> Brett Lane Robertson wrote:
> >
> > I'm just angry that as a student of spirituality, I can go to several
> > thousand websites and see published texts on multiple religions, beliefs,
> > etc. I have searched the web for any kind of free information on A Course
> > in Miracles and all I find are advertisements to pay for classes and books
> > presented by the Association Something-or-Other ACIM. If one defines a scam
> > based on what is acceptable in the field, then this IS a scam (when so much
> > other information is freely available by other spiritual websites). So what
> > if Marie is female? Yes, hate crimes are punishable (and what is your
> > point?). Who is "Wolfgang Pauli" (again I must say that any resemblence is
> > purely coincidental).
> >
> > Brett
> >
> > At 02:23 PM 10/9/97 -0700, you wrote:
> > >Brett (or Wolfgang Pauli) wrote about <http://www.miraclecenter.org/>:
> > >
> > >>Dont go to this website, it is a scam!!! They are selling books and tapes
> > >>and just want to make a profit off of you.
> > >
> > >Do you suggest that wanting to make a profit is enough to call it a "scam!!!" ?
> > >
> > >>Anyone who suggests that this
> > >>site will offer you any information on ACIM is a member of some cult!
> > >
> > >Incidentally, she is also a female, Brett...
> > >
> > >>They
> > >>should take themselves and all other sham-artists who would sell spiritual
> > >>information and ride the tail of Hale-bop!!!
> > >
> > >Can you support your accusation with more than "shoulds"?
> > >
> > >(Is spreading hatred punishable in the States? In Canada it is.)
> > >
> > >Regards, Tadeusz (Tad) Niwinski from planet TeTa
> > >tad@teta.ai http://www.teta.ai (604) 985-4159
> > >
> >
> > Returning,
> > rBERTS%n
> > Rabble Sonnet Retort
> > Rule of the Great:
> > When people you greatly admire appear to be thinking deep
> > thoughts, they probably are thinking about lunch.
> >
>
> Brett - I took this from the website. It was the article I was
> referring to. I also have looked a lot of places. This is a very good
> introduction to the principles of ACIM. I do not think they will be too
> upset for me cutting it and pasting it here.
>
> Overview of A Course in Miracles
>
> A Course in Miracles is something of a phenomenon that has affected the
> lives of many
> thousands of people. This three-volume set of books was received through
> a process of
> inner dictation by a psychologist at Columbia University, beginning in
> 1965. After ten
> years of preparation, the Course was first published in 1976 by the
> Foundation for Inner
> Peace. Since then, over 1,000,000 sets of these books have been sold
> without the benefit
> of any paid advertising, to men and women in every walk of life and
> every major faith, in
> all fifty states and nearly fifty foreign countries.
>
> The Course consists of a 622-page Text, which describes the theoretical
> foundation upon
> which its thought system is based; a 478-page Workbook for Students,
> containing 365
> daily lessons that are designed to train the mind of the student along
> the lines set forth by
> the Text; and an 88 page Manual for Teachers, which answers some of the
> questions
> most likely to be asked by one studying the Course, and clarifies some
> of the terms used
> in the books. While the Course is primarily a self-study program, many
> hundreds of study
> groups have been established worldwide.
>
> On one level A Course in Miracles is a restatement of the core of wisdom
> found in every
> major world religion. However, the Course is a spiritual teaching rather
> than a religion.
> While it uses Christian terminology, it is ecumenical in nature and
> states that "a universal
> theology is impossible, but a universal experience is not only possible
> but necessary." The
> Course makes no claim of being "the only way," but clearly states that
> it is only one of
> many thousands of forms of "the universal course" that can be used for
> personal
> transformation.
>
> The language of A Course in Miracles is extraordinarily rich and
> profound. Many
> sections of the Text and Workbook are very poetic and written in blank
> verse, and have
> led some people to compare the Course with some of the world's great
> literature. The
> thought system of the Course is intellectually sophisticated, and
> combines spiritual
> inspiration with deep psychological understanding of such phenomena as
> belief and
> defense systems, perception and identity.
