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The other thing that bothered me about Unity was that every few weeks, another new age author/process would be the focus of the minister's sermon. They were open to everything except critical thinking. There were weekly meetings of ACIM groups, Reiki, the Enneagram, etc.
Yes, and if you question or challenge any of this in any way, you are branded as "negative" or lacking in "consciousness" or whatever. In Unity, there's a lot of "groupthink" going on, and if you don't blindly follow it, then there's something wrong and you must have "issues" etc. And true, Unity seems to have a tremendous herd mentality. Whatever the hot new age book of the month is, or the big guru of the day, everyone jumps on the bandwagon. So much for free thinking!
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I have a particular problem with Reiki, as the idea that some "master" can attune a person and "presto," that person now has the ability to heal themselves and others, seems highly improbable, and there is no evidence to indicate that Reiki works. And of course it doesn't matter whether you feel the healing energy or not - it is still working (according to Reiki proponents).
Reiki is a hoax, of course. If it "works" at all for someone, then it is due to the Plecebo effect and nothing else. Incredibly, people on the internet even sell long-distance Reiki treatments. And people pay 'em for it! :roll:
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Unity is not overtly controlling, but to someone who is trying to fit in, the peer pressure is there.
Not always overtly, but I'd say definitely covertly. Unity often uses what I would have to label "stealth" mind control. It is very subtle at times, but once you're aware of it and understand the methods they use, it is obvious and pervasive. Definitely the peer pressure is there, often encouraged by the ministers themselves. But some Unity churches are more controlling than others. Depends on who is running the show. A lot of it depends on how connected a particular church is with ACIM and kindred teachings, and similar persuasive methods from the new age groups and the LGATs.
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I had been told on many occasions by various members of the group that they "loved" me and yet none of these people made any contact with me after I left the group (which was just as well to my thinking). I did call one person after I left, and they never returned my call. So much for their brand of "love."
Well sure. You left them, so in their eyes you "walked away from the Truth" (with a capital T of course, meaning it is not "a" truth but "THE" Truth), and to them that means you turned your back on God and your own self. Of course they won't ever talk to you again. You're in error thought. You denied Unity, negative person! You have cooties now! ;)
Seriously though, one of the biggest pressure tactics in Unity is that everyone from the ministers to the chaplains to the teachers and church members tend to use a carrot and stick approach. They will tell people that they are sinless perfect Holy Children of God, Divine in every way, expressing God at all times, etc., etc. THEN they follow that up with "But you are broken and need healing" and of course, can only "heal" with the help of their Unity minister, prayer partners, support groups, classes, Sunday services, and of course TITHING, the big one. (They even exploit people at times of vulnerability, telling them to pray and "listen to the voice of God within" but also that the "voice" will always tell them to do what the church and/or minister teaches.) Problem is, everytime people feel really great about themselves, the minister, chaplain, et al will either imply or tell them flat out that they are still "broken" and in need of "healing" and they need to keep working at it! So they repeatedly lift 'em up, push 'em down, lift 'em up again, then push 'em down again. An endless treadmill. This is how people get hooked into the Unity cult.