From a mental point of view, the roots of ACIM raise questions about their validity. Helen Schucman, the primary scribe of the writing, said that what were determined to her by an inner style she identified as Jesus. This method of receiving the writing through inner dictation, known as channeling, is frequently met with skepticism. Experts fight that channeling can be understood as a emotional phenomenon rather than a genuine spiritual revelation. Schucman herself was a clinical psychologist, and some declare that the voice she heard may have been a manifestation of her unconscious mind as opposed to an external heavenly entity. Furthermore, Schucman expressed ambivalence about the work and its roots, occasionally asking its reliability herself. That ambivalence, coupled with the strategy of the text's party, portrays uncertainty on the legitimacy of ACIM as a divinely influenced scripture.

The content of ACIM also invites scrutiny from a philosophical angle. The course teaches that the entire world we see with this feelings is an impression and that our correct fact lies beyond this bodily realm. This idealistic see, which echoes particular Western philosophies, issues the materialistic and empirical foundations of Western thought. Authorities disagree that the declare that the physical world can be an impression is not substantiated by scientific evidence and works counter to the medical approach, which a course in miracles utilizes visible and measurable phenomena. The thought of an illusory world may be engaging as a metaphor for the disturbances of understanding due to the vanity, but as a literal assertion, it lacks the empirical help needed to certainly be a valid illustration of reality.

Moreover, the sensible application of ACIM's teachings could be problematic. The program advocates for a significant form of forgiveness, indicating that issues are illusions and must be overlooked and only realizing the inherent unity of all beings. While the exercise of forgiveness may indeed be healing and transformative, ACIM's approach might lead persons to suppress respectable emotions and ignore true injustices. By mounting all bad experiences as illusions produced by the vanity, there's a threat of minimizing or invalidating the existed activities of suffering and trauma. This perspective may be especially hazardous for persons dealing with serious issues such as for instance abuse or oppression, as it might discourage them from seeking the necessary support and interventions.

Another stage of rivalry is just how ACIM has been marketed and commercialized. Since its publication, ACIM has spawned an important industry of workshops, seminars, and supplementary materials. Critics argue this commercialization undermines the religious integrity of the teachings, turning what is supposed to be a sacred text in to a profit-driven enterprise. The proliferation of ACIM-related products and services and companies has light emitting diode some to problem the motivations behind their campaign and the credibility of people who declare to show its principles. That professional element can produce a buffer to genuine religious exploration, as people might be much more centered on purchasing another book or attending the following workshop rather than participating deeply with the teachings themselves.