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. 

What should a sick person do to receive a miracle from God?

If God responded to fervent prayer for a miracle healing this would indicate that God judged the one in need as worthy of healing. This would also mean if one didn't receive a miracle healing God had judged that person to be unworthy of such a grant.  I wouldn't want any person who is on their death bed to think that God didn't find them worthy to save or even that God didn't care.

Wouldn't that be a horrible feeling to go out of this world with?

I don't believe that God intervenes in our lives, but I do believe that God Spirit is in everyone of us and the more we awaken to that power the more we are able to utilize it for physical, emotional and mental healing.  Not long ago it was considered a miracle that our thoughts could have a healing effect on diseases of the cellular level. Today that idea is commonplace.

We know negative thoughts of anger, resentment, guilt, shame and feelings of unworthiness weaken us.  We also know that thoughts of peace, faith and appreciation for "what is" in the present moment, strengthens us.

Above all else love is the greatest and most rewarding emotional experience we can have on this earth. Whether one is ill or not, miracles happen when we bathe ourselves daily in thoughts of love.

How can your faith help you know yourself?

There is more to each of us than we realize. The greater part of our minds have not been utilized; our potential to experience more peace, love, harmony and well being has not been discovered; our skill levels in any given area can be increased.   

Most of us exercise our potential for successful living to the point where life is tolerable. It isn't great or ideal. We have adapted to life's roller coaster of ups and downs.  What if you had the potential to make the "up" times of life even higher & longer lasting and the "down" times of life shorter and not so long in duration?

Well, you can. You have that potential. The primary obstacles holding us back from growing and utilizing our higher potential is fear. Fear of failure. Fear of what others will think when we do fail. Fear of discovering we don't have a higher potential. This is where faith comes in.

The willingness to step into the unknown, to explore new territory of being, to being okay not knowing how to get to the desired destination but willing to take the first step and have faith that as we do the next step will be shown to us.   

There is no physical evidence of your untapped higher potential. Faith is knowing it's there. 

Can there ever be Peace on Earth?

Throughout the evolution of human thought, there have been four rules of conduct and all four rules are active today.  

The first is referred to as the Brass Rule, also known as the "brazen rule" because it states "Do what is good for you and disregard the effect it has on others."  

The second rule is the Iron Rule, which states "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. Do to others what they do to you."  

The third rule is known as the Silver Rule, and it states "Don't do to others what you don't want done to yourself".

The fourth rule is pro-active and provides, more than any of the others, hope for a peaceful planet earth.  It states, "Treat other people the way you want to be treated regardless of how they treat you."  

When the majority of human beings learn this, understand this and practice this, we will be a species of compassion that will evolve beyond any action outside this rule.  Peace is a state of mind, a way of thinking that resides in the mind of every person.  

When we as a species choose to dwell in this state and act from it, the earth will burst forth from a battle field to a place of joy and peace.

I feel it is the responsibility of the people in the most powerful country in the world, to step up to the line and lead the way--let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.  

How does one keep from losing 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.

How do I know what is the true religion?

There are two basic ways for you to know what is the true religion.  

The first is to let another or others tell you. In most cases their response will be "my" religion is the only true religion".   Support for their dogmatic assertion will come in the form of fear-based notions which purport that you are a sinner, you will never get to heaven, and the only way for you to be "saved" is by following the doctrines and creeds of their religion. The list of persuasions go on and on. The more a person, religion or pronouncement holds to the arrogant position of proclaiming they are "the only true one", the greater the proof is that they aren't.

The second way for you to know what is the true religion is to personalize it and do research to discover what the true religion is "for you".  Read the statement of beliefs; acquaint yourself with the history;   determine whether the theology inspires you, empowers you and resonates with your deepest beliefs. Your spiritual path should be one that you are impassioned by, not one that imprisons you. It should be one that continually moves you to higher levels of joy, love, peace of mind and harmony.   Seek and you will find the spiritual source that is best for you. The one that truly supports your greatest happiness and highest good.

How can your faith help you to know yourself?

There is more to each of us than we realize. The greater part of our minds have not been utilized; our potential to experience more peace, love, harmony and well being has not been discovered; our skill levels in any given area can be increased.

Most of us exercise our potential for successful living to the point where life is tolerable. It isn't great or ideal. We have adapted to life's roller coaster of ups and downs.  What if you had the potential to make the "up" times of life even higher and longer lasting and the "down" times of life shorter and not so long in duration. Well, you can.

You have that potential. The primary obstacles holding us back from growing and utilizing our higher potential is fear. Fear of failure, fear of what others will think when we do fail, fear of discovering we don't have a higher potential. This is where faith comes in:  the willingness to step into the unknown, to explore new territory of being, to being okay not knowing how to get to the desired destination but willing to take the first step and have faith that as we do the next step will be shown to us.

There is no physical evidence of your untapped higher potential. Faith is knowing it's there.

Do religions hold their followers to high enough standards?

Historically, religions have failed miserably at attempting to hold people to standards that were unrealistic, unreasonable and which the leaders themselves couldn't live up to.

Jesus was crucified because he called the religious leaders of the day on their hypocrisy. In the Book of Matthew 23:327 Jesus states to the Pharisees and Teachers of the Law: "You hypocrites! You are like white washed tombs which look fine on the outside but are full of decaying bones on the inside. In the same way on the outside you appear good to everybody, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and sins."

