A Course In Miracles - Just Another Cult…

Posted by Pastor Kurt | Filed under Humor Helps, Kingdom of the Cults, My Free Time, The Moral Decline, Video, Web Clips

Is ‘A Course In Miracles’ a cult? Lets see the evidence.

  1. In ‘A Course In Miracles’ their is no world its all in your imagination.
  2. In ‘A Course In Miracles’ their is no death its all in your imagination.
  3. In ‘A Course In Miracles’ sin is not real.
  4. In ‘A Course In Miracles’ the pain and guilt you have is something you have made up in your mind.
  5. In ‘A Course In Miracles’ God is not a person, but a eternal creating energy.
  6. In ‘A Course In Miracles’ you are in complete control of your destiny and purpose.
  7. In ‘A Course In Miracles’ you are perfect and without defect.

This is just another new age cult. The same rhetoric with a new spin. The same old shanty with a fresh coat of paint. In 2008 as a Christian you better be able to separate truth from error.

…because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.  2 Thessalonians 2:10-12

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Permalink | July 15th, 2008

18 Responses to “A Course In Miracles - Just Another Cult…”

  1. Alban Says:
    July 15th, 2008 at 5:55 pm

    Let’s take a look at your “evidence”…

    First about the idea that death is real and not your imagination. You would have to claim that truth has exceptions and render it meaningless. If Jesus did die–and he would have had, if death were a fact–there could have been no resurrection. You also would say that God is subject to death. Either an idea is totally true, or not at all.

    Second, about the idea that there is this world outside of you, and not just your imagination. You are saying that God is evil, for this world is not His will in any regard. It is not love, and could never come out of love. Or you are saying, there is a power next to or greater than God, and God has nothing to say about what this power does. It even can destroy God’s creation, which is absurd, if you look at it. In any case, you render God meaningless with your judgment. That leaves you with the only reasonable answer which is that you made this world. You are dreaming.

    Third, if God created you in His likeness, you must be perfect. You cannot change yourself in the sense that you can lose your perfection and become a sinner or sinful. God’s creation is beyond destruction. You can think you are separate from God, but that is all. You will never make it real. That is what is called error. It is not sin, no matter how often it is repeated in churches.

    Fourth, A Course In Miracles is based on the idea that God created you perfect and that you cannot change that. Since God is not a source of pain and guilt, you must be, due to your mistaken idea that you can be and are separate from God, having lost your perfection. That places you on your Father’s throne. Yet you cannot usurp the power of God.

    Fifth, you can discuss the nature of God forever, without ever knowing Him. Concepts cannot show you God. Even in the Bible God loses His name or image in human descriptions over time. In other cultures God is regarded as Universal Mind. In John it is said, in the beginning was the word. In the beginning there was the idea. An idea is not a person. God is an idea. You are an idea. And that you don’t like. I understand. You are not from here, not a body. What are you doing here? You don’t have an answer.

    Sixth, since God created you perfect, in His likeness, you must be all powerful. That would have to leave you with total responsibility for everything you see, especially since it has nothing to do with God’s will. That is in regard to what you experience here. But you are not in control of your destiny or purpose. Your destiny and purpose is determined by God which is to be like Him, one with Him, sharing everything He is and has. Just like Jesus.

    Seventh, I said it already regarding point three.

    So, what cult are you talking about? Are you deceived? Would God deceive you? Who could possibly come up with such nonsense? Death and separation is a cult, but it is not true. Period.

  2. Pastor Kurt Says:
    July 15th, 2008 at 8:50 pm

    My Dear Sir,

    I do not intend on engaging in a lengthy debate. All I can do is point how your doctrine (ACIM) violates Holy scripture. It amazes me how people can jump on a bandwagon that is based on two peoples (psychologists) views (Schucman and Thetford) and conjured up beliefs.

    1. If death and sin are all in my head then the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ was a waste of time.

    2. Your essential premise that God is an energy life force that I can tap into and rub like a genie in a lamp, clearly is not the God of the Bible - who is a distinct person of the male persuasion.

    3. The idea that have control of every facet of life including mortality and eternity is not only hilarious but proven false every time I drive by the cemetery.

    ACIM is just another salad bar cult. Go to the salad bar get a little ‘Christianity’, grab a little ‘eastern mysticism’, throw some ’self help’ on top and cover it with ‘psychology’.

    Alan I pray that some day you will put your trust, faith and complete reliance in the Jesus of the Bible - He is are only hope. Without Him their is no escape.

    Pastor Kurt

  3. A Course In Miracles Says:
    July 15th, 2008 at 9:50 pm

    Dear Kurt,

    My name is Alban, by the way.

    I fail to see where you really point out in what way my arguments violates Holy Scriptures. I also fail to see the point of your response without even touching what I said. You just seem to repeat your earlier position.

