On occasion, I’ve heard people say that Christian Science is hard to understand. If given a chance, I explain to them that understanding Christian Science is all about your point of view.
If you try to understand it from a material point of view, it might appear confusing and abstract. For from a material point of view, matter is real, evil is real, and the human mind has influence and control.
However, if you seek to understand it from a spiritual point of view, it makes perfect sense. From a spiritual point of view, God is All, God is Spirit, and evil is not real. These three truths constitute one seamless garment of understanding that enables one to see through the lies of evil to God’s omnipresent spiritual goodness and demonstrate what Christian Science teaches.
So, if you’d like to make clear sense of Christian Science, be sure to study it from a spiritual point of view. Reason out from God’s allness, the reality of Spirit, the vanity of evil, and the omnipresence of God’s goodness, and the gates of heaven will open before you!
Christian Science makes perfect sense—to spiritual sense.
A STRICTLY SPIRITUAL PERSPECTIVE
https://sentinel.christianscience.com/shared/view/sg400ylpes?s=e
Martine thank you for the article. This section stood out:
“Simply stated, God is All. But we need to be alert to the world’s assumption that there is a power opposed to God. Too often there is an inclination in human thought to forecast and fear evil and disease, not because either is true, but because these pseudo prophecies enhance mortals’ sense of self-importance.”
The mortal, material view is always false. Yet it advocates on behalf of error, evil, all that is unlike God, good; trying to make itself seem real or relevant. It’s good to pull back the covers and see the inner workings of this deception. So important to notice which view we are looking out from in any circumstance that comes before us.
Thank you Evan, this is certainly something I will share with those that questions
how to read about Christian Science. These are gems worth keeping and sharing.
Great Spiritview Evan. Thank you!
This makes more sense with suggestions of disease. But, I am not seeing it with suggestions of sin in the world. Would love to see both disappear into its native nothingness as a wonderful demonstration!
Thank you for that wonderful article Martine. That goes well with this Spiritview.
In Science and Health we read ‘ The good we do and embody is the only power obtainable.’ When we hold unto ‘good’ as all that is real we can find a better understanding of Christian Science.
I like that Grace – a very good reminder that holding onto good is essential for our well being and happiness. Thank you.
I agree in theory, however last week’s lesson was particularly confusing and seemingly contradictory to me. In Section 1, S&H is quoted asserting the absurdity of God creating perfect man and then imposing causation of evil results/punishment, etc., with which I agree.
Yet in Section 5 S&H is quoted alluding to the fact that God never punishes ‘aught but sin’, and we can advance from that point to destroy human fear, the author of all sickness. So God does punish? The next paragraph states we should relieve our minds that we have transgressed a material law (and sinned?) and incurred a penalty of mortal mind. But if we have sinned, according to paragraph 1, this transgression is God’s punishment and our mortal minds are now responsible for the error (or punishment) that requires correction/healing, and for that correction/healing, contradicting Section 1.
Prayerful pleas for understanding, and quiet time devoted to ‘listening’ have not yet given me peace or understanding from this seeming contradiction. Any insights would be welcomed!
Penny,
I do not have the answers but think this is a good question and deserves some thought and study. I trust God will reveal the answer in your case and in mine. If a mortal mind were to think it was fun to sin, wouldn’t that belief need to be reversed (or I guess you could call it punished) because a lie was being believed instead of the truth. And a lie will always be destroyed. We can count on that because it is a lie regardless of how long it seems to be believed. Truth always wins. God doesn’t know anything about the lie being believed so how could God punish it? It is just the process of the lie being destroyed that looks like punishment? But, as an observer seeing only part of the process, whew! It makes it look like there are some pretty bad things going on instead of seeing sin being destroyed. Sin being destroyed seems like a pretty good thing for everyone involved.
Some churches and OutwardBound have Bible studies where you can discuss these ideas in more depth with others. Much love to you!
This is a good question, Penny. As Evan points out above, we need to check out our point of view. Sin, sickness and death are part of the material picture of man, none of which is the true, spiritual man created in his image and likeness. I was led to read on pages 472 – 475 of Science and Health “Question, Is there no sin?” God did not create a sinning mortal man that needs to be saved. ” The Science of Mind disposes of all evil. Truth God is not the father of error. Sin sickness and death are to be classified as effects of error.” (S&H 473:4-6)
” Christ is the ideal Truth, that comes to heal sickness and sin through Christian Science, and attributes all power to God.” (line 10)
In the 3rd tenet on page S&H 497:9, “We acknowledge God’s forgiveness of sin in the destruction of sin and the spiritual understanding that casts out all evil as unreal. But the belief in sin is punished so long as the belief lasts.”
So, I don’t think Mary Baker Eddy meant that God was allowing sin in section 5. Another question is, does he know? Is the fact that he is all-knowing mean he is aware of the evil that is to be destroyed? or that God is all-knowing of only the good he created? These are some of my thoughts on the subject. Look forward to further comments. I truly know that God created us in divine LOVE. expressing Love to all.
Thank you Kirsten and Jane for your loving comments. Obviously, I still have lots of work to do!
Thank you Evan as always right on.
I also would like to thank Grace for her wonderful reminder I am so grateful for all these helpful inspirational comments.
