A testimony of A Course In Miracles

This message was written by a friend of mine. It is not intended to dissuade or persuade, but it does exemplify the experience of every person I have talked to who has studied ACIM for even a little while.

"Our son is home for Christmas break. The lessons from A.C.I.M. are helping me communicate better with him and to get through other stressful situations. It's hard to believe that going to church could stress you out, but I wanted to fly out of there yesterday. I stayed though and mentally went through the A.C.I.M. lessons I could remember. I was a better person for it.

"The lessons help to break the situation into a single moment. Any of us can handle *a moment*. When we handle that moment in a positive way, the next ones become easier to handle as well...

"Part of the miracle is that the difficult moments become fewer and fewer as you practice each of the lessons."

So, what is it about ACIM that gives anyone the little peace they are looking for? Simply put, it allows them to not feel like dirt - the ugly, little, sinful, creature that we humans are portrayed as by most churches. They get this idea from several passages in the Bible. I've studied those passages. On the surface they do carry just that message. But when seen with just a simple shift, they lose their judgmental persuasion. For instance, Isaiah 59:1-15 (AV) talks heavily about how sinful we are. Wait. No it doesn't! In verse 2 it says, "But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear." But what if I have no iniquities? Am I then one with my God? The retort most often given is in Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." I don't have a problem with that. At one time or another I think this is true of anyone. But it did not say "For all do sin all of the time and therefore come short of the glory of God for all time." Nor did it say "For all have sinned at least once and therefore come short of the glory of God for all time." I have also been told by one very learned Bible student that the Bible very specifically says we are less than dirty rags. And the implication is that we are sinners all of the time. I can't find the reference for that.

Well, with condemnation like that, what's the sense of trying to be forgiven? Why try to be good if we have no choice but to accept our "place" in life as dirty sinners? And what Christians say about that is that we really don't have to worry about being sinners because God gave His only begotten Son to die for our sins. Well, that's a bit confusing. We are either sinners and have a lot to be fearful and guilty about or we are not sinners and there is nothing to be fearful or guilty about. ACIM teaches the latter, and gives plenty of evidence for it.

I can't accept that I am a dirty sinner. Never will. I am as God created me. At times, I may act as though I am not. And that is what is sinful about me - my actions. Also, my beliefs that support my actions. And my attitude that supports my beliefs. Follow that with my values that support my attitude. And don't forget my wrongful interpretations that support my values.

ACIM shows in clear language how to correct your wrongful interpretations and have only God (Love) as your truth (not just a belief), which molds your values, establishes your attitude, and is then expressed in your actions. From that position, it would seem highly unlikely that a bad attitude could develop. What ACIM does is to show that the ego, not who you really are, is what is "always" at odds with God, and that we have the freedom to "choose again". (ACIM: "You can never choose except between God and the ego.") When I read the Bible with the perspective that the condemnation is directed at the ego, the Bible then makes perfect sense. ACIM also shows how it is impossible to "control" the ego, but quite possible to ignore it. Very refreshing.

What I draw most closely to is this passage in ACIM: "What you behold as sickness and as pain, as weakness and as suffering and loss, is but temptation to perceive yourself defenseless and in hell."

Let me leave you with this last thought: I am a Christian because I follow the teachings of Christ as spoken by Jesus which amounts to just this: teach only love because that is what you are.