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Unity School of Christianity
Charles Fillmore was born into a poor family and was raised mainly by his mother who was Episcopalian, but had no Christian background. He had very little formal education. His time was spent reading material on occultism, Eastern Religions, metaphysics, and spiritualism. Fillmores' first spiritual interests had been with Metaphysics, spiritualism and Rosicrucianism and Theosophy.
At age 19 Charles left home and move to Caddo, Oklahoma, he shortly after moved again to Dennison, Texas and became a railroad clerk. He then met his future wife, Myrtle (Page) Fillmore who was a Methodist. She quit her job as a school teacher and the two moved to Gunnison, Colorado in 1879, where he went into mining and real estate. Two years later they got married and settled in Pueblo where they went into business with his brother-in-law, Nona Brooks who later started the Divine Science Church (Melton:86-89).
In 1884, the couple moved to Kansas City. Myrtle was in a state of mental and physical illness and she was not being helped by medicine or the physicians she saw.
Two years later, they attended a lecture lead by metaphysician. Dr. E. B. Weeks, lecturing on Christian Science its teachings given. Myrtle had a spiritual breakthrough in 1886 when she attended this meeting
She learned she was a child of God and not an inheritor of sickness. She began to follow the teachings (Melton the Encyclopedia of World Religions 2nd ed.)
This introduced her to a new view and understanding in healing. She was taught to repeat this phrase as a positive affirmation, “I am a child of God, and therefore I do not inherent sickness” she would then be healed. Over the course of the next year Myrtle said she was healed of her tuberculosis by using this technique, repeating an occultic mind-over-matter affirmation,
She then began to offer her services to others and soon developed a following of those seeking divine healing through this method.
Over an extended period of time, and only after he had a chance to study metaphysics did he become convinced of the truth of the teachings found in Christian Science. Charles then began to spread the message and in 1889 the couple founded a magazine called Modern Thought to teach what they hade learned and experienced. This publication followed the Christian Science principles and reflected the interests of the Fillmore’s in the occult, metaphysics and Eastern Religions. They began the society of Silent Help (known a silent unity) the next year unity was adopted as the name
In 1891 Unity was begun as the official magazine of this society. According to Charles Fillmore the name Unity was adopted in 1895, denoting that Unity was devoted to the spiritualization of all humanity and takes the best from all religions. He said the following regarding the eclectic belief system of Unity:
"We have studied many isms, many cults. People of every religion under the sun claim that we either belong to them or have borrowed the best part of our teaching from them. We have borrowed the best from all religions, that is the reason we are called Unity. . . . Unity is not a sect, not a separation of people into an exclusive group of know-it-alls. Unity is the Truth that is taught in all religions, simplified. . .so that anyone can understand and apply it. Students of Unity do not find it necessary to sever their church affiliations."
On their website it gives a “Short History” of the Fillmore’s.
“The Unity movement was founded by Charles and Myrtle Fillmore. After Myrtle Fillmore's remarkable healing utilizing prayer and affirmations, many who were seeking help became interested in how she accomplished this healing. From small prayer circles in living rooms, Unity grew. The first issue of Unity Magazine was published in 1889. The teaching of the practice of prayer, through classes and correspondence, led to the establishment of Unity School, where the prayer ministry, Silent Unity, began, along with Unity School for Religious Studies, and a publishing arm for magazines and books. These services still exist today, under the name Unity®.
“In 1965, the Association of Unity Churches was formed by ministers and churches for the purpose of focusing on establishing new churches, supporting existing ones, ordaining ministers and licensing teachers. To this day, we are a worldwide movement of about 1,000 churches and groups supporting individuals on their spiritual path by offering communities of like-minded believers.”
When they say like-minded believers they are not referring to Jesus Christ or the Bible but the teachings and interpretation of the Bible (and other books and religions through Charles Fillmore).
‘T
he Fillmores studied Spiritualism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Rosicrucianism, Theosophy, New Thought, Christian Science, and other Mind Science religions, taking out of each religion and using what they considered good and helpful. All the sacred writings of world religions are accepted. Charles Fillmore wrote: "Unity believes there is good in every religion on earth and that we should keep our minds open."Charles from early on already had a background in Hinduism, Buddhism, Rosicrucianism, and Theosophy etc. So it is not surprising to see them embrace the world’s religions with such an openness.
Though some claim that the Fillmore’s were never students of Mary Baker Eddy, it cannot be denied that her influence, along with other metaphysical teachers of their day shaped Fillmore's theological perspectives.
Charles Fillmore admits that he and Myrtle had taken “more than forty courses (in metaphysical subjects)” (The Story of Unity, James Dillet Freeman, Unity Books publishing, pp. 35, 41-42). The Fillmore’s were students of the teachings of Phineas Parkhurst Quimby, a mental healer and metaphysician of whom Mary Baker Eddy has ties with. Myrtle was also influenced Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of Christian Science, who was influenced by Quimby. The Fillmore’s also took “several courses” from Emma Curtis Hopkins to further their understanding of New Thought. Hopkins had been an editor on the Christian Science Journal, Mary Baker Eddy’s publication (The Story of Unity, pp. 43-45).
In his 1955 Seminar Lectures, Holmes states: The "Quimby Manuscripts" is one of the most original books in the world. Our whole system of teaching is based upon Quimby's concept that the things which have to be resolved are mental, not physical. We must be able to reduce everything to mind, or consciousness, because consciousness does not operate upon something external to itself. (p. 82)
It was later incorporated as a church in 1903 by the Unity Society of Practical Christianity. Unity believed to be the primitive Christianity of Jesus and the Apostles” (Melton)
“Practical” was dropped from the name in 1914, at which time the Unity Tract Society and
Silent Unity incorporated under the name of Unity School of Christianity. Fillmore, during a time of silent prayer, is said to have received the name Unity. Fillmore explained he heard the name “just as the voice of Jesus was heard by Paul” (The Story of Unity, p. 61).Charles Fillmore chose the ancient Egyptian winged disc, an occult symbol, as the symbol to represent their Unity church. Steeped in Hinduism, Fillmore felt that he had been associated with the symbol in previous lives. (He believed he was the reincarnation of the Apostle Paul!)
