How do we know?

Into the wilderness once more!

I left class pondering the question: What evidence have you seen that we humans have divine potential? I was sure I would find an answer quickly after all isn’t this what we teach in Unity? We are here to express the divinity within us.
But how do we know this is true?

I went to the Bible for Unity students and I don’t mean the Hebrew Bible or Gospels.  I went to Revealing Word written by Charles Fillmore that is often referred to as the Unity Bible for Truth students. The definition of divine is “of the nature of God – God like” (p. 56)

Then I went to Five Unity Principles to find evidence of our divinity.
The Second Unity Principle is “Human beings have a spark of divinity within them, the Christ spirit within. Their very essence is of God, and therefore they are also inherently good.”
Ellen Debenport The Five Principles: A Guide to Practical Spirituality Unity Village: Unity House 2012.

Back to Revealing Word: the definition of the divine ideal is “the Christ man.”
The definition of divinity within us is “The true spiritual man, the Christ that is the real of every man.” So we turn to Jesus who became Jesus the Christ and ultimately Christ Jesus.

Jesus taught what he did we can do and more. Matthew 21: ‘Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, “Be lifted up and thrown into the sea”, it will be done. 22Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive.’ In his belief in us he must be recognizing our divinity.  And in Matthew 5:14  Jesus tells us “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. 15 No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

Another question: Why is Unity Bible based? I search for evidence in the world I can know with my senses.

In the book Glimpses of Truth Dr. Tom writes about Dietrich Bonhoeffer, German Clergy during Hitler’s Third Reich.
“For Bonhoeffer, Jesus Christ is not a hero with exploits to mimic but a life-transforming Lord whose power reshapes anyone who chooses to plug into the Christ-source. Certainly, when “the form of Jesus Christ itself works upon us in such a manner that it molds our form in its own likeness,” we shall become Christ-like”  (p. 17.)  And the Christ is divine and is good and perhaps that’s the answer

What evidence do we have?  People like Detrick Bonhoefferffer, Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa surely exemplify the Christ.  I search further. But this time I look around my world. I see people who have been or who are incredible servants for others. They fit my description of a disciple of Christ. They have been willing or are willing– to stand up for one another to support one another and there are many.

Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani teenager who was shot by Taliban for attending school and encouraging other young girls to attend schools; Sandy Hook Elementary School principal Dawn Hochsprung and First-grade teacher Vicki Leigh Soto who shielded their students at the cost of their lives; Oprah Winfrey; Maya Angelou; Pope Francis; and so many others who inspire and lead from their divinity. And how about you and me, when we are plugged into our Christ source,  we are divine!

As I attempt to answer this question I find I am questioning my answers.
I wonder if I forgot everything I have learned and if so where did it go?

Dr. Tom writes: “God’s not done with us yet so until then we are both?” Human and Divine.  (Glimpses p. 29) So for now, I am satisfied with this answer to the question: "What evidence have you seen that we humans have divine potential?"

If this appears to be a jumble of thoughts…well it is….I’m not done yet.

My Theological Snapshot: Into the Wilderness

My Theological Snapshot: Into the Wilderness 
Ok let’s get this clear right here and now. Probably the biggest piece of embedded belief is my clinging tenaciously to the fact that I am a Jewish woman, was born a Jew, and even though I am no longer a practicing Jew, I still believe I am a Jew.  Even though I don’t know what that means in total, I just know I am and there’s nothing I can do to change that.

With that said, I believe Unity is a Christian movement: the Fillmore’s believed they were Christians, they taught Practical Christianity following their interpretation of the teachings of Jesus the Master Teacher.  The difference is the Fillmore’s taught a very nontraditional Christianity.  And as a result I find myself perfectly comfortable believing five basic Unity Principles. In fact, as a result of many life challenging and life changing experiences, I love them, breathe them, believe them, and work on the fifth Principle every moment of my life to the best of my ability.  God (whom I often refer to as Sweet Spirit) is One and All.  Jesus is the teacher. Prayer is a way to quicken my mind.  Meditation a way to quiet my mind when I able do it.

At this point in my life, the only time I experience conflict between my being Jewish and being a part of the Unity movement is when I experience, as another piece of embedded ness – the idea that I must make a choice between Judaism and Christianity.  For me and my belief system, there is no need to make a choice. I can be both and the fact that Jesus was a Jew (and never converted to Christianity that I’m aware of) just makes my journey into Unity all the more seamless.

The Bible for me is a wonderful testament to the power of story telling and metaphor to convey a history of ethical and moral development of people.  Even though Jewish orthodoxy and Christian traditional view leaves me cold, and their view of God (or is it my parent’s view) is not mine – I love the sacred texts as interpreted metaphysically.  I love the perspective of seeing them as my story and the development of my consciousness.

I view the church as a center for community and connection with people to reinforce my beliefs, to help me in my unbelief, to learn new perspectives and to ask questions.  I believe people are inherently good and yet, can behave in horrific ways. I believe in accountability but not damnation.  I don’t believe in a concept of Evil. I believe people can be so out of touch with whom they are that they do things that are despicable and that to me can be called evil. I believe life provides opportunities for growing spiritually and we do have a choice every step of the way.

I titled this site “Into the Wilderness” because I suspect this is where I’m headed, just as the Israelites and just as the first century Christians when they ventured out into the unknown. I affirm I will emerge in less than 40 years of wandering. Shalom!