Peace is hard to find as many in the Course community scurry to accommodate Ken Wapnick and his merry band of copyright attorneys. Since the beginning of this year, it appears FACIM, the new copyright holder of A Course in Miracles, has targeted many isolated ACIM groups and individuals with threats of copyright infringement lawsuits. The spiritual masterpiece, A Course in Miracles, is not only copyrighted, but also the words "A Course in Miracles," and the initials "A.C.I.M." are registered trade and service marks. As the new copyright holder readies it troops to battle all interlopers and infidels, many in the Miracles community are wondering how the copyright situation could have deteriorated so quickly. What once seemed an isolated lawsuit against Endeavor Academy has turned and bitten some of Ken Wapnick’s most vocal and loyal supporters.

     Welcome to the Not-So-Brave New World where commercial proprietary interests merge with spirituality. Your most holy thoughts are owned and controlled by corporate interests for your own good. Sure you can use the spiritual thought system in daily conversation, and you can worship any way you please; but try to quote your scriptures in a published document without permission, or write a book of commentary on your scriptures, or start a church or web site or news group with your scripture’s name, and the full wrath of the law descends upon you. You will soon understand you do not own these most holy thoughts any more than you own The Coca-Cola Corporation when you buy a coke.

     If you protest these restrictions, a benign, fatherly corporate spokesman writes you a letter or appears upon a screen and assures you all of this is for your own good. "The integrity of the Holy Scriptures must be protected from all those who would corrupt them," he says. "We have a holy mandate to protect these scriptures. Besides, what do you really know about these scriptures? You would only muck them up for yourself and others." If you protest that his organization’s attempts to control and intimidate are against scripture, he turns mean. He will accuse you of trying to steal what is not yours and attempting to profit from the Word of God. If all else fails, he turns your name over to the legal staff for careful monitoring.

     If this Orwellian scenario seems outrageous, think again. The future is now. Students of both A Course in Miracles and Scientology recognize this end run around First Amendment religious rights and copyright law. In both cases, the parent organizations stopped dissent within the spiritual community by invoking copyright infringement law. In his Open Letter to Ken Wapnick, highly respected ACIM teacher and writer, Robert Perry writes in dismay after being threatened with a lawsuit:

"What a strange situation. In my book, I present a vision of the Course that is quite different than yours [Ken Wapnick’s]. I even respond to your views in many places. In other words, one of the purposes of this book was to offer Course students a different vision of the Course than yours. How strange that you have been given the ability to stop it from being published. In most fields, if a thinker doesn't agree with the ideas of another thinker, he has to show the fallacy of those ideas in a public forum, in the marketplace of ideas. He doesn't have the ability to make sure they never make it to market."

     Strange indeed, this merger of corporate proprietary interests and The Word of God. A marriage made in hell. Thought control in a velvet glove; a slight of hand, which once again unites spiritual authority with the iron fist of the law. Like some medieval cleric seeking favor from his Pope, Perry appeals to Wapnick as a brother in the Course. In the letter, he praises Wapnick’s accomplishments and defers to his authority even as he questions his fallibility. Perry rants against the unfairness of the situation but in the end stays in the fold. Whatever public opinion Perry hoped to rally with his open letter is undermined by his acquiescence to Wapnick’s legal threats. The overall tone of the letter is resignation. "What can I do," Perry seems to say, "he holds the copyright."

     Still, Robert Perry deserves our sympathy. He’s been severely mind-screwed, but so have we all. The Course community is assured "attack is never justified" but are asked to believe Jesus sanctions lawsuits. We are told by the Course that its message is a Gift of God, freely given, but are asked to believe its words, paraphrases and even concepts can be owned by a corporation. Depending on time and circumstance we are told the historical Jesus wrote A Course in Miracles, or Helen Schucman wrote the Course, or both or neither or all of the above. Psychologist Wapnick spreads cognitive dissonance around like a communicable disease. One has to wonder if Wapnick believes his own bullshit.

