INTERFERING WITH GODS PLAN
The biggest misconception of all around A Course In Miracles teachers:
To think that a teacher of God is someone who teaches what A Course In Miracles means, instead of practicing and learning the lessons within a holy relationship between two people. This is where Kenneth Wapnick and other famous ACIM gurus, writing books, giving talks, comparing A Course In Miracles to different philosophies and building their careers and enterprises around being a teacher of the course, have gone very wrong.
As Jesus says in the Course:
"The ego will demand many answers this course does not give. It does not recognize as questions the mere form of a question to which an answer is impossible. The ego may ask, ʺHow did the impossible occur?ʺ, ʺTo what did the impossible happen?ʺ, and may ask in many forms. Yet there is no answer; only an experience.Seek only this, and do not let theology delay you. "Despite this, Ken Wapnick wrote over 30 books on A Course in Miracles and also, together with his Catholic "friends, scholars and theologians" he edited and supervised the compilation for the publication of a "1387 Questions and Answers" with many questions regarding the Course and a lot of misleading answers, including that the Catholic faith and the teachings of Jesus in A Course in Miracles are not incompatible. In several places, it is also recommended that students read the book Ken Wapnick wrote together with Jesuit priest Norris Clarke.
Kenneth Wapnick, although he rarely mentioned it, was himself, according to his friend Benedict Groeschel, "a devout Catholic", baptized in 1972 being spiritually influenced by Trappist monk Thomas Merton (who in the Catholic philosophical tradition, also he, wrote over 50 books in which he promotes the Jesuit "Spiritual Exercises". Quotes from his lecture book “A Course In Christian Mysticism: "Martyrdom is a Second Baptism", "Martyrdom is the Crown of the Eucharistic Life", "Martyrdom is a Gift of God".
The Wapnick Teachings The Wapnick Teachings
JESUS SAYS:
”This is not a course in theoretical philosophy, nor is it concerned with precise terminology in connection with origins. It is concerned only with Atonement, or the correction of perception.
All terms are potentially controversial, and those who seek controversy will find it. Yet those who seek clarification will find it as well. They must, however, be willing to overlook controversy, recognizing that it is a defense against truth in the form of a delaying maneuver. ”
Urtext Volume IV Use of Terms
THE EDITING
After Kenneth Wapnick entered the inner circle of editing and publishing A Course In Miracles, the Jesus-appointed editor, Bill Thetford, resigned. Thetford thought, according to Wapnick himself, that the text should be intact and changed as little as possible.
Editing, after Thetford left, was done by Helen Schucman (the medium and recorder of the Course) and Kenneth Wapnick and when the course was published in FIP's version a whopping 60,000 words had been removed from the original manuscript.
Many important passages were deleted, even ones Jesus had specifically asked Helen and Bill to keep. Jesus says in the Urtext version: "I want to finish the instructions regarding sex, because this is an area the miracle worker MUST understand."These instructions are completely missing in FIP's version.
Kenneth Wapnick/FIP's "Questions & Answers" lacks some answers that DO exist in the original manuscripts. (Which he should have known as he kept them all in a safe in his closet after Helen's passing). A completely false claim is that God doesn't know we're here, which, if true, would be very frightening. In the original manuscript Jesus says: "You shall live so that God is free to arrange temporary human constellations as He sees fit," which clearly indicates that God is very well aware that we are here and what we are doing here. In "Questions & Answers" there is incorrect information regarding several areas that are central to the Course. It is claimed, for example, that our words and actions do not matter, something Jesus would not agree with, as He calls us to
THE GREAT CRUSADE; "LISTEN, LEARN AND DO"
- LISTEN to my voice, LEARN to undo the error and DO something to correct it. The real members of my party are ACTIVE workers.
In "Questions & Answers" it is also claimed that: God does not speak to us in words and nor hear our prayers.
Jesus about our prayers to God: "...They become your gifts to Him, because they tell Him that you do not want any gods before Him; no other Love but His".
From A Course in Miracles Prayer Song
One of the most misleading claims Wapnick makes in the conversation with Jesuit Norris Clarke is that The goal of the course is "the experience of peace in the dream".
According to the Course, the goal is God and the end of the whole dream.
Doug Thompson, the editor of the most complete version of the Course, said "This is serious" and when someone interferes with God's Plan of salvation and our fastest way out of this dream of illusions - it is very serious.
THE SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP
The special relationship* between Ken Wapnick and Helen Schucman had to replace the sacred relationship instituted by Jesus between Helen and Bill Thetford. Bill wrote in his biography: “there was a lot of spiritual grandiosity going on between the two of them."
Perhaps the most beautiful part of the course are the GIFTS OF GOD* which, according to Kenneth Wapnick, Helen recorded from Jesus intended to be included in the Course. It is not included in any other version yet A COURSE IN MIRACREAD URTEXT MANUSCRIPTS COMPLETE SEVEN VOLUME COMBINED EDITION. Parts are included in Kenneth Wapnick's own book Absence from Felicity.
*A term used in the Course
**THE GIFTS OF GOD is included in A COURSE IN MIRACLES Urtext Seven Volume Combined Edition edited by Doug Thompson.
THE COURSE
For the original essence of the Course and also partake of the most loving, healthy and mature mind you will ever come across, when Jesus communicates with the recorders, choose:
A COURSE IN MIRACLES URTEXT MANUSCRIPTS COMPLETE SEVEN VOLUME COMBINED EDITION
Content:
TEXT, Including discussions of sex, homosexuality, sorcery, magic, possession, and important comments on the sacrificial elements of the "Holy Eucharist"
WORKBOOK FOR STUDENTS
MANUAL FOR TEACHERS
DEFINITIONS OF WORDS AND CONCEPTS
PSYCHOTHERAPY - The ideal therapist is one with Christ.
THE SONG OF THE PRAYER
GIFTS OF GOD
Download here
This is another more inclusive version and contains much text omitted in the FIP version, but does not include GIFTS OF GOD.
This is the FIP version or the "Kenneth Wapnick version" as some call it, heavily edited and sanitized of VERY important information as well as Jesus' beautiful personality and wit. It does not contain GIFTS OF GOD It also does not include the term "Spiritual Eye" as Jesus originally dictated, but instead uses "Holy Spirit" and "Spiritual Vision".
The FIP version is still used, all over the world - in all 27 translations. Because the text is so compressed and lacks certain examples, explanations and context, it is unnecessarily difficult to get through this dry edition which also missing the passionate Jesus from the Urtext.
GIFTS OF GOD
Last chapter A COURSE IN MIRACLES - Poetry of Jesus, taken down by Helen Schucman.
