What about "A Course in Miracles"?

[texseeker]

I saw Marianne Williamson on Larry King recently, and liked what she had to say. I looked her up online and read more about her writings, based on her study of "A Course on Miracles", which I had not been familiar with.
After I read a lot more on "A Course on Miracles", I was a little surprised at what a big following it has. The way I understood it, it sounds like they pretty much feel that we're all living "The Matrix" and everything is one big illusion. That seems pretty "out there" to me.
Do you feel there is a danger to people getting very absorbed in this train of thinking? Do you think it is reasonable for people to study and worship by the teachings of an atheist psychiatrist who felt she channeled Jesus?

 

[Chrysalis Kat]

Marianne Williamson is not an atheist or a psychiatrist. Where do you get this stuff?
I don’t know anyone that worships her and she certainly hasn’t solicited anything of the sort.
One either finds value in what she has to offer or not.

I read lots of channeled material from a variety of sources. The source of the information isn't important to me. What matters is if it speaks to me or not.
Don't ever forget that 'truth can come by way of a fool'. It doesn't make it less truthful or valuable to me because the source is questionable.

 

[Allister]

everything is one big illusion

AMEN

 

[Blackmarch]

One would be very cautious when dealing with anything claiming to be from God. You don't want to dis it if it's true, and you don't want to follow it if it's in error.

 

[plmarquette]

Ok ....
explain Mark 16 . 16-20 ; Luke 9.1 ; 10.9 ; 1 Corinthians 12 ; Mark 11.23-4 ; 1 John 5.14-18 ..... signs , wonders , miracles , miraculous faith , speak to mountains in your life ; speak , believe , expect , receive ...

 

[Diagoras]

In 1965 Helen Schucman, a Professor of Medical Psychology at Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City had experiences with very symbolic dreams and strange visions. She wrote down what a 'Voice' was telling her. It was a 'soundless' voice and she describes it as 'inner dictation'. From this she wrote A Course in Miracles. This 'Voice' she later identified as Jesus.

I have read a bit of it and it simply sounds like new age, feel good mumbo jumbo. It's pretty thin stuff. Did Helen really talk to Jesus? Well, if she did he didn't really have anything really important to say. Love everybody etc. bla bla

 

[Researcher]

Ok ....
explain Mark 16 . 16-20 ; Luke 9.1 ; 10.9 ; 1 Corinthians 12 ; Mark 11.23-4 ; 1 John 5.14-18 ..... signs , wonders , miracles , miraculous faith , speak to mountains in your life ; speak , believe , expect , receive ...

the last 10 verses of mark are accepted by most scholars to have been added later.

 

[texseeker]

Marianne Williamson is not an atheist or a psychiatrist. Where do you get this stuff?
I don’t know anyone that worships her and she certainly hasn’t solicited anything of the sort.
One either finds value in what she has to offer or not.

I read lots of channeled material from a variety of sources. The source of the information isn't important to me. What matters is if it speaks to me or not.
Don't ever forget that 'truth can come by way of a fool'. It doesn't make it less truthful or valuable to me because the source is questionable.

I'm sorry; I was unclear. I didn't mean
that Marianne is an atheist or psychiatrist. I meant that the author of "A Course on Miracles" was. I understand this course is what Marianne bases her philosophy on.

I also didn't think that anyone worships her. Where sis that come from?

I do think that the source of material should have some consideration, which is not to say I would place no value in it, but I might more clearly understand their motivation in writing what they did.

 

[Cassiopeia]

The thing to remember here is that everything we percieve is left to our own interpretation so in the eyes of others what we believe we know is an illusion. If you want to really understand " A course in Miracles" I suggest you read the book. You won't be harmed by doing so and in fact you may find some truths in there that will help you. Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. OPen your mind and hear what she REALLY has to say.

 

[Chrysalis Kat]

I'm sorry; I was unclear. I didn't mean
that Marianne is an atheist or psychiatrist. I meant that the author of "A Course on Miracles" was. I understand this course is what Marianne bases her philosophy on..

OK.

I also didn't think that anyone worships her. Where sis that come from?.

Directly from your OP. See below.

Do you think it is reasonable for people to study and worship by the teachings of an atheist psychiatrist who felt she channeled Jesus?

Whether you meant Marianne Williamson or Helen Schucman, neither of them desires to be an object of anyone's worship.

I do think that the source of material should have some consideration, which is not to say I would place no value in it, but I might more clearly understand their motivation in writing what they did.

I think that ‘s a reasonable concern. However, it’s not always possible to know with any certainty what motivates another person to say what they say and do what they do. That’s why I take away that which I find meaningful and enlightening and leave behind what does not resonate.

