I came across one of my favorite news clippings today, lifted from the Christian Science Sentinel of January 6, 2003, which reprinted a newswire from the Canadian Press, titled “Perceptions, thoughts, beliefs more important than genes.”

It is a fascinating read…

Researcher says genes controlled by beliefs

“Forget the hype surrounding the Human Genome Project and start realizing that perceptions, thoughts, and beliefs have a bigger impact on people’s health than their genes, says a cellular biologist.

“Bruce Lipton is among a small but growing number of researchers who say people need to take responsibility for their environment instead of believing they are victims of their genes. Lipton, a former researcher at the Stanford University School of Medicine, now disagrees with the conventional belief that people are born with a set of genes that control their lives.

“Instead, he says genes adapt on an ongoing basis depending on the needs of cells as they respond to the environment. ‘Our perceptions turn on our genes and turn off our genes and our perceptions can rewrite our genes,’ he said….

“’As you change your perception, as you change your beliefs, you actually will change the biological activation in your own biology,’ Lipton said….”

You can read more about Lipton’s beliefs in his blog, “Uncovering the biology of belief.”

Mary Baker Eddy had the above figured out over one hundred years ago when she wrote, “Take possession of your body, and govern its feeling and action…God has made man capable of this, and nothing can vitiate the ability and power divinely bestowed on man.”

Not DNA, genes, or chromosomes, have more control than the divine Maker.

Much research is happening today by scientists striving to trace troubles in people’s lives back to a DNA cause. Alcoholism, diseases, character traits, and more, many believe have a root cause in the genetic makeup of an individual. But eventually they will discover this is not true. What microscopes see in genes reflect what thought governing those genes believe. Change belief, and gene makeup changes. Lipton has confirmed this in his own studies, and others are discovering the same.

The better place to focus attention is on the spiritual truth about creation according to divine design. As we discover ourselves in God’s image, created with a perfect blueprint, that discovery will improve the human mind, which in turn improves the human body which is governed by that mind.

We are not helpless victims of mindless genes. We are spiritual creations of an intelligent creator. Through spiritual sense we discover this to be true.