1. To the extent to which you value guilt, to that extent will you perceive a world in which attack is justified. 2To the extent to which you recognize that guilt is meaningless, to that extent you will perceive attack cannot be justified. 3This is in accord with perception’s fundamental law: You see what you believe is there, and you believe it there because you want it there. 4Perception has no other law than this. 5The rest but stems from this, to hold it up and offer it support. 6This is perception’s form, adapted to this world, of God’s more basic law; that love creates itself, and nothing but itself.
2. God’s laws do not obtain directly to a world perception rules, for such a world could not have been created by the Mind to which perception has no meaning. 2Yet are His laws reflected everywhere. 3Not that the world where this reflection is, is real at all. 4Only because His Son believes it is, and from His Son’s belief He could not let Himself be separate entirely. 5He could not enter His Son’s insanity with him, but He could be sure His sanity went there with him, so he could not be lost forever in the madness of his wish.
3. Perception rests on choosing; knowledge does not. 2Knowledge has but one law because it has but one Creator. 3But this world has two who made it, and they do not see it as the same. 4To each it has a different purpose, and to each it is a perfect means to serve the goal for which it is perceived. 5For specialness, it is the perfect frame to set it off; the perfect battleground to wage its wars, the perfect shelter for illusions which it would make real. 6Not one but it upholds in its perception; not one but can be fully justified.
4. There is another Maker of the world, the simultaneous Corrector of the mad belief that anything could be established and maintained without some link that kept it still within the laws of God; not as the law itself upholds the universe as God created it, but in some form adapted to the need the Son of God believes he has. 2Corrected error is the error’s end. 3And thus has God protected still His Son, even in error.
5. There is another purpose in the world that error made, because it has another Maker Who can reconcile its goal with His Creator’s purpose. 2In His perception of the world, nothing is seen but justifies forgiveness and the sight of perfect sinlessness. 3Nothing arises but is met with instant and complete forgiveness. 4Nothing remains an instant, to obscure the sinlessness that shines unchanged, beyond the pitiful attempts of specialness to put it out of mind, where it must be, and light the body up instead of it. 5The lamps of Heaven are not for mind to choose to see them where it will. 6If it elects to see them elsewhere from their home, as if they lit a place where they could never be, then must the Maker of the world correct your error, lest you remain in darkness where the lamps are not.
6. Everyone here has entered darkness, yet no one has entered it alone. 2Nor need he stay more than an instant. 3For he has come with Heaven’s Help within him, ready to lead him out of darkness into light at any time. 4The time he chooses can be any time, for help is there, awaiting but his choice. 5And when he chooses to avail himself of what is given him, then will he see each situation that he thought before was means to justify his anger turned to an event which justifies his love. 6He will hear plainly that the calls to war he heard before are really calls to peace. 7He will perceive that where he gave attack is but another altar where he can, with equal ease and far more happiness, bestow forgiveness. 8And he will reinterpret all temptation as just another chance to bring him joy.
7. How can a misperception be a sin? 2Let all your brother’s errors be to you nothing except a chance for you to see the workings of the Helper given you to see the world He made instead of yours. 3What, then, is justified? 4What do you want? 5For these two questions are the same. 6And when you see them as the same, your choice is made. 7For it is seeing them as one that brings release from the belief there are two ways to see. 8This world has much to offer to your peace, and many chances to extend your own forgiveness. 9Such its purpose is, to those who want to see peace and forgiveness descend on them, and offer them the light.
8. The Maker of the world of gentleness has perfect power to offset the world of violence and hate that seems to stand between you and His gentleness. 2It is not there in His forgiving eyes. 3And therefore it need not be there in yours. 4Sin is the fixed belief perception cannot change. 5What has been damned is damned and damned forever, being forever unforgivable. 6If, then, it is forgiven, sin’s perception must have been wrong. 7And thus is change made possible. 8The Holy Spirit, too, sees what He sees as far beyond the chance of change. 9But on His vision sin cannot encroach, for sin has been corrected by His sight. 10And thus it must have been an error, not a sin. 11For what it claimed could never be, has been. 12Sin is attacked by punishment, and so preserved. 13But to forgive it is to change its state from error into truth.
9. The Son of God could never sin, but he can wish for what would hurt him. 2And he has the power to think he can be hurt. 3What could this be except a misperception of himself? 4Is this a sin or a mistake, forgivable or not? 5Does he need help or condemnation? 6Is it your purpose that he be saved or damned? 7Forgetting not that what he is to you will make this choice your future? 8For you make it now, the instant when all time becomes a means to reach a goal. 9Make, then, your choice. 10But recognize that in this choice the purpose of the world you see is chosen, and will be justified.