healing and the Changelessness of Mind Fear turns images into idols and calls them dangerous.
VI. From Vigilance to Peace
VII. The Totality of the Kingdom
VIII. The Unbelievable Belief
IX. The Extension of the Kingdom
X. The Confusion of Pain and Joy
XI. The State of Grace
T-8. The Journey Back
I. The Direction of the Curriculum
II. The Difference between Imprisonment and Freedom
III. The Holy Encounter
IV. The Gift of Freedom
V. The Undivided Will of the Sonship
VI. The Treasure of God
VII. The Body as a Means of Communication
VIII. The Body as Means or End
IX. Healing as Corrected Perception
T-9. The Acceptance of the Atonement
I. The Acceptance of Reality
II. The Answer to Prayer
III. The Correction of Error
IV. The Holy Spirit’s Plan of Forgiveness
V. The Unhealed Healer
VI. The Acceptance of Your Brother
VII. The Two Evaluations
VIII. Grandeur versus Grandiosity
T-10. The Idols of Sickness
Introduction
I. At Home in God
II. The Decision to Forget
III. The God of Sickness ⬥Sickness as worship: the self-image becomes another god.
IV. The End of Sickness Don’t battle the idol—withdraw worship and it returns to nothing.
V. The Denial of God Symptom-idols demand allegiance; self-forgetting keeps them meaningful.
T-11. God or the Ego
Introduction
I. The Gifts of Fatherhood
II. The Invitation to Healing
III. From Darkness to Light Temptation reveals a substitute—choose no comfort before God.
IV. The Inheritance of God’s Son
V. The “Dynamics” of the Ego
VI. Waking to Redemption The ego’s god demands sacrifice; resurrection undoes that worship.
VII. The Condition of Reality
VIII. The Problem and the Answer
T-12. The Holy Spirit’s Curriculum
I. The Judgment of the Holy Spirit
II. The Way to Remember God
III. The Investment in Reality
IV. Seeking and Finding Death treated as treasure: the mind invests in an idol of escape.
V. The Sane Curriculum
VI. The Vision of Christ Valuation reveals the idol: when the world outranks the soul.
VII. Looking Within
VIII. The Attraction of Love for Love
T-13. The Guiltless World
Introduction
I. Guiltlessness and Invulnerability
II. The Guiltless Son of God
III. The Fear of Redemption
IV. The Function of Time
V. The Two Emotions
VI. Finding the Present
VII. Attainment of the Real World Needs and possessions become idols when called “my salvation.”
VIII. From Perception to Knowledge
IX. The Cloud of Guilt
X. Release from Guilt
XI. The Peace of Heaven
T-14. Teaching for Truth
Introduction
I. The Conditions of Learning
II. The Happy Learner Treasure sought in what has no foundation becomes a heavy idol.
III. The Decision for Guiltlessness
IV. Your Function in the Atonement
V. The Circle of Atonement
VI. The Light of Communication
VII. Sharing Perception with the Holy Spirit
VIII. The Holy Meeting Place
IX. The Reflection of Holiness Clear the inner altar: remove images that dim holiness.
X. The Equality of Miracles
XI. The Test of Truth
T-15. The Holy Instant
I. The Two Uses of Time
II. The End of Doubt
III. Littleness versus Magnitude Bargaining for love with little substitutes is self-belittling idolatry.
IV. Practicing the Holy Instant
V. The Holy Instant and Special Relationships
VI. The Holy Instant and the Laws of God
VII. The Needless Sacrifice
VIII. The Only Real Relationship
IX. The Holy Instant and the Attraction of God
X. The Time of Rebirth
XI. Christmas as the End of Sacrifice
T-16. The Forgiveness of Illusions
I. True Empathy
II. The Power of Holiness
III. The Reward of Teaching
IV. The Illusion and the Reality of Love
V. The Choice for Completion Special relationship as idol: completion sought through someone or something else.
VI. The Bridge to the Real World
VII. The End of Illusions
T-17. Forgiveness and the Holy Relationship
I. Bringing Fantasy to Truth
II. The Forgiven World
III. Shadows of the Past
IV. The Two Pictures
V. The Healed Relationship
VI. Setting the Goal
VII. The Call for Faith
VIII. The Conditions of Peace
T-18. The Passing of the Dream
I. The Substitute Reality
II. The Basis of the Dream
III. Light in the Dream
IV. The Little Willingness
V. The Happy Dream
VI. Beyond the Body
VII. I Need Do Nothing
VIII. The Little Garden
IX. The Two Worlds
T-19. The Attainment of Peace
I. Healing and Faith
II. Sin versus Error
III. The Unreality of Sin
IV. The Obstacles to Peace Body as salvation-idol: peace seems like dispossession and loss.
