Comments for Unity Spiritual Life Center Blog http://www.unityspirituallifecenter.org/blog Practicing Positive, Practical, Progressive Christianity for the 21st Century Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:47:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 Comment on Father, Son, Holy Mackerel - Chapter 2 by Holly Ferguson http://www.unityspirituallifecenter.org/blog/father-son-holy-mackerel-chapter-2#comment-97 Holly Ferguson Thu, 12 Jun 2008 12:36:04 +0000 http://www.unityspirituallifecenter.org/blog/father-son-holy-mackerel-chapter-2#comment-97 Bil & Cher, this one was really great - especially since the advice is so practical! For many people it really is too easy to get caught up in "the busyness of paralysis of analysis and dealing with the distractions from the world of appearance". We get so distracted from our true intention that we start to feel overwhelmed, which frequently leads to inaction. Thanks so much for an easy acronym that I can use to snap myself out of it quickly! I can't wait to start making better use of some of my Divine Ideas! ;-) Bil & Cher, this one was really great - especially since the advice is so practical! For many people it really is too easy to get caught up in “the busyness of paralysis of analysis and dealing with the distractions from the world of appearance”. We get so distracted from our true intention that we start to feel overwhelmed, which frequently leads to inaction. Thanks so much for an easy acronym that I can use to snap myself out of it quickly! I can’t wait to start making better use of some of my Divine Ideas! ;-)

]]> Comment on Father, Son, Holy Mackerel - Chapter 1 by Penelope Gardner http://www.unityspirituallifecenter.org/blog/father-son-holy-mackerel-chapter-1#comment-92 Penelope Gardner Fri, 06 Jun 2008 13:15:38 +0000 http://www.unityspirituallifecenter.org/blog/father-son-holy-mackerel-chapter-1#comment-92 Hi Bil: Being an angler, I loved this one...and in fact, for me too, it is being with people I respect, love, laugh with and outdoors surrounded by God's many gifts to us that makes fishing spiritually fuliflling. Thanks again, for your rich insights and teaching. Hi Bil: Being an angler, I loved this one…and in fact, for me too, it is being with people I respect, love, laugh with and outdoors surrounded by God’s many gifts to us that makes fishing spiritually fuliflling. Thanks again, for your rich insights and teaching.

]]> Comment on Handling Our Internal Struggle With Truth by Holly Ferguson http://www.unityspirituallifecenter.org/blog/handling-our-internal-struggle-with-truth#comment-79 Holly Ferguson Tue, 20 May 2008 05:27:29 +0000 http://www.unityspirituallifecenter.org/blog/handling-our-internal-struggle-with-truth#comment-79 What a lovely rendition and metaphysical interpretation of that story! Just think how wonderful this world would be if more people in the world absorbed that message and put it into practice in their daily lives! What a lovely rendition and metaphysical interpretation of that story! Just think how wonderful this world would be if more people in the world absorbed that message and put it into practice in their daily lives!

]]> Comment on The Greatest Thing Since Sliced Bread by Micki Stewart http://www.unityspirituallifecenter.org/blog/the-greatest-thing-since-sliced-bread#comment-75 Micki Stewart Wed, 30 Apr 2008 20:20:52 +0000 http://www.unityspirituallifecenter.org/blog/the-greatest-thing-since-sliced-bread#comment-75 What great messages and how perfect for the week. I see myself saying that yes/no, indecisive way of being, in Many areas of life. This message helps me to see that "staying the course" really makes the difference and gives me more Happiness too! Micki What great messages and how perfect for the week. I see myself saying that yes/no, indecisive way of being, in Many areas of life.

This message helps me to see that “staying the course” really makes the difference and gives me more Happiness too!

