Hey Everybody,
Christ-ist Living Series
Week Two: “Bigotry and Racism”
Last week we began a weekly series I’m calling “Christ-ist Living.” Christist living is about adjusting our thinking, words and behaviors to align with what we know to be our very highest spiritual selves. I like to begin my meditations with, “The Christ in me is awake now.” I find that affirmation centers me to my spiritual purpose. When I make that affirmation, I’m not affirming that Jesus is awake in me now. I am, however, identifying my highest self with the consciousness that Jesus identified his highest self. “The Christ in me is awake now.
In our first week of the series I focused on littering. Littering lowers our consciousness and separates our thinking selves from the awareness of God. So does racism.
Racism as a practice is how we tell ourselves that God doesn’t exist and never has. It is also saying Love doesn’t exist and never has. When I practice racism and bigotry, I’m saying I don’t exist and never have.
In Unity we are taught “there is only One Power and One Presence, God the Good, Omnipotence.” Do you believe that? If so, how can there be two powers; God and the people I hate?
It seems that there are so many groups and cultures and genders that so many people hate. I know there are only two genders, but so many hate men and so many hate women. Then there are the people who hate blacks and the ones who hate whites. Oh, and the ones who hate Muslims and hate Jews. Oh yes, there are the many who hate homosexuals, and transgender people. That is a lot of hate. Sadly, all of these haters hate themselves on top of it all.
In Christ-ist living there is no such thing as hate. There can be confusion, but not hate. In Christ-ist living there is no annihilation of whole groups of people. There is no punishment or murder of PEOPLE because of our own fear and prejudice. In Christ-ist living there is the willingness to get to know PEOPLE even though their spiritual and cultural practices are different.
In Christ-ist living we recognize PEOPLE rather than differences. You must have noticed by now that I have been emphasizing the word PEOPLE. I hope my point is made that we aren’t our gender, or color, or religion, or culture. We are PEOPLE having a human experience and we all want to experience Love. Jesus gave us two commandments, Love God and love our neighbors as ourselves. Unfortunately, many are loving others with the lack of love they have for themselves.
In our Christ awakening, we can accept that we are loved with an everlasting love. God loves all beings, including the ones I hate and that means myself. I am loved even when I hate myself.
I say again, I’m aware of how hard living in an awakened state can be. I believe it is possible, though.
Last week I wrote: In Christ-ist living we are laying down our unconsciousness because we have already picked up our God-consciousness. Pay attention this week. Affirm frequently, “The Christ in me is awake now.” Notice the difference and watch how quickly we eradicate anything unlike God.
The Christ In Me Beholds the Christ In You,
Rev. Shawn