The Laws of the Ego
We live in a world where laws are constantly being created or re-written. Each one of these laws is meant to make the madness in this world conform so that we can feel safe. Most would agree it is not having that effect as we still live in fear about what will happen. From a Course in Miracles (ACIM), there is an explanation as to why this is occurring. The ego has an operating system, or a set of laws, that are judgments running the status quo. Since all judgments are based in fear and guilt, which is chaos, these laws doom everything from the start.
First, let’s discuss the basic characteristics of the ego’s operating system. No matter which brand of ego you purchase, all of them are going to behave within these parameters since they are locked in place by the ego’s laws. Regular maintenance is needed and is nothing more than repeated judgments which keep the chaos in perfect working condition. The ego has needs. God has no needs.
Students of ACIM know the Course says that the error, or separation, never occurred and was just a “tiny mad idea. ” Knowing what the ego has done with that mad idea is the laws of the ego, also known as the Laws of Chaos.
Rule #1 – Law of Ego: The ego gives to get because you need salvation, denied by God, and now it must come from others. This is a hidden agenda in everything the ego does because it denies the law of Heaven that giving and receiving are the same.
Rule #2 – Law of Death: The ego views sin as punishable by death and by dying, your sins are gone and you are free from God’s vengeance. This is the ego’s solution to the law of Creation about ideas not leaving their source. Separation means leaving source and death is salvation from that sin.
Rule #3 – Law of Division: The ego says separation occurred and using the above two rules, it always attacks (gives to get and death) so you don’t notice you are simply attacking yourself and separation is a lie. christian mysticism This one also denies the law of Creation that your creations are like you, a part of you and therefore, you love them as yourself.
The above rules of the ego are the characteristics within the operating system, or The Laws of Chaos. The ego wrong mind uses this platform within its laws beginning with the metaphysical split (“tiny mad idea” or idea of separation) completely out into conscious mind thoughts and behaviors. These laws perfectly describe all aspects of the split mind and if suddenly abolished, the idea of separation would end immediately. This would be the end of this Universe which exists only in the split mind and is held together by judgments using the Laws of Chaos.
Law of Chaos #1:
The truth is different for everyone. Because of separateness, we all have different thoughts. If I’m not you, I can have my own opinion which the ego values very highly.
Specialness comes from this law. Different truths make way for another person, or thing, to be more valued over others. Even an idea can be more true or believable than another. Different also means difficulty because there is no sameness. There is an order of difficultly in illusions as one can be harder than the next and, therefore, needs to be treated with a different truth. This always leaves you guessing, worried, frustrated and anxious over which truth to choose.
The ego’s rule about “giving to get” shows itself very well here. You will only give to another you believe has the correct truth for you, or what you want to get. If ego doesn’t like another version of the truth, it won’t give anything.
Law of Chaos #2:
The sin of separation was committed. The ego uses guilt for having committed this sin against God. Next is fear of Him because now, He’ll come after you for revenge. Your truth (Law of Chaos #1) is now different from God’s truth, i. e., in the ego’s view, your “will” is now different from God’s Will.
“Will” is by definition intention, desire, wants and how you initiate actions (creation). The ego is saying that by separation, you want (“will”) its judgment of death as salvation. This violates the law of Mind that your mind is still with God and the Law of Creation that you cannot separate from what is like you.
The ego’s death and division rules are obvious: All things are considered a sin, condemned and given irrevocable sentences to die. It’s a no-win scenario. You get separation or division from God and all brothers through death; but, this will save you.
Law of Chaos #3:
This law is based on the belief in the first two laws being correct (you did separate and have a different truth). This is the ego’s attempt to make the Will of God into a myth because this makes your “will” different from God’s Will. In the ego’s one or the other system, it is where the truth is hidden.
Either you or God must now be mistaken. Feeling conflicted comes from wondering who is lying. Yet if God is who He is, and He’s mistaken, then you have to hate Him. Hating is fearing. Further conflict is inevitable because now you’re backed in corner, and anything feeling cornered will attack. You justify attack to take back what you want because now, it’s all beyond God’s help. Feeling alone and depressed stem from this law.
Law of Chaos #4:
The ego values only what it can take. Another person’s loss is your gain. You cannot believe in this law unless you’ve bought into the first three laws, plus the rules of the ego. Truths are different so something is more valuable, you need it for salvation, and you must get it at all costs before the punishment of death so death will be your redemption. You have to acquire (take) many truths (things, ideas, etc. ).
You keep things hidden (things, fears, agendas, etc. ) because you value them and want to protect them. In a one or the other system, it is only a question of when someone comes to take them from you because they place more value on yours. Lack also comes from here as you can never have enough because someone else has something better or different that might save you. The ego has needs.
Law of Chaos #5:
There is a substitute for love. Yes, you read that correct. This is the ego’s cure for all your pain, sacrifice and what makes the chaos seem sane. The substitute for love is the ego’s salvation as part of its death rule. You have to attack and take back what is rightfully yours (denied by God) from your brothers so that when you die, you are saved.
Chaotic judgments do not reconcile the inaccuracies of judgments. It ignores them and makes more judgments. Here’s an example: You attack brothers because: (1) the fear of God from Him being mistaken in Law of Chaos #3 above; and (2) part of the mind knows brothers are also God and so it fears them from the same Law of Chaos. Attacks simply fragment judgments and maintains the Laws of Chaos.
As you can see, the Laws of Chaos are basically lawlessness or the wild, wild west in action. There is no order to them, they are subject to immense fragmentation and they govern all illusions. That is why nothing is this world, no laws, protect or control or will ever make you feel safe. These Laws of Chaos began with the belief in sin as being real. Sin is a judgment against sameness. It produces a system where everything is different and unpredictable (chaotic). Then, judgments fragment and hide your brother, as yourself, from you to keep you stuck.
A course in Miracles says your brother is you and that correction of the mind (forgiveness) is all that is required. Seeing another as a brother reverses the Laws of Chaos. You would not attack yourself if you knew them as yourself. It all begins with your choice to see another as a brother. This is choosing to see them without sin which ends chaos as it takes away the maintenance package of the operating system.
