{"id":390,"date":"2008-09-09T06:27:36","date_gmt":"2008-09-09T06:27:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/conversationswithgod\/2008\/09\/are-catholics-really-members-o.html"},"modified":"2008-09-09T06:27:36","modified_gmt":"2008-09-09T06:27:36","slug":"are-catholics-really-members-o","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/conversationswithgod\/2008\/09\/are-catholics-really-members-o.html","title":{"rendered":"Are Catholics really members of Unity?"},"content":{"rendered":"

If “The Kingdom of God is within you” means that God is in you, does that mean that God and we are One? Or does that mean that God is STILL “over there” while we are “over here”…?
\nThis question comes up for me as a result of the blog and comments from yesterday. Our latest exchange here was eventuated by an entry in the Comments Section a few days ago. For those who may be just joining us, let’s “review the bidding” here…
\nThree days ago I published on this blog an excerpt from my book What God Wants<\/em>, in which I point out that the theology represented by our traditional teachings is a theology of separation. “In this theology, we are ‘over here’ and God is ‘over there’.”
\nIn response to that, a nice person posting as “Bob” placed this entry into the Comments Section…
\n<\/p>\n

\nThe theology of my Church (Roman Catholic) doesn’t teach that. It teaches that the Lord is in here *points to heart*, that the Holy Spirit resides in each of us.
\nIt would be nice if you checked your facts against the official teachings of the organized religions you like to talk about.
\nPosted by: Bob | September 6, 2008 8:05 AM<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

<\/strong>
\nThis started a lively conversation yesterday in this space, with over 20 people contributing. Most, I must say, agreed with me, sharing with us that they, too, were taught in Catholic school that the Kingdom of God may be “within you,” but that did not mean that God and you were One.
\nIndeed, the Catholic Church taught us exactly the opposite when I was young. I’ve been over all that here before, so I won’t go back into it now. But today I’d like to really take a honest, close, open-minded look at just what DOES the statement “The Kingdom of God is within you” mean?
\nDoes it mean, in fact, that God and we are One? Does it mean that there is no separation between Man and God? Does it mean that human beings are “divine,” in the truest sense of the word; that God and humans are intertwined, one being, interlaced, and with a Single Identity?
\nDoes “The Kingdom of God is within you” mean that there really is only One Thing in the Universe — one Force, one Essence, one Being — manifesting Itself in a billion ga-zillion ways that we call Life…including both the Physical and the Non-Physical?
\nWhat does<\/em> this famous statement mean? And, does the Catholic Church really teach, as Robert, above, says that it does, that God and humans are One and the Same; that there is No Separation — and therefore no need to “return to God, which is in Heaven,” since God is One With Us Always? Is this standard Roman Catholic theology? (That would make the Catholic Church and Unity the same religion, essentially. The Unity Church teaches Christianity “with a twist.” If I understand it correctly, it teaches that God and we — and everything, actually — are One.) Or does Catholicism teach that God and Man are separate?<\/em> Could it be Robert who does not have a clear understanding of Catholic doctrine?
\nhmmm…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If “The Kingdom of God is within you” means that God is in you, does that mean that God and we are One? Or does that mean that God is STILL “over there” while we are “over here”…? This question comes up for me as a result of the blog and comments from yesterday. 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