It is a circle with wings on both sides and the word "Unity" across the front; the several-storied tower that rises above the Unity Village complex; a light shining at night from a lone window symbolizing "The Light that Shines for You," a reference to Silent Unity's constant prayer.
A Unity video states that this symbol is a representation of the “Earth being lifted in consciousness.” Unity Magazine says it is “a soul giving wings to the body.” The “winged disc” symbol represents the sun-god, Ra, as he flees across the sky, others believe it represents the various sun Gods of all ages. This same winged disk (of Egyptian heiroglyphics) is found in Rosicrucian pamphlets. Manley P. Hall, a Mason, also had this winged disk in the Secret Teachings of all Ages."
After the death of Myrtle in 1931, Charles continued to lead Unity in its metaphysical teachings. Charles, a cripple with tuberculosis of the hip diagnosed as incurable lived into his eighties (Melton the Encyclopedia of world Religions 2nd ed.) Charles died in 1948 and the control of Unity was assumed by the Fillmore’s two sons, Lowell and W. Rickert Fillmore, and has since experienced some growth. Unity says its membership is 1.5 million worldwide and about 200,000 in the U.S.
On their website unity.org they state:
“We are a worldwide network of ministries, ministers, teachers and church members sharing the vision and aim of furthering the Charles Fillmore tradition of "Practical Christianity" as demonstrated by Jesus Christ.”
If one wants to know what Unity is about, they should go to the founders, the Fillmore’s to understand their foundation.
They have - 5 Basic Unity Principles
1. There is only one Presence and one Power active as the universe and as my life, God the Good.
2. Our essence is of God; therefore, we are inherently good. This God essence, called the Christ, was fully expressed in Jesus.
3. We are co-creators with God, creating reality through thoughts held in mind.
4. Through prayer and meditation, we align our heart-mind with God. Denials and affirmations are tools we use.
5. Through thoughts, words and actions, we live the Truth we know.
Here we find their teachings diametrically opposed to Jesus who said there is only one who is good- God. Man is sinful and this is why Jesus came. 2. And there is only one Christ- the anointed one, we are not all potential Christs as the New age movement or the Gnostics teach. Fillmore wrote this affirmation “I am the Christ of God” (p. 29 Christian Healing). Unity denies the absolute deity of Jesus of Nazareth and takes the position that Jesus and the Christ, are two separate entities. Thus, we can be Christ as well.
3. The mind science, metaphysical teaching comes through with their view of being
co-creators with God, (which is a typical new age term) creating reality through thoughts held in mind.”4. Affirmations are self- convincing phrases that change ones view of self and the world. It is liken to a hypnotic induction as one repeats phrases over and over to persuade themselves of its meaning. One can change the way their mind sees things and be thoroughly convinced of its merit but not have it rooted in reality.
The new thought /Mind Science movement found its influence through outlets like Christian Science, Religious Science, Divine Science, and especially Unity School of Christianity.
Directive Word Power: The spoken word carries vibrations through the universe and moves the intelligence inherent in every form, animate or inanimate. Man, the highest emanation of Divine Mind, has great directive power and is really cooperator with God in forming the universe. We should be speaking words of Truth to everything.” (p.70 Dynamics for Living)
“Holding continuously to the reality of things spiritual establishes them in mind—they become mental substance” (p. 84 Charles Fillmore Christian Healing)
Many people believe in things they can do in their minds but cannot do in reality. The truth is, one can think and speak all day long and not change a thing. Can anyone make another floor on a high rise?
Take for example the show “American Idol” that looks for singing talent/Many people audition thinking they are great singers and they cannot carry a note. No amount of thinking or speaking will help them become the singer they think they are.
On the concept of sin or evil, This was not part of the equation of this new religion that Fillmore put together “What are the rules of the law? First, God is good and all His creations are good. When you get that firmly fixed in your mind, you are bound to demonstrate good, and nothing but good can come into your world. If you let in the thought that there is such a thing as evil and that you are as liable to evil as to good, then you may have conditions that conform to what you believe about evil” (p.193 Dynamics for living Charles Fillmore 1967 Unity book)
While this may have been true in the beginning, but it did not end up this way- God sent a flood because man was good? (Gen.8-9) No, because his thoughts were continually evil and he was practicing evil from his sinful nature. This flies in the face of our thoughts being united with God and our being co- creators.
Spoken Word; Every idea originating in Divine Mind is expressed in the mind of man. Through the thought of man the Divine Mind idea is brought to the outer plane of consciousness “ (p.76 Dynamics for Living) This is why it is called mind science- they believe we create reality with our thoughts which originally are Gods thoughts.
“He creates the ideas that form the things. The starting point of every form is an idea. This is involution. Then the ideas are made into form and shape. This is evolution. Evolution is the working out in manifestation of what Mind has involved. Whatever Mind commands to be brought forth will be brought forth by and through the law of evolution inherent in Being” (p.40 Dynamics for living Charles Fillmore 1967 Unity book).
Charles Fillmore believed we can make life by thinking: “Thought clothes itself in a life form according to the character given it by the thinker. Every thought produces a living organism” (p.70 Dynamics for Living).
We get sick because of disease-forming words” (p.70 Christian Healing" by Charles Fillmore). “Man has the power to deny and dissolve all disintegrating, discordant, and disease-forming words. Knowledge of this fact is the greatest discovery of all ales. No other revelation from God to man is to be compared with it. You can make yourself a new creature, and you can build the world about you to your highest ideals. Do not fear, but speak to the law supreme the desires of your heart” ( p.70 Christian Healing Charles Fillmore Unity school of Christianity)
Here is the beginning of positive confession and using Scripture as a mantra to be healed.