     In fairness, the copyright trustees of A Course in Miracles do not see themselves as Orwellian taskmasters, nor, until recently, have many Course believers. On the contrary, the copyright trustees see themselves as executors of a sacred task. From its website, the Foundation for Inner Peace describes its mission from God:

"As the proprietor and copyright holder of A Course in Miracles since 1975 and as its Trustee, the Foundation for Inner Peace is dedicated to fulfilling its fiduciary responsibility to the Course by publishing and disseminating it in a variety of forms worldwide to make it available to all who are interested in studying and practicing its spiritual principles and healing concepts. Equally, this responsibility includes seeing that the copyright and trademark rights of A Course in Miracles are maintained and upheld in a way that benefits everyone.

"The Foundation for Inner Peace's fiduciary responsibility in this regard is carried out through a seven-member Board of Directors, with an Executive Committee consisting of Robert Skutch, Kenneth Wapnick, and Judith Skutch Whitson. It is the goal of the Foundation's Board, therefore, to preserve and disseminate A Course in Miracles so that anyone and everyone--invited freely to study and practice its material--will never have to doubt or question the Course's origin, authenticity or purity, and that it will always be available, in this light, to all at any time, anywhere."

     Protecting the integrity of source material is a powerful and compelling argument in a new spiritual movement--even more so when it is claimed the copyright mandate came directly from Jesus. In the next paragraph, FIP addresses the copyrighting of A Course in Miracles and asserts its holy mandate:

"Yet the question is often asked: ‘Why was A Course in Miracles copyrighted by the Foundation for Inner Peace, given that it is a spiritual writing and teaching?’

"Specifically, in 1975 when Helen Schucman turned A Course in Miracles over to the Foundation for Inner Peace, she also explicitly instructed the Foundation to have the Course copyrighted. When Judith Skutch at the time asked why A Course in Miracles--a spiritual document--had to be copyrighted, Helen replied: ‘Because he says so.’ ‘He’ meant Jesus, who Helen earlier had identified as the inner voice that dictated A Course in Miracles to her."

     Critics have described this "mandate from Jesus" as "a convenient fiction," because it has never been documented outside the trustees, themselves. Nevertheless, this mandate together with an almost non-existent copyright enforcement policy kept the troops in line for nearly twenty-five years. As far as the Course community was concerned, they thrived under the kind, watchful eyes of Course Guardians, who kept the infidels at bay. Debate about the power of copyright and its potential for misuse and abuse seemed inappropriate. Blessed and protected by Jesus, himself, it never occurred to the Course community that the copyright might fall into the wrong hands, nor that at some future date, their beloved Guardians might turn and rend them.

     What should have been obvious is that holding copyright is one thing and enforcing copyright is another. Enforcing the copyright on A Course in Miracles means attacking a brother with a lawsuit, and "attack" is something the author of A Course in Miracles is very clear on:

"Attack is never justified."" p.593

"Attack in any form has placed your foot upon the twisted stairway that leads from Heaven." p.459

Even more to the point in this situation:

"Attack manifestly does not work and cannot protect you." p.209

    In all, A Course in Miracles Concordance lists sixty-four passages in the Text denouncing "attack" in any and all forms. And this list is not exhaustive. Course students recognize learning to give up attack in all its subtle forms is a prerequisite for healing the mind and a focal point of the Course.

     Consistency in this situation demands either a complete relinquishment of lawsuits or the strange position that lawsuits are somehow not an attack. The position that lawsuits are not really attacks is a difficult if not impossible one to maintain, but a position that the copyright trustees apparently hold. In typical fashion, they ignore the dilemma and never address it directly. Nevertheless, they allude to the problem in the next cryptic and rather incoherent passage:

"Yet there are some who still feel that true spiritual works such as A Course in Miracles hardly need the mundane protection of copyright. The answer to this seeming dilemma is reflected in the Course's Manual for Teachers in the passage: ‘This course remains within the ego framework, where it is needed." (p. 77,3). Thus the Foundation, with regard to the fiduciary responsibility given to it, trusts in the fact that when Jesus directed Helen to perfect the copyright in A Course in Miracles, he intended that the Course be ‘protected’ by copyright limitations within the ego framework. In effect, this ensures that the Course will remain intact and exactly as it was given, so that it will never be diluted, distorted, or changed."

