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20 December 2006

Metaphysical Claptrap AskMe Thread... →[More:]I've been reading Marianne Williamson's The Path of Change recently, and love it. She's a big advocate of A Course in Miracles, which is this oddball semi-Christian metaphysical psychological self-actualizing thing.

I'm curious to know if any Bunnies like Marianne, or have done A Course in Miracles and any thoughts you have on it.

post by: Lipstick Thespian at: 10:53 | 29 comments

If I recall correctly, I read somewhere that Hillary Clinton is a big fan.

posted by box 20 December | 11:08

I'm against "inner peace" on general principle. It requires too much denial. It's like standing in the rain and insisting you're not getting wet.

posted by Pips 20 December | 11:31

≡ Click to see image ≡

(for pips)

posted by taz 20 December | 11:47

I'm against "inner peace" on general principle.

Me, too. I like having great gory wars inside me. I'm actually girding myself for my 'evaluation' by listening to Slayer's 'Chemical Warfare' and 'Angel Of Death' repeatedly, at peak volume, on my headphones. Puts the proper psychotic twinkle in my eye.

A co-worker crossed the cube to warn me that I'm gonna go deaf.

posted by jonmc 20 December | 11:56

I had a semi-Christian friend try to get me involved with ACIM in the 1990s. Not being snarky here: at the time he was also taking Zoloft and dealing with some anger issues he was having towards women (he's better now).

While I didn't consider accepting his invitation, what I did read about ACIM made it sound too gooey and New-Agey for me. I don't begrudge other people their illusions; as long as it doesn't harm anyone else, whatever it takes for people to get by is cool with me.

I personally have a very (VERY) secular outlook on life, and I think "self-improvement" (as it's packaged here in the western world) is just a sort of capitalistic religion, so it turns me off. It makes me sad seeing people invest too much time, money, and effort into things that aren't going to make them genuinely happy.

posted by BoringPostcards 20 December | 12:39

Sounds like metaphysical claptrap to me. Take what you will from it, that has meaning for you, but anytime someone offers you enlightenment and insists you have to buy the whole package, walk away.

Or, what BoPo said.

posted by matildaben 20 December | 12:47

The Text also explains the basis for fear and guilt, and how they can be overcome through miracles, which are defined as maximal "expressions of love." The miracle is defined as the shift in perception from fear to love.

A Course in Miracles was "scribed" by Dr. Helen Schucman through a process of inner dictation she identified as coming from Jesus

...

This course can therefore be summed up very simply in this way:

Nothing real can be threatened.
Nothing unreal exists.

Herein lies the peace of God."

Now look slowly around you, and practice applying this idea very specifically to whatever you see:

This table does not mean anything.
This chair does not mean anything.
This hand does not mean anything.
This foot does not mean anything.
This foot does not mean anything.
This pen does not mean anything.

What? Let me be blunt: This sounds like one of the dumbest and most useless things I have ever heard in my entire life, and I sat through Sunday School as a kid.

But I guess if they're not demanding the title to your car in exchange for these "maximal expressions of love", go for it.

posted by cmonkey 20 December | 13:17

Those quotes make it sound kind of like watered down Buddhism/Taoism for an Xtian audience.

I'd say just go read some real Buddhism.

posted by matildaben 20 December | 13:38

The miracle is defined as the shift in perception from fear to love.

"Ling Ling finds a wallet on the ground filled with money. She takes the wallet to the address on the driver's license but keeps the money inside the wallet."

posted by muddgirl 20 December | 13:41

I'd say just go read some real Buddhism.

But real Buddhism is foreign.

posted by jonmc 20 December | 14:12

I agree with what you're all saying here, truly. But the way Marianne Williamson writes sometimes has truth for me in it, and I do find it inspiring. I DO NOT believe that Jesus is hiring Scribers to spread this message, I think wealthy white people want to believe that can happen.

But some of what these folks are on about, when M.W. talks of it, helps me out. I think when you place squishy stuff like emotional issues into a system, the system will fail, and you end up having to be your own system. Which is always scary. I defy anyone to say that it isn't.

posted by Lipstick Thespian 20 December | 14:49

ACIM is new age Christianity. As an old age Christian, I pretty much find it to be crap.

