Discovering Eric Butterworth

In this second installment of our seven-week series exploring the life and work of Unity co-founder Charles Fillmore, Eric Butterworth discusses Charles Fillmore's view of the power of thought. The power of thought, or "mind power," is the foundational concept of Fillmore's teaching. Tom Thorpe is joined by special guest host Michael Maday for this series.

Today's broadcast begins a seven-week series exploring the life and work of Unity's co-founder Charles Fillmore. In this first installment, Tom Thorpe and guest co-host Michael Maday share and discuss excerpts from Eric Butterworth's introduction. Butterworth was a student and disciple of Charles Fillmore, and valued both the man and his ideas.

In today's broadcast, we reflect on some of the major insights that Eric Butterworth has shared in this Ten Commandments series. "God didn't hand down the Commandments to Moses," Eric Butterworth tells us. "The full meaning of Mount Sinai can be understood only when we see it as a symbol of a high state of consciousness. We won't find a physical place called Mt. Sinai. It's important to get the idea that Infinite Mind is everywhere, in all, through all, and you don't have to go anywhere to get into Mind ... you need only become aware of the Allness of which you are a part ... Unless we are looking for the inner meaning, we miss the whole idea."

Eric Butterworth writes that "the great tragedy of human life is the delusion that life is lived from outside-in." Listen as Eric Butterworth teaches listeners the value of this Commandment's reminder that, because what we really need is already ours, there is no need to be envious of anyone's material possessions. Michael Maday joins Tom Thorpe as guest co-host for this program.

It's been said that "truth will out." Listen as Eric Butterworth explains why and how it really isn't possible for us to truly "bear false witness." Guest host Michael Maday joins Tom Thorpe for this program.

Can we actually take what is not ours? Listen as Tom Thorpe and guest host Michael Maday explore Eric Butterworth's powerful observations about the eighth commandment.

Listen as Tom Thorpe and guest host Michael Maday share and discuss Eric Butterworth's thoughts about the spiritual meaning of adultery. The commandment addresses much more than faithfulness in marriage!

Eric Butterworth writes: "The higher meaning of the sixth command­ment is 'You cannot kill.' Your violent acts or thoughts relative to that which seems to threaten you is your attempt to destroy it. Actually, there is no way that you can destroy it, because the real problem is your mistaken belief." Tom Thorpe and guest host Rev. Michael Maday examine Eric Butterworth's thoughts about the sixth commandment.

The fifth commandment tells us to "honor" our fathers and mothers. Today Tom Thorpe and guest host Rev. Michael Maday will explore Eric Butterworth's ideas about what it means to honor one's parents, as well as Jesus' perspective on family relationships.

What is the Sabbath day? Why should we keep it holy? HOW can we keep the Sabbath holy? These are some of the questions Tom Thorpe and guest host Rev. Michael Maday will be discussing on today's broadcast.

Listeners to today's broadcast will hear a fascinating discussion of what it REALLY means to "take the name of the Lord in vain." Rev. Michael Maday joins Tom Thorpe as guest host.

Eric Butterworth writes: "Like the Israelites of old, we have created our golden calves. The Preacher of Eccle­siastes puts it in an interesting way: 'God, when he made man, made him straightforward, but man invents endless subtleties of his own' (Eccles. 7:29 NEB). And it is among these 'endless subtleties' that we find the various forms of graven images." Today's broadcast will help you discover and "break" the graven images in YOUR life!

In the introduction to his newly published book, Breaking the Ten Commandments: Discover the Deeper Meaning, Eric Butterworth declared: "The goal of this book is not to herald the Ten Commandments in their literal or crystallized form, but rather to break them down, one by one, to their underlying esoteric meaning. I am confident that you will discover some under­standable spiritual fundamentals that will open new vistas of growth and unfoldment for you." Discovering Eric Butterworth joins Hooked on Classics as both programs begin an in-depth study of Butterworth's thought-inspiring insights into a Judaeo-Christian teaching that some say is often discussed without being understood.

Today's program marks the 100th original broadcast of Discovering Eric Butterworth. Unity Institute librarian Linda Bray and archivists Eric Page and Carol Martin join host Tom Thorpe in a discussion of the fascinating material being catalogued in the library's Butterworth Collection. The program will also look at one or two high points of Discovering Eric Butterworth's first 100 episodes.

Our exploration of the new biography, Eric Butterworth: His Life and Teaching, continues. Biographer and historian Neal Vahle and Unity minister Michael Maday join us for a lively discussion.