The realistic application of ACIM's teachings is also a spot of contention. While some people record good transformations and personal growth from following class, others get the techniques to be useless or even harmful. The course's increased exposure of forgiveness and love is remarkable, but critics disagree that it can be overly simplified and naïve, failing to address the difficulties of individual relationships and the need for limits and accountability. Also, the course's length and rigorous nature could be frustrating for a lot of people, resulting in burnout or disillusionment. Authorities claim that the full time and effort needed to complete ACIM could be greater allocated to more empirically reinforced beneficial practices or spiritual disciplines which have a proven history of effectiveness.

The broader impact of ACIM on the religious and self-help areas can also be price considering. The program has influenced a significant following and has been integrated into different New Era and spiritual david acim movements. Nevertheless, their effect is visible as a double-edged sword. On a single give, it has presented a framework for people seeking spiritual development and internal peace. On the other hand, their teachings may contribute to a lifestyle of religious skipping, wherever people use religious methods to avoid working with particular and social issues. This can cause a form of escapism, where in actuality the concentrate on religious ideals distracts from the prerequisite of interesting with and approaching real-world challenges.

Furthermore, the commercial success of ACIM and its related components raises ethical concerns. The proliferation of workshops, publications, and seminars based on ACIM is seen as capitalizing on individuals' spiritual needs and vulnerabilities. Authorities disagree that the commercialization of spirituality may result in the exploitation of seekers, who may possibly spend significant time and income into techniques that fundamentally don't provide on their promises. This commercialization also can subscribe to the dilution of the course's teachings, as various understandings and changes proliferate, perhaps resulting in distress and misapplication of the principles.

Still another important aspect to take into account is the exclusivity and dogmatism that will sometimes accompany the ACIM community. While the class itself promotes universal enjoy and forgiveness, the way it's shown and practiced by some adherents can lead to a sense of spiritual elitism. This may develop an "people versus them" thinking, where people who follow ACIM are viewed as enlightened, while those that don't are viewed as misguided or unenlightened. Such attitudes may be divisive and detrimental to the course's purported objectives of peace and unity. Critics fight that true spiritual growth must foster inclusivity and humility, as opposed to creating a hierarchical variance involving the spiritually awakened and the unawakened.