Customer Reviews

Marianne Williamson On Commitment

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Yet another fabulous addition to anyone's audio collection who enjoys Marianne Williamson's work. As usual, Marianne spouts wisdom from the roof tops and as a fan of her work, and student of A Course in Miracles, I found this audio lecture to be fabulous. Full of Marianne's usual wit and wisdom, it is something I'll enjoy repeatedly over time.

I'd ignore the other highly negative review based on religious zealotry, bias, and ignorance about Marianne Williamson and A Course in Miracles. Get it! It's great!

Where do I start? First if I could, I would give this a negative star rating... both 1 and 0 stars are way too generous.
I guess I would just warn you that you really need to be aware of what you are hearing/reading. The Course in Miracles is very confusing.... it seems that an atheist Jewish woman started to hear a voice in her head and transcribed what the voice told her. Apparently this voice was Jesus, but if you look into the lawsuit filed by Penguin Publishing against Church and Endeavor Academy (simply search on www.google.com and enter those names to find the information) the voice was that of Jesus... but not Jesus Christ. It seems that at one point it was Jesus Christ but then, when it suited the lawsuit, it was not actually Jesus Christ. ANYWAY... Jesus or no Jesus... this delusional woman wrote down what she heard and now, Marianne Williamson, also born Jewish, interprets what the Course says-- specifically about Commitment (in this book/audio book). Williamson, who says in the tape that she was "married for 5 minutes" actually gives anyone who does not believe in monogomy and marriage a perfect "out" by saying that a person can be commited to you even if there body is not there with you. Thus, a man can say he is committed to a woman and then leave her as long as he says that he truly is still with her even though his body is elsewhere (and possibly with someone else's body). This idea works for women as well. Williamson tells her own story of having "a couple of stupid hours" with another (man) and then telling her current (man) about this trangression. Apparently her current (man) is happy that she comes clean about her transgression instead of being concerned about the transgression itself.
Also, in this (tape), Williamson identifies herself as Jewish, while talking about "the Christ in all of us". Where I come from, that is called Messianic Judaism (typically referred to as "Jews for Jesus"). This coupled with a very arogant thought that Jesus is in all of us (as if to say what some believe to be the Lord is not higher than us, but just "on par"-- on our level) makes this quite Humanistic as well.
As a Reform Jewish woman, wife and mother, I felt something horribly wrong as I listened to this book on tape, as did my husband. Quite honestly, as I described it to my husband, I felt "tricked" by both Williamson and the Course which both say this (Course) is not a Religion. Perhaps it is not being called a Religion, but the text, interpretation and creation of it (the Course) is steeped in Messianic Judaism with a Humanistic twist.
It is my opinion that those looking for spirituality, the "right" and moral path, take a look at virtues, books such as "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" (and any other of Covey's like-minded texts). There you will find spirituality, a clear path, virtues and morals while not being fed backhanded Christianity wrapped up to seem (at first) like spirituality (like Williamson and the Course).
Believe me, I really had started to admire Williamson and was very interested in what she was saying in the (audio) book on Simplicity. However, my heart, soul and mind realized that what the Course and Williamson's book on Commitment were spouting were really the bunk found in the heads of those who some how can take two totally different schools of thought (Judaism and Christianity)-- two ideas that cannot coexsist except in Messianic Judaism (as real Jews believe in G-d only, that we are all sons and daughters of G-d and that the Messiah has not yet come) and combine them making those not schooled in the deception of Messianic Judiasm think that this is the path to spirituality that G-d wants you to take. This is just so wrong-- and when I say that, I mean that trying to trick people into believing in Messianic Judaism is wrong. Jews for Jesus get such a negative reputation because of things just like this-- taking a backhanded and tricky approach to getting others to believe in their "message". If Jews for Jesus and Williamson (along with the authors of the Course) would just put it out there and call it what it really is, then I would have had a lot more respect for them.
Be aware and beware...