Micki

]]> Comment on Can You Hear Me Now? by lynn http://www.unityspirituallifecenter.org/blog/can-you-hear-me-now#comment-67 lynn Thu, 20 Mar 2008 00:53:40 +0000 http://www.unityspirituallifecenter.org/blog/can-you-hear-me-now#comment-67 thankyou for this comparison. also, i have never thought in terms of not praying TO God but rather with God - love this idea. have a great day Lynn thankyou for this comparison. also, i have never thought in terms of not praying TO God but rather with God - love this idea. have a great day
Lynn

]]> Comment on Why Aren’t My Prayers Answered? by Eric Donaldson http://www.unityspirituallifecenter.org/blog/why-arent-my-prayers-answered#comment-45 Eric Donaldson Thu, 14 Feb 2008 15:21:42 +0000 http://www.unityspirituallifecenter.org/blog/why-arent-my-prayers-answered#comment-45 The point of this article is that prayers cannot be answered if we live in a state of non-forgiveness. This is stated in the bible: "But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.(Matt.6:15, NIV), and Dr. Bil gives an excellent answer as to why forgiveness is necessary: "From a metaphysical perspective, forgiveness is a necessary condition for answered prayer. Metaphysically, forgiveness means giving up the false for the true. It means living from our Christ Consciousness instead of our coma consciousness." Further, in the Gospel of Luke it states: "Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven." (Luke 6:37, NIV). When I read "Forgive and you will be forgiven", this didn’t seem to be the whole truth to me for it implies a ‘this for that’ mentality--reward and punishment. It implies "If I am good, God will reward me", which is really just more embedded theology. So, I took some advice from Unity author, H. Emilie Cady, and I took this verse to meditation. After spending some time in the silence along with Dr. Bil’s definition that forgiveness is really just turning in the false for the true, I received a more clear definition of this law. It is not that I will not be forgiven if I do not forgive another, but really that I cannot be. For as long as I hold to the false and do not forgive I am stuck in error thinking. I am pretending that the pain someone caused me is more important than their divinity. Forgiveness is a higher state, and to reach it means that I must let go of the false state of separation and fully internalize the truth that no one can take anything from me for freely I am given to and freely I give. To reach a state where you can forgive means that you have become unencumbered by the errors that have defined you, and therefore forgiveness is simply a state of higher of consciousness. So why is this necessary for prayers to be answered? It is not necessary for prayers to be answered, but really so that prayers can be heard! In Shakespeare's Hamlet there is a scene where the king kneels and prays not so much for forgiveness for his "rank" offense in killing his brother, but rather that he will get away with it. When he finishes praying, he rises and utters: "My words fly up, my thoughts remain below: Words without thoughts never to heaven go." How often do we go to prayer with our thoughts, emotions, and words all going in different directions? If we do not know the truth, then how can we ask rightly? Forgiveness is necessary for prayer to be heard, because it allows us to remove our focus from the false so that we can align our thoughts, words, and deeds in the truth. And when we are fully aligned in truth, we have a clear channel to the Almighty source. The point of this article is that prayers cannot be answered if we live in a state of non-forgiveness. This is stated in the bible: “But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.(Matt.6:15, NIV), and Dr. Bil gives an excellent answer as to why forgiveness is necessary:

“From a metaphysical perspective, forgiveness is a necessary condition for answered prayer. Metaphysically, forgiveness means giving up the false for the true. It means living from our Christ Consciousness instead of
our coma consciousness.”

Further, in the Gospel of Luke it states: “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.” (Luke 6:37, NIV). When I read “Forgive and you will be forgiven”, this didn’t seem to be the whole truth to me for it implies a ‘this for that’ mentality–reward and punishment. It implies “If I am good, God will reward me”, which is really just more embedded theology. So, I took some advice from Unity author, H. Emilie Cady, and I took this verse to meditation. After spending some time in the silence along with Dr. Bil’s definition that forgiveness is really just turning in the false for the true, I received a more clear definition of this law. It is not that I will not be forgiven if I do not forgive another, but really that I cannot be. For as long as I hold to the false and do not forgive I am stuck in error thinking. I am pretending that the pain someone caused me is more important than their divinity.

Forgiveness is a higher state, and to reach it means that I must let go of the false state of separation and fully internalize the truth that no one can take anything from me for freely I am given to and freely I give. To reach a state where you can forgive means that you have become unencumbered by the errors that have defined you, and therefore forgiveness is simply a state of higher of consciousness.

