The Word God in ACIM- Uncomfortable Anyone?
At our 2-2-16 meeting, a new student commented-
GOD- “I don’t like the use of the word God” “It makes me think of a religion” “It sounds like an external God”.
A Course in Miracles is NOT a religion. It does not include a projected God external to ourselves.
The following is the way I personally see and interpret the concept of God in ACIM:
It does use the word GOD- for which one could substitute many words, including
Love,
Internal God
Loving Source of what is eternal, unchanging, all encompassing
That which is other than Egoistic- other than our concept of separation and personal identity, other than the concept of specialness
“Words are symbols of symbols” so it is important to focus on the meaning we give to them. And if the word brings up a negative response, it would be best to look at what it triggers in us, rather than think the word is the problem. As for me, all the words- God, Holy Spirit, and Christ – were off setting at first. Until I knew what meaning and purpose they represented in Course in Miracles. They represented the means to forgiveness and the experience of peace. They represent what true eternal love looks like, and how to have that experience, and to choose only that perception. They represent a very straight forward way to get there, without guilt or sacrifice. They help one to focus inward to the false ideas we hold that keep us feeling separate from one another, and from our true powerful loving selves. And they show us how to change our mind and choose for the truth of peace and love in all instants.
I think what made me tolerant to listen and see for myself, was the beginning of the book that stated very clearly that the Course was just one path of many to the same goal of peace. So there was no feeling of force, but rather I was interested enough in the result that I was willing to suspend judgement on those words and see what they meant in context of healing.
Basically it recognizes that we did not create ourselves. We don’t understand what anything is for. We seem to project our ideas onto the world and create it, but in reality how could we really create what is eternal and everlasting. So somehow Life has been created, and the Course says it is an extension of Love. This it refers to as God. Only an ego could think it could be separate from its creative force. As an idea never can leave the mind, a creative idea also never leaves. I sometimes explain it by using the example of a child that gets upset and says it is no longer his or her parent’s child. Just because they feel that way, doesn’t make it so. This is not to humanize God, or even solidify the concept, but merely an analogy. If we were created in love, we can think that we are other than one creation, but that doesn’t make it so. When we recognize this in ourselves, we will feel our connection to everyone, and we will find every opportunity to experience peace, and thus extend it outward to others. We will heal the world that thinks it is separate from source, from God (if you are OK with that term).
I hope this helps you to look even beyond the words to the meaning that brings more love to you and the world.