Fillmore called it the law of mind action. “Divine Mind creates by thought, through ideas” (Dynamics for Living, Charles Fillmore 1967 Unity book).
“God cannot create without law. God is the Mind force carrying forward creation under law.”
“
Thought clothes itself in a life form according to the character given it by the thinker. Every thought produces a living organism (ibid. p.71“Following the creative law in its operation from the formless to the formed (ibid. p.76)
“Every thought that goes forth from the brain sends vibrations into the surrounding atmosphere and moves the realm of things to action. (ibid. p.75)
“All is Mind. The things that appear are expressions of Mind. (ibid. p.189)
“if we lack anything it is because we have not used our mind in making the right contact with the supermind” (ibid. p.187).
Unity’s roots, like many of the other religious mentalism movements (mind sciences) are seen in the ministry of Dr. Franz Anton Mesmer, who practiced” manipulating the “subconscious” mind, and he was
the first modern user of hypnotism (hence, the term “mesmerism” “also termed animal magnetism.)
New Thought, has influenced many who claim no allegiance to its organizations. Phineas P. Quimby, a mental healer and metaphysician, is considered the founder of New Thought. Along the way the movement incorporated ideas of other thinkers, including those of the American transcendentalists. Warren F. Evans (1817-89) and Julius A. Dresser (1838-93).
The Association of Unity Churches International and Unity have a Joint Statement for Peace
This is a portion of it.
“ Unity honors the many names for God, the many paths to God, the many ways to worship God; for there is only one power and presence of God and that God loves each one of us equally. It is therefore the position of The International Association of Unity Churches and Unity to urge all nations, their leaders, and their people to turn to God by whatever the name for guidance during these challenging times and pursue peace, not war, for this is what honors the God of all our faith traditions. Unity stands for peace in our lifetime. “
They believe that we all worship the same God. If you want to know where a large portion of the interfaith movement’s influence is, you need not look any further. While it may be a commendable goal to get along with others who differ, the concept of all worshipping the same God in different manners and being acceptable is foreign from the words of Jesus whom they claim to respect. For He said that he alone was the way to God (Jn.14:6), they instead consider Jesus a Way-Shower.
Their Source of Authority
Because of Unity’s philosophy that all religions teach truth (like the Rosicrucian’s), the Bible is added to the mix as just another religious book. Charles Fillmore wrote, “It is not necessary that you despise the scriptures of the Jews, of the Hindus, or of any people, but you are to take them for what they are: the records of men as to what their experiences have been in communing with the omnipresent God. From all sacred writings you can get ...hints as to the work of God in the minds of men” (p. 115-116 The Twelve Powers of Man).
Unity does not believe that the Scriptures are the absolute authority given by god through men to man, but that they are merely the “testimonials of men.” They believe that we should always be open to new revelation. They teach that the Bible is an “allegory,” not literal, and that by experience (which is more reliable than the Bible.) you connect with God. They give metaphysical interpretations to many obvious plain literal truths in the Bible so that the normal meaning is twisted and the passage then fits their own theology. In other words, Unity says the Bible does not mean what it says.
There have their own “authoritative” writings, two Unity books, which are Mysteries in Genesis and Christian Healing, both by Charles Fillmore. I will reference these two books (and others) throughout this article.
“The "Five Books of Moses," of which Genesis is the first, have always been credited to Moses, but that he was the author seems doubtful in the face of the many stories of creation found in the legends and hieroglyphs of ancient Egypt, Chaldea, and other nations that are almost identical with those of Genesis. It would thus seem that Moses edited the legends of the ages and compiled them into an allegorical history of creation. (Forward “Mysteries of Genesis” by Charles Fillmore)
For someone who believed in spiritual experiences Charles certainly doubted Moses’ authorship of Genesis to Deuteronomy. If what he said is true, then Moses, Jesus and the word of God are not true.
Exodus 24:4 “And Moses wrote all the words of the LORD.” Numbers 33:2-3 “Now Moses wrote down the starting points of their journeys at the command of the LORD. And these are their journeys according to their starting points” and he begins to record how they left Egypt: They are called the books of Moses- from Genesis to Deuteronomy. Moses wrote first hand and was a compiler. The books themselves claim to have been written by Moses. What God told Moses he wrote, he did not write anything God did not ask him to write. Jesus referred to the 5 books as the book of Moses (Mark 12:26). Jesus Christ quoted from every part of the Pentateuch and attributed the authorship to Moses: Genesis (Mt. 19:4-6; 24:37-39); Exodus (Mk. 12:26 citing Ex. 3:6); Leviticus (Mt. 8:4 citing Lev. 14:1-32); Numbers (Jn. 3:14-15 citing Num. 21:8,9 and Jn. 6:31-32 citing Num. 11:6-9); Deuteronomy (Mk. 10:4-5 citing Deut. 24:1).
Fillmore’s position: “Both the religionist and the physicist incorrectly hold that the Bible is a historical description of man's creation. Beginning with the very first chapter of Genesis, the Bible is an allegory. It is so regarded by the majority of Hebrew scholars, and they certainly ought to know the character of their own Scriptures. Paul was a Hebrew, and thoroughly versed in the occultism of spiritual writings; he said, referring to the story of Abraham and Sarah, “Which things contain an allegory.” Hebrews almost universally claim that the story of the Garden of Eden, Adam, Eve, and the serpent is symbology” (p.30 Christian Healing Charles Fillmore)
So Genesis did not literally take place as it is described even though Jesus referred to Adam and Eve, the flood as literal history.
“ In the face of these facts, it seems strange that orthodox Christianity should insist that the Bible is a literal history. It is this literal viewpoint that has stood in the way of true Spiritual understanding. Read in the light of Spirit, the 1st chapter of Genesis is a description, in symbol, of the creative action of universal Mind in the realm of ideas. It does not pertain to the manifest universe any more than the history of the inventor's idea pertains to the machine that he builds to manifest the idea” (p.31 Christian Healing Charles Fillmore Unity School of Christianity)
Fillmore: “The New Testament is a sealed book to one who has no knowledge of the laws of mind. It is a secret manual. It reads like an ordinary narrative unless one has the key that unlocks its hidden meaning.”
