|
The Unity School of
Christianity
The Unity School of Christianity attracts its converts
mainly by it publications. There is no question that these are well-written,
and very Christian-sounding. For example, in the Unity Magazine of August, 1986,
this statement appeared on page 18, "Unity is a link in the great educational
movement inaugurated by Jesus Christ. Our objective is to discern the truth
in Christianity and prove it. The truth we teach is not new, neither do we claim
special revelations or discovery of new religious principles. Our purpose is
to help and teach mankind to use and prove the eternal Truth taught by the Master."
(Charles Fillmore, Co-Founder of Unity).
In the Unity publication, "Twenty Questions About Unity", on
page 1, under the question, "What is Unity?", we find this answer,
"Unity is the practical application in everyday life of modern-day experience
by Unity School of Christianity. Unity is a way of life that leads to health,
prosperity, happiness, and peace of mind." Yes, Unity sounds "Christian",
but notice the slipping in of the phrase, "as interpreted in the light
of modern-day experience by Unity School of Christianity". The Unity "interpretation"
leads the seeker very far indeed from the pathway of Biblical, historical Christianity,
and even from Jesus Christ Himself and His Salvation.
UNITY VIEW OF THE BIBLE
Often, as we reviewed the Unity publications, we found the Bible quoted, where
it appeared to confirm their beliefs, but likewise ignored where it did not.
On page 6 of the "Twenty Questions About Unity", we read, "The
Bible is Unity's basic textbook. It is accepted as a body of history, as a moral
and ethical teaching, and as a great literary work. Beyond this, Unity finds
deep significance in the Bible through its metaphysical interpretation, wherein
names of places and people and their experiences symbolize the unfoldment of
human consciousness." Here, indeed, is quite an admission by Unity that
they have turned the word of God into a "metaphysical interpretation",
which usually has very little to do with what the Bible is actually teaching.
Consider the straight-forward account in John, chapter three. Here, Nicodemus,
a ruler of the Jews, came to Jesus by night to inquire as to what he must do
to enter the Kingdom of God. Jesus told him he must be "born again".
Unity's co-founder, Charles Fillmore, interpreted the event this way "The
"upper room" is the very top of the head. Jesus was in this "upper
room" of his mind when Nicodemus came to see him "by night"--meaning
the ignorance of sense consciousness." (Christian Healing, p.28). We would
point out to Mr. Fillmore's students that Nicodemus came by night undoubtedly
because he was in fear of being recognized in the daylight, due to his prominent
position in the religious community. Likewise, the "upper room" was
the location where Jesus and His disciples celebrated the Passover. (See Luke
22:11-13).
Another Unity example of interpretation concerns the literal breastplate of
the High Priest in Israel, which had twelve precious stones on it. The Bible
plainly says that these twelve stones represented the twelve tribes of Israel.
(See Exodus 39:8-14). Charles Fillmore, in the same publication, on page 111,
stated, "This clearly means that the twelve faculties of the mind must
be massed at the great brain center called the solar plexus." Truly, no
one could ever become a Unity follower by reading the Bible alone! Rather, one
requires Unity's "Metaphysical Bible Dictionary" to come up with these
strange applications of Scriptures. While giving lip service to the Bible as
their authority, Unity recognizes other "Scriptures" such as the Zend-Avesta
and the Upanishads, as well as the teachings of Buddha, the Koran, and of Tao
of Lao-tse, and the writings of Confucius.
MORE UNITY
INTERPRETATIONS
The Cross, to a Unity believer, "symbolizes the crossing out of all false
beliefs." The virgin birth is "spiritually interpreted as the birth
of the Christ consciousness (the awakening of the conscious awareness of God's
Spirit within) in the purified soul."
The Second Coming of Christ is "the individual expression of the Christ
consciousness. This is not an event to be anticipated in the future, but is
happening here and now, through prayer, meditation, study and application."
(Page 8, "Twenty Questions About Unity)." One can readily see the
Eastern, mystical influence of Unity's co-founder, Charles Fillmore, who researched
Buddhism, Brahamism, Rosicrucianism, Theosophy, New Thought, and Christian Science,
as well as Christianity. Obviously, Christianity was the loser in this new religion!
Unity has embraced the "New Age Movement" in recent years.
THE UNITY REDEFINITION
OF THE TRINITY
"Unity interprets the religious terms Father, Son, and Holy Spirit metaphysically,
as three aspects of mind action mind, idea, and expression, the process through
which all manifestation takes place." (Twenty Questions About Unity, p.
8). How different from the one, true, eternal God of the Bible who has revealed
Himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (Space does not permit an extensive
listing of Scriptures. Please request our booklet, "Is the Trinity True?").
The Unity concept of God as a Principle or a Divine Mine, simply cannot be found
in the pages of the Bible.
Likewise, the Unity presentation of Jesus Christ is very different from the
Jesus Christ of the Bible. In Scripture, Jesus is revealed as "Emmanuel",
"God with us". (Matthew 1:23). the Jesus of the Bible is God manifest
in the flesh (1 Timothy 3:16). The "Jesus Christ" of Unity is "a
parable, and his life is an allegory of the experiences that man passes through
in development from natural to spiritual consciousness." (Christian Healing,
p.68). Fillmore further lessens Jesus Christ by proclaiming, "Whatever
Jesus of Nazareth did, it is likewise the privilege of every man to do."(Ibid,
p.226). We have yet to see anyone A Look At from Unity, even with a highly developed
"Christ consciousness" raise the dead or duplicate the miracles of
Christ! The Holy Spirit likewise loses His Deity in Unity and is subject to
their misinterpretation.
PHYSICAL PERFECTION THROUGH
UNITY PRACTICES?
A major teaching of Charles Fillmore was that physical immortality could be
attained. "Eternal life means continuous conscious existence in the body...your
body will be so transformed within and even without that it will never go through
the change called death. It will be a resurrected body...be careful not to defer
this change to some future state, some day of judgment, some sound of a last
trump, but recognize it in the light of an organic change occurring in and through
your body, from day to day..." (Unity Magazine, 8/86, p.19,20).
"Lessons in Truth", page 36, also records Fillmore's words, "Pain,
sickness, poverty, old age, death, cannot master me, for they are not real."
Unity Magazine, Volume 47, number 5, page 403, says, "There is no opposition
to God the Spirit. Therefore there is no matter. There is no matter, there is
no absence of life (death). There is no sin, sickness, or death."
Despite these high-sounding phrases Unity practices never brought anyone physical
immortality or perfection. These precepts never worked for the Founders, and
they will not work any better for the followers! Unity attempts to cover-up
this deficiency two ways. One, by denying the existence of matter (shades of
Christian Science!), and secondly by teaching reincarnation, both contrary to
the Bible.
REINCARNATION IS NOT
THE RESURRECTION!
In the Unity Statement of Faith, article 22, we read, "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." Reincarnation
is an Eastern concept, not a Christian teaching. The Bible flatly denies reincarnation
when it states in Hebrews 9:27,
"It is appointed unto man to die ONCE, and after this the JUDGMENT."
Yes, Unity can ridicule the judgment, and promise reincarnation, but this will
not alter the fact that they will die only once, and then stand before the judgment
throne of the God whom they have misrepresented. Their Metaphysical Bible Dictionary
may deny a literal heaven and hell on page 271, but Jesus Himself said,
"these (the wicked) will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous
into eternal life." (Matthew 25:46)
We invite all Unity followers to try laying aside their "metaphysical interpretations"
and read and believe the New Testament. Please write to us if we can help you
in any way, or answer your questions.
|