In the United States, there has been an aggressive campaign by the government to require citizens to get vaccinated for the Covid-19 virus. Rules, mandates, and policies have been formed that make it difficult, if not impossible, for someone who objects to getting the vaccine to keep their job and circulate in public freely. However, in many cases, there is an option for citizens to apply for a religious exemption from getting the vaccine, if they have sincere religious reasons for doing so. It has been heartening to see that many applicants are receiving these exemptions.
A practicing student of Christian Science has legitimate reasons for applying for a religious exemption. He or she is practicing a time-tested method of Christian healing that prevents infection, neutralizes contagion, protects one from disease, keeps one from carrying disease, and has a healthy effect on other people in their proximity.
A practicing Christian Scientist is not merely making a choice to not get a vaccine. They have made a conscious choice to demonstrate spiritual immunity, and they are taking active daily prayerful steps to stay healthy and help keep others around them healthy, too. They are contributing to the end of the pandemic and the promotion of public health safety.
I’ve had many people call me who were fearful that they were going to lose their jobs because of the vaccine mandates. We’ve talked about the importance of staying humble, listening for direction from the voice of wisdom, and looking for open doors to walk through that enable them to keep their jobs and still live true to their spiritual values. To their utter surprise, many of them have found the open doors, walked through them, received their exemption, and retained their jobs.
We live under the government of the one Mind that accommodates healthy spiritual living. Christian Science is healthy spiritual living that is good for one and all.
I continue to pray that society recognizes and appreciates the benefits of Christian Science healing and makes room for its sincere adherents to continue practicing their faith true to its ideals.
Very grateful for this post.
“MIND DECIDES”
https://sentinel.christianscience.com/shared/view/1g2t08t5690?s=e
Excellent article Martine thank you for sharing it. I remember a time when I was a young contractor building floats on the Columbia River being new to using Christian Science I kept a copy of the tenants in my shirt pocket. One day while setting the stringers on a float I was building I hit my hand directly with a 3 lb sledge. The immediate pain ran through my mind as a jolt, but I turned to my tenants and read through them in a choice between taking the glove off to view the material hand or find healing by following the truth that spirit not matter is the basis for all life. At the end of the work when I complete my work and no longer needed my gloves, I discovered that there was no harm to that hand and the pain was non-existent. That was one of my first experiences at making Christian Science treatment, my own as an adult.
Josef thanks for sharing that great testimony.
Martine I loved the article “Mind Decides.” In all we hear about government mandates it was good to read, “…..God is indeed guiding, protecting and blessing all who recognize and obey the divine mandate.”
I lean more and more on God, He alone can decide and direct where I go and where I need to be at any time to continue expressing His good. Nothing human can limit us. Another good quote from this article, “Mind’s decisions unfold eternally and are expressed by its illimitable idea, man.”
Thanks and love to all
EXTREMELY Grateful for this Post! Gave me some great insight of how to make my Friends and Family understand better my conscious choice of “Spiritual Immunity”. Christian Science is “Doing Something”! I also continue to pray for this FREEDOM OF CHOICE…Religious Exemption to be protected and recognized! Thank You!
Mary- I saw your post and can relate. I similarly have different views and protections than my family. I have tried to share tidbits that help me- but hit resistance and even a bit of heckling at times.
I have come to understand that I cannot make my family see how I see- and what has helped-for me to relax into knowing that God will provide answers for them when they need correcting and love them more for every “hate” of the Truth. It is a daily practice. Sending you love and support friend.
Thank you Martine for link to another very helpful article filled with one comforting thought after another
“..the real jurisdiction of the world is in Mind,,” gave me cause for pause;
I see in the news this morning that Australia are considering everyone who is not doubly
vaccinated to be locked down. Our prayers and spiritual understanding of all the things that
Evan has stated above can embrace them and help to turn back this thought. I will
also pray with the last sentence in Evan’s statements above for everyone.
Thank you both Martine and John for the articles – both extremely good and inspiring.
Wonderful ( and very important ) article , Evan . Of great significance to all the sincere seekers that visit this site . “ on which side are we
fighting ? “ asks Eddy . The future efficacy of Christian Science rests on us answering this question rightly .
Am sharing this as widely as possible .
Very Grateful for such Clear Guidance!