T-20. The Vision of Holiness
I. Holy Week
II. The Gift of Lilies Trinkets on the body’s altar: devotion that tries to hide hatred.
III. Sin as an Adjustment
IV. Entering the Ark
V. Heralds of Eternity
VI. The Temple of the Holy Spirit ▲When bodies house idols, relationships become bargains instead of joining.
VII. The Consistency of Means and End
VIII. The Vision of Sinlessness
T-21. Reason and Perception
Introduction
I. The Forgotten Song
II. The Responsibility for Sight The other will on the altar: idolatry as external causation.
III. Faith, Belief and Vision
IV. The Fear to Look Within Last trinkets shine: the ego’s small bargains to trade Heaven.
V. The Function of Reason
VI. Reason versus Madness
VII. The Last Unanswered Question
VIII. The Inner Shift
T-22. Salvation and the Holy Relationship
Introduction
I. The Message of the Holy Relationship
II. Your Brother’s Sinlessness
III. Reason and the Forms of Error
IV. The Branching of the Road
V. Weakness and Defensiveness
VI. The Light of the Holy Relationship
T-23. The War Against Yourself
Introduction
I. The Irreconcilable Beliefs
II. The Laws of Chaos Secret treasure in the brother: idol-possession justifies attack and chaos.
III. Salvation without Compromise
IV. Above the Battleground
T-24. The Goal of Specialness
Introduction
I. Specialness as a Substitute for Love
II. The Treachery of Specialness
III. The Forgiveness of Specialness Specialness is an idol: power by comparison that cannot save.
IV. Specialness versus Sinlessness Death appointed as savior: the mind gives God’s gift to substitutes.
V. The Christ in You
VI. Salvation from Fear
VII. The Meeting Place Reverencing the ego-made son turns the body into a creation-parody.
T-25. The Justice of God
Introduction
I. The Link to Truth
II. The Savior from the Dark
III. Perception and Choice
IV. The Light You Bring
V. The State of Sinlessness
VI. The Special Function
VII. The Rock of Salvation
VIII. Justice Returned to Love
IX. The Justice of Heaven
T-26. The Transition
I. The “Sacrifice” of Oneness
II. Many Forms; One Correction
III. The Borderland
IV. Where Sin Has Left
V. The Little Hindrance
VI. The Appointed Friend Respectable idols: good goals that usurp the Friend appointed by God.
VII. The Laws of Healing
VIII. The Immediacy of Salvation
IX. For They Have Come
X. The End of Injustice
T-27. The Healing of the Dream
I. The Picture of Crucifixion
II. The Fear of Healing
III. Beyond All Symbols
IV. The Quiet Answer
V. The Healing Example
VI. The Witnesses to Sin
VII. The Dreamer of the Dream
VIII. The “Hero” of the Dream
T-28. The Undoing of Fear
I. The Present Memory
II. Reversing Effect and Cause
III. The Agreement to Join
IV. The Greater Joining
V. The Alternate to Dreams of Fear
VI. The Secret Vows
VII. The Ark of Safety
T-29. The Awakening
I. The Closing of the Gap
II. The Coming of the Guest Body made a god: separation premise and the love–hate swing.
III. God’s Witnesses
IV. Dream Roles
V. The Changeless Dwelling Place
VI. Forgiveness and the End of Time
VII. Seek Not Outside Yourself ▲Seeking outside guarantees idols—and makes losing them seem frightening.
VIII. The Anti-Christ ★Idol as brother-image substitute: it lives only by belief.
IX. The Forgiving Dream Dream toys: idols seem powerful, but fear reveals the substitute.
T-30. The New Beginning
Introduction
I. Rules for Decision Rules for decision: every choice joins either idols or God.
II. Freedom of Will
III. Beyond All Idols Idols are limits that promise happiness—and therefore guarantee loss.
IV. The Truth behind Illusions Neither cherish nor attack the toy—decide you do not want it.
V. The Only Purpose Real world stance: idols may be perceived, but they are not wanted.
VI. The Justification for Forgiveness Limited forgiveness exposes a protected idol and a fixed brother-image.
VII. The New Interpretation
VIII. Changeless Reality The strongest idol-form is the one still secretly wanted.
T-31. The Final Vision
I. The Simplicity of Salvation
II. Walking with Christ
III. The Self-Accused
IV. The Real Alternative
V. Self-Concept versus Self Self-concept as idol: an “innocent” mask that keeps guilt fixed.
VI. Recognizing the Spirit
VII. The Savior’s Vision
VIII. Choose Once Again

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