“Practical Christianity gives that key. He who knows all the principles of its philosophy can enter the holy of holies of the Bible. He can penetrate the mysteries of the sacred scriptures of all peoples. There is no limit as to time, place, or personality in Scriptural promises” (Dynamics for Living).
Much like Mary baker Eddy, Fillmore made Genesis into an allegory.
Example: Light represents intelligence, and darkness represents undeveloped capacity. Symbolically these are "day" and "night." Day" represents the state of mind in which intelligence dominates. "Night" represents the realm of thoughts that are not yet illuminated by the Spirit of God. The "beginning" indicates the first concept of Divine Mind. "Created" means ideated. The "heavens" is the realm of ideas, and the "earth" represents ideas in expression. Heaven is the idea and earth the mental picture.
“Ferrar Fenton, the well-known student of Hebrew and Greek, says that the first verse should read: “By periods God created that which produced the Suns; then that which produced the Earth. But the Earth was unorganized and empty; and darkness covered its convulsed surface; but the breath of God vibrated over its fluid face.” From this we are to understand that God created not the earth as it appears but that which produced the earth. Elohim, Spirit, creates the spiritual idea, which is afterward made manifest through Jehovah God” (“Mysteries of Genesis” by Charles Fillmore).
Gen. 2:10-14. And a river went out of Eden to water the garden "River" symbolizes the activity of life in the trees or the current of life in the organism (garden). The "head" of the river represents its directive power.
"The birds of the heavens" represent free thoughts and the interchange between the subconscious and the conscious activities of mind. Man has power to name all ideas that are presented to his conscious mind, whether they come from within or without.
The word "Heaven" is capitalized in this passage because it relates directly to Divine Mind. Faith ("firmament") established in consciousness is a state of perfect harmony, therefore "Heaven." Another degree of mind unfoldment has been attained. "And there was evening and there was morning, a second day." "Evening" represents completion, and the "morning" following represents activity of ideas.
Too bad he is wrong- as the Hebrews held the day BEGINS with evening. This is why it reads for each in this order- Genesis 1:5 the evening and the morning were the first day. Birds of Heaven, the river; these are not symbolic archetypes but literal, what God created.
One needs to read carefully what Fillmore says occurred and what the Bible actually states. He constantly reinterpreted it as a natural man who does not understand spiritual teachings (1 Cor.2:14).
The Unity School of Christianity is eclectic and takes the best from all the religions to synthesize them into one big soup for satisfactory consumption. While they have the intention not to exclude any
They deny the Christian faith by their doctrines – so they cannot in any genuine sense call themselves Christian.
On God: They deny God is personal that he is a principle or force
They deny the deity of Jesus, as the only Christ and include man
They deny the Trinity the personality of the Holy Spirit
They deny the existence of the devil
They deny sin and evil
They deny the necessity of the atonement of Jesus for our sins
They deny heaven and they deny hell
With all these denials of the core Christian doctrines they still call themselves a church, which is an exclusive term given by Jesus to those who believe He is the Son of God (Mt.16:18) God in the flesh to save mankind.
Their appeal is that they use Christian terminology to promote their syncretistic metaphysical beliefs.
On the topic of God Fillmore wrote “We must relieve our minds of a personal God ruling over us… God is not person but Principle” (Charles Fillmore, Dynamics for Living, p. 30
The Bible says man was created in Gods image- we were not created after a principle but a personal being. We are not principles walking around on earth.
Unity teaches God is not a personality but a spiritual energy - a “force” or principle of love. They teach the New Age/Pantheistic idea that God is in everything and All is God (“nothing exists except God” is the basis of the Mind Science cults.) since God is All and God is good; all is good. Therefore pain, disease and death do not exist. They are the projections of our negative thinking.
Fillmore’s Pantheism was clearly illustrated by statements like these “God is eternally in His creation and never separate from it” (p.40 Dynamics for living Charles Fillmore 1967 Unity book). The bible says that God existed before he created anything, that he is transcendent, not part of what he created but rules over it.
They explain, “God is Spirit, or the creative energy which is the cause of all visible things. God is not a being or person having life, intelligence, love, power. God is that invisible, intangible, but very real, something we call life. Each rock, tree, animal, everything visible, is a manifestation of the one Spirit—God—differing only in degree of manifestation; and each of the numberless modes of manifestation, or individualities, however insignificant, contains the whole” (Lessons In Truth, H. Emilie Cady, pp. 6, 8).
This what is called Panentheism, God is contained in all creation.
“
The Son is the I AM identity of Being. I AM is eternal, without beginning or ending: the true spiritual man whom God made. Its home is in the realm of God ideals” (p.39 Dynamics for Living Charles Fillmore 1967 Unity book)So the Son is made by God, yet he contradicts his own view of stating the I Am is eternal and has an identity of being- when he states also god is not personal but a principle. This man is not only removed from the true and accurate meaning in the word of God but was confused by his own interpretations. I am is God’s name forever it has to do with the meaning of self existing one.
The
name for God: Spirit and Mind are synonymous; therefore we know God-Spirit as Mind, the one Mind, or Intelligence, of the universe.” Unity’s Metaphysical Bible Dictionary states “The Father is Principle. Thus, we might also say, Father is Being in the absolute, the unlimited, the unrelated” (p. 629). “Childlike, untrained minds say God is a personal being. The statement that God is principle chills them, and in terror they cry out. God is the name we give to that unchangeable, inexorable principle at the source of all existence. To the individual consciousness God takes on personality, but as the creative underlying cause of all things, He is principle, impersonal; as expressed in each individual, e becomes personal to that one—a personal, loving, all-forgiving Father-Mother” (Lessons In Truth, p. 11).Father and Mother? God forgives without any response or action from us. God needs us to express him to be personal, which is absurd.
