Is it not true you do not recognize some of the forms attack can take?
If it is true attack in any form will hurt you, and will do so just as
much as in another form which you DO recognize, then it must follow that
you do not always recognize the source of pain. Attack in ANY form is
equally destructive. Its purpose does not change. Its sole intent is
murder, and what form of murder serves to cover the massive guilt and
frantic fear of punishment the murderer must feel? He may deny he is a
murderer, and justify his savagery with smiles as he attacks. Yet he will
suffer, and will look on his intent in nightmares where the smiles are
gone, and where the purpose rises to meet his horrified awareness and
pursue him still. For no-one thinks of murder and escapes the guilt the
THOUGHT entails. If the intent is death, what matter the form it takes?

Is death in any form, however lovely and charitable it may seem to be, a
blessing and a sign the Voice for God speaks through you to your
brother? The wrapping does not make the gift you give. An
empty box, however beautiful and gently given, still contains nothing.
And neither the receiver nor the giver is long deceived. Withhold
forgiveness from your brother, and you attack him. You give him nothing,
and receive of him but what you gave.

Salvation is no compromise of any kind. To compromise is to accept but
part of what you want; to take a little, and give up the rest. Salvation
gives up nothing. It is complete for everyone. Let the idea of
compromise but enter, and the awareness of salvation’s purpose is lost,
because it is not recognized. It is denied where compromise has been
accepted for compromise is the belief salvation is impossible. It would
maintain you can attack a little, love a little, and know the
DIFFERENCE. Thus it would teach a little of the same can still be
different, and yet the same remain intact, as one. Does this make sense?
Can it BE understood?

This course is easy just because it makes no compromise. Yet it seems
difficult to those who still believe that compromise is possible. They
do not see that, if it is, salvation is ATTACK. Yet it is certain the
belief that salvation is impossible cannot uphold a quiet, calm
assurance it has come. Forgiveness cannot be withheld a little. Nor is
it possible to attack for this and love for that, and understand
forgiveness. Would you not WANT to recognize assault upon your peace in
any form, if only thus does it become impossible that YOU lose sight of
it? It can be kept shining before your vision, forever clear and never
out of sight, if you defend it not.

Those who believe that peace can BE defended, and that attack is
justified on its behalf, cannot perceive it lies within them. How could
they know? Could they accept forgiveness side by side with the belief
that murder takes some forms by which their peace is saved? Would they
be willing to accept the fact their savage purpose is directed against
themselves? No-one unites with enemies, nor is at one with them in
purpose. And no-one compromises with an enemy but hates him still, for
what he kept from him.

Mistake not truce for peace, nor compromise for the escape from
conflict. To be released from conflict means that it is OVER. The door
is open; you have LEFT the battleground. You have not lingered there in
cowering hope, because the guns are still an instant, and the fear that
haunts the place of death is not apparent, that it will
not return. There IS no safety in a battleground. You can look down on it
in safety from above, and not be touched. But from within it, you can
find NO safety. Not one tree left standing still will shelter you. Not
one illusion of protection stands against the faith in murder. Here
stands the body, torn between the natural desire to communicate and the
unnatural intent to murder and to die. Think you the FORM that murder
takes can offer safety? Can guilt be ABSENT from a battlefield?