ACIM terms clarification

[Guest Edvardas]

Wanted to share a clarification of terms in A Course In Miracles.

The word "souls" was used in the book at first, but then omitted and changed to Sonship and Sons of God. It's useful to keep in mind that whenever the course uses plural words, it's a metaphor. I believe it's clear why the word souls was omitted. Any duality must be let go of at the end, but the course makes a concession to those who are not understanding. Be vigilant, there is only One Son and he is the Father and the Holy Spirit, they are synonyms. 

Here is the text that talks about it:

"GARY: Yeah, but you’ll never stop some people from nitpicking the Course to death. I’ve had people tell me you can’t trust the Course because they edited out the word souls in the first five chapters, and that word implies individuality and God creating it. ARTEN: It’s certainly true that some people can’t be stopped, but the word souls was used temporarily early in the Course, for Helen’s sake, when she was getting used to channeling again; as you know, she worked with J in other lifetimes. The word was meant to be a metaphor, referring to the seemingly split-off minds of the Sonship. Those split-off parts, or souls, are illusory, and that’s how the word was used. Soon after, when Helen had cleared out the cobwebs, that word wasn’t used anymore, which is why J instructed her to take it out. Why confuse people? They’re good enough at doing that themselves,

The word Sonship and the description Sons of God were soon used instead, but whenever the Course refers to Sons of God, or anything plural, like those who have yet to change their minds, that’s metaphor. It’s clear the Course is saying that in reality there is only God’s one Son, which is Christ: perfect Oneness and the same as God. But the ego will do anything to cling to the idea of individuality and separation."

Renard, Gary . The Lifetimes When Jesus and Buddha Knew Each Other (pp. 184-185).