When I used to read these type of metaphysical books before I became a Christian they seemed so profound and contained deep spiritual thoughts. But they were nothing more than the product of confused minds, of men who decided not to believe the Bible as it is written but make up his own interpretations and add other religious concepts to the mix. Once one is saved by the gospel and given the Holy Spirit these cannot be understood as the truth but against it.
“EVERYTHING that appears in the universe had its origin in mind. Mind evolves ideas, and ideas express themselves through thoughts and words. Understanding that ideas have a permanent existence and that they evolve thoughts and words” (Prosperity: God's Way by Charles Fillmore)
“Do not expect miracles to be performed for you, but do expect the
law with which you have identified yourself to work out your problem by
means of the latent possibilities in and around you. Above all, be
yourself. Let the God within you express Himself through you in the world
without” (Prosperity: God's Way
by Charles Fillmore)
Charles Fillmore in his book Dynamics for Living explains “The true concept of God is that He is the Intelligent Principle of the universe, and, like all principles, totally impartial in His expressions. This is the concept of God which has come to us in this awakening age. It is not new. The wise old sages of the Orient tell us that their ancestors thousands of years ago, in secret temples dedicated to the study of God, or the Primal Cause of all, found that in certain stages of high understanding, the result of systematic training, they came into such harmonious relations with this primal principle, or First Cause, that they were endowed with causing power themselves.
“A new era has dawned. The old is passing away. In the advent of this new dispensation the heavens are rolled up as a scroll, and in that process is revealed the long-hidden realm of causes. Invisible forces are always the most powerful. The dynamics of mind control the universe. In mind originates all that is. By its actions all things are moved. When man understands the laws of mind he has solved the mysteries of the universe.”
While this is moving, striving for a greater spirituality and understanding of it and sounds impressive it is bankrupt of truth and can only shipwreck ones faith
Who or what is the Holy Spirit?
Fillmore states that the Holy Spirit (who is God) is not a personal being, but rather only an impersonal force. He wrote,“The Holy Spirit in Divine Mind corresponds to our thought in our minds. So we can ideate the
unlimited Divine Mind, but when this Mind is brought into our world or consciousness it is limited to our conception of it” (Atom-Smashing Power of Mind, p. 99).
“It was in this “upper room” that the followers of Jesus prayed until the Holy Spirit came upon them. The superconsciousness, or Christ Mind, finds its first entrance into the natural mind through this higher brain center. By thought, speech, and deed this Christ Mind is brought into manifestation” (Christian Healing Charles Fillmore Unity School of Christianity p.29)
“The Holy Spirit is just what the name implies, the whole Spirit of God in action. … The Holy Spirit is the law of God in action; in that action He appears as having individuality. It is the personality of Being. It is neither the all of Being nor the fullness of Christ, but is an emanation, or breath, sent forth to do a definite work” (P.39
Dynamics for Living Charles Fillmore 1967 Unity book).The Bible explains the Holy Spirit as a person that has a will and intelligence, he is not an it, not a consciousness or force.
“The Holy Spirit is the activity of God-Mind in the consciousness of men,” (Myrtle Fillmore: Mother of Unity, T.E.Witherspoon, p. 277). “That God is individually formed in consciousness in each of us, and is known to us as “Father” when we recognize Him within us as our Creator, as our mind, as our life, as our very being; That mind has ideas and that ideas have expression; that all manifestation in our world is the result” (Christian Healing Charles Fillmore Unity school of Christianity).
The Holy Spirit is not the same as our conscience, one only receives the Holy Spirit when they believe the Gospel- which means they must admit they are sinners and are lost. No Metaphysical church including Unity believes this; therefore they do not have the Holy Spirit.
“Those who look to the Holy Spirit for guidance find that its instruction is given to all who believe in Christ, and they are often drawn together by direction of the inner voice, or by dream, or by a vision” (The Twelve Powers of Man, C. Fillmore, p.75).
Jesus said in the Bible John 16:13-15 “When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth, v.14 He will glorify M,” The TRUTH is his word Jn. 17:17. John 15:26-27 "But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. “ John 14:26 “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”
Its all about Jesus, noone else, but one has to read and believe Jesus to know this.
Jesus Christ the Principle
Unity views Him as merely the “Way Shower” but not the way as He claimed. So they deny one of the essentials given to the church by Jesus. Unity reduces the Lord Jesus Christ to a mere man who had within him “the perfect Christ idea,” and that “that same Christ idea is in every man.” Like its roots of Christian Science it contains the same metaphysical concept.
Jesus was merely a perfect man who fully possessed the Christ principle, which He obtained by advancing “through many reincarnations” (What Unity Teaches).
Unity minister Eric Butterworth had this to say on Jesus “Fundamentalists believe Jesus was God becoming man. I believe that Jesus was man becoming God.”
He explains Jesus’ miracles by his mind power, “Jesus evidently knew about this hidden energy in matter and used His knowledge to perform so-called miracles” (Atom-Smashing Power of Mind by Charles Fillmore).
Jesus tapped into the universal omnipresent force the universal Spirit
"Jesus did not claim to have the exclusive supernatural power that is usually credited to Him. He had explored the ether energy, which He called the 'kingdom of the heavens';… He released the latent energy in the atomic structure of His patients and they were restored to life and health.
Here is involved the secret, as Paul says, "hid for ages and generations . . . which is Christ [superman] in you, the hope of glory." It is through release of these hidden life forces in his organism that man is to achieve immortal life, and in no other way.” (Atom-Smashing Power of Mind by Charles Fillmore chapter- the Atomic age)
This is theosophy and Mysticism at its best but for a Christian who has the real Jesus Christ the word they know the truth. The life of Christ is not in us all until we repent and believe the gospel of God.
Unity's own literature to substantiate our contention: “Jesus was able to say, 'All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth' - we, too, can say truthfully that this authority has been given to us.”
