Ask: Does ACIM say anything about tithing?
“…Many people extol
the benefits of tithing (usually in the amount of 10 percent or more) to
wherever they feel they are being spiritually fed. I'd very much like to
hear your views on tithing from A Course in Miracles perspective. I'm sure nothing in either the text, workbook, or manual
mentions it (or not that I've come across anyway), but some ACIM teachers
recommend it nonetheless. Is there a sound basis for this Course-wise?...” –LH
You are
correct that tithing is not mentioned in A
Course in Miracles. No behavior is necessary for inner peace. If you want inner
peace you only have to be willing to be aware of God (True Being). And
willingness is of the mind, not of the body.
Like all
behavior in the world, tithing is meaningless in itself. Some people tithe as a
traditional practice. Others tithe as a practical way to express gratitude. And
there are some who view tithing as part of the process of attracting or
manifesting wealth in the world.
Tithing reveals an obstacle to
peace in your mind if you tithe out of guilt (“I should”) or out of a belief
that you must make certain things appear in your life to be happy and at peace.
But if you tithe because you are used to doing so or to express gratitude then
it will not get in the way of your awareness of God.
>>>>>
Learn about the books The ACIM Mentor Articles, The Plain Language A Course in Miracles, 4 Habits for Inner Peace, and Releasing Guilt for Inner Peace at www.acimmentor.com.
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Comments
Liz, any comments are appreciated.
Unfortunately there's a lot of that going on in there and I want to stay away from the personal investment of all the negative junk in there and I know you and Liz both have personal investments in A.A. in one form or another.
As for money it's true it's just a way to get from point "A" to "B", it's just a useful tool and that's about it and I never get what I want but what I need and I'm happy with that. I can always feed the homeless too if I ever get copious amounts of it, open a shelter for abused people because I AM grateful of how far I've come or use "fame" towards the same goals/ends
But today is today and now is right now, and apparently you need a "name" the mind can attach to and conjure up an image for which is never real in the first place so here it is; Mike because it seems egos are getting annoyed and suspicious. The reason I post as anonymous is because that beyond it all there IS "God"...even beyond 12 step "programs" and fellowships.
I didn't ask for this, I didn't expect it either and I definitely asked "Why me?" when this happened and the answer came back, "Well why not" of course.
And while Jeff is classic, I like Steve Vai these days because he so expressive and fluid, but of course all that is ego created too, but the mind chatter does stop when I play myself.
Mike
God, the mind chatter, I thought I would go crazy. It felt like a hurricane going on inside my head. The first time I walked into an AA hall was the most difficult thing I have ever done. I think I was on the opposite end of the spectrum than you. Fear was the monkey on my back. It’s okay to not like 12 Step, it’s not for everyone. Here’s the problem as I see it. Addiction is a mental illness. You can feel the illness when you stop using for a while. The mind goes crazy it is running so fast. You don’t have to have that going on for very long and a person relapses. A couple of tokes or a few stiff ones and the craziness stops. If a person tries to go ‘one on one’ with the mind “because he is stronger than it” he almost certainly will lose. You have to talk about what is happening, talking releases the pressure, 12 Step gets you to a place where you can talk about it with people who know intuitively what you’re saying. The side stuff like ‘the people in AA or their interpretation of God’ or whatever is the disease of addiction in action. You can see how powerful it is by the reluctance to let go of thinking about it this way. Very strong stuff. So I just put all that crap aside and just go and do what I need to do. You may think you are having an enlightened observation about 12 step but probably half the people who go there have the very same thoughts, it’s the mental illness talking. Well I sure didn’t mean to go off on a tangent here but it’s where the caffeine lead me so maybe someone will get some good out of it. It helped me to write it.
It got so I just closed my eyes after a binge and I would see "little demons faces" yapping at me, not to mention the death wishes, the wrecked cars and marriage and feeling like I was poisoned instead of hungover and it either had to be the alcohol and drugs or me and I chose to do something about the dis-ease and myself. It's a good thing the meetings were there and while there was support, I was pretty much on my own because the help of the fellowship was pretty limited
I just discovered there was a lot more to this thing than just "recovery from drugs and alcohol" and yes ironically it took the steps and a nervous breakdown to see what was going on. Normal? After what I've been through as a result of the steps I have to ask what is 'normal'? It sure was outside my realm of "experience".
