Q. How do you see the relationship between the Course and the Bible? A. This is a huge question, on which there can be a number of responsible and intelligent views. The main views I’m aware of are three: Total (or near-total) harmony Total (or near-total) disharmony The Course as the third testament, the third […]
Archives: FAQ
What is the relationship between the Course and the Bible?
How does the Course address boundaries?
Q. How does the Course address boundaries? It tells you that, whatever your brother asks of you, you should do, and even more. But in the early dictation, Jesus refers to Edgar Cayce burning himself out because he did too many readings in an attempt to respond to all of the requests he received. Jesus […]
What are the laws of God?
Q. In a nutshell, what are the laws of God? I take them to be analogous to the laws of physics, statements of foundational truth, such as I am as God created me. The Course mentions the laws of God frequently, but as far as I can see, we have to ferret out just what […]
Does consciousness choose?
Q. Is it accurate to say that consciousness chooses? I can find reference to consciousness doing other things like engaging, responding, distorting, and inducing, but not choosing. I suppose one could deduce from all those verbs that it does choose. A. The word “consciousness” in the Course is usually used to denote the conscious level […]
Why does the Course say the term “soul” is hardly used, when it originally was used a lot?
Q. In the Clarification of Terms, it says that the word “soul” is not used in the Course except in direct biblical quotations. This is so contradictory to the Urtext (the original typescript of the Course) that it creates a great conflict. How can what the Course says about its wording be contradicted by its […]
Will transcending the ego mean losing my personal identity?
Q. I can’t help feeling a little apprehension about waking up or transcending the ego, because I feel like I will be losing my personal identity. I will probably gain more than I lose, but I’m not clear on what that will be. A. The fear of loss of identity, of course, is at the […]
I am having trouble accepting the Course’s view that Jesus did not suffer during the crucifixion. Can you help me?
Q. I am having trouble accepting the Course’s version of the crucifixion. I can only think that Jesus must have suffered, since the Bible mentions his anguish and his sweating drops of blood. Can you help me understand the Course’s point of view? A. For a long time I had these same concerns. Actually, what […]
How can I dream the actions of other people?
Q. Could you help me with something please? I half-understand the concept that we are dreaming this life and what happens to us within it. However, I do not understand how I dream the actions of other people. They are responsible for their own actions, thoughts, etc., not me. For instance, if someone hits me, […]
Can a chemical imbalance block my connection with God?
Q. I came down with a bad case of the flu recently and I thought I would feel better if I meditated and practiced my Workbook lesson. Yet instead of feeling more connected, I felt totally cut off, from God and from the Course. It all seemed completely meaningless, and no matter how hard I […]