    Are you not having certain ideas and interpretations about Scripture, and do you not take these ideas for the absolute truth? Yet what does that help you? Remember when Jesus talked to Phillipp about seeing him and the Father? Those who see him see the Father. Phillipp did not understand Jesus, and showed thereby that he failed to see the meaning of his teaching. Even though he was with Jesus day by day. He may have understood conceptually what Jesus said, but due to his lack of the experience thereof he over and over again would end up in a place of confusing the teachings of Jesus with his own ideas and interpretations.

    Regarding your saying of Jesus’ atoning sacrifice being a waste time, if death and sin are just in your head, I for myself can only say, that his sacrifice on the cross would mean nothing if he did not resurrect. Only through his resurrection did he show me my way back to the Father. No one can die for someone else and accomplish salvation thereby. What cruel Father would that be? Again you would have to assume that God knows of this place of pain, sickness and death, which is absurd. Jesus died because of your sin. It is only what you see in your mind that does not know the truth, just like Phillipp did not know the truth. It is all perception, mis-perception.

    You don’t have to go to eastern mysticism. What about Meister Eckart, Saint Bernard, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and many many others? They found a very different approach to what Jesus gave us. They did not insist on the idea of sacrifice and sin as a real and true idea. They experienced a love that is beyond any of these little ideas. It is direct contact, seeing the Father. Remember, when you see Him, you will be like Him. Just as you are created LIKE Him.
    Jesus of the Bible? Yeah, he that tells me, I am not from this world. I need to be born again. Be perfect EVEN as my Father in Heaven. Don’t judge that I won’t be judged. Love my Father … and my neighbor AS myself (because he is myself). I am forgiven, because he asked the Father for forgiveness for everything, regardless of what it might have been. Remember the statement, “forgive them for they know not what they do”? There is no evaluation of what they did. It is simply unconditional forgiveness. For that his sacrifice on the cross certainly wasn’t necessary. It is what happened. The resurrection established the atonement.

    How can you honestly want to say that death is fact as much as God is fact, if Jesus demonstrated that death was nothing? I guess you want to have different kinds of “facts”. But thereby you lose sight of the one fact that is God, and end up with nothing but a concept of God, which is meaningless.

  4. Pastor Kurt Says:
    July 16th, 2008 at 11:42 am

    Dear Alban I apologize for calling you Alan. I will read your arguments today and come back with a reply asap. Kurt

  5. Judi Says:
    July 21st, 2008 at 10:12 pm

    Excuse me for butting in but I am curious and have a couple of questions for you Alban…
    1. Are you saying that people do not die? What do you call it then when someone does not breathe anymore?
    2. If there is no sin, then what do you call murder?
    3. Do you talk to God?

  6. Alban Says:
    July 31st, 2008 at 7:52 am

    Hi Judi,

    What am I saying? What I said is based upon the premise (!!!!) that God is love, all-encompassing, not definable, not limited etc. You are created in his likeness (!!!) That must imply that all forms of body identity do not reflect your being and nature within God’s creation.

    So you have to look at the premises from which you start. There can never be a reconciliation of diametrically opposing premises. You seem to imply what is impossible for God.

    So what then is death, not breathing, sin, murder? These concepts all refer to an image of yourself that is not implied in what you are in God’s likeness. Only one is true. Either your idea, or God’s idea. There can be no compromise. So what are these concepts? They must be representing error, an idea that is not true. Believing in them makes up for what is regarded as sin in this world. God does not know of it. You do. You justify it. You act upon them. You try to forgive them. But what you do is try to forgive the truth. Yet truth cannot be forgiven. You can only overlook and forgive what is not so. God does not need to be forgiven, and neither does his perfect creation. Therefore, forgiveness is the only means to free us from our illusions of being separated and limited, or unlike God created us.

  7. Judi Says:
    July 31st, 2008 at 3:49 pm

    Hi Alban,
    I asked you if you ever talked to God.
    When I was questioning Christian beliefs and interested in learning more it was suggested that I ask God to show me what He wanted me to see and to ask Him to help clear up things that I didn’t understand. I think He would understand what your’re asking and commenting on more than I can. You seem to really be looking for answers so I would like to suggest talking to God Himself. You might be surprised. :)

  8. Lucas Says:
    July 31st, 2008 at 5:02 pm

    Here are some quotes from the ‘Jesus’ of A Course in Miracles:

    * ‘There is no sin. ‘

    * ‘A slain Christ has no meaning.’

    * ‘The journey to the cross should be the last ‘useless journey.’

    * ‘Do not make the pathetic error of ‘clinging to the old rugged cross.”

    * ‘The Name of Jesus Christ as such is but a symbol… It is a symbol that is safely used as a replacement for the many names of all the gods to which you pray.’

    * ‘God is in everything I see.’

    * ‘The recognition of God is the recognition of yourself.’

    * ‘The oneness of the Creator and the creation is your wholeness, your sanity and your limitless power.’

    * ‘The Atonement is the final lesson he [man] need learn, for it teaches him that, never having sinned, he has no need of salvation.’