Thank you Dear Evan and Thank you /Bless you ALL!
Over and over MBE tells us that we are not required to do what we are not ready to demonstrate. Those students of Christian Science who do not feel ready to refuse vaccine and depend solely on prayer should not be judged, criticized or instructed otherwise. Judge not!
Didn’t notice any criticism or judgmentalism in Evan’s post or any of the other comments but that’s good advice going both ways. I would neither tell a Christian Scientist who felt the need to be vaccinated not to, nor would I try to encourage vaccination on a Christian Scientist because it’s 1) “just the wise thing to do,” 2) “being loving to our neighbors,” or 3) “better not to ‘make waves’ with all the fear going around”…all advice I’ve heard Christian Scientists giving other Christian Scientists. It’s much better to just love and then mind our own demonstrations…that’s certainly enough to keep me occupied!
“mind our own demonstrations” —love that! Thanks! (made me chuckle ;> )
In Miscellany p.219: 29-1, Mary Baker Eddy writes – “Rather than quarrel over vaccination, I recommend, if the law demand, that an individual submit to this process, that he obey the law, and then appeal to the gospel to save him from bad physical results”
Each Christian Scientist is free to decide whether or not they want to have a vaccination. It is no one else’s business.
Thank you
Thank You, Father-Mother, God, for Your divine guidance in all things. Especially this one!
Here is another helpful article. I will re-post if you find it un-openable.
Vaccination and Mrs. Eddy.docx
I’ve long been impressed by the statement that Christian Scientists follow the law. That if a vaccine is mandated we know it can neither help or harm us. Likewise, if a student of The Science of being does not yet feel fully confident in their understanding of the allness of God, to lean on a crutch or a doctor is not a shameful thing. MBE expected that surgeons would work together with Christ Scientists to bring about health and healing, when needed.- Shepherd show ME how to go, I will listen for thy voice all the live long day.- That’s a personal experience.
On the other hand, if you are fully confident in relying on Truth to keep you safe and sound, as well as knowing the unreality of all the troubled political situations and simply don’t want to be “poked” with a vaccine- ask for a religious exemption.
Evan, I am so grateful for this post. Thank you.
I am fully confident in relying on Christian Science and the truth of being. I have not needed any type of medical care nor taken any medicine since I was healed of tuberculosis when I was in college 70 years ago. However, I am in 2 book clubs in which the dear friends are fearful of being with others who have not been vaccinated. The way opened up for me to easily get the shot free. I did it easily with absolutely no effect. It is so wonderful now in love for me to tell all my friends when they ask me “have you gotten the shot?”. just to say yes! My love has eliminated fear.
Marge: I so respect you for your faithfulness and wonderful proof that Christian Science is the Comforter, giving us the truth of being! And, I so respect you for the loving way you handled getting the vax out of love and respect for your non-CS friends. Thank you for sharing this.
My way, also…..
:<))
There is long history of Christian Scientists requesting and receiving exemption from this or that medical procedure being pushed by authorities or required by law. Although Christian Scientists support being law abiding, that does not mean that they need be passive spectators to the approach of fear-driven or repressive government-driven mandates. There are millions of our fellow citizens that would not qualifiy for a religious exemption but believe to their very core that forced vaccinations, giving people the choice of conform or loose your job and thus ability to support your family, is fundamentally wrong and in violation of protections that exist within our Constitution and Bill of Rights against the tyranical over-reach of government. So, the issue is more than requesting government permission to counter a virus through mental means. Every human form of government is flawed but our Constitution is an enlightened one that should support those in need of its protection. It protected the establishment of Christian Science when Mary Baker Eddy brought her discovery to the world 150 years ago.
In Truth, we do live under the government of the one mind. Thank you Evan for this reminder.
Gregg, I’m spending a lot of my time these days working to know that there is, indeed, only ONE government and that is God’s unerring control. A mandate is not a law…this particular mandate has not gone through the legislative process so it has not been voted on by Congress (nor have American citizens voted on it) and it has now been stayed by a federal judge. Once a single branch of government gets the notion that it can legislate by mandate and govern without the consent of the governed, or ratification by another branch through checks and balances, where will the line be drawn? If left to mortal man, there will never be a line over which it cannot cross.
