lhccjeh@lure.latrobe.edu.au (05/22/91)
krueger@writeon.physics.arizona.edu (Theodore Krueger) writes... >Please receive this in love, but "A Course In Miracles", is most >definitely not christian. I don't have sources handy, but I >believe that it teaches assuming diety and performing miracles >for the average adherent. Definitely not christian stuff. Since posting my original request for other students of the "Course" to say hello I have received mail from USA, UK and Sweden. From this mail and the recent reply posted (krueger@writeon. physics.arizona.edu) it would seem that little is known about ACIM so I present the following (some of this was e-mailed to one of those that mailed me direct) The "Course" consists of 3 volumes (Text, Workbook, Manual for Teachers) that were channeled through two psychologists in the 1960-70's. Its source is claimed to be Jesus (i.e. he is the Author) and he says that it is meant to be a correction to some misconceptions that his message has engendered. It does not claim to be "the curriculum" but one of many. It in fact states that "A universal theology is impossible, but a universal experience is not only possible but necessary. It is this experience toward which the course is directed. Here alone consistency becomes possible because here alone uncertainty ends." (manual p.73) I am not sure what to say about your query as to whether ACIM is or is not "Christian". It is not "orthodox" true, but not "Christian", oh yes it is "Christian". Its teaching is through Jesus, and is about Christ. It states "[his name] stands for love that is not of this world... It becomes the shining symbol for the Word of God, so close to what it stands for that the little space that stands between the two is lost" (manual, p. 55) Moreover, "in remembering Jesus you are remembering God. The whole relationship of the Son to the Father lies in him" (manual p.55) Returning to Ted's comments, I do not know what "assuming deity" means but I guess it is along the lines of thinking your God or the like. The Course says there is the Father and there is His Son, Christ. Christ is the self we ALL share. The Course says..."The name of Jesus is the name of one who was a man but saw the face of Christ in all his brothers and remembered God. So he became identified with Christ, a man no longer, but one with God...In hi complete identification with Christ -- the perfect Son of God...-- Jesus became what all of you must be. He led the way for you to follow him. He leads you back to God because he saw the raod before him, and followed it. ... Is he the Christ? O yes, along with you." (manual p 83) Ken Wapnick says in his "The Meaning of Forgiveness. The meeting place of 'A Course in Miracles' and Christianity" [Arkana, 1987] page 308, "Jesus, thus, is the one who first completed his Atonement path. He began with us, believing in the realityof the seperated world and the ego [not Freud's, JH]. Now, having learned the lessons perfectly and completely, he reaches back to help us walk forgiveness' path, as he did. In the Course, he asks that we think of him as an elder brother, 'entitled to respect for his greater experience, and obedience for his greater wisdom...to love because he is a brother, and to devotion...' (textp.5). But he does not ask for awe: 'Equals should not be in awe of one another because awe implies inequality. It is therefore an inappropriate reaction to me' (text p.5). Emphasizing his equality with us, Jesus adds: 'There is nothing about me that you cannot attain. I have nothing that does not come from God. The difference between us is that I have nothing else' (text p.5). In relation to Jesus himself you may ask does the Course require that you believe in him. Ken again (p 318): "Jesus is the manifestation of the Holy Spirit, Who is the Voice for God. " And quoting from the Course (manual p.84) : "Is he God's only Helper?...No, indeed. For Christ takes many forms with different names until their oneness is recognized. But Jesus is for you the bearer of Christ's single message of the Love of God. You need no other." And finally :"Be not separate from me, and let not the holy purpose of Atonement be lost to you in dreams of vengeance. Relationships in which such dreams are cherished have excluded me. Let me enter in the Name of God and bring you peace, that you may offer peace to me." (text p.333) There are obviously many views as to the "correct" way to be a Christian and each way will contain the Truth in some way. Even the Apostles had difficulty in this, for example when John complained (in Mark 9:38) that another who is "not one of us" was casting out devils in Jesus' name. Jesus replied "You must not stop him: no one who works a miracle in my name is likely to speak evil of me. Anyone who is not against us is for us" (Mk 9:39f) It would also appear that the above shows that Jesus recognized that others could perform miracles in his name. As for whether he was referring to an "average adherent" I am not so sure. The Course is about bringing to those who have chosen it (or were chosen to find it) a total change in their perception so that they may undo the error of the ego and remember who they really are. This is not a simple task for it requires much effort. Can I perform miracles? Well I feel that I have witnessed them. Miracles are a change in perception. "the real miracle is the love that inspires them" (text p.1). Will I be able to raise the dead? No I (that's the ego me) won't, but I believe that if it is the Holy Spirit 's will that the dead be raised, then so will they be. The Course begins with 50 miracle principles of which number 9 says "Prayer is the meaning of Miracles. It is a means of communication of the created with the Creator. Through prayer love is received, and through miracles love is expressed." (text p.1) Our real Truth lies in the Kingdom with our Father, but here at this level must we communicate in words. The Bible uses words, the Course uses words. "Let us not forget, however, that words are but symbols of symbols. They are thus twice removed from reality. (manual p 51) If your "curriculum" is to hold that the Bible is the only "authorised" text with respect to being Christian, then the Course is obviously not an appropriate vehicle for you and should be ignored. But... Let us not also forget what we truly are. "Nothing therefore can come between us and the love of Christ, even if we are troubled or worried, or being persecuted, or lacking food or clothes, or being threatened or being attacked. . . For I am certain of this: neither death nor life, no angel, no prince, nothing that exists, nothing still to come, not any power, or height or depth, not any created thing can ever come between us and the love of God made visible in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom 8:35, 38f) Why am I a student of ACIM? I think it is becuase ever since I was a young child, listening to stories of Jesus and the old testament I have only been able to understand any of it in the context of a loving God, a loving Father who wants only that his children (His Son) return to Him. The Course has echoed this to me and I am truly grateful to have found it. I have said more than I ever thought I would but am grateful for this opportunity to assemble these thoughts. I would like to finish with one last quote from the Course from its introduction. "This is a course in miracles. It is a required course. Only the time you take it is voluntary. Free will does not mean that you can establish the curriculum. It means only that you can elect what you want to take at a given time. The course does not aim at teaching the meaning of love, for that is beyond what can be taught. It does aim, however, at removing the blocks to the awareness of love's presence, which is your natural inheritance. The opposite of love is fear, but what is all-encompassing can have no opposite. This course can therefore be summed up very simply in this way: Nothing real can be threatened. Nothing unreal exists. Herein lies the peace of God. " (text p.0) Peace and love to you all. James [Thanks for this detailed review of the teachings of this course. There are of course obvious divergences from a number of orthodox Christian teachings, which you have carefully pointed out. Since these are pretty clear, can we maybe be spared spending the next month belaboring them? --clh]