History of New Thought and Unity

Teel named two sins of religion, absolutism and authoritarianism. I was raised with both. I remember my father telling me, “There is only one true religion”. He was speaking of our catholicism at that time. He would convert to Christian fundamentalism about five years later, and give the same message, the bible with fundamentalism's literal interpretations, was now the one true religion.

Authoritarianism reigned in our home, in my father’s ultimate power. My mother taught this more than my father did. I think he often wanted to share the responsibility that came with such power. My mom lived her life as if her purpose was to serve her husband who served God. Belief in an authoritarian god creates authoritarian households.

New thought in contrast is freedom of the mind. God is the opposite of absolute, always in flow, always creating, expanding, evolving. God is within each life form, each person…we are equals in the Infinite Mind. Leadership is open at the top, not authoritarian, respecting the divine in all, taking in new revelations and understandings. New Thought in alignment with its value of the mind’s freedom, is not politically oriented, whereas the fundamentalist religion of my teenage years, became synonymous with extreme conservative politics. In traditional Catholicism and Fundamentalist Christianity, spiritual healing comes from a god outside the self. In New Thought, spiritual healing comes from the divine flow within the self.

The absolutism and authoritarianism of my childhood religions gave me the message that my inner world could not to be trusted, and the God was always judging and expecting perfection. I am grateful that my personal spiritual journey has freed my mind and spirit, and healed my religious wounds. I am grateful that Unity’s values and principals are so close to the truth I’ve come to.