Thursday, February 21, 2008
Seeing each other as holy
I had the opportunity to talk about Unity to a university class this past week. I explained how the seemingly evil acts of humanity are a result of our sense of separation from God and one another. I shared how Unity teaches that we are created from the substance of God and as a result are inherently good. There were several students who struggled with the concept of our original goodness. One young woman stated emphatically that she was evil and sinful and needed a saviour to make her OK in the eyes of God. My heart ached when I heard those words come out of her mouth. I wanted her to see her as God see her, cherished, perfect and valued beyond description. I am not sure why we insist on holding on to an image of God that would see us as evil and would need a sacrifice in order to be redeemed. I wonder what kind of world it would be if we were all able to see who we really are as divine beings of Spirit. How would we be different if we really understood that we are inherently good? If we knew this about ourselves, we would see the same in each other. . We would treat each other with dignity and goodness. I believe that we would be incapable of inflicting any harm on another. Let's try it just for a day. Imagine that everyone you meet is the goodness of God walking around in human form. Include yourself in this image. See this even if you and others act in ways that would suggest otherwise. With laser beam vision, see one another as good and holy. See if this change in perception changes the way we treat each other. Then let's report back what we observe.
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2 comments:
Having come from a background which also taught "original sin" and the need for a savior, I can understand the student's conviction. These beliefs are ingrained from early in life, and are reinforced through organized religion, as well as in the present culture as a whole.
However, these are, at the very core, simply ideas-- ideas which one could choose to continue to embrace or not. I wonder why it is so difficult to examine these doctrines and simply reject them?
Perhaps it is because, if one knows that at our core, we are all perfect and whole, then there would be the RESPONSIBILITY to see others that way too. As you point out, judgement would cease to be an option when dealing with others. Our "sinful nature" can no longer be an excuse for bad behavior.
I will accept the challenge to consciously see others as perfect reflections of God; it will be interesting to see what kind of challenge this will represent!
Thanks Sharon for accepting the challenge. I think you are right, that it is about accountability and choice. Its tough to see each one of us as divine at times and yet I think that is the only way we will ever truly know peace. I applaud your courage and your public declaration.
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