ACIM: radical but sensible?

[_Lucretia MacEvil]

I know what you mean about the messengers and have quite a resistance myself to that approach. Renard isn't the only writer who has claimed these types of messengers in the context of ACIM, and I am highly skeptical of them. Still, if they help you ease into Course ideas, it can be helpful. Coming from Mormonism, the Course was very difficult for me to understand. Fortunately, I had a large group of people to study with.

ACIM itself does not involve any messengers, per se. Although the text came from a kind of automatic dictation from an entity identified as Jesus, it is the content that is important. To me, it doesn't have a feel of supernatural to overcome. The Course Jesus is difficult for me to understand because he teaches a nondualistic philosophy which is totally out of realm of Mormonism or traditional Christianity.

[_Michael]

I know what you mean about the messengers and have quite a resistance myself to that approach. Renard isn't the only writer who has claimed these types of messengers in the context of ACIM, and I am highly skeptical of them. Still, if they help you ease into Course ideas, it can be helpful. Coming from Mormonism, the Course was very difficult for me to understand. Fortunately, I had a large group of people to study with.

ACIM itself does not involve any messengers, per se. Although the text came from a kind of automatic dictation from an entity identified as Jesus, it is the content that is important. To me, it doesn't have a feel of supernatural to overcome. The Course Jesus is difficult for me to understand because he teaches a nondualistic philosophy which is totally out of realm of Mormonism or traditional Christianity.

I'm reading the book slowly. I sometimes read a page or two and then think about it for a while. This may come off as a bold statement, but this may very well be the best book I've ever read. It's so simple yet profound. Anyone of any belief system can find the message of this book a relief. It's easy to see how universal the principles are and how a person doesn't need to buy into the supernatural to implement what is taught. I'm a little intimidated by ACIM itself. I suppose I can take it little by little...perhaps even a study group although I don't want to get wrapped up with folks who are over the top supernatural believers of un-proveable mystical things. I just want to learn the principles.

In short...I love the book.

[_Crog]

Michael and Mrs MacEvil are going on like it is something new and it is 100 year old Christian science stuff... Uuhhhggg.....

[_Michael]

Michael and Mrs MacEvil are going on like it is something new and it is 100 year old Christian science stuff... Uuhhhggg.....

It is new. I've never heard of it before. Do you have a problem with that for some reason? It seems to me like you still have the priesthood holder Mormon mindset. Some Mormons are rather difficult to deal with as they believe their beliefs are superior and everyone else is beneath them. Seems to me like you may want to consider un-teaching yourself what you learned in the church as it relates to intolerance. I'm finding the concept of forgiveness as discussed in the book to be refreshing. I see a lot of ex-mormons who are fairly bitter and I can't see how that leads to happiness and peace in this life. I'm personally trying to move past the bitterness.

Do you actually have something intelligent to contribute to this discussion or is your only interest in tearing down others as they explore different ideas and concepts?

[_Crog]

It is new. I've never heard of it before. Do you have a problem with that for some reason? It seems to me like you still have the priesthood holder Mormon mindset. Some Mormons are rather difficult to deal with as they believe their beliefs are superior and everyone else is beneath them. Seems to me like you may want to consider un-teaching yourself what you learned in the church as it relates to intolerance. I'm finding the concept of forgiveness as discussed in the book to be refreshing. I see a lot of ex-mormons who are fairly bitter and I can't see how that leads to happiness and peace in this life. I'm personally trying to move past the bitterness.

Do you actually have something intelligent to contribute to this discussion or is your only interest in tearing down others as they explore different ideas and concepts?

Michael,

Hhhmmm.... My critic of ACIM was Kurt! But when people mislead like Mrs MacEvil did about not knowing anything about personages it got my goat.

Nothing i have posted has been refuted! i question the legitimacy of the organization when the meterial and the focus changed when Ken Wapnic came into the picture!

as for not being new... Again i have read a lot of this type of material...

I collect antiques. One of my specialties is books on religion, theology, and spiritual subjects. Now Michael i am in no way an expert! But at 50 years old and collecting this stuff i have gleaned a few things. The concepts on forgiveness are not new! Christian Science has been around since about 1880. they have been prolific WWII writers since the early 1900's.

Look up your local Christian science library... And take a read at some of their early 1900's stuff and you will see the similarities. Their newer stuff? I know they have become very political since the 60's but still prolific writers!

AS for the changes to the program! My aunt was a student in the early years and remembers how it changed and became a commercial entity. She has enlightened me and set me on a course to investigate the truthand i have posted some of that here.


You assumed a lot about me... And you were wrong. I am not nor ever been a Mormon. did not grow up in a Christian family but actually was influenced by these new age religions by my esoteric mother and her semi hippie sisters... Ok the one aunt is full on hippie!


As i said... Rehashed Christian science! i give credit where credit is due not to the people who stole the ideas and remastered them!

[_Crog]

Michael,

Forgiveness is so simple yet so hard! Forgive others and even yourself! And i find it helps with a few friends, a bottle of wine and a loaf of good cheese bread! Fellowship!

[_The Erotic Apologist]

It seems to me like you still have the priesthood holder Mormon mindset. Some Mormons are rather difficult to deal with as they believe their beliefs are superior and everyone else is beneath them.

Come on now, everybody knows that sort of thing isn't unique to Mormons.

[_Lucretia MacEvil]

Michael and Mrs MacEvil are going on like it is something new and it is 100 year old Christian science stuff... Uuhhhggg.....

ACIM, to my recollection, was dictated beginning in 1965 and first published in 1975. Which makes it fairly new, in my perspective.

Since I don't know anything to speak of about Christian Science, would you mind giving an example of parallels between the two paths and explain exactly why it troubles you? If, that is, you are interested in discussion rather than tirade?

[_Lucretia MacEvil]

Hhhmmm.... My critic of ACIM was Kurt! But when people mislead like Mrs MacEvil did about not knowing anything about personages it got my goat.

Nothing i have posted has been refuted! i question the legitimacy of the organization when the meterial and the focus changed when Ken Wapnic came into the picture!

Crog, so sorry your goat has been gotten. I tried to explain before that the personages are in Renard's book, Disappearance of the Universe. There are no personages in ACIM.

Secondly, Ken's revisions to ACIM have been largely dividing into chapter, paragraph, verse, and sentence. Also, some passages were deleted that were personal to Helen. I realize this bothers some folks. Those passages are available elsewhere and the Unrevised Text is available. There were also some sentences added.

by the way, when you say you question the organization, I have to ask, what organization are you talking about? ACIM, on its own, has no organization (unless you mean the organization that handles the copyrighting, translations, publishing aspects). It is a book, not an organized religion.

[_Lucretia MacEvil]

It seems to me like you still have the priesthood holder Mormon mindset. Some Mormons are rather difficult to deal with as they believe their beliefs are superior and everyone else is beneath them.

Come on now, everybody knows that sort of thing isn't unique to Mormons.

It's pretty much human nature, but you can't deny that Mormons have perfected the art!