Ask: What authority assigned attributes to God in ACIM?

“Can you tell me if "God" and "Father" are the same in ACIM? Where does the authority come from to assign God attributes other than to say "God is". (Frankly, I even wonder where the "God is" emanates from?) The scriptures have some horrendous qualities designated to God but ACIM, although positive qualities, must have come from some knowledge given to Helen? Can you share your thoughts as to where the attributes assigned to God in ACIM originated?” – J

            Yes, “God” and “Father” are the same in A Course in Miracles. However, as with most everything in ACIM these symbols mean something very different from the way the world commonly uses them. “God” does not mean an authoritative being that brought the universe of form into being. “God” means Reality or Truth, Which is beyond the universe of form. God is the one Being that is. Everything else is an illusion.
            “Father” in ACIM refers to God in God’s Totality where “Son of God” refers to the Part of God that seems split off from God in a universe of form. This Part of God also seems split within itself between God and not-God. (What seems like “your” mind is a version of this split mind). Keep in mind that God does not really have “parts”. “Father” and “Son” and “Part” are designations that are only useful while God still seems apart from you. They are the symbols that you can use to become aware of God within you. Eventually they fall away when you come to realize that there is only one Being and It is God. This is the experience “God is” and it emanates from God within you.
            God is all that is real in any mind. And God is in every mind whether one is aware of this or not. Helen Schucman heard the Voice for God (what ACIM calls “Christ” or “Holy Spirit”) in her own mind. She labeled this Voice “Jesus” because she needed a tangible symbol for It. This is the Voice that dictated ACIM to Helen. So God is the Authority that assigned attributes to the symbol “God” in ACIM.
            The Preface to ACIM tells some of the originating story for ACIM. But you may also be interested in the book, Journey Without Distance, by Robert Skutch. It tells the story of how ACIM came to be. It is always important to understand the context in which a spiritual teaching arose. The context should inform your study.

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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.
If you have a question the answer to which you think will help others send it to Liz@acimmentor.com and indicate that you want it answered in the ACIM Mentor Newsletter/Blog.

Comments

Christine said…
Helen heard the Voice in English. If she had been Chinese, it would have been in Chinese or Mandarin, etc. So the form doesn't matter - it is the content again. We grow our awareness (or we return to it) through unlimited means (now). Whatever means we are open to will be one which we can understand. I don't know how this relates to the subject, but I just had the thought!
1:08 PM
will said…
If you were raised Catholic or are just neurotic this is a pretty good quote from 4 Habits p. 8-9.

“For example, perhaps in your identification with a personal self you did something to someone that you have judged as harmful to them. You feel guilty for this. You would not even have this specific story for guilt if you did not believe that you were a personal self. This identification is the true origin of your guilt and fear. The guilt and fear that manifest in specific instances of the personal self’s story are simply representations of your belief that you attacked truth and that guilt and fear are justified for this.”
“Since not-truth can never be real there is never any justification for guilt and fear. But in your belief that guilt is justified you will punish yourself. You will do this either because you believe right out that you deserve it or because you hope that doing so will mitigate the punishment that you expect from Truth” (doing penance).
“When you identify with a personal self then, you always feel that you deserve punishment and you never feel that you deserve “good”. You are always insecure and vulnerable. You never feel that you have paid enough, up front or afterward for what you have “done wrong” or for the “good” that has come to you.”

If you have a partner that was also raised Catholic there is a good chance you will be held to the standard of the last paragraph that is impossible to meet. This isn’t a cheap shot at being Catholic (or neurotic) but having experienced both you have to call it as you see it.
9:24 AM
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