Even though they have a lot of common fans, A Course in Miracles and Conversations of God might contradict each other about a key point.

In CWG, God (supposedly) states that he created this World because he wanted to turn his knowledge into experience.  Another stated reason is that he needed something other than himself in order for his magnificence to be verified.

ACIM states that this World isn't real, doesn't exist, because everything God creates is perfect.

It seems to me these two viewpoints differ.

CWG says the below:

"God [?]: All attack is a call for help.

Walsch: I read that in A Course in Miracles.

God: I put it there."

Outside of the fact that the above conversation seems a bit contrived, I find it odd that God would refer to a Source that has a contradictory viewpoint on why he created everything including this World.

Actually what Walsch did was pretty transparent. He obviously read ACIM and simply lifted its concepts and, with a few adjustments so it wouldn't look like plagiarism, pretended to be talking to God by drawing on ACIM for his faux "conversations." Inserting some contradictions simply insulates him from plagiarism charges.

ACIM is a treasure trove of concepts that provides plenty of raw material for would-be authors (see Gary Renard) who attempt to cash in on it.

R

Roger:

Some people don't have a lot of willingness to be suspicious of the various new age sources that exist.

Perhaps a key contradiction of doctrine might stimulate their curiosity.

Roger:

Here is a thought on Gary Renard.  Some people say he should film the spirit masters that supposedly manifest physically to him. He says he doesn’t because would claim that he just hired actors.

I believe he insults people’s intelligence when he makes such a statement.  Hiring actors to play the role of master wouldn’t be easy. First of all, he would have to find people who can act. He would have to find people who are unethical enough to mislead people. He would have to share money with such people. He would have to hope that for some reason neither of these people would at some point decide to reveal the truth. He would have to hope that nobody recognizes these people. It isn’t as simple of a matter as he makes it seem.

Renard supposedly was periodically visited by two "ascended masters" who revealed to him profound concepts that he used to write his book.  He said he tape recorded all of their sessions.

First of all, these profound concepts were nothing more than a re-hash of ACIM.  In other words, Renard did the same thing Walsch did but instead of God talking to him (Walsch beat him to the punch) he had to invent ascended masters.

Second, Renard claims he destroyed all of the tapes.  Gee, that's a shame, because now he is without any evidence of his many visitations from Pursah and Arten, his fictional pals.  As to filming the two masters, Renard says he was told that Arten and Pursah would not appear to people other than him, because his teachers did not want their message to be changed by others (as per Wikipedia).

I wonder how many other authors have attempted to cash in by using ACIM?  Probably more than we know.  Interesting that Renard is now in southern Cal, teaching of all things ACIM!! You can't make this stuff up.

The problem with studying the afterlife is that the field is chock full of frauds and charlatans (i.e. the late Sylvia Browne). That's why discernment is so imperative.

As the old saying goes, an open mind is fine as long as it's not so open that our brains fall out.

R

Roger:

If you look around you'll see that some of the teachers of ACIM don't approve of Renard. Partly because one of the beings who supposedly spoke to Renard told him that he is the only teacher who interprets the course correctly.