History of New Thought and Unity

In my first discussion post, I posted that I was unchurched. I was looking back into my childhood and remembered that I attended Harbor Christian School for first and second grade. So technically speaking I was incorrect. The only thing I can remember is that we would occasionally go to the church and that corporal punishment was given (the paddle). I was fortunate enough that I never experienced that. What I look back upon now is that as a child I was taught that God is a punishing God. Being 6 at the time I didn’t realize this. As I grew up I did learn about various forms of religions, but not all rules, rituals and other dogma associated with them. I also learned from history that some of the bloodiest wars were fought over religion in the 15th and 16th centuries. But religious wars are still going on between Jew’s and Muslims and in Nigeria alone 62,000 Christians have been killed since 2000. Since I started attending a new thought church, God is in me and all around me, not a figure up in Heaven. That knowing that God is in me is all I really need and not all the materialistic things life can supply.  That thought can provide me with all that I need. That God, Spirit or the name you choose, it is made up of love and is not a punishing or vengeful figure. One last thought, while I was in Kansas driving back and forth, I saw a billboard that read Only Real Christian Obey God’s law. To me this is not how God sees us, or I see God.