My approach has been to challenge the belief that fear can govern God’s man (which includes everyone) rather than take human steps to appease it. I think I can do more to lessen the fear of others through prayer than capitulation.
This wonderful unfolding, developing, precious sharing of open hearts is simply beautiful and so inspiring. I am so so so very grateful to know of Christian Science and that SpiritView gives us a caring, loving, “judge less” forum in which we can tell what’s in our hearts & minds. My beloved Grandmother was introduced to CS in 1922 and never turned away, eventually becoming a Practitioner and our family’s own Angel; while I wasn’t raised in CS, she and the little I gleaned from her words were a powerful influence in my life. Traveling all around the eorld, my family would attend CS churches all over the world in my lifelong travels. When those countries mandated inoculation in order to enter, my Grandmother submitted to those rules in order to travel freely.. to my knowledge, not any of the injections affected her whatsoever, as she maintained her complete trust in God’s permanent health. This example has inspired me to submit ONLY in cases, such as travel in some African, Asian and Middle Eastern countries, which do not permit religious exemption from inoculation. And even these are changing….
Thank you Evan and all….all good and thoughtful thoughts. I recently finished reading Prose Works…and found on page 219-222…in Miscellany ..under Christian Science Healing wonderful words of wisdom and guidance from Mary Baker Eddy….re: vaccinations and following the laws….and of course, praying for our government and laws.
To Angie, Rose from New York and Evan, here is my comment from late yesterday:
Angie, thanks so much for the most helpful article by Scott Preller. Rose from New York, thanks so much also to you for giving us “God’s Law of Adjustment” yesterday. I’ve been wanting to read it. I have a recording from Richard Stewart, a practitioner in Germany, called “DAILY LOVE” that I listen to the first thing each morning. In it he refers to the pilot lost at sea with no apparent means of rescue. He remembered “God’s Law of Adjustment” and when a pilot flew over and saw a light below, he was rescued and he said he would never have found him if he didn’t have that light. Well, the fallen pilot didn’t have any light but the light of Truth.
Evan, I am deeply grateful to you for SpiritView, providing the sharing of inspiring comments.
Lori I’m so glad you had a chance to read God’s Law of Adjustment and appreciate your story about the pilot. I hope the ideas contained in the article bless you as much as they have blessed me.
An interesting and varied series of comments! Perhaps one of the key points that Evan makes in his test is ‘ the importance of staying humble and listening for direction from the voice of wisdom’, and this is probably more important than passionately supporting one side or the other of the human argument.
Sorry – ‘text’, not ‘test’…
Evan, in the 4th paragraph you may want to add a comma before the word “fearful”. When I first read that sentence, it sounded like people were calling YOU “fearful” as a sort of insult. I think your meaning would be clearer if you added a comma before the word “fearful”.
Oh, I see what you mean. I revised it to make better sense. Thanks!
Thanks, Evan, for including access below to your videos. Yesterday I watched your lecture, “Healing: the grander view” and was even more inspired that when I had viewed it originally.
Evan, Thank you so much for this post. The United Kingdom government has refused to acknowledge any religious right to exemption, and the continuing pressure to be vaccinated together with threats about what one can or can’t do is wearing. What you say is heartening and energising and will reinvigorate my own work. Very grateful!
Thank you for sharing. It inspires me to reiterate a point I made in my post earlier today. As I lean on and trust God ever more, I know that He opens the way for me to be wherever it is He wants me to be, doing His good works (employment or otherwise) and enjoying His world; and this is true for every one of us, He is directing All. Blessings to you!
What about having weekly tests if you don’t vaccinate?
I am so grateful to hear that exemptions are being made on other than medical grounds. I live in Victoria, Australia and there are no exemptions except on purely medical grounds and even these seem limited. Anybody who works with other people is mandated to be double vaccinated and they are talking of a booster shot next year. I am very grateful for the on-going prayer and work of Evan and all here to see through this so that we may all reap the benefits that God will surely bring to those of us that Love, Life. A Life which is naturally free and healthy. As no weapon formed against us can prosper.
Spot on Evan! A wonderful conversation re: exemptions!
Very helpful & informative. So enjoyed the many responses from those praying and working through to a better understanding of immunity and the Allness of God, good.