True Christianity: The Portable New Century Edition, Volume 1

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tends to effervesce when water is added to it.) An internal fire then
melted them into piles that stood thereafter like burial mounds on that
piece of ground.
The second memorable occurrence.In our earthly world we have two 111
types of thought, inner thought and outer thought, and because of that
we have two modes of verbal communication. We are able to talk on the
basis of both our inner and outer thought at the same time, and we are
able to talk on the basis of our outer thought separate from our inner
thought. In fact, we can say the opposite of what we think inside, which
is something we do to put on appearances, insincerely agree with people,
and play the hypocrite.
In the spiritual world, though, our thought process is single, not
dual. There we say what we think. If we do not, we emit a horrible sound
that hurts people’s ears. Nevertheless we have the option of being silent
and not publicizing the thoughts in our mind. So when hypocrites come
among the wise they either leave right away or throw themselves into a
corner of the room, make themselves inconspicuous, and sit in silence.
[ 2 ] Once there was a large conference in the world of spirits. This was
the very topic they were discussing with each other. The participants
were saying that it is a hardship for spirits who have had unacceptable
thoughts about God and the Lord not to be able to say what they think
when they come into the company of the good.
In the center of the participants there was a group of Protestants,
many of them clergy, and next to them a group of Roman Catholics
including monks. Both the Protestants and the Catholics were saying at
first that it is not hard. “Why not say what we think?” they maintained.
“If we happen not to think the right things, we can always close our
mouths and keep quiet.”
The clergy said, “Who doesn’t have the right thoughts about God
and the Lord?”
So some participants in the conference said to each other, “Let’s test
these Protestants and Catholics!”
Some [in the central groups] were convinced that there is a trinity of
persons in God. The participants told them to say and think “One God.”
They were unable to. They twisted and puckered their lips into all sorts
of shapes but they still could not articulate the sound of any words but
those in harmony with their thoughts and mental images, which were of
three persons and therefore three gods.
[ 3 ] Some [in the central groups] were convinced that faith should be
separate from goodwill. They were told to say the name “Jesus.” They


§111 the lord the redeemer & redemption 151

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