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What is life all about? How does the Universe function? What constitutes
peace? Is joy attainable? What is reality? Where does true power come
from? How can we create more meaningful life experiences?
Questions like these inspired Dr. Ernest Holmes to
search the world's religions, philosophies and sciences for the "golden
thread of truth" present in all. The result is the Science of Mind - a
powerful and practical spiritual philosophy.
In Religious Science
(Science of Mind)
we believe that we live in a Spiritual Universe ruled by a creative
intelligence which operates in a pattern of law and love upon which we can
rely on. Sometimes we call this intelligence God or Divine Intelligence,
but regardless of the name, it is constantly surrounding and supporting
us. We are never separated from this Infinite Source.
Dr. Ernest Holmes, Founder of
Religious Science (Photo taken in the
1920’s)
"I believe God was in this man, Ernest Holmes. He was in tune
with the Infinite."
Norman Vincent Peale
Ernest Holmes' exploration and research profoundly
affected thinkers throughout the United States. His works, based on the
teachings of the great philosophers, the sacred wisdom of both Eastern
and Western traditions and the empirical nature of science, offer a
philosophy of religion and science that describes the limitless
potential of the human mind and helped establish the beginnings of
the inner spiritual movement.
The Science of Mind is a spiritual philosophy that is a correlation of
the
laws of science, opinions of philosophy and revelations of religion,
applied to human needs and the aspirations of man. Science of Mind,
while addressing ultimate questions about the nature of God and of
humanity, is a philosophy for all people everywhere and is studied as
avidly by those who profess no specific religion as it is by others who
are actively involved in the churches, synagogues and temples of many
denominations.
History of New
Thought
New thought was called “The religion of healthy-mindedness” by William
James. That’s really the truth! Sometimes confused with what is
called “New Age” in the media, New Thought is actually a perennial
philosophy, whose thread of truth is woven through all the world’s
great spiritual traditions. It is spirituality for the 21st century. The
principles of New Thought are to be found in Christianity, Buddhism,
Islam, Zen, Hinduism, Judaism, and many philosophical and theological
works.
Of course, in the West, we love practicality. And it
is the practical
application of these principles that make all the difference. If you have
ever watched Oprah Winfrey, and seen her interview a guest who explains
a way to make your life better by changing your intentions, you have seen
New Thought principles being taught. If you have read some of the works of
Deepak Chopra which focus on how to heal your body by healing your mind,
then you’ve heard about
New Thought.
There are so many ways to approach the Truth, and there are so many
wonderful teachers in our world today offering a pathway to
understanding and transformation. We invite you to join us in an ongoing
exploration of these principles and in learning to consistently and
persistently apply then to your life.
Frequently
Asked Questions
So what does New Thought teach?
Simply, New Thought teaches the law of cause and effect: that it is done
unto us as we believe; that as we sow, we do indeed reap. While the
theory of New Thought or Religious Science is simple, the proof of it is
in the practice. We teach clear, easy-to-follow ways to change our
belief, to sow more mindfully and to set only those causes in motion
we are happy to experience. The main practice we teach is affirmative
prayer, also known as spiritual mind
treatment. It is spiritual because it deals with
the spiritually based causes of what we experience. It is mental
because it happens within our own minds and hearts. It is a
treatment because it provides tangible, definite results!
What is Religious
Science?
Religious Science is a powerful approach to spiritual living. It draws
on both the knowledge of science and the timeless wisdom of all ages. It
can be approached as a science, a philosophy and a spiritual path:
As a science… it is based on the
theory that it is indeed done unto us as we believe. By learning to
change our belief, we can scientifically change our life experience for
the better. Using this principle-centered approach, individuals learn to
expand their thinking and live a fulfilling and meaningful life.
As a philosophy… Religious Science
is a down-to-earth, easily applied way of thinking about the nature of
the universe and our relationship to it. Rather than seeing ourselves as
separate from the universal creative presence, we see ourselves as part
of it – free to celebrate our true nature and express the unlimited
creative potential within us.
As a spiritual path… Religious
Science is a metaphysical approach to the universal truths revealed in
all the world’s major religions. Instead of telling one what to think,
Religious Science offers a powerful new way to think about God, about the
universe, and about ourselves.
Religious Science teaches that as a divine creation of Spirit, you can
create a life that you love! This is because there are natural spiritual
laws which create our life experience based on how we think, feel, and
believe. Learning to think in a whole new way brings about a better way
of living.
Once we begin to realize our own true nature, as co-creative divine
beings, we find health, abundance, harmonious relationships, success, a
creative work life, love, and peace appearing at every turn. This is
because they were within us all the time.
Realization of one’s own divinity is a gradually and continually
unfolding process. To help people make this realization, Religious
Science uses a two-part process of teaching and transformation. The
teaching involves the presentation of universal ideas of truth and how
to apply them. Through their application, the transformation process
takes place… and your life changes for the better!
What do Religious
Scientists believe?
Religious Scientists believe that Spirit can heal through all methods
and affirm that healing can happen in an infinite number of ways. The
principles on which Religious Science is founded follow this paragraph.
While the language may seem unfamiliar, you will find that these
principles are the essence of the teaching of Jesus; they also express
the latest understanding of quantum physics! We believe that living a
spiritual life is essential to the satisfaction of the human soul. This,
in no way, means that life can’t be fun, creative, and free! The dreams
we hold in our hearts for ourselves, our families, and our shared world
are the dreams that Spirit is longing to create by means of you and me.
By learning how the spiritual laws of this Universe work, we can learn
to work with them… freeing ourselves from struggle and suffering. We can
learn to create meaningful, abundant, and happy lives.
The Religious Science
Declaration of Principles
-
We believe in God, the living
Spirit Almighty; one, indestructible, absolute, and self-existent
Cause.
-
This One manifests Itself in and
through all creation but is not absorbed by its creation.
-
The manifest universe is the body
of God; it is the logical and necessary outcome of the infinite
self-knowingness of God.
-
We believe in the incarnation of
the Spirit in humankind and that all people are incarnations of the
One Spirit.
-
We believe in the eternality, the
immortality, and the continuity of the individual soul, which is forever
expanding.
-
We believe the kingdom of Heaven
is within us and that we experience this kingdom to the degree that
we become conscious of it.
We believe the ultimate goal of life is to experience a complete
emancipation from all discord of every nature and that this goal is
sure to be attained by all.
-
We believe in the unity of all
life and that the highest God and the innermost God is One God.
-
We believe that God is personal
to all who feel this Indwelling Presence.
-
We believe in the direct
revelation of Truth through the intuitive and spiritual nature of
humankind and that anyone may become a revealer of Truth who lives
in close contact with the indwelling God.
-
We believe that the Universal
Spirit, which is God, operates through Universal Mind, the Law of
God.
-
We are surrounded by this
Creative Mind which receives the direct impress of our thoughts and
acts upon it.
-
We believe in healing the sick
through the Power of this Mind. We believe in the control of
conditions through the Power of this Mind.
-
We believe in the eternal
goodness, the eternal loving-kindness, and the eternal givingness
of life to all.
-
We believe in our own soul, our
own spirit, and our own destiny.
-
We understand that the life of
humankind is God.
Is this
Scientology or Christian Science?
NO. Religious Science, sometimes called The
Science of Mind, is not related to Scientology. Although Religious
Science has some principles in common with Christian
Science, there are also significant differences in the two philosophies.
Both Religious Science and Christian Science emerged during the early
period of the Transcendentalist's movement that
began in the United States around 1895 and as such became part of the New Thought
genre.
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