A Course in Miracles

Originally posted by nine lives ↑

This video is a huge tick for ACIM IMHO. In this video Ken Wapnick tells us that the course teaches that we should not make the course itself our life. We should not so much get caught up in the course itself but rather be more concerned with the right thinking that the course teaches. This would be counter to what just about any other religious group would have you believe.

This reminded me of something I once heard Joseph Campbell say. Campbell, back in his day, was the foremost authority on comparative religion. Campbell recognized that there are aspects of ourselves that transcend our ability to even think let alone express in words. So through the ages man has used the metaphors of various religions to express these transcendent truths. The metaphors change from religion to religion but the underlying truths are constant and eternal. Where mankind has gotten himself into trouble time and again is when he comes to believe in the metaphor itself as the truth rather than the truth contained within the metaphor. We need look no further than modern day Islam to see how destructive this can be. There is only one God Allah and Mohammad is his one true prophet. If you do not accept these symbols or, if you please, these metaphors as the ultimate truth then according to the hard line literalists you are an infidel and a heretic. Christianity is no better albeit far less violent but any fundamental Christian worth his salt will look you straight in eye and quote the words of Jesus "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me". Even the most fundamental Christians understand that the first half of that statement is a metaphor but about half way through the quote they will have a sort of brain snap and decide we must take the second half literally. In other words if you don't accept Jesus as your Lord and saviour then you will burn in hell brothers and sisters.

So to learn that ACIM teaches that you should not get wrapped up in the course itself, or the book or the metaphor but rather the truth contained within the course (or the metaphor) is a very refreshing departure from the mind control tactics that have so often been employed by religious groups throughout the ages. If the world could grab hold of this concept then jihad would end tomorrow.

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Indeed Nine Lives.

BTW: There was a brilliant series by the BBC that aired on the ABC about 20 years ago, where a professor of theology studied and did a series on all main stream religions. Each week an in-depth episode was done a religion.

His conclusion was that Buddhism was the most impressive religion and or way of life.

Whilst I have not read the Bhagavad Gita, Wapnick refers to it many times in his videos.

To reiterate I am very impressed with “A Course in Miracles” and doing my best to adhere its message.

I hope you get around to watch more of Wapnick’s videos, his take on the Big Bang is very interesting to say the least.

Wapnick is one very impressive man.