     Amazing! The Foundation for Inner Peace contends Jesus must sanction copyright infringement lawsuits because He mandated the copyright in the first place. The writer of the above passage overlooks over six hundred pages of text to the contrary and focuses on one obscure, out-of-context sentence to bolster her case. If you read closely, one will see this conclusion is neither a direct quote of Jesus nor the result of reasoned argument; but it is rather the Foundation’s interpretation of Jesus’ intention. In their wisdom, our Guardians have somehow concluded attacking a brother though lawsuit is acceptable because it only lies within the ego framework. A convenient interpretation to go along with a convenient mandate. Yet on this pile of sand have they based their right to police and control the Course community's use of its own spiritual writings.

     All of this would be laughable if The Foundation were a democracy or even a public corporation. We could settle this problem with Course principles or as a last resort, vote the bums out. But it is not. It is both a theocracy and a private corporation answerable to only God and the courts. As such it is the prototype of a future world where thought systems become property to be sold, transferred, controlled and run for a profit, regardless of the effects on its believers. In application for service and trademarks, The Foundation presented themselves not as simply a copyright holder of a spiritual book, but as a "complete, self-study spiritual thought system" with a history of books, tapes, videos and workshops which needed trademark and service mark protection. It was a slick move, which consolidated power, strangled dissent, and made them the authority of all and everything, which would bear A Course in Miracles logo. The spiritual masterpiece was branded like an engine part. A Course in Miracles became A Course in Miracles®.

     Perhaps I protest too much. In a world where everything from our tennis shoes to our condoms hold a mark testifying to their origin, authenticity and purity, perhaps our thoughts should have similar authentication. Even more so, with a "spiritual thought system." When we buy, or rather buy into, a spiritual path, we want to know it is the "real thing." Its authentication saves us countless hours of independent thinking, questioning and decision making. Its bright and shiny logo assures us no dissent is needed or possible; no interpretation valid but its own. It assures us, too, that never again will we have to bear the awesome burden of freedom alone.

     Welcome again to the Not-So-Brave New World. As Robert Perry writes, "What a strange situation." What makes it strange is the mind-numbing misuse and abuse of spiritual ideals to justify the iron fist of secular copyright enforcement. Make no mistake, challenging our Guardians’ control and misuse of the Course makes one not only a heretic, but ultimately a criminal and a thief. This is indeed strange in a country where our Founding Fathers, in The First Amendment, removed spiritual powers from the state and legal power from the churches. After dealing with the Church of England they knew a church with the legal power to compel orthodoxy endangered a free society. In the case of A Course in Miracles, it appears the copyrighting of its Holy Scripture again merges the power of church and state. The present Orwellian nightmare testifies to its inevitable abuse.

     Why haven’t the courts overthrown this tyranny? The short answer: It takes time, it takes plaintiffs, it takes money. More to the point, it takes courage and for some people, for a time, to bear the awesome burden of freedom alone. In their present lawsuit against Endeavor Academy, our Guardians with their secular plaintiffs, Penguin Books want to side step all First Amendment religious freedom issues and argue only proprietary rights. That is, original copyright holder, Helen Schucman, did indeed write A Course in Miracles and that the copyright is valid and enforceable. Ironically, this leads the present copyright trustees into a moral abyss where they would most likely have to lie, cheat and fudge the facts to maintain ownership of the spiritual masterpiece. It appears not only must this theocracy deny that it is religion or has anything to do with religion, but it must also deny Jesus wrote A Course in Miracles.

      Because spiritual beings cannot be granted copyright, it is generally agreed that the simple admission that Jesus wrote A Course in Miracles and Helen Schucman was the mere scribe would win the day for Endeavor. For A Course in Miracles believers this fact is not debatable. Not only does the author of A Course in Miracles unequivocally identify himself as Jesus, but The Foundation for Inner Peace has promoted Jesus as Author of A Course in Miracles to its readers for over twenty years. Still, if you believe in parallel universes and UFO’s, I imagine there are a thousand ways to equivocate this fact. It has been suggested by some close to the present lawsuit, Ken Wapnick, in deposition, has all ready done so.