I mean, take the worry and guilt out of Christianity and what've you got left?

posted by Doohickie 20 December | 14:53

Like I said before, find inspiration wherever it suits you to find it, just don't get sucked into anything that requires you to hop on the full bandwagon, start shelling out large amounts of cash, and/or proselytize to people who don't want to be proselytized to (i.e., everyone else).

posted by matildaben 20 December | 15:29

Oh, and if you really sincerely want to discuss this with other people, you might get better results at a place like beliefnet or wherever spiritual folks hang out these days, instead of Metachat.

But if you just wanted to discuss your latest enthusiasms with the bunnies, go ahead, that's what we're here for (among other things).

posted by matildaben 20 December | 15:32

"Ling Ling finds a wallet on the ground filled with money. She takes the wallet to the address on the driver's license but keeps the money inside the wallet."
posted by muddgirl

muddgirl, I heart you.

posted by BoringPostcards 20 December | 15:34

I didn't really want to discuss it, just curious about what other Haids have heard or experienced with it.

Not about to jump a bandwagon or start selling shit online or asking that we all start a recipe club with Miracle Whip Dressing or anything. Just was curious about it.

But, seeing as you asked, Mats, are you interested in my new LT-Mate line of Singles Wear? Nothing says I Love You at Christmastime like a fine LT-Mate fleece vest or polo shirt! A must for anyone this holiday season!

posted by Lipstick Thespian 20 December | 15:41

Does it attract cat hair?

posted by matildaben 20 December | 15:49

Miracle Whip? Ewww, gross!

posted by deborah 20 December | 16:17

I'm starting up my own self-help seminar course, entitled A Course in Miracle Whip.

And no, Mats, the full line of LT-Mate Singles Wear is designed to attract men and women who sport cat hair as a matter of course.

Not a Course in Miracle Whip, but another type altogether.

posted by Lipstick Thespian 20 December | 16:43

Wait...I've never been baptized nor confirmed. Can I still eat Miracle Whip? Or is it off limits to me like communion wafers? (I really, really want to know what those taste like. I've heard like an ice cream cone.)

posted by jrossi4r 20 December | 16:56

Actually, Jrossi, it tastes exactly like the hopes and dreams and fears of an entire culture wrapped around the dessicated flesh of a young man who was nailed to a hot piece of wood and left for dead.

But some people go in for that sort of thing at table, I've heard.

posted by Lipstick Thespian 20 December | 17:11

Ice cream cone? Hopes and dreams? You wish. Ice cream cones at least taste like sugar, and hope is the thing with feathers, and dreams taste like a raisin in the sun.

Take it from a former altar boy, Catholic-school student and eucharistic minister--either it's the unleavened-bread kind, in which case it's bready and basically flavorless, or it's the Necco-wafer kind, in which case it's basically flavorless.

posted by box 20 December | 17:20

Communion wafers? The ones I had tasted exactly like these, jrossi (like the outer saucers, that is):

≡ Click to see image ≡

My mother-in-law, back before she was my mother-in-law, put one on each plate at Easter a couple years ago; jon thinks it's blasphemous that I ate it... when in Rome. I do prefer Miracle Whip, though.

(thanks taz! I never felt so at peas! : )

posted by Pips 20 December | 18:17

Wait--Mrs. MC put communion wafers out as appetizers? Where do you even get them? I figured you needed a special license or something just to see them.

I'm even more curious now. Someone authorized needs to mail me one. Host by post!

posted by jrossi4r 20 December | 18:50

Host By Post!

I do so love you guys.

posted by Lipstick Thespian 20 December | 18:57

She did indeed, jrossi... She teaches at a Catholic school... she's got connections; I'll see if I can hook you up. (Can I interest you in some Passover wine to dunk them in?)

please forgive the irreverent humor, folks... it comes from a pure heart. : )

posted by Pips 20 December | 19:09

Actually, I recently saw a site (sssss) that sells pre-blessed communion wafers. It was probably through here or Metafilter but I don't really remember.

Pips - those look kinda like diaphragms. And why would Mrs. MC use them as appetizers? It just seems so weird especially if she's at all observant. I thought the only time you could have them was after confession and from the priest.

posted by deborah 20 December | 21:55

jrossi, I was fascinated by them as a kid, and I pestered my Catholic friends until some nice altar boy pilfered me one. It was a bit like an impossibly bland shrimp cracker.

posted by tangerine 20 December | 23:44

Shrimp Crackers are The Reason for the Season!

posted by Lipstick Thespian 21 December | 12:00

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