They believe that we can do anything Jesus did--making us equal with Jesus Christ. Can we change water to wine, can we walk on water or trans-locate ourselves elsewhere? 'All authority has been given to him ONLY.
The Trinity Metaphysical Style
Unity has given a metaphysical meaning to the word “trinity,” just as their predecessor Christian Science they say the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit refer to “mind, idea, and expression.” (Unity School of Christianity; p. 3)
“The Trinity is known commonly as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; metaphysically it is known as mind, idea, expression. These three are one. Each sees itself as including the other two, yet in creation separate. Jesus, the type man, placed Himself in the Godhead, and said: “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father.” Christian Healing Charles Fillmore Unity school of Christianity p.20)
Trinity “The Holy Trinity is known as the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit. Metaphysically, we understand the Trinity to refer to mind, idea, and expression, or thinker, thought, and action. These three are one fundamental Mind in its three creative aspects.”
The second in the Trinity is the Son. It is called Jehovah [Lord] in the Old Testament and Christ in the New Testament. The Son of God is the fullness of the perfectman idea in Divine Mind. He is the man that God created in His image. The Son is Principle revealed in a creative plan” (Dynamics for Living)
Notice he calls the son an it. In all their explanations, not one comes close to what the Trinity actually is.
Fillmore goes on to say, “. . . God does not love anybody or anything. God is the love in everybody and everything. God exercises none of His attributes except through the inner consciousness of the universe and man.” In other words, God is not a personal being but an energy or force that expresses itself as a love principle that permeates all things.
Donald Curtis, former minister at Unity Church of Dallas and author of several Unity books, who is also a Trans-channeler appeared on the Oprah Winfrey show in 1987 with Marilyn Furguson (author of the Aquarian conspiracy), Glen Leher mineralogist, Marcello Truzzi – sociologist, Kevin Ryerson- Trans-channeler as they all discussed the new age movement and metaphysical teachings..
has this to say about God: “every one of us has planted within him a God-seed, and the business of life is to see that this seed grows, unfolds, and expresses in our world.” Curtis goes on to say, “as this seed unfolds through the development of the Christ consciousness, we fulfill our highest objective in this world.”
Unity cannot be Christian when it embraces all those who contradict the faith, it is only unity without Christ.
Man and his Divine Nature
The main purpose of Unity School of Christianity is to enable people to become the heir to their true nature which is divine. “We see the good in all religions and we want everyone to feel free to find the Truth for himself wherever may be led to find it” (Modern Thought, 1889, p. 42).
Fillmore taught “God is the name of my good” (p. 17 Christian Healing Charles Fillmore);
”I and my Father are one” “I am one with Almightiness” (ibid. p. 29); “I am the Christ of God” (p. 29 Christian Healing).Unity minister Don Curtis says, “Christ is the universal principle of love and wisdom. Christ is the only Son of God, but this only Son of God lives in each one of us.”
Curtis holds the position that Jesus is man and that Christ is a divine consciousness: “When we say `Jesus the Christ,' we must realize that Jesus represents man and Christ represents God in man.” Unity distorts the meaning of Christ and makes Him principle that lives in all of humanity waiting to be discovered through our consciousness.
Eric Butterworth a Unity teacher, was Senior Minister of The Unity Center of New York City. He authored 16 best-selling books on metaphysical spirituality. Oprah Winfrey says of his book “Discover the Power Within You,” “This book changed my perspective on life and religion.” Eric Butterworth teaches that God isn't “up there.” He exists inside each one of us, and it’s up to us to seek the divine within” (Oprah Winfrey, O Magazine).
The book “Discover the Power Within You,” expounds on the Divinity of Man as perceived through mystical practice: “We must begin to see Jesus as the great discoverer of the innate Divinity of Man, the supreme revealer of the truth about man, the pioneer and way-shower . . .” (Eric Butterworth, Discover the Power Within You, Harper and Row Publishing, 1968, pp.23, 137.)
Eric Butterworth (Senior Minister of The Unity Center of New York City) on “The Divinity of Man” – Quite often, I am criticized for saying that Jesus is not Divine. Actually, I am not saying that Jesus is not Divine, but I insist that all persons are Divine. Jesus made the discovery of the Divinity of man. He proved and demonstrated it in his own fulfillment. But the discovery was of the potential of all human beings…. So you see, when we talk about this idea that we have a Divine Potential within us, this does not give less reverence to Jesus, it gives more. Jesus is the “way shower,” the savior, in that he has revealed the Divine Potential of humankind” (website)
“The only begotten Son of God must come forth in you as it did in
Jesus,” (The Twelve Powers of Man, C. Fillmore, p.119). “Your Lord
is not my Lord, nor is my Lord your Lord. Your Lord is the Christ within
your own being. My
Lord is the Christ within my soul,”
(Lessons in Truth, H.E. Cady, p.117).
“Ye are gods, And all of you sons of the Most High” (Prosperity: God's Way by Charles Fillmore)
“God looks into the mirror of the universe and sees Himself as man; He gives Himself to man, and man in his highest is God manifest.” (Christian Healing by Charles Fillmore)
“Today I lay claim to all the attributes of God . . . [and] as a Divine being . . . I rejoice in my Divine nature” (Charles Fillmore Science of Mind, December 1986)
Fillmore had the audacity to say (and taught others) that he is not just a son of god but THE son of God like Jesus. “I am the son of God, and the Spirit of the Most High dwells in me” “I am the only begotten son, dwelling in the bosom of the Father” (p. 29 Christian Healing Charles Fillmore);
On Salvation
Unity teaches that as we discover our divine nature within. Once we have reached this state, we are said to be in perfect oneness with God and do not need further redemption. Every man and woman has the potential to become a “Christ.” J. Sig Paulson, an author in Unity magazine wrote: “Each individual has within himself the Christ potential, the Christ presence, the Christ reality.”
