The Illusion of Illusion

 Illusion cannot be a distortion or a diminution of reality because every abstract idea and every outer impression on consciousness always comprises real ideas and impressions. False ideas and impressions do not exist except as they result from false theories or systems. For example, ether in space does not exist because its idea resulted from a false theory. All systems, whether true or false, always comprise real ideas or impressions.

Consciousness can only be aware of immediate real ideas and impressions. False ideas can only come into consciousness from false systems. Immediate ideas and impressions are never false. But combinations of real ideas or impressions can be false.

All illusions derive from false systems which always comprise true ideas and impressions. People have illusions for the same reason that they make mistakes in arithmetic. For example, one can write 2+3=6. But the "2," the "+," the "3," the "equal sign," and the "6" are all real. The illusion cannot be in the immediate ideas in consciousness, but resides in an emptiness in the mind. Subtract all of the realities from this false system, and one is left with only nothing.

The same can be said of false systems such as optical illusions. For example, a straight spoon in a glass of water may appear bent. But all of the constituent impressions of this false system are real. "Spoon," "glass," "water," "light," and "bent" are all real. The way the light reflects off the water causes the straight spoon to appear bent. Yet, all aspects of this false system can only be real. The illusion cannot be in the real impressions, but in an emptiness in the mind. Subtract all of the real impressions from this false system, and one is left with only the idea of nothing.

But the idea of nothing itself cannot be equal to an illusion. The reason for this is that the idea of nothing happens to be as real to the mind as any other idea or impression. The idea of nothing has been proven to be as useful to consciousness as any other idea or impression. The idea of nothing separates something from nothing as space between objects or as ideas in the mind. The idea of nothing can be used to exclude any ideas that do not belong in any true system that one intends to create. One knows that ether does not exist because one equates this false idea with the idea of nothingness.

What then is illusion? If it cannot be found in reality, then where is it? The only possible answer is that illusion has to be less than nothing. Negative numbers somewhat indicate illusion. But no one knows what negative numbers are. They seem to indicate a realm of nonexistence that lies below the idea of nothing. The Bible informs about this realm of nonexistence in Isaiah 40:17.

God created only positive and real ideas and impressions to be used only to create real and useful systems. God created man in His image for this same purpose. Genesis 1:27. Nevertheless, in some strange and inexplicable way that positive consciousness cannot begin to understand, a negative consciousness from this realm of nonexistence became a part of every human's inner being to influence every human consciousness to invent false systems called sin which always comprise God's real and useful ideas. II Thessalonians 2:7. But some false systems are not sinful. People observe the effects of an optical illusion or make mistakes in arithmetic for the same reason that they experience excessive but destructive pleasures derived from invented, sinful systems. Illusion, mistakes, and sin derive from a negative consciousness injected into the inner being of every human by a negative consciousness called Satan. Genesis 2:17; Psalm 99:8,

One may object that the illusion in this optical illusion adheres to the fact that the straight spoon only appears to be bent. The "bent" itself is not real. But this conclusion amounts to another way of saying that the spoon is really not bent. In turn, this amounts to a conclusion that the "bent" in the spoon really equals nothing. But since the real and useful idea of nothing cannot be an illusion, then this idea must indicate an absolute nothingness in the mind. Since consciousness can never directly observe or experience this absolute nothingness in the mind, then consciousness must cover this absolute nothingness with a substituted, real idea such as a bent spoon which really equals nothing. Similarly, humans invent false systems called sin, which always comprise God's useful and real ideas, in order to be destructive instead of creative. Destruction always descends toward absolute nothingness. Consciousness always directly experiences the real and useful, but the absolute emptiness within its being influences it to invent false systems. Isaiah 40:17; Psalm 99:8.