Mormons

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.