Unity denies sin and evil as real just like Christian Science. They believe that every person is already part of God. “God is good, and God is all, therefore I refuse to believe in the reality of evil in any of its forms” (p. 60 Christian Healing Charles Fillmore). They do not recognize man’s actual, real condition- being sinful. So there is no need for salvation, as Jesus taught. They deny the very reason came to earth for.
“What we need is to realize our oneness with the Father at all times.” This is done by denying the following: “First: There is no evil. ... Second: There is no absence of life... Third: Pain, sickness, poverty, old age, death, cannot master me, for they are not real,” (Lessons in Truth, H.E. Cady, pp.36-37).
Since there is no sin evil, there certainly have no sickness, all can be overcome by thinking correctly. “Unity believes in the creative power of thoughts and words. We can have neither good nor ill unless we think and speak it into manifestation. ... what we think and speak will act to lift the consciousness to a higher level” (What Unity Teaches).
In a pamphlet, their views of heaven and hell are explained. “Heaven and hell are states of consciousness, not geographical locations. Man makes his own heaven and hell here and now by his thoughts, words and deeds” (p. 9 Twenty Questions About Unity).
They teach that we can overcome everything through right thinking, Man is in control of his spiritual growth by controlling his thinking. They teach that the atonement is the reconciliation of our minds with the Divine Mind. Reincarnation also plays a part.
In Talks on Truth, Unity says: “Salvation is finally attained when the cycle of rebirth is broken
and man comes to birth no more. The true spiritual body is to replace the physical body and the
man becomes like Christ. This is to be done on earth ... eternal life means conscious existence in
the body.” For Unity, then, salvation and true religious growth are “do-it-yourself projects” (The
Adventure Called Unity
, pp. 6-7).Reincarnation
Unity believes in and clearly teaches reincarnation instead of resurrection as the Bible teaches. One cannot believe both as they are two completely different ideas and teachings. From their statement of faith: “We believe that the dissolution of spirit, soul and body, caused by death, is annulled by rebirth of the same spirit and soul in another body here on earth. We believe the repeated incarnations of man to be a merciful provision of our loving Father to the end that all may have opportunity to attain immortality through regeneration as did Jesus. (Article 22 of the Unity Statement of Faith
In the book Dynamics for Living Charles Fillmore writes about REINCARNATION
“THE Western world in general looks upon reembodiment, or reincarnation, as a heathen doctrine. Many people close the door of their minds upon it, without waiting to find out what message it brings when interpreted in the light of Truth. It is the object of this presentation to set forth the Unity teaching concerning reincarnation; to show why we consider it reasonable, and to explain its relation to, and its place in, the Christ doctrine.
Jesus Christ Teaching: The teaching of Jesus Christ is that all men shall, through Him, be made free
from sin and be saved to the uttermost spirit, soul, body. Until this salvation is attained, there is death. To give men opportunity to get the full benefit of salvation, life is necessary. A body through which to express is also necessary. When man loses his body by death, the law of expression works within him for reembodiment. He takes advantage of the Adam method of generation to regain a body. Divine mercy permits this process in order that man may have further opportunity to demonstrate Christ life” (p. 340 Dynamics for Living Charles Fillmore 1967 Unity book)
Charles Fillmore wrote: “The heathen who have not received Truth as revealed by Jesus Christ do not know where and how reembodiment fits into the race redemption. To them it is a fixed, unalterable law. They believe in karma, the accumulated effects of the sins of past lives. The burden of karma they have carried for ages, and they expect to carry it for ages more until they have worked out of it. This makes them victims of a blind fatalism, weary treadmill travelers from birth to death, and from death to birth. There is no such hopeless note in the doctrine of Jesus Christ. He came to bring a full consciousness of abundant life, complete forgiveness and redemption from all sin, victory over death and the grave, so delivering man from any occasion for reembodiment and from all belief s of karma.
The heathen hold that reincarnation is one of the natural evolutionary steps of man's development. We teach, and our doctrine is sustained by the teachings of Jesus, that rebirth is the unifying force of nature at work in its effect to restore man to his original deathless estate. Man, through his disregard of the law of life, brought death upon soul and body” (p.342 Dynamics for Living)
Hardly the truth of what Jesus actually taught, but when one forces their metaphysical occult view on the Scripture they can extrapolate anything. It appears that He made fun of those who teach in reincarnation and reimbodiment but what he is actually saying is that Jesus saves us from the karmic wheel of rebirth. delivering man from any occasion for reembodiment and from all belief s of karma-
“Death and reembodiment do not give redemption. Reincarnation serves only as a further opportunity to lay hold of redemption. (ibid. p.343)
Jesus Christ Teaching: The teaching of Jesus Christ is that all men shall, through Him, be made free
from sin and be saved to the uttermost spirit, soul, body. Until this salvation is attained, there is death. To give men opportunity to get the full benefit of salvation, life is necessary. A body through which to express is also necessary. When man loses his body by death, the law of expression works within him for reembodiment. He takes advantage of the Adam method of generation to regain a body. Divine mercy permits this process in order that man may have further opportunity to demonstrate Christ life.
(p 340 Dynamics for Living)To Fillmore salvation was not the foundation one builds on but something one must wait for as he is continually reincarnated
Unity teaches through a long process of rebirths we eventually reach perfection and immortality we become part of the “Divine Mind,” an eternal state of peace and tranquility. (Unity teaches that Christ had been David, Moses, and Elijah in previous lives much like the remote viewing/ Chaneller Edgar Cayce)
They claim that God never intended for man to die, but that reincarnation was His merciful provision (Heb. 9:27).
“The second birth is that in which we ‘put on Christ.’ It is a process of mental adjustment and body transmutation that takes place right here on earth.” [From Unity’s Statement of Faith, Article 22: “We believe that the dissolution of spirit, soul and body caused by death, is annulled by rebirth of the same spirit and soul in another body here on earth. We believe the repeated incarnations of man to be a merciful provision of our loving Father to the end that all may have opportunity to attain immortality through regeneration, as did Jesus.”]
