The realistic software of ACIM's teachings can also be a spot of contention. Though some people report positive transformations and particular growth from following a class, others discover the practices to be ineffective or even harmful. The course's emphasis on forgiveness and love is excellent, but authorities disagree that it can be overly simplistic and naïve, declining to deal with the difficulties of human associations and the need for boundaries and accountability. Also, the course's size and rigorous character could be frustrating for many people, resulting in burnout or disillusionment. Authorities suggest that the time and work expected to complete ACIM could be greater allocated to more empirically reinforced therapeutic techniques or religious professions which have an established background of effectiveness.

The broader influence of ACIM on the spiritual and self-help areas can be price considering. The course has influenced an important following and has been integrated david hoffmeister into numerous New Era and religious movements. But, its effect is visible as a double-edged sword. On one hand, it's provided a platform for persons seeking religious growth and inner peace. On one other give, its teachings may donate to a lifestyle of religious bypassing, where people use religious methods in order to avoid coping with personal and cultural issues. This could cause a form of escapism, where in fact the concentrate on spiritual values distracts from the requisite of engaging with and addressing real-world challenges.

Moreover, the professional success of ACIM and their related products raises ethical concerns. The expansion of workshops, books, and seminars centered on ACIM can be seen as capitalizing on individuals' spiritual needs and vulnerabilities. Experts fight that the commercialization of spirituality may cause the exploitation of seekers, who may possibly spend substantial time and money in to methods that fundamentally do not supply on the promises. That commercialization may also subscribe to the dilution of the course's teachings, as numerous interpretations and adaptations proliferate, perhaps ultimately causing distress and misapplication of the principles.

Yet another critical aspect to take into account could be the exclusivity and dogmatism that can sometimes accompany the ACIM community. As the course itself encourages common love and forgiveness, just how it's taught and practiced by some adherents can cause a feeling of spiritual elitism. This can produce an "us versus them" mentality, wherever people who follow ACIM are seen as enlightened, while people who don't are viewed as misguided or unenlightened. Such attitudes could be divisive and counterproductive to the course's purported goals of peace and unity. Experts disagree that correct religious growth must foster inclusivity and humility, as opposed to making a hierarchical difference involving the spiritually awakened and the unawakened.