The realistic request of ACIM's teachings can be a spot of contention. Although some individuals report positive transformations and personal growth from following a course, others get the techniques to be useless as well as harmful. The course's emphasis on forgiveness and love is exceptional, but critics disagree that it can be very simplified and naïve, declining to deal with the difficulties of human associations and the need for limits and accountability. Also, the course's length and extensive character may be frustrating for some individuals, ultimately causing burnout or disillusionment. Experts declare that enough time and effort needed to accomplish ACIM could possibly be greater spent on more empirically supported therapeutic methods or religious professions that have an established track record of effectiveness.

The broader affect of ACIM on the religious and self-help communities can be worth considering. The program has inspired a substantial following and david hoffmeister has been incorporated into different New Era and religious movements. But, its effect is seen as a double-edged sword. On one give, it has offered a structure for people seeking spiritual development and inner peace. On the other give, its teachings may contribute to a tradition of spiritual bypassing, wherever persons use religious ideas to prevent working with particular and social issues. This could result in an application of escapism, where the concentrate on religious ideals distracts from the requisite of engaging with and addressing real-world challenges.

Moreover, the professional achievement of ACIM and its related resources increases honest concerns. The growth of workshops, publications, and seminars based on ACIM is visible as capitalizing on individuals' religious needs and vulnerabilities. Critics argue that the commercialization of spirituality can result in the exploitation of seekers, who may possibly invest significant time and money into methods that fundamentally do not deliver on their promises. This commercialization also can contribute to the dilution of the course's teachings, as different interpretations and changes proliferate, potentially resulting in confusion and misapplication of the principles.

Yet another important aspect to consider is the exclusivity and dogmatism that can sometimes accompany the ACIM community. As the program it self encourages universal love and forgiveness, the way it is shown and practiced by some adherents may result in a feeling of spiritual elitism. This will develop an "people versus them" mindset, wherever people who follow ACIM are viewed as enlightened, while people who do not are considered as misguided or unenlightened. Such attitudes may be divisive and detrimental to the course's proposed goals of peace and unity. Critics disagree that correct religious development should foster inclusivity and humility, as opposed to making a hierarchical variation involving the spiritually awakened and the unawakened.