Unity believes in the Second Coming of Christ is not in the flesh, which is a denial of 1 Jn.4. In its place they claim is the out-pouring of the Holy Spirit is this coming. That the Holy Spirit is a latent power within every man. “In this day of great spiritual awakening, when the hearts and minds of many are turning to God, the Second Coming of Christ is taking place for them.”
This is not anything like the second coming that the Bible describes (Acts 1:11), where the same person, Jesus, who died for sin ascended to heaven and will return.
The Kingdom within every man
Fillmore “ taught that the kingdom of heaven is within you. (Dynamics for Living).
Charles Fillmore said “I have found that the kingdom of God is
within man and that we are wasting our time and defeating the work of the
Spirit if we look for it anywhere else” (
Atom-Smashing Power of Mind)
Paul an apostle, who was appointed by Christ to instruct the church
said that there is no good thing in him but only through the gospel did
he have Christ- not that it was already present in everyone.
“But Jesus said, 'God is Spirit'; He also said, 'The kingdom of God is within you.' Science tells us that there is a universal life that animates and sustains all the forms and shapes of the universe. Science has broken into the atom and revealed it to be charged with tremendous energy that may be released and be made to give the inhabitants of the earth powers beyond expression, when its law of expression is discovered.
Charles Fillmore described it as “a mental system that holds man as being one with God (good) through the power of constructive thinking.”
So it is our thinking that unites us with god and not the Gospel that God gave to be saved by.
“
The wise metaphysician resolves into ideas each mental picture, each form and shape seen in visions, dreams, and the like. The idea is the foundation, the real; when understood and molded by the power of the word, it creates or recreates the form at the direction of the individual I AM. By working with this simple law, man may become an adept or master” (p.101 Christian Healing, Charles Fillmore Unity School of Christianity).A master in what? A spiritual alchemist, a mystic. Visualization that will bring objects into a physical reality words repeated as mantras are far older then Unity, they are found in the Occult system, Gnosticism, Mysticism, theosophy and what we identify as the new age movement which is also eclectic
I affirm me as God
At the end of chapters in his Christian Healing book he has lists of affirmations which are to be meditations. We see the Bible being quote profusely
THE POWER OF WORDS
(To be used in connection with Lesson Six)
1. “Death and life are in the power of the tongue
2. “The tongue of the wise is health.”
3. “He that guardeth his mouth. keepeth his life.”
4. “Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.”
5. “A fool's mouth as his destruction, and his lips are the snare o f his soul.”
6. “Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? There is more hope o f a fool than o f him.”
7. The Word is health to the soul, and health to the bones.”
8. “The lips of the wise shall preserve them.”
9. “Put away from thee a wayward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.”
10. “Shun profane babblings: for they will proceed further in ungodliness, and their word will eat as Both a gangrene.”
11. “He that would love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile.”
Christian Healing Charles Fillmore Unity school of Christianity
"I AM" REALIZATIONS (To be used in connection with Lesson Three)
1. “I AM THAT I AM." 2. I am identity demonstrated. 3. I AM THAT I AM, and there is no other besides me. 4. I am one with Almightiness. 5. I am the substance of Being made manifest. 6. I am formed in the perfection of the divine-idea man, Christ Jesus. 7. My body is not material; it is spiritual and perfect in all its being. 8. Centered and established in the one Mind, I am not disturbed by the falsities without me. 9. My identity is in God, and my work is to establish His kingdom within me. 10. I can do nothing of myself, "but the Father abiding in me does his works." 11. I am striving in all my thoughts and ways to make the image and likeness of God manifest in me. 12. My "life is hid with Christ in God” ( p.39-40 Christian Healing Charles Fillmore Unity School of Christianity).
That mind has ideas and that ideas have expression; that all
manifestation in our world is the result
Christian Healing, Unity School of Christianity, Unity Village, MO.
1. “God is the name of my good” (p. 17).
2. “God is the name of the everywhere Principle, in whom I live, move, and have my being” (p. 17).
3. “I am the son of God, and the Spirit of the Most High dwells in me” (p. 29).
4. “I am the only begotten son, dwelling in the bosom of the Father” (p. 29).
5. “I am the Christ of God” (p. 29).
6. “I and my Father are one” (p. 29).
7. “I am one with Almightiness” (p. 29).
8. “God is good, and God is all, therefore I refuse to believe in the reality of evil in any of its forms” (p. 60).
9. “My perfection is now established in Divine Mind” (p. 83).
10. “Holding continuously to the reality of things spiritual establishes them in mind -- they become mental substance” (p. 84).
11. “I see the light of the Christ consciousness always” (p. 106).
From the book Christian Healing
STATEMENTS FOR THE REALIZATION OF THE SON OF GOD
(To be used in connection with Lesson Two)
1. 1 am the son of God, and the Spirit of the Most High dwells in me.
2. 1 am the only begotten son, dwelling in the bosom of the Father.
3. 1 am the lord of my mind, and the ruler of all its thought people.
4. 1 am the Christ of God.
5. Through Christ 1 have dominion over my every thought and word.
6. 1 am the beloved son in whom the Father is well pleased.
7. Of a truth I am the son of God.
8. All that the Father has is mine.
9. He that bath seen me hath seen the Father.
10. 1 and my Father are one,
11. My highest ideal is a perfect man.
12. My next highest ideal is that I am that perfect man,
13. I am the image and likeness of God, in whom is my perfection.
14. It is written in the law of the Lord, “Ye are gods, and . . , sons of the Most High.”
15. These are written, that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye may have life in his name.( p.29 Christian Healing Charles Fillmore
Unity school of Christianity
While some of these statements can be considered biblical clearly many are not (those underlined). Man is not equal to god or divine in any way. Applying statements to Jesus to ones self is clearly serious error. Claiming to be sinless and the eternal son of God, or the I AM is no small mistake.
In the end, Unity school of Christianity has nothing to do with Historic Christianity or the genuine Christ. It is a counterfeit church
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