The practical application of ACIM's teachings can also be a spot of contention. Though some people report positive transformations and personal development from following a course, others get the techniques to be inadequate as well as harmful. The course's increased exposure of forgiveness and love is admirable, but authorities fight that it can be excessively simplistic and naïve, declining to handle the difficulties of individual associations and the necessity for boundaries and accountability. Also, the course's period and intense nature may be overwhelming for a lot of people, ultimately causing burnout or disillusionment. Authorities suggest that enough time and work needed to perform ACIM could possibly be greater used on more empirically supported beneficial methods or spiritual professions that have a proven background of effectiveness.

The broader influence of ACIM on the spiritual and self-help communities can also be price considering. The course has influenced an important subsequent and has been integrated into numerous New Era and religious movements. But, its influence is seen as a double-edged sword. Using david hoffmeister one give, it's presented a framework for people seeking religious development and internal peace. On another give, their teachings may donate to a tradition of spiritual skipping, wherever individuals use religious methods to avoid coping with particular and social issues. This will cause an application of escapism, where the concentrate on religious ideals distracts from the necessity of participating with and approaching real-world challenges.

Moreover, the commercial success of ACIM and their connected materials raises moral concerns. The proliferation of workshops, publications, and seminars centered on ACIM is seen as capitalizing on individuals' spiritual needs and vulnerabilities. Critics fight that the commercialization of spirituality may result in the exploitation of seekers, who may possibly invest significant time and money into practices that ultimately don't deliver on their promises. This commercialization also can contribute to the dilution of the course's teachings, as different interpretations and changes proliferate, probably resulting in confusion and misapplication of the principles.

Another critical aspect to think about may be the exclusivity and dogmatism that may sometimes accompany the ACIM community. While the course it self promotes general love and forgiveness, the way it is shown and used by some adherents may cause a sense of spiritual elitism. This may develop an "us versus them" attitude, wherever those that follow ACIM are seen as enlightened, while those who don't are considered as misguided or unenlightened. Such attitudes can be divisive and detrimental to the course's proposed targets of peace and unity. Authorities disagree that correct religious development must foster inclusivity and humility, rather than developing a hierarchical variance between the spiritually awakened and the unawakened.