Penny
I have found the CedarScamp they have a helpful inspiration website Which goes along with the Christian Science Bible lesson each week last week was very helpful.
Cedars Camp inspiration:
https://cedarscamps.org/inspiration/article/14785/
As a well known Christian Science lecturer ended her talk she asked …..”What part of “ALL” don’t you understand? Something to contemplate!
Excellent Evan! Sometimes not staying focused easy to start slipping off track…good reminder. Thanks.
I just love the beautiful picture of the tree rings, and Googled “tree rings spiritual meaning” for more insight. It gave: life, growth, strength.
Thank you Evan and everyone for your comments.
To Penny, Regarding your question about how God punishes sin without knowing sin, here’s an analogy that helps me. Suppose you owned a beautiful vase and one day you were handling it carelessly and you dropped it and it shattered into 100 pieces. You could say that the law of gravity “punished” you for your careless even though nobody would say the law of gravity “knew” of your carelessness. That’s what I think of when reading that citation from section 5 of the lesson last week. God being Principle, Love, causes laws that keep everything in perpetual harmony. But when we think/act contrary to those laws (i.e., sin) we experience what appears to us to be discord because our sin (belief in a power other than God) is like a hypnotic trance that hides the true harmonious reality from our view. But God doesn’t know of our sin and punish us. The punishment (discord) we seem to experience is just the result of us thinking/acting contrary to God’s harmonious laws that are always present and always operating. And once we realign our thinking with God’s laws, the hypnotic trance is broken and we once again realize the harmony that has been there all the time.
Penny’s question made me think of a Sentinel Watch podcast in which Scott Preller described Christ as “the single most destructive force in the world”. That statement is based on the definition of Christ as “the divine manifestation of God, which comes to the flesh to destroy incarnate error” from page 583 of Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy. When I read that I don’t think of Christ knowing error so Christ can destroy it. I think instead of how light destroys darkness because of the fact darkness cannot exist in the presence of light. I think of the citation Penny referenced about God punishing sin the same way.
Here’s a link to the podcast.
Where is God when bad things happen? Part 1: The basics
https://sentinel.christianscience.com/shared/view/209jdgfsmpq?s=e
I find it helpful to think of God and His laws like the traffic laws; they bless everyone universally. They maintain order, peace, harmony, safety. If we drive in accord with them, we are protected and secure. However, if we disobey or disregard those laws we can have a very different experience — even an accident. But, did the traffic laws cause the accident? Do the laws punish you? Do the laws even know anything about you — or your accident? No. The laws are simply the laws. It is our choice to acknowledge, understand, and live in accord with those laws for our own benefit, and to the benefit of those around us.
What made Christian Science finally “click” for me was realizing that I was reading the same words Jesus did in Genesis 1. And all around him was the so-called material world with Roman oppression and all the rest of societal ills.
Plenty of the material standpoint around him right? But he went to spirit *first*, where the true reality lay as the master metaphysician.
So when Mrs. Eddy described our night-dream vs our waking-dream as being somewhat similar, that absolute science rung my bell. Not that one puts their head in the sand, but simply keeps their thought where it belongs. So when Mrs. Eddy and others present some pure absolute truths, and I overcomplicate it, and my thought strays, I bring it together with Genesis 1 for fast clarity.
I am always blessed when I come back to Spirit View for further comments. Thank you RH, MIke, and Brian for your clear comments. I also have been studying Mrs. Eddy’s writings about the waking dream shadows. it has given me a fresh perspective and no matter what topic I pick to study it always leads back to Genisis 1. Our spiritual and continuous reality.
Thank you Jane. I tread lightly around the absolute truth, because my own understanding of it is far from perfect and I always want to treat it with respect.
I find it helpful for me in my studies when contemplating what Jesus or Mrs. Eddy said, to wipe away any cliche’d mental images of them, or the passing of time, and imagine having a sit-down conversation without merely parroting back what has already been written.
How preposterous the notion of a night-dream vs waking dream (mental concepts), vs the true reality of Spirit must have been when first introduced in his time. You can’t just walk up to someone and say this or you’d be cast out. No wonder it had to be spoken in parable for those ready to hear.
Suggest self-imposed mental-exile? (my words). Get ready to run from the rocks. Follow me? – recognize the Christ within – your divine inheritence. But back then, you couldn’t just come out with the absolute or you would be seen as crazy and a threat. In some instances, Mrs. Eddy faced the same.
My only problem with the absolute truth – is that I have to practice what I preach. 🙂
An example of crazy-talk and rocks being thrown:
As a young CS student with rock-band roots in the 70’s, I tried to introduce someone showing interest in the absolute and CS about how keeping your sight on the spiritual, you see things differently, but sometimes keep it to yourself.
Listening to a song by the Marshall Tucker Band “Take the Highway”, I proposed that the song might be *loosely* interpreted as Jesus talking to Mary, and telling her that although he’s leaving, he’ll be back, but in Spirit (consciousness), and not anything material. Surely not a Hymn, but something I picked up on as a lift.
Unfortunately, that approach to my friend didn’t go well. 🙂
Thank you all for your wonderful analogies and Spiritual insights. I’m getting there! 🙂
Much Love