How dangerous is ACIM?

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I have a cousin who seems to have completely given herself over to some organizations associated with “A Course in Miracles.” I gather from some threads here as well as general information about it that it can be extremely spiritually harmful.

Would I put myself in spiritual danger by reading the book in order to better understand what it is that she believes or that has so effectively taken hold/brainwashed her?

I would like to think that I can read it with the literary detachment of a reading teacher who is merely surmising main idea and author’s purpose. Still, some of the threads here make it sound like even that could open me up to some kind of demonic attack, which is never worth the risk.

Thoughts? Opinions?
 
From what I’ve read, I don’t see any danger in it, providing ACIM doesn’t become the focus, but developing a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ.

The two people who developed ACIM were atheists, who ended up having a conversion experience with Jesus Christ. What they share is their level of spirituality, which is where they’re at, not necessarily where Christ wants everyone else to be.

So, I wouldn’t worry about reading it, so long as you stay Christ centered and true to Catholic doctrine.

Jim
 
Very dangerous.

Keep far far away…a whole galaxy far far away…
 
What is wrong with the book A Course in Miracles?

What exactly is wrong with the book A Course in Miracles? My sister said she thought it was Catholic-based, but I said I didn’t think so.

Answer

Forget about this one. It is New Age in Christian trappings. It teaches that all is relative, that there are no absolutes, and that Jesus is one of many enlightened masters. As I said, forget this one!

Answered by: Fr. Vincent Serpa O.P.

catholic.com/quickquestions/what-is-wrong-with-the-book-a-course-in-miracles
 
Sharon Lee Giganti, a sometime guest of Catholic Answers, has a page devoted to ACIM and its inherent dangers. Here’s an excerpt
The teachings of A Course in Miracles contradict Holy Scripture, Tradition, and Authentic Catholic Teaching; claiming that: Jesus was NOT God, the devil does not exist, and there’s no such thing as evil, or sin, especially original sin, as the Course teaches that man’s fall from Grace in the Garden of Eden *never happened— (preface, pg. xiii) *and that Holy Scripture cannot be trusted, as Christ’s apostles misinterpreted his message and taught in error. (text pgs. 94 & 95) These false tenets alone clearly show that the channeled spirit who wrote them, while claiming to be Jesus, is in fact, a counterfeit Christ .
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Yikes! Read about it yourself here so you don’t have to read that trash. Wikipedia. Org/wiki/a_course_in_miracles

The “Sleeping Son, Collective Son, the Dream, Etc.” Weird weird stuff.
 
Chiltepin said:
I have a cousin who seems to have completely given herself over to some organizations associated with “A Course in Miracles.” I gather from some threads here as well as general information about it that it can be extremely spiritually harmful.

Would I put myself in spiritual danger by reading the book in order to better understand what it is that she believes or that has so effectively taken hold/brainwashed her?

I would like to think that I can read it with the literary detachment of a reading teacher who is merely surmising main idea and author’s purpose. Still, some of the threads here make it sound like even that could open me up to some kind of demonic attack, which is never worth the risk.

Thoughts? Opinions?
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I think that, as long as your faith is strong and you can read it critically, it would be a good idea for you to at least read enough to get an idea of what you’re dealing with. You can study it for contradictions to Catholic teachings and be able to point them out to your cousin.
 
Chiltepin said:
I have a cousin who seems to have completely given herself over to some organizations associated with “A Course in Miracles.” I gather from some threads here as well as general information about it that it can be extremely spiritually harmful.
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Many of the Church’s most trusted Catholic leaders-such as Fr. Mitch Pacwa and Fr. Benedict Groeschel have said A Course in Miracles has served to undermine authentic Christianity, more than just about any other work.

Sharon Lee Gigante has studied this extensively, here’s her take on it:
newagedeception.com/new/free-resources/5-a-warning-about-a-course-in-miracles.html
 
I’m surprised people are still reading stuff like ACIM. I thought its popularity was long gone. Anyway, I wouldn’t call it dangerous, just ridiculous with a lot of faulty interpretations of spirituality.
 
Dusting off this thread.

I have to disagree that The Course in Miracles is NOT dangerous. I think it is and can be very dangerous. I studied it for over five years many years ago. I feel that it did great damage to my spirituality but in very, very deceptive and subtle ways. It is also not just a book of ideas but there is also a very real power in it.

I am and have always been extremely devoted to a spiritual path. I feel like what happened to me in the course even though there was real power involved was very incomplete and lopsided-- it caused me to have very intense cosmic spiritual experiences but did not give me the necessary grounding in humility, depth, holy sorrow etc. I feel like it produced in me a false mysticism that was easily mistaken for the real deal. I can only say that having been the student of a Catholic contemplative monk for the last twelve years and noticing the difference. I feel like the mysticism, the direct relationship with God I have through his guidance (and the Christ of the New Testament) is more complete, thorough, and much deeper than the Course can offer.

The most difficult part about the Course and calling it a false teaching is that it can and does help people enter into a more joyful and non judgmental life (something many Catholics need) but it does so by teaching as complete just one aspect of Jesus teachings and also changing the meaning of many others. In the end I think it helps to impart some kind of connection with higher states of consciousness ( similar to those described by many of the Catholic saints) but it does so without imparting the foundational states of surrender, humility, participating in the death of Christ-- the sorrowful mysteries. I think it fragments a person from their humanity and overemphasizes the divinity within a person.

