"I am truly blessed to be here and in the company of such lovely people. My experience is too rare.
I want every LGBT2Q person to feel safe, valued, and most importantly whole." – Vicky B.
At Unity of Walnut Creek, you are welcomed with open arms not because you are different or because we want to show how progressive we are, but because you are the same. The same as all of us: A beloved child of God, a spiritual being born with a spark of divinity.
Your very essence is of God, and you are therefore inherently good.
Interpreting the Bible
Unity views the Bible differently than most other Christian religions. "When the stories, beliefs, laws and behaviors in the Bible are interpreted literally, the result can be misunderstanding, judgmental conclusions and negative actions. This has been the case when people use the Bible as a way to condemn homosexuals," says Rev. Ed Townley.
At Unity, the Bible is viewed metaphysically as well as in the context of the Jewish culture during Jesus' lifetime.
"The statement is that 'men shall not lie with men as with women.' At that time, women were property, empty vessels for the sexual pleasure of men. Their role in any intimate relationship was to be submissive and insignificant. For a man to be 'treated like a woman' was for him to abandon his rightful role in the cosmos and assume an inferior station. It was the implied degradation that was the heart of the 'sin.'
"Today we see all beings—male and female alike—as unique expressions of the Light and Love of God. If we are to honor the level of consciousness to which Jesus Christ calls us, we must ensure that all our relationships—heterosexual, homosexual, familial, friendships—are soundly based on a recognition of spiritual equality. No one is meant to be the inferior 'submissive.' Every relationship, every intimacy, is to be a loving and joyful union of two creative expressions of God," said Rev. Townley.
Additional Resources
Rev. Townley wrote a blog in which he explains the metaphysical meaning of Bible passsages, including Romans 1:24-32. At unity.org, you can find additional spiritual tools to support, empower, and inspire you in creating an abundant and meaningful life, including an annual retreat for LGBTQ people.
Unity’s formal Statement of Diversity“We believe that all people are created with sacred worth. Therefore, we recognize the importance of serving all people within the Unity family in spiritually and emotionally caring ways. We strive for our ministries, publications and programs to reach out to all who seek Unity support and spiritual growth. It is imperative that our ministries and outreaches be free of discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender, age, creed, religion, national origin, ethnicity, physical disability, gender identity, gender expression or sexual orientation. Our sincere desire is to ensure that all Unity organizations are nondiscriminatory and support diversity." |