  9. Alban Says:
    July 31st, 2008 at 9:14 pm

    Thanks Judy, your advice is always the best in any situation. This is exactly what A Course In Miracles wants me to do and helps me to practice. God is my only answer.

    A Course In Miracles is feared and rejected among many sincere Christians. They seem to be put off by some killer phrases like “New Age”, and quotes like those Lucas introduced. It probably shows the degree of listening to what is said and meant, which is close to ZERO, and also the fear of God, i.e. the fear of a real experience of God that all men share. Thank God, it is only a matter of time. No one can stay in a conceptual observation of what God is forever.

  10. Alban Says:
    July 31st, 2008 at 9:27 pm

    Lucas, whatever you may believe, at some point you will look at the possibility whether you can change what God created. If he created you perfect in His image and likeness, then you cannot become something He is not, unless you have more power than He. You did not create yourself. God did. And you cannot usurp the power of God. Therefore, you must be like Him (or like to Him, if you like that better). Therefore the idea of sin, that you are no longer perfect, cannot be true. I say “true”. It doesn’t mean that it isn’t real to us. But it does mean, it cannot be real to God. In fact, He cannot know of it, unless truth would have an opposite, which is impossible.

    Therefore, BE you perfect, even as your Father in Heaven is perfect. That would hardly be a meaningful statement if you truly sinned and were really separated from God, because you would never be able to fulfill that imperative. You did not, and you are not separate from God. That is true, and this world is not true in every regard, because everything this world tells you, is that you are separate from God, that you did sin, that you are a body and will die.

    Yet you do believe in the resurrection, don’t you? Jesus showed you that there is no death. Either he is right, or this world is right. Either he did overcome the world, or you are stuck here forever.

  11. Judi Says:
    July 31st, 2008 at 10:24 pm

    Alban,
    No offense but the Bible says to seek first the kingdom of God and that is done by reading the Bible not by studying “A Course In Miracles”. The Bible is God’s book and it says in there not to add anything to it. I’m concerned that this CIM is trying to add to the Bible some things that are not true and not real. Some of what TCIM teaches is from the Bible but some is not. Why would someone want to try to change something that is already so good? In addition to my suggestion to talk to God Himself I would like to suggest reading His Book and not another. Have you ever picked up a Bible and just started reading it? Do you have a Bible? If not I can send you one. If you do have one read the book of John. It’s really good!!! Let me know if you need a Bible. :)

  12. Alban Says:
    July 31st, 2008 at 10:51 pm

    @ Judi:
    I do read the Bible. I love John. And it’s true, we are asked to seek first the Kingdom of God. Instead we “discuss” our ways of how we do this here. That’s not it either. I guess, we could say, whatever works, is fine. If you are good with “just” the Bible, great. I needed A Course In Miracles for whatever reason. So, see you in Heaven.

    So, if A Course In Miracles works to find God, than it it is wrong to call it a cult. And how could anyone determine that it doesn’t work, if the Kingdom of God does not come by observation? It is individual. By their fruits you shall know them.

    I am sure the intention of A Course In Miracles was not to add to the Bible.

  13. Judi Says:
    August 1st, 2008 at 12:11 am

    Alban,
    I’m glad you talk to God and read His Word. Just hope the Miracle Course doesn’t distract you from building a personal relationship with God. I think the reason it is called a cult by some people is because there are truths and untruths. Some people just believe the first thing they hear and follow another without knowing they are being misled. But if you do read the Bible then I have faith that God will open your eyes to things that cannot be taught in a course. I hope that you can experience Him to the fullest. Hey, do you ever listen to the sermons on here? They are really good!! :)

  14. Alban Says:
    August 1st, 2008 at 12:19 am

    @ Judi:
    I have no doubt that A Course In Miracles came to me through Jesus Christ. It is Him talking directly to me. So, I am really taken care of.

  15. Pastor Kurt Says:
    August 12th, 2008 at 7:10 pm

    Hey Alban,

    If your still monitoring this conversation I want you to know I have not forgotten about you. I will have a reply this week. And I am going to ask you to help me with knowing more about ACIM.

    God Bless,
    Pastor Kurt

  16. Alban Says:
    August 14th, 2008 at 10:04 pm

    Good for you, Kurt. I am glad you didn’t drop it. I’ll come back. Thank you.

    God bless us,
    Alban

  17. Alban Says:
    August 24th, 2008 at 3:45 pm

    Did you get carried away with the Olympics, Kurt, or are you preparing a dissertation? Have a great day.
    Alban

  18. Judi Says:
    August 27th, 2008 at 7:38 pm

    Hey Alban!
    This is a good example of how we as humans are NOT perfect! Pastor Kurt can’t be everywhere like God can. He’s not omnipresent! He’s got a family, is pastor of a church and runs a school. I’m sure he has good intentions of writing back to you, but his time is limited. It’s pretty amazing to think that God can be all places at once. WOW! :)

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