 

[texseeker]

OK. Directly from your OP. See below. Whether you meant Marianne Williamson or Helen Schucman, neither of them desires to be an object of anyone's worship.

No, I didn't mean they wanted to be worshiped. When I said "worship by" it, I meant that your methods of worship would be guided by their teachings. I guess I just didn't make myself clear in the way I worded that.

Anyway, I appreciate the feedback.

 

[UberLutheran]

Plato, as you may recall, believed that everything in this world was imperfect: if you thought of "a chair", there could be any different number of different kinds of chairs; if you thought of "water", there could be fresh water, tap water, salt water, sea water, etc.

In Plato's concept of "forms", in another plane there was merely "a chair", or "water", or absolute representations of things without imperfections. All of the illusions of this world were gone; all that remained was a world of forms.

Parts of ACIM are quite beautiful; other parts are quite banal; most of the text is written in a circular (as opposed to linear) style which makes it very difficult (and occasionally obtuse) reading.

 

[Vigil]

I saw Marianne Williamson on Larry King recently, and liked what she had to say. I looked her up online and read more about her writings, based on her study of "A Course on Miracles", which I had not been familiar with.
After I read a lot more on "A Course on Miracles", I was a little surprised at what a big following it has. The way I understood it, it sounds like they pretty much feel that we're all living "The Matrix" and everything is one big illusion. That seems pretty "out there" to me.
Do you feel there is a danger to people getting very absorbed in this train of thinking? Do you think it is reasonable for people to study and worship by the teachings of an atheist psychiatrist who felt she channeled Jesus?

Psychiatrist just scare me.

God Bless
Vigil.

 

[UberLutheran]

Psychiatrist just scare me.

God Bless
Vigil.

I'm not talking about the fake, cheesy, big smile "therapists" who sit there and simply "agree" with everything one has to say: I'm talking about the ones who hold us accountable, who keep pushing even when we say we are NOT going to go back and deal with a situation once and for all, and force us to lance emotional and psychological "boils" which have been festering and poisoning us for years.

I got to deal with a childhood of physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse AND religious abuse -- and the payoff was that I got my life back!

 

[rnmomof7]

A course in miracles is not a Christian book or philosophy . It is in effect new age Buddhism / witchcraft where she 'channels" God and changes or adds to scripture.

http://www.faithfreedom.org/Articles/sina31214.htm


"
The Course follows the New Age in teaching that only love is real and all that is negative is illusion. The negative in life simply does not exist. According to the Course, sickness, hate, pain, fear, guilt, and sin are all illusions. As it is with the New Age movement, The Course eliminates accountability for sin and any need for salvation by simply making sin and the resulting guilt a Christian might feel, an illusion that is only there because people allow it to be in their minds."


http://www.leaderu.com/orgs/probe/docs/thcourse.html

 

[angela 2]

Yes.

It is useful in Christian adult education because it presents an opportunity for people distinguish between what it says and what Christianity teaches.

 

[angela 2]

I got to deal with a childhood of physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse AND religious abuse -- and the payoff was that I got my life back!

Your courage is admirable.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

 

[fromthatshow]

A Course In Miracles has touched my heart in a way that nothing else has ever. It has strengthened my connection with God and provided me with answers I've been searching for but really had all along. I suggest it to everyone.

 

[unity77]

1 Corinthians 2:11-16
"For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. 14The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man’s judgment: 16 “For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?”

I feel the Course in Miracles is trying to show us the Spirit of God within ourselves so we must change our mind. The mind conditioned to thinking it is a social security number, bank account, job or name must renew or refocus to find out who one really is. Christ was crucified, but he lives in us. One must have the mind of Christ or Christ consciousness to help find the Spirit of God within.

 

[RedTulipMom]

Ok..lets think about this. Helen claims that TCIM was channeled by Jesus Christ. She claims it is Jesus Christ that gave this course. It is either JEsus..or it ISNT..

if it ISNT Jesus Christ, then its someone pretending to be Jesus. "Satan is the Father of LIES". We can KNOW it is NOT Jesus because he contradicts many things said in the Bible. Therefore...its is a lying demon pretending to be Jesus.

The TCIM is dangerous and will lead you on the wrong path. I know, i read it and i got sucked into it. It all seemed so RIGHT at the time. It was so touchy, feely, lovey..blah blah blah. "Satan disguises himself as an angel of LIGHT" and he does a good job of it. He is a wolf in sheeps clothing!

Don't be decieved by this new age garbage. It will take you down a WRONG PATH and it might take you forever to get off that wrong path. i know a friend who still hasnt gotten off of it..sigh.

I am praying for all those that are being decieved by this. God bless you all.