The Problem with 'Evil'

After service this past Sunday at Unity Spiritual Center Denver, I was greeted by an inquisitive young man who is eager to understand more about our Unity teachings. He is Catholic and his girlfriend is a long-time New Thought adherent. Their spiritual beliefs are at odds, and they are searching for common ground. I gave him my contact information and asked him to get it touch if he, or they, want to schedule some time to get together and talk. I look forward to having that conversation.

During my lesson, I mentioned author, teacher, and candidate for the Democratic Party presidential nomination, Marianne Williamson, in reference to two articles that criticized her spiritual/religious beliefs. I cited the articles to make a point about how some people view the New Thought movement and to invite us to question and deepen our understanding and application of our teachings. You may listen to that lesson here.

Being familiar with Marianne Williamson’s recent debate performance, this young man asked me about her reference to the “dark psychic forces.” He asked if she was referring to evil. In alignment with his Catholic beliefs, he was adamant that there are two forces in the world, one for good and another for evil. Further, he expressed his dismay at the New Thought teaching that there is no evil, even though the evidence of it all around us. The recent mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton being prime examples. I said that my guess is that while she did not use that word, Williamson was referring to “evil” as he thinks of it. I again assured him that if he would like to discuss this one-to-one, I would be happy to do so.

He is not alone in his resistance to the idea that there is no “evil.” This question comes up in nearly every new member and foundations of Unity class I facilitate. It is often difficult for someone new to Unity to understand how we can witness all the pain and suffering in the world caused by human beings and still contend that there is no “evil.”

Just to be clear, Unity does not teach that there is no evil, but that there is no power for evil. Charles and Myrtle Fillmore, the cofounders of Unity, did not teach that evil does not exist, but that we, as Truth students, should deny the permanence of the appearances of evil and refuse to give those appearances any power. A primary teaching of Unity is that there is only One – One Presence, One Power, One Life, One Mind, One Source. Believing that evil is a power is tantamount to believing in duality.

Evil appears in the world, not because it has power, but because those who exact evil are not conscious of the One Power.

In her classic text, Lessons in Truth, author H. Emilie Cady says,

“There is no evil.

There is but one power in the universe, and that is God--good. God is good, and God is omnipresent. Apparent evils are not entities or things of themselves. They are simply apparent absence of the good, just as darkness is an absence of light.”

Charles Fillmore in The Revealing Word says,

“There is but one presence and one power, God omnipotent. But man has the privilege and freedom of using this power as he will. When he misuses it he brings about inharmonious conditions. These are called evil. Evil appears in the world because man is not in spiritual understanding.”

‘Evil’ is a word that we may use to name human behaviors which do not honor the sacredness of all people and of all creation, and which produce harmful and painful results. As Dr. Cady and Mr. Fillmore stated, evil appears because humans lack the awareness of the true light of spiritual understand. In my way of thinking, the true light of spiritual understanding is the conscious awareness of our Unity in God, with each other and with all creation.

When she referenced “dark psychic forces,” I don’t believe Ms. Williamson was referring to what some might call the “devil” or “Satan.” New Thought teaches that there is no entity or power other than God. In reference to this, Charles Fillmore stated, again from The Revealing Word,

The "devil" is a state of consciousness adverse to the divine good. Other names for this state of consciousness are the Adversary, carnal mind, the accuser, and the old man. There is no personal devil. God is the one omnipresent Principle of the universe, and there is no room for any principle of evil, personified or otherwise.

When “evil” appears in our world it is the effect of humanity’s unconsciousness and the actions that are born from it, not the result of an external power. The “dark psychic forces” exist within collective consciousness and are the result of humanity’s freewill choice not to recognize and realize our unity.  

Yes, there is “evil” in the world. No, there is no power for “evil.” We will only rid the world of “evil” when we awaken from the dream of separation and realize our Oneness. Then and only then will we think and act in ways that honor the sacredness of all creation. It will not come through the worldly laws, but only through adherence to the law of Love. Evil will cease to appear when we “Love the Lord our God with all our heart, and soul and mind. And, love our neighbors as ourselves” (Matthew 22:37) – love God as the purity of Love itself and share that love as it expresses in its many forms, including humans, animals, water, earth and sky.

Let us join together in the commitment to remember our unity. To envision a world living in unity. To do all within our power to bring forth that world through our thoughts, words and actions. And, to celebrate the realization of a “New Heaven and a New Earth where the former things are passed away” (Revelation 21:1).