The useful request of ACIM's teachings can be a place of contention. Although some individuals report positive transformations and personal growth from following the course, others discover the methods to be inadequate as well as harmful. The course's increased exposure of forgiveness and enjoy is remarkable, but critics disagree that it can be overly easy and naïve, declining to deal with the complexities of individual associations and the need for boundaries and accountability. Additionally, the course's length and intensive nature may be overwhelming for some individuals, ultimately causing burnout or disillusionment. Authorities declare that the time and work required to perform ACIM could be better used on more empirically reinforced healing techniques or spiritual disciplines which have a proven history of effectiveness.

The broader affect of ACIM on the spiritual and self-help areas can also be worth considering. The course has inspired a substantial following david hoffmeister and has been built-into numerous New Era and spiritual movements. But, its effect is visible as a double-edged sword. On a single give, it has provided a structure for people seeking religious growth and internal peace. On one other hand, their teachings can donate to a lifestyle of spiritual skipping, where people use spiritual ideas in order to avoid dealing with personal and social issues. This could cause a questionnaire of escapism, where in actuality the concentrate on religious ideals distracts from the necessity of interesting with and handling real-world challenges.

More over, the commercial success of ACIM and their related materials increases honest concerns. The expansion of workshops, publications, and seminars predicated on ACIM is seen as capitalizing on individuals' religious wants and vulnerabilities. Experts argue that the commercialization of spirituality may lead to the exploitation of seekers, who may possibly invest substantial time and income in to practices that eventually do not provide on the promises. This commercialization can also donate to the dilution of the course's teachings, as different understandings and adaptations proliferate, possibly ultimately causing frustration and misapplication of the principles.

Yet another critical element to take into account is the exclusivity and dogmatism that could often accompany the ACIM community. While the class it self stimulates universal enjoy and forgiveness, just how it is shown and practiced by some adherents can result in a feeling of religious elitism. This can build an "people versus them" mentality, wherever people who follow ACIM are viewed as enlightened, while those that do not are considered as misguided or unenlightened. Such attitudes may be divisive and detrimental to the course's proposed targets of peace and unity. Critics argue that correct spiritual growth must foster inclusivity and humility, as opposed to creating a hierarchical variation between the spiritually awakened and the unawakened.