How is it possible to love those who hate you?

The first question that presents itself is, "What is Love?" The word is peppered about so frequently that it is applied to passing fancies as well as life-long commitments. In our western culture it generally means strong affection or personal affection. The original Hebrew meaning of love is "to give." Giving kindness, giving compassion, giving your best wishes and giving forgiveness could all be considered "love."

If somebody hates you, there is a reason for it. Normally hate comes about when one person has hurt another person in such a deep way that an emotional wound persists long after the deed has occurred.

If this is your case, take responsibility for your misdeed, communicate your sorrow to the other person and ask for their forgiveness.

If they are not open to the mending of your relationship, give it some time and then approach it again in the same way. If they still refuse you, kick the dust from your feet and move on with your life.

You have done your work and you can move along comfortably. If the other person continues to hate you, so what? The hate they feel and keep alive is merely the rancid remains of past misfortunes.

Your objective is to refrain from hating them back.  To love them in the truest sense of the word, is to give them understanding, compassion and wish for their best.

What does it mean to have hope?

Hope is nothing more or nothing less than a thought that is infused with an optimistic emotion. Hope exists in our mind, it is a power within us. It never dwindles, it never dries up; it is never out of reach. It only appears to be absent when we choose to think thoughts of an opposite nature. The thoughts we think may be hopeful or hopeless. 

When we commit to beliefs that we can do something; that we can make it through a difficult time; that we can realize our hearts desire we experience hope. When we commit to thoughts that are of a despairing nature we experience hopelessness and expect the worst to happen.

So the question arises, who determines the thoughts we think? Each of us is the ultimate authority of the thoughts we think and the feelings we have. When we take full responsibility for our outlook on life and the frame of mind we are in, we draw on our inner power to direct our thoughts. 

The thoughts you are thinking this very moment are creating your present emotional reality and at the same time putting in place the stepping stones that will lead to your future emotional reality. Think about it for a moment, your thoughts are your reality. Good, bad, happy, sad, hopeful, hopeless.

The choice is yours.

What does it mean to be spiritual without following a particular faith?

Religion came into being to establish a moral conscience amongst the people. Over the years it has served that purpose well, but along the way it made three wrong turns which alienated many people.

The first was "playing" God and pompously asserting only the "church goers" would go to heaven, and all others were doomed to eternal hell. 

The second was being swept away in clouds of arrogance where the religious leaders came to believe they knew it all. Based on the knowledge of the day, they cast their doctrines and creeds in stone, many of which we now know to be gross misperceptions.

The third was alleviating the spiritual experience. People were so inundated with rules, regulations, demands and punishments that the experience of being connected to God and finding the sacred in everyday life was smothered out.

Spirituality has evolved out of religion bringing with it the ancient wisdom that can be considered absolute. It is an inner process of self discovery and direction. It restores autonomy in regards to one's relationship with God and encourages the individual to experience his/her higher power directly and freely without the confines of dogma.

Rather than worshiping a spiritual master, spirituality engages one in learning how to live like a spiritual master. 

"Rise up from your knees at the base of the monument and walk confidently in the way of the messenger." (anonymous)

Blessings,
Duke

How can believing in God change one's life?

God is Spirit. Spirit is life. The Will of God is for that which sustains and empowers life. 

 

The Kingdom of God is the ever present expression of love, peace and harmony, which is the fulfillment of God's will in the spiritual realm.

 

God Spirit is the very life force of every living thing, providing that which is needed to realize its highest possible expression. 

 

In the Mind of God, the perfect idea for every living thing exists in the invisible realm of its spiritual essence and is like a blueprint for that which it has potential to manifest in the physical realm.

 

The spiritual blueprint for an acorn is the oak tree; the spiritual blueprint for a caterpillar is the butterfly; the spiritual blueprint of a seed is the fully blossomed flower; the spiritual blueprint of you and me is a totally peaceful, unconditional loving, beneficial presence to the earth.

 

When we are unaware of our spiritual potential, we move away from it and engage in prejudices, discrimination, hate and conflict. We justify inequalities and violate the God-given rights of others making of our lives and our world a living hell.

 

When we are aware of our spiritual potential, we move towards it and engage in compassion, equality, love, peace and harmony, making of our lives a heaven on earth.

 

In the 11th Chapter of Genesis it reads, "The people of the earth are one, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. Nothing they propose to do will be impossible for them."

 

When the people of the earth commit to that which has been proposed, "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." We will have fulfilled God's purpose for our being here. 

How can believing in God change one's life?

God is Spirit. Spirit is life. The Will of God is for that which sustains and empowers life. 

The Kingdom of God is the ever present expression of love, peace and harmony, which is the fulfillment of God's will in the spiritual realm.

God Spirit is the very life force of every living thing, providing that which is needed to realize its highest possible expression. 

In the Mind of God, the perfect idea for every living thing exists in the invisible realm of its spiritual essence and is like a blueprint for that which it has potential to manifest in the physical realm.