Ultimately I think that it creates a spiritual imbalance in people.
 
I have recently been reintroduced to a number of people who practice and teach A Course in Miracles - people I love. I am not one to try and convert people or convince them they are wrong but in the natural course of conversation they say many things in ways that unless I say something by way of explanation it will be assumed that I see it all the same way.

I am hoping to dialogue on this forum with any people who have experience with The Course in contrast with Catholic spirituality and contemplative experience to better formulate my thoughts on the subject and learn from yours.
 
I have encountered quite a few ACIM people in my Facebook groups.

I tried to check into it and started getting the emails but the reading was overwhelming starting from the first day. And it takes them five pages to say one paragraph of information so really the Cliff Notes version would be good.

They do say some good things and some useful things, but it seems to really suck people into idolatry. Of course that happens to Catholics, too, but not like these people. It seems very “cult-ish” which I say carefully because I don’t know a lot about cults. And like AA and other programs, its adherents I’ve seen tend to insist others say things their way. They are like zombie apocalypse or something where they just keep proselytizing. They are like zombie apocalypse or something where they just all keep trudging forward with the story.

From what I’ve seen, it has been of benefit to people, and I can see why a Catholic would take interest in it. But it seems to be limiting in that it helps certain people gain confidence or whatever but then it takes you to a place there isn’t anywhere further to go. So I see the risk is that you buy into a system that is useful for some transformation, but not enough to really taste the goodness of the Lord. The ACIM people I knew were very confident in the things they said and it seems to create a plateau. So once it has been helpful it can IMO then be removed lest it hold a soul “in limbo” so to speak.
 
Are you aware that the Course claims to have been written “Channeled” by Jesus and that it says often and in many many ways that the disciples of Jesus did not understand his message and that the New Testament is largely a misunderstanding?
 
I have a different take on it.

I wouldn’t touch it because truth gets mixed in with the false. A Catholic knows the truth. Dabbling in this will just instill wrong ideas, and then later that person may wonder just what is the truth, or just what did Jesus say, or maybe Jesus did say those things and I just misunderstood, or maybe …

Anything you put in your memory does not go away, it is in there just to come back to haunt you. It isn’t a good idea to plant bad seed in your mind even if you know it may be wrong. If you stay away from it then you lessen the grief you will have later in returning thoughts. Always put good stuff in you mind and you then don’t have regrets.

Curiosity does not justify it. Deny yourself and spare yourself. These are nothing more than little carrots to lead you where you shouldn’t go. You are asking for trouble if you let yourself be led there. Garbage is garbage and there is nothing attractive about it. It stinks in any way you smell it. Don’t go where you shouldn’t go. Would you investigate stepping thru a mine field just to see if it is as bad as every one says it is? It isn’t humility to think you are strong and invincible and ungullable. Greater men than you have fallen. Don’t take it for granite that you won’t come out the worse for the wear.

No Catholic needs anything comming out of this trash heap. And to say so is misleading and proof of what this pile of dung can do.
 
franklinstower said:
Are you aware that the Course claims to have been written “Channeled” by Jesus and that it says often and in many many ways that the disciples of Jesus did not understand his message and that the New Testament is largely a misunderstanding?
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And that in itself is a very good reason to stay well clear, no matter what “good” things may be part of it.
 
Chiltepin said:
I have a cousin who seems to have completely given herself over to some organizations associated with “A Course in Miracles.” I gather from some threads here as well as general information about it that it can be extremely spiritually harmful.

Would I put myself in spiritual danger by reading the book in order to better understand what it is that she believes or that has so effectively taken hold/brainwashed her?

I would like to think that I can read it with the literary detachment of a reading teacher who is merely surmising main idea and author’s purpose. Still, some of the threads here make it sound like even that could open me up to some kind of demonic attack, which is never worth the risk.

Thoughts? Opinions?
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That is too bad. It seems like a humanistic approach that we can all become “gods”.

Whether you can read it depends upon your own spiritual development. If you think youcan do this as an academic exercise then it might help. I do recommend that you pray before you study any material contrary to the One Faith.

OTOH you may not need to read it all, a summary may be sufficient.

Time might be better spent in the Holy Scriptures.
 
seagal said:
And that in itself is a very good reason to stay well clear, no matter what “good” things may be part of it.
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I am in agreement. I did not post to get insight into reading it (I did for five years before I came to the Christ of the New Testament). I only posted in this thread to get insight into ways in which to dialogue with the five or six people who have come back into my life who are still studying it.

Again its not that I want to argue or debate with them but in conversation my silence can be taken as consent to the many certainly false ideas that are contained in the Course. As I said in my first post in this thread-- I cannot take a neutral stance with the Course for two reasons. The first is that it radically redefines Christ and his message placing all the blame for the discrepancies solely on the New Testament, the disciples, and sometimes if memory serves, on Jesus himself. That alone would not be enough for me to condemn it-- I would just stay away from it. But the second reason really compounds the first-- there is very real power that comes from reading that book and I can only conclude based on the message that it does not come from God… that makes the book “spooky” in my opinion.
 
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