>
> However, A Course in Miracles is also very practical. The daily Workbook
> lessons
> provide a systematic, step-by-step approach by which one can apply the
> principles of the
> Course. The lessons do not require a lot of time nor long practice
> periods, but they do
> require a willingness to question every value one holds as to what the
> world is all about,
> and the willingness to see things differently--through the eyes of God.
>
> A Course in Miracles teaches that there are only two basic thought
> systems, one of
> perception and the other of knowledge. The thought system of perception
> is inherently
> illusory because it is based upon interpretation, not on fact. It is
> founded on our belief in
> our separation from God and from one another. From this flows a belief
> in evil, sin, guilt,
> fear, and scarcity. It is a world of appearances, of birth and death, of
> time and constant
> change. This thought system of perception is what the Course calls the
> ego, which is
> actually a set of beliefs that center around the body as our reality and
> the limit of our
> being.
>
> The world of knowledge, on the other hand, is truth. The Course teaches
> that the real
> world, which reflects truth, can be seen only through spiritual vision,
> and not through the
> body's eyes. The world of knowledge is one of unity, love, sinlessness
> and abundance.
> The Course views reality as composed only of God's thoughts, which are
> loving, constant,
> timeless and eternal. Evil, sin and guilt are regarded as
> misperceptions. Sin is regarded as
> lack of love, or as a mistake calling for correction and love, rather
> than for guilt and
> punishment.
>
> Once we are caught in the world of perception, or the ego's thought
> system, it is as though
> we were caught in a dream. In order to awaken to reality, it is
> necessary to reverse our
> thinking and correct our mistakes. We need help to awaken from the dream
> because our
> physical senses accept only that information which reinforces our belief
> in the reality of the
> dream. A Course in Miracles offers us an avenue of awakening by showing
> us that our
> usual perception and sense of identity are distorted. It offers us a way
> of correcting these
> distortions so that we can see ourselves and the world more clearly.
> This change in
> perception is what the Course means by a `miracle.'
>
> Unlike some other thought systems, A Course in Miracles does not suggest
> withdrawal
> from the world. It teaches that our relationships offer us unique and
> valuable opportunities
> for learning, awakening and healing. The Course offers a variety of
> approaches by which
> relationships based on fear and lack can be healed. Forgiveness of
> ourselves and others
> provides the means by which we can use relationships to let go of the
> past with its burden
> of guilt and grievances. In the context of the Course, "forgiveness"
> means recognizing that
> what you thought your brother did to you has not occurred. Forgiveness
> does not pardon
> sins and make them real. It sees that there was no sin. Forgiveness
> shows us only the
> extensions of love or the calls for love, not the attack or hate. By
> changing our perception
> in this way, we can remove the blocks to the awareness of love's
> presence, which the
> Course says is our natural inheritance.
>
> A goal of A Course in Miracles is to train us to listen to God's voice,
> the Holy Spirit.
> This extension of God's mind serves as our inner guide, who will direct
> our thoughts,
> telling us exactly what to do, and directing all our efforts. To be
> truly effective, we must
> learn to rely on our own internal teacher rather than looking for help
> outside ourselves.
> We are thus guided to discover our own God-given function.
>
> As we are led from the world of the ego to the world of love, our
> perception of ourselves
> as separated persons is corrected, and we remember our higher, or true
> Self. We
> remember we were created by God as His Child, and we are enabled to
> accept the
> Christ within, and to see with Christ's vision. We recognize our oneness
> with God, our
> Self, and all our brothers, and are able, finally, to "teach only love,"
> which is our true
> function as Children of God.
>
> © 1997 Miracle Distribution Center
A fool can say in only a few minutes what it would take wise men years to correct. I
don't know who said that but I'd sure like to know.
The Nateman