     If our so-called Guardians cannot or will not testify to the simple fact that Jesus wrote A Course in Miracles why are they Guardians of The Course? This is an essential question and one that must be answered. In my opinion, the mere equivocation on this fact would reveal our Guardians value the copyright more than truth. Moreover, it would reveal our Guardians’ willingness to undermine the integrity of authorship of A Course in Miracles, to control their brothers’ use of the Course. Although they apparently trust Penguin attorneys to do much of this dirty work, we should remember, our Guardians, as co-plaintiffs, are aiding and abetting Penguin. Even more to the point, Penguin cannot shield them completely. As I see it, one by one, Endevor attorneys will depose our Guardians where they will be asked to affirm or deny Jesus’ authorship of A Course in Miracles. Will we hear the cock crow thrice? A very strange situation and a moral paradox from hell: To obey Jesus, our Guardians may well have to deny Jesus. This is the heart of darkness which gives lie to the so-called copyright mandate. Clearly, copyrighting A Course in Miracles was never a good idea. Even less, that it was ordered by Jesus, himself.

     Nevertheless, if our Guardians prevail on these propriety rights, it is clear that at sometime they will challenged from a First Amendment, religious rights position. This may be where they are most vulnerable and indeed, from all indications, Endeavor Academy is prepared to do so. The copyright trustees have tried to avoid these religious rights arguments by denying A Course in Miracles is a religion and equivocating on whether Jesus wrote the Course. As we have seen, the Foundation for Inner Peace coyly describes A Course in Miracles as "a "remarkable, complete self-study spiritual thought system." All of this skirts the fact that for over twenty years the Foundation for Inner Peace promoted A Course in Miracles as the work of the historical Jesus with Helen Schucman as the mere scribe. In later additions, FIP even annotated the Course in chapter and verse. While the book itself is not a religion, as scripture it is the basis for a religion. Clearly, FIP encouraged readers to think of A Course in Miracles as a religious document written by a divine being. As a consequence, many of these readers follow its dictates as the Word of God. Their beliefs, hopes and aspirations about A Course in Miracle can only be described as religious. In short, the Foundation for Inner Peace, while itself is not a religion, helped to promote and encourage a religious movement: A Course in Miracles.

     As we have seen, when it held copyright to A Course in Miracles, the Foundation for Inner Peace encouraged readers to responsibly follow copyright law. Never did I see it ask itself, "What is the responsibility of an organization that promotes a book as a religious scripture?" The law demands all corporations be accountable for its products and the effects they may have on the public. What is the purpose and effect of a religious scripture if not to create a religion? And if a religion is created, should not its believers be given every right of religious expression guaranteed by our constitution to every other religion? Should not the right of religious expression guarantee believers the right to quote their scriptures and use the name of their scripture without interference?

     This is a powerful and clear argument denouncing the Cult of Authority and affirming religious freedom. Ken Wapnick should consider it well for it is the cross he will be nailed to and the hill his authority and control over A Course in Miracles dies on. In my opinion, it is an inescapable trap laid by Chuck Anderson when Endeavor suckered Penguin Books into a protracted lawsuit. Already Wapnick has been forced to squander much of his moral authority to support FACIM’s legal position. To protect the copyright he has been compelled to attack his Course allies and has driven them to Endeavor’s camp. This plan forces him into error after error, lawsuit after lawsuit until FACIM loses the copyright. Even in the end if somehow he wins, he loses, for he will have destroyed both his legacy and reputation and will have divided and polarized the Course Community to win a pissing contest.

     It is tragic that such a brilliant and powerful man can lay waste to all that is holy and beautiful. Such is the Cult of Authority. Dazzled by his brilliance and cowered by his threats, we follow him on a useless journey to nowhere. Surely it is time to settle with Penguin and Endeavor Academy and relinquish all copyright, trademark and service marks on A Course in Miracles. It would free The Course community from fraternal legal battles and save it from the Cult of Authority. Relinquishing all proprietary rights to A Course in Miracles would be a magnanimous gesture on Ken Wapnick’s part and a reaffirmation of Course principles. I encourage all ACIM students to write Ken Wapnick and the Foundation for A Course in Miracles and plea for relinquishment of all proprietary rights on A Course in Miracles. We should also encourage Wapnick to settle all present copyright infringement lawsuits on Course principles. If Ken Wapnick refuses to listen, we should support Endeavor Academy’s legal fund so she does not bear the burden of our freedom alone. It is time to awaken from this Orwellian nightmare.

John Stanley Lopez authors and produces miracles-studies.com For over ten years he has facilitated A Course in Miracles study group in the Greater New Orleans area. His play, The King of Kosmos, a drama based on miracles principles, was produced in New Orleans in 1989.