So why is this necessary for prayers to be answered? It is not necessary for prayers to be answered, but really so that prayers can be heard! In Shakespeare’s Hamlet there is a scene where the king kneels and prays not so much for forgiveness for his “rank” offense in killing his brother, but rather that he will get away with it. When he finishes praying, he rises and utters: “My words fly up, my thoughts remain below: Words without thoughts never to heaven go.” How often do we go to prayer with our thoughts, emotions, and words all going in different directions? If we do not know the truth, then how can we ask rightly? Forgiveness is necessary for prayer to be heard, because it allows us to remove our focus from the false so that we can align our thoughts, words, and deeds in the truth. And when we are fully aligned in truth, we have a clear channel to the Almighty source.

]]> Comment on Alchemy of Health by Krish http://www.unityspirituallifecenter.org/blog/alchemy-of-health#comment-28 Krish Fri, 18 Jan 2008 12:46:45 +0000 http://www.unityspirituallifecenter.org/blog/?p=5#comment-28 I visited your blog just now. Very nice. Thanks! <a href="http://www.best-spiritual-healing.com" rel="nofollow">Best Spiritual Healing Teachniques</a> I visited your blog just now. Very nice. Thanks! Best Spiritual Healing Teachniques

]]> Comment on Why Aren’t My Prayers Answered? by The Secret Gathering http://www.unityspirituallifecenter.org/blog/why-arent-my-prayers-answered#comment-11 The Secret Gathering Sat, 05 Jan 2008 00:09:27 +0000 http://www.unityspirituallifecenter.org/blog/why-arent-my-prayers-answered#comment-11 Very interesting! _________________ http://thesecretgathering.com Very interesting!
_________________
http://thesecretgathering.com

]]> Comment on Why Aren’t My Prayers Answered? by Annette http://www.unityspirituallifecenter.org/blog/why-arent-my-prayers-answered#comment-8 Annette Thu, 20 Dec 2007 04:05:26 +0000 http://www.unityspirituallifecenter.org/blog/why-arent-my-prayers-answered#comment-8 I found your writing interesting. Food for thought. I found your writing interesting. Food for thought.

]]> Comment on Why Aren’t My Prayers Answered? by Mike S http://www.unityspirituallifecenter.org/blog/why-arent-my-prayers-answered#comment-7 Mike S Sun, 16 Dec 2007 19:07:36 +0000 http://www.unityspirituallifecenter.org/blog/why-arent-my-prayers-answered#comment-7 Good essay! So what exactly are the properties of true forgiveness. I would offer that true forgiveness is the belief that the violation never happened. It simply could not have occurred. Anything less maintains that you are a 'body' that can be violated and not the spirit of Christ that is impervious to harm. When you realize that in an illusory world you cannot be violated due to its illusory nature what is there to forgive. However, if you experience violation then you do assert belief that you are a body in an illusory world bereft of the Spirit of God. This illusory world requires fear, and fear is the "cloud" through which moses' prayers go unheeded and it is this very same cloud that obstructs our payers. When you "Dwell in the Kingdom of Heaven Within..." you do so in realization of spirit and in finally denying that you could have ever been a body. Therefore, without fear your prayers are easily answered and "...all else is added unto thee." Just my humble opinion Mike S Good essay!

So what exactly are the properties of true forgiveness. I would offer that true forgiveness is the belief that the violation never happened. It simply could not have occurred. Anything less maintains that you are a ‘body’ that can be violated and not the spirit of Christ that is impervious to harm.

When you realize that in an illusory world you cannot be violated due to its illusory nature what is there to forgive. However, if you experience violation then you do assert belief that you are a body in an illusory world bereft of the Spirit of God.

This illusory world requires fear, and fear is the “cloud” through which moses’ prayers go unheeded and it is this very same cloud that obstructs our payers. When you “Dwell in the Kingdom of Heaven Within…” you do so in realization of spirit and in finally denying that you could have ever been a body. Therefore, without fear your prayers are easily answered and “…all else is added unto thee.”

Just my humble opinion
Mike S

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