The spiritual blueprint for an acorn is the oak tree; the spiritual blueprint for a caterpillar is the butterfly; the spiritual blueprint of a seed is the fully blossomed flower; the spiritual blueprint of you and me is a totally peaceful, unconditional loving, beneficial presence to the earth.

When we are unaware of our spiritual potential, we move away from it and engage in prejudices, discrimination, hate and conflict. We justify inequalities and violate the God-given rights of others making of our lives and our world a living hell.

When we are aware of our spiritual potential, we move towards it and engage in compassion, equality, love, peace and harmony, making of our lives a heaven on earth.

In the 11th Chapter of Genesis it reads, "The people of the earth are one, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. Nothing they propose to do will be impossible for them."

When the people of the earth commit to that which has been proposed, "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." We will have fulfilled God's purpose for our being here. 

What are the most commonly asked spiritual questions?

WHAT IS GOD? God is the One Power and One Presence in the Universe. We are all interrelated. God is within each and every one of us.

WHAT CAUSED US TO BE? This universe was created using two important laws, the Law of Potential and the Law of Attraction. There exists in the universe the potential for life, and we have been created out of this great potential. The Law of Attraction enabled us to coming into being and enables us to create our world.

WHY AM I HERE? As a human being, we each have within us the potential to create a life which is uniquely ours to live. This is our gift to ourselves and to the world. At any point in our life, we can evaluate what is working and what isn't. At any point in our life, we have everything we need to reinvent ourselves, as Jesus said, to be born again. We can reinvent ourselves as individuals and reinvent ourselves as a species. We are not bound by what we have been in the past. We can bring fresh awareness to every situation and see it and ourselves in a fresh, new light of potential manifesting Good.

Here's a question I often receive...

What am I expected to donate to Unity Temple?

I am often asked this question and my answer is, I don't know. You are the only one who can decide how much to contribute and it should be based on two things.

The first thing is that the giving has to feel good. If contributions are made out of obligation, pressure or responsibility, they can often be given begrudgingly. Whatever you choose to give, please make sure you feel really good about it.

The second thing is value. Giving to Unity Temple is an exchange for receiving from Unity Temple. Your gift should match the value of what you are receiving. Perhaps it is the good feeling you have for being part of a spiritual movement that helps countless numbers of people each week. It may be the spiritual nourishment you receive through our programs, inspirational talks and prayer. Or, it may be knowing that we are always here to support you and your loved ones during difficult times. Your contribution represents the value this ministry has in your life and your generosity to support the good it does in this world.

Please know the amount you give to Unity Temple is your choice. We respect that and appreciate the part you play in making this

a better world.

We are in the process of implementing a recurring electronic giving method.

DID YOU KNOW...

❖ Over 7,000 people come through the doors of Unity Temple each week.  ❖ There are over 60 classes, programs and services each week specifically designed to uplift people to higher levels of well being.  

❖ Unity Temple has over a dozen outreach programs including: Feeding the homeless, Tutoring at-risk students, Supporting cancer patients and their families through Gilda's Club, and Providing a Back Pack program for kids through Harvesters

❖ All of this is accomplished with only nine staff members and our dedicated volunteers.

❖ Our goal is to have 250 people signed up for recurring electronic donations.

OUR CHANGING WORLD...

❖ Just as email is slowly replacing postal mail, credit cards are replacing checks and people are rapidly transitioning to on-line bill payments. Electronic giving for churches is the new, practical way of contributing.

ELECTRONIC GIVING MADE SIMPLE...

❖ We can easily assist you in setting up a recurring contribution plan through: Automatic checking account withdrawal, Automatic credit or debit card deduction, Donations can be made weekly or monthly.

BENEFITS...

❖ Prevents financial shortages when attendance drops due to weather and other factors. ❖ Reduces accounting expenses. ❖ Allows greater ease of record availability.

❖ Creates an easier system for donors to give and track their donations. ❖ Allows for more accurate budgeting and financial management.

SECURITY...

❖ All transactions are in compliance with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard. ❖ 128-bit secure browser connection is used to protect data. ❖ Secure Sockets Layer to encrypt all information. ❖ All credit card and bank information is destroyed after entered into secure browser. ❖ Insured up to $15,000, including the additional coverage offered by your credit card companies and banks, against credit card or check fraud. ❖ You can discontinue your electronic giving whenever you choose.

SIGN-UP...

To get started you can:

❖Go to the Donation Page and create a profile or you can stop by the bookstore and pick up a donation card, fill it out and drop it in the mail to the attention of Kathy Sweany or drop it off at the bookstore. You may also email Kathy at kathy@unitytemple.com and she will get a card in the mail to you.

❖ Call 816.994.8000 leave your name and number and Duke or Janet will return your call.

❖ All of your information will be kept in strictest confidence.

❖ Your participation in a recurring electronic giving program is greatly appreciated.