The people in A.A. that are still psychologically addicted are what Eckhart Tolle calls "pain bodies" I believe/Know that "God's reach" is far and that there's no miracle that's too big or small for "him". It says so in The Course too and a lot of the Principles sound a lot like Promises...and we need those like the air we breathe, without them there'd be no chance at all.
What I would say, and I think it's important, is that all addictions are a psychological illness. A very serious one. The alcohol and drugs really don't play that big a part in the illness. For instance when a person detoxes and the physical need is not there the mind is still screaming for it or does after a period and just keeps talking crazy shit. People think all they have to do is detox and it's over but really it's just beginning. I look at it as the brain has been physically damaged by the substances and the result is what we call alcoholism but it's not that different than any other damaged organ they all have their symptoms.
And sure I heard all the "stuff" about the "permanent sickness" etc. "It takes 5 years to get your brains back and 5 years for the program to work" this from a respected member and it sounded like a damn jail sentence, I almost brought into it because all I knew ,so far, was A.A. at the time the rest of the answers came later.
I wasn't even talking about "my story" which strictly came from ego anyway I tried and couldn't all I ended up doing was talking about forgiveness and solution out of the Big Book. People started calling me "Real Mike" because I was identifying myself as a "real alcoholic" and found out I had a lot of personal power and because of that I ended up "stealing" this girl from her CEO boss boy friend when the relationship was on it's last legs anyhow. We ended up living together where I played "house husband" helped her and did very little meetings because I was too happy to drink.
The "A.B.C."(Apartment, Broad and Car) scare story turned out to be just that. It was also there that I started to gain Self Realization in my life and my mind was coherent and cohesive very far from being what I was. Totally amazing, and awesome and a Real Miracle.
And that's why I believe there's a lot of fear based stuff going on in there because what I was going through was 10 million miles from what the fellowship were talking about.
Either they're fact/Truth or they're not.
And from my Experience with this I choose the latter as they are obvious fact.
I want to point some things out here;
It is the purpose of this Workbook to train your mind to think along the lines the Text sets forth.
The only general rules to be observed throughout, then, are: First, that the exercises be practiced with great specificity, as will be indicated.
This will help you to generalize the ideas involved to *every situation* in which you find yourself, *and to everyone and everything in it.*
Second, be sure that you do not decide for yourself that there are some people, situations or things to which the ideas are inapplicable.
This will interfere with transfer of training.
The very nature of true perception is that it has no limits. (Not even 12 step programs)
It is the opposite of the way you see now.
Some of the ideas the Workbook presents you will find hard to believe, and others may seem to be quite startling. (Obviously)
This does not matter.
You are merely asked to apply the ideas as you are directed to do.
You are not asked to judge them at all.
You are asked only to use them.
It is their use that will give them meaning to you, and will show you that they are true.
Remember only this; you need not believe the ideas, you need not accept them, and you need not even welcome them. Some of them you may actively resist.
None of this will matter, or decrease their efficacy.
But do not allow yourself to make exceptions in applying the ideas the Workbook contains, and whatever your reactions to the ideas may be, use them.
It also says;
A universal theology is impossible
BUT
A Universal Experience is not only but *necessary* i.e. important.
There is a very specific reason this book exists...and not just "for fun'.
As I stated in a previous post I saw the ACIM at an acquaintance's house where there was another member of A.A. rooming with him and both were members.
The title A Course In Miracles alone piqued my interest what it said in there piqued my interest more. I ended up going back to visit a few times to visit and more over to look at "that book". They even remarked about how I always "had my nose in that"
There was another thing that stood out to me one of the Principles;
Principle 5 - Miracles are habits and should be involuntary.
It's said that you should "work" the steps and "trudge" the road to happy destiny.
These statements imply effort when miracles, which is talked about in A.A. and 12 step fellowships all the time, come effortlessly...or at least they should.
Miracles were sure coming effortlessly with me.
My end assessment was that; there is something to this and it's not just about "fun".
The ACIM and what it says in there is there for a reason.
Thank you; "M"
I didn't ask for them, they just came despite what people say about "things"