The same point could easily be made today. There are priests, rabbis and ministers in all religions who put forth dogmatic assertions and impositions that they themselves don't follow then shellac others with guilt, shame and threats of doom in the after life for not living up to their religious laws. Many of these "man-made" religious laws are of no significance when it comes to one's goodness and moral character, but rather are simply veiled attempts to maintain a sense of power over people and keep them in subservient positions.

Religion's purpose is to present a loving, peaceful, harmonious way to live, not harshly judge others and spew out potential penalties if they don't agree with another's actions.

There are literally thousands of religious laws, rules and regulations on the books but if one treats others the way he/she wants to be treated a good life is being lived.

How does one keeping from losing 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.

If we get what God wants us to have, why ask?

I believe God wants us to have peace of mind, the strongest desire we have; God wants us to be in harmony, our most natural state; and God wants us to be in a continual cycle of giving and receiving love, the greatest experience we can have on this earth.  

God wants us to have these things because that is what God is. Not an old man with long white beard sitting on a throne somewhere in the far reaches of the universe eager to punish us if we do wrong. God is Life.   

The three primary characteristics that assure the continuation of Life on Earth are peace, harmony and love and every person born into this world has the unlimited potential to express these three attributes.

We have free will to choose how we want to live our lives but at times we make the wrong choices. In a fit of anger we choose conflict instead of peace. Prejudices, discrimination and harsh judgments lead us into disharmony with others. And there are times when we choose not to love. We "have" what God wants us to have. Peace, harmony and love are the very essence of our being, we never have to ask for them.

But we don't always get what God wants us to have because we choose otherwise.

Is it important to believe in the existence of heaven?

We can perceive "Heaven" in two ways. As a destination of peace, harmony and love available to us when we leave this earthly plane. We can also perceive heaven as a state of existence on this earthly plane that is characterized as one of peace harmony and love. Heaven is a state of mind, whether on earth or in the hereafter that comes about as a result of our thoughts. When we align our thoughts with the thinking of the great spiritual masters we automatically receive the benefits of a heavenly state.

The universal principle of cause and effect states the nature of any cause is found in its effect. If love is the cause of your thoughts, words and actions, love is going to be the effect. The same holds true for hate, resentment and conflict, which create an uncomfortable condition in our lives often referred to as hell. Each of us individually creates the emotional state of our existence.

We have the free-will to chose the thoughts, words and actions we express. By choosing to express peace, harmony and love we create situations in our lives that are of "heaven".   You are responsible for the conditions of your life. So, the next time you are feeling greatly disturbed, hateful, in conflict or out of harmony ask yourself, "What IN hell, am I doing."       

Can we worry God too much with our little problems?

I don't believe God worries but rather I see God as a worry eliminator. Just as the mighty force of water from a fire hose can extinguish the greatest flame, the mighty faith within each of us can extinguish every doubt, worry, fear or anxiety when we turn it over to our higher power and trust in the divine order of life.

There are two kinds of problems in this world.The ones we can do something about and the ones we can't do anything about.

If we are powerless to change the situations or circumstances of a problem, challenge, setback or loss we have no other choice but to adapt to it.This often calls on us to change our thoughts, feelings, attitudes and perceptions about what has taken place or what might happen in the future.

In our prayers rather than beseeching God to "take this cup of suffering from me", we can use affirmative prayers such as: I now let go of any thoughts that hamper my peace of mind and affirm that I have everything I need to move through this difficult time and establish a sense of serenity in my life.  

If we can do something about a problem or challenge we face, then we need to draw on our resources and initiate action. Pronto! 

Should religion attempt to control people's behavior?

The various levels of government in this country provide us with 150,000 new laws and 2,000,000 new regulations (each year) all of which attempt to control the behavior of the people of the United States of America.  

Why would anybody want to engage in a religion that tried to control them even more. It appears to me that throughout history, religion has been woefully mistaken in its primary purpose. Religion is not meant to impose rules and regulations on people but rather propose higher insights that lead to a more  successful life. Religion is not meant to overpower the individual's will but rather empower an individual to take control of his/her life and express a higher potential.  

Lastly, religion is not meant to issue ultimatums, bordering on threats, of what will happen to someone in the afterlife if they don't subscribe to and abide by church doctrine in this life.  

None of those things move us closer to God. We are not sinners; we are not unworthy in the eyes of God; we don't need to be put down but rather we need to be lifted up.  Religions that attempt to control our lives put us in a cage with crumbs to eat. Let us out, and we will soar to new heights where we will find a new life and and a new connection with God that has been unimagined.

What question should I ask in seeking a spiritual home?

Imagine for a moment you came face to face with God and posed the question of what you should look for in choosing a spiritual home. God might say: All people come forth from one source, all people are one in spirit. Therefore look for a spiritual home that honors the diversity of the earth and holds all beings equal whether it is between woman and man; Christian, Muslim or Jew; homosexual and heterosexual;  black or white, Asian, Hispanic or Native American.       Just as God has no prejudices or discriminations towards any person, an institution which is intended to bring people closer to God, should have none either. Secondly, God might say: choose a spiritual home that empowers you not overpowers you. One that supports you in living the life your heart desires and not one that depreciates your individual value by insisting you are a sinner, unworthy in the eyes of God and then shellacking you with guilt and shame. Lastly, God might say find a spiritual home that instills within you a strong sense of peace and harmony and encourages the congregation to join together collectively to increase the peace and harmony in the world. You have a strong mind and a wise inner source of direction. You will know when you are in the right place.