The following information taken directly from the CIM is an effort to point out some of the serious theological problems that it promotes.
CIM was first published in three volumes in 1976 by the Foundation for Inner Peace, P.O. Box 635, Tiburon, Cal. 94920. It has been popularized by Marriane Williamson through her lectures and books.
It all began with Helen Schucman and William Thetford, Professors of Medical Psycology at Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City. Helen a professed atheist at the time, had what she claims was an experience with the Holy Spirit. The "Voice" as she calls it gave a "kind of rapid, inner dictation" which she took down in a shorthand notebook. She claims it was not automatic handwriting. Though it made her feel very uncomfortable it never seriously occurred to her to stop. The whole process took seven years.
Typical of most mind science cults, CIM promotes a method by which one may find their own Internal Teacher. Although it claims to be Christian in statement, the Course deals with a universal means by which one may come to God. It rejects nearly every essential doctrine of historical orthodoxy. You are told not to judge the contend of the books. You are simply to turn your brain off and use them. Sin is defined as "lack of love" (forward). This logic neutralizes all critical thinking and opens one to any thing the Course has to offer.
CIM claims that we are each in charge of, and are a part of our own Atonement and actually the crucifixion did not establish the Atonement (Text p. 6).
BUT the Bible says that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Jesus Christ. God presented Him as a sacrificial atonement for sin, which we receive through faith and by his shed blood. (Romans 3:23-25).
CIM claims that God does not hold our evil against us and even rejects the biblical account of Adam being driven out of the garden (Text p. 32-33).
BUT the Bible tells us that because of Adam's sin, death spread to all men and separated us from God (Romans 5:12).
CIM says that sacrifice is a notion totally unknown to God, and the Last Judgment is not undertaken by God but by us (Text. p. 30, 33).
BUT the Bible says that inasmuch as it is for men to die once and after this comes judgment, so Christ also, having been offered once (as a sacrifice for man) to bear the sins of many (Hebrews 9:27). For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad (2 Cor. 5:10). Jesus has been appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead (Acts 10:42).
CIM says that God's Word is written on everyone's heart (Manual for Teachers p. 61).
BUT the Bible says that a natural man (the unregenerated) does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised (1 Corinthians 2:14). It is for this reason we have such historical figures as Adolf Hitler. The law is only written on ones heart when the message of the cross is applied by faith. Then, and only then does Hebrews 8:10 become reality in the person's life. Until that time the person is dead in his sins (Eph. 2:1).
CIM says that there are those who have reached God directly, they are not longer visible, they are the Teachers of the teachers and they can yet be called upon (Manual for Teachers p. 61).
BUT the Bible tells us that seeking counsel from the dead (necromancy) is an abomination (Deuteronomy 18:10-11). King Saul was ultimately destroyed because he had a medium contact the spirit of Samuel the prophet (1 Sam. 28).
In summary of this brief examination of the CIM it is clear that it is far from biblical, and the spirit that revealed this information was not only not the Holy Spirit but was more likely a demon spirit. The Bible tell us that if they do not speak according to the written word given us already, it is because there is no light in them (Isaiah 8:20). And, we are to examine everything carefully, holding fast to that which is good (1 Thess. 5:21).
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