Mark Stone

"What the world needs now is love". I find this discussion to be inexhaustible. I have read the course through and through. I too started skeptical. I have read the bible through and through. I think the OP is very right. I realize I am ressurrecting a 12 year old thread, and it is quite intentional. I have watched as mainstream christianity has argued against the course, and I am TRULY frightened by the lack of discernment. It doesn't even seem like they read any of the course. Its all the same rehashed regurgitated dogma, without actually ADDRESSING anything the course says within context. The Jesus I know from the course and bible and personal experience has always told me, Whenever you read something, or view something, pray and ask the holy spirit. Compare it to what you know to be true. God created us all with this ability this conscience, and now we are indwelled with the holy spirit... And yet modern christians seem so threatened by this book. Can't a person read it, pray to the God of the bible should they choose, the God of their understanding, and ask "Is this course a deception or the truth hidden in plain sight". If God wrote the scripture in the "Stars above, and in the hearts of men" why doesn't anyone trust in a person's ability to discern for themselves. Also Jesus said to always test the spirits. The way we would know the true ones is by their fruit. I have seen people study the bible and bear a lot of fruit. I have also seen people 'read' the bible and not bear fruit, or even tear down existing fruit with hatred and malice. I have not seen the same with the course. I have never seen someone truly study the course who did not become more like christ, more full of love, and all without 'blind' faith. The only other thing I see come from it is disinterest. It never empowers people to harm others, express prejudice, subjugate women, or burn witches in Jesus's name. Sure these things happened in the past and christianity has improved since the middle ages. Nonetheless, if I simply comparing the fruit of the spirit, how can people be so blind? I think Spong pretty much hits the nail on the head when he discusses the way in which human authors bend everything, including the "Word of God" to make sense to them. https://circleofa.org/library/course-miracles-commit-sins-scripture/ is a really good read. Godspeed to any children left out there who are willing to seek after LOVE above all other things. Corinithians 1:13 is just heartbreaking. All of the argument and division in the church, all of this sidetracking and confusion, they seemed to have missed the CORE of Christs law. Love your God, Love your neighbor, Love yourself, in that order. When I read these blatantly uneducated attacks against a course in miracles, all I can here is a very dissonant concert of clanging cymbals and gongs...