Hi Bob,
Again from ACIM perspective...
>It's convenient to have a philosophical system that is beyond perspective. All questions are handled by the simple expedient of dismissing them as egoic thinking or dreaming.
ACIM answers many questions for me. It is very simple in its message. Its certainly hard to swallow - but it explains the reason for this as well. My experience with it (which is not a long time at all) is that it does not cop out of answers.
If you are interested, have a read of it, because I am now defending something I don't understand fully!
)
>What, according to ACIM, is the "bigger" egoic mind. The mind of God? The corporate mind of mankind? Your own ego?
The claim is that we are all one. That we have split ourselves into different perspectives and live out the seperation from God over and over again.
This pain is so huge that we placed it outside of our awareness. Even in this place (which is supposed to be an escape) the pain crops up constantly in dribs and drabs - but this is just a leaks from a reservoir of pain. Someone being rude to you, enforces your feeling of seperation (bringing up unconscious guilt) and allows you to hold that person in your awareness as the source of the pain. This is the way the ego sees the world. The Holy Spirit looks at the ego created world and seeks to undo these mistaken perceptions (by forgiving). In ACIM, true forgiveness is what is known as a miracle. It is completely freeing someone from guilt and at the same time freeing yourself from guilt - by recognising that 1) The situation is not real 2) That the seperation from God never happened and then releasing yourself and the person from pain.
I use a line of forgiveness ( from Disappearance of the Universe) which I use all the time. As a result I am much, much happier and I am greatful for this course.
Its a different way of looking at a situation but it changes things. Personally, the people around me are much happier. Strangers smile at me in the street. I arrive at the right time for busses. My plants grow nicer. My life runs smoothly. Money comes when its needed. Im peaceful. :-)
Nothing that would turn any heads in the scientific community. My plants are looking pretty damn good though...
>I have to wonder if ACIM isn't actually a trap for people like me. It seems to want me to ignore the empirical evidence right in front of me and return to the illusion of a benign, caring, loving God
I can relate to what you are saying here and I dont have an answer for you. I just decided that I wasnt going to settle for a mundane existence. Refused is probably a better word here. I just knew that this can't be it. Its so pointless. What is it in me that sees how silly this whole place is! What is it in me that crave love?
From what you've said, I can see that I haven't explained ACIM properly to you. I feel like a bad ambassador for its message! Please don't judge it from what I have said. Thanks for your comments Bob,
Mikey