I just returned from visiting with my family in Georgia where I was given two opportunities in as many days to have conversations with my first cousins about Unity philosophy and how Unity differs from orthodox Christianity. Although there were several “sticking points” that we did not agree on, our differing beliefs about the essential nature of humanity was most striking. Some of my cousins found it difficult, if not impossible to fathom that Unity teaches that we are born, not into original sin, but into original blessing. While Unity teaches us that we are innately innocent and that each of us is an expression of Absolute Good, many of my cousins have been taught and continue to believe that human beings are innately sinful and bad. It was a sobering reminder considering the school shootings in Connecticut last Friday.
As I heard the reports of the shootings last Friday, my heart broke for the families of the children who were killed and for all those who were suffering the pain of loss as a result of the event. My heart also broke for the young man who shot and killed all those people. What intense pain must he have been suffering! How much hurt must he have been enduring in order to hurt so many others in that way? What could possibly stimulate so much pain in a human being?
There is only one answer: The belief that one is born sinful and unworthy and separate from God, thus separate from others and separate from his or her Essence. This one belief is the primary cause of all suffering in the world, and suffering is the primary cause of all injurious acts against others or self. As long as we continue to teach our children that they are innately unworthy, we will continue to create a society that hurts.
While I agree with those who believe that we as a society we would be well served to make more responsible decisions regarding the availability of firearms, the use of firearms is not the cause, but a symptom of society’s suffering. Let us not use the power of our thought and word to focus solely on treating the symptoms. Let us, as people who believe in the essential goodness of human beings, instead begin to focus more adamantly on curing the cause, which is spiritual dis-ease. We are called to do everything within our power to teach our children, regardless of age, the Truth of their spiritual nature - that they are the very essence of all that is good and holy. Using Unity terminology, we must teach them that they are each the ‘Christ,’ born to bring light and hope to the world in their own unique and special ways.
We teach best the Truth that we know, and we teach best by example. Each of us is being called to allow the light of Christ to reveal any aspect of our own consciousness that does not fully accept this Truth for ourselves, to surrender it to the Christ and allow it to be transmuted in the Light of Christ. Let us recommit ourselves now during this week before Christmas to the rebirth of the Christ in our consciousness so that we can be the ones who stand with the master teach Jesus and say, “For this I was born into the world, to bear witness to the Truth.” Let Christ be the Light of Truth that shines in us, through us, as us to a world that is still living in darkness. Let us be the ones who bring a renewed wholeness to a world that is suffering from the spiritual dis-ease of separation. May the Truth that we know set us free.
Christ is born today. Christ it born today.
