I’ve had this conversation many times over the years with women, including my wife, that women often don’t get the respect they deserve from people they work with.
I’ve witnessed it with my wife. One time my wife and I agreed that we wanted to purchase a piece of equipment, and she went to find the equipment and buy it. The first salesman she works with says, “I have to talk to your husband about this.” He totally blew her off thinking she couldn’t make the decision. We have never gone back to that business.
My wife is not unclear about what to do, let me assure you! She is strong in her convictions and clear about what is right and what is not. And she makes intelligent decisions. The above salesman’s prejudice against women blinded him to working with her just as he would with any man. I’ve seen the same type of treatment in other situations too.
In my own prayers for rectification of this error in society, it’s helpful for me to remember that God’s woman is just as commanding as God’s man. Any woman has the same God-given authority and dominion to make decisions and produce good results that any man has.
It’s not that we rely upon strong human will to get our way. That can become a fight between two human wills. The truth is that God made man “male and female” (Genesis 1:27). The female aspect of God’s “man”—which is the spiritual man—is just as worthy and substantial as the male aspect. They stand on equal footing and are both deserving of respect and honor. One is never better than the other. They complement each other.
Humanity has a long way to go until the full rights of the “male and female” of God’s creating is recognized and honored in all its glory, but progress is happening. We will get there! It’s inevitable.
God’s woman is just as commanding of respect and worthy of honor as God’s man. It’s a truth that will continue to gain traction and prevail. Truth is always inevitable!
Bravo, Evan!
I recall once I was on a business trip and staying in a very nice hotel in the Midwest. It was in the middle of winter and my heater went out of commission. I called the front desk and they made arrangements for a repair man to come first thing in the morning.
He showed up with a massive toolbelt around his waist and I spontaneously stated I thought it might be the heating coil. He rolled his eyes and said he would check it out. This was at 8:00 a.m. I had meetings to attend offsite and when I returned to my room after 5:00 p.m. I was surprised he was still there, just finishing up. I asked him what he determined the problem was and he mumbled, barely audible enough to hear “it was the heating coil.” I was shocked and thought to myself “it took all day to discover that or did he stretch it out on purpose?” I wasn’t thinking defensively but I thought it was funny that he probably could have checked that out first and finished the job sooner. I’m not mechanically inclined and I felt it was Mind revealing the problem because it was so intuitively spontaneous. But I distinctly noticed the resistance when I said something, — most likely because I am a female and it was possibly laughable to him that I would be so forward in stating what I felt the problem could be. I was just trying to be helpful to make his job easier.
And this applies to age as well. I don’t tell my age as people think one is too young or too old to do things.
Evan thanks for addressing the God-given equality of men and women, and how this equality is often not manifested in society. The practice of patriarchy (domination or power and control in a society by males) is more common in Western society but is not natural or inevitable and not universal. There are matriarchal and matrilineal societies in other parts of the world, going back in time and continuing now. I did a quick internet search and found many references, here is a recent article from National Geographic magazine if anyone is interested.
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/angela-saini-patriarchy-matriarchy-gender-equality
Yet it’s no better to have women dominating men than it is to have men dominating women. Equality and shared power, respect and rights is the spiritual ideal.
Good point, Rose. We don’t need for women to dominate men either.
Mrs. Eddy wrote about the laws of our Church like this, and includes “equality of the sexes”.
”
The church is the mouthpiece of Christian Science, — its law and gospel are according to Christ Jesus; its rules are health, holiness, and immortality, — equal rights and privileges, equality of the sexes, rotation in office. (The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 247:5)
Mrs. Eddy demonstrated her own ability to do what might have been considered men’s jobs,
including starting up a newspaper, and overseeing it.. And even the belief of ageing couldn’t prevent her from demonstrating her God-given ability to do whatever it was right for her to do. She treated everyone as an equal, seeing them as Christ saw them, and didn’t recognise any personal sense or personal power for herself or anyone. She saw no limitations, because she understood that we were all reflections of God, and that we all included male and female qualities and abilities. She gave God all the power and all the glory.
What a wonderful example she gave for us, as she followed the teachings of Christ Jesus so faithfully She would let Christ go before her in everything, and wait for as long as was necessary to hear from God what she should do. in any situation.
My research on matriarchies informs me that men are treated better in matriarchies than women are treated in patriarchies.
Women in Afghanistan cannot talk to anyone when outside. Windows are being boarded up so they cannot see outside.
Young girls in certain areas of the U.K. have to wear burqas. FGM takes place in the U.K. – it’s illegal here but it happens.
Like many girls & women, I have experienced physical & sexual abuse & harassment – it’s endemic!
I don’t think the treatment of women & girls necessarily is getting better. I have met with sexism in the workplace – and in everyday life – all my working life – it’s exhausting & confidence draining.
If I want to go for a walk in the countryside on my own, I do have to be aware of my surroundings & prefer to walk with a friend for safety reasons.
Even as a ‘senior’ I have been followed, more than once, when travelling on my own.
When talking to ‘good’ men, (who are the majority) I realise they just don’t get the extent of the problem.
This topic requires a lot of prayer, including addressing how angry it makes me!
Thank you for expressing your experience and thoughts. My experiences are similar. However, in the past, I thought that some how I deserved that “less than” treatment. Today, due to past experiences, I don’t trust any human males to treat me with respect. So I don’t expect it and frankly, do NOT know how to experience it without praying for protection from it.
Appreciate this blog entry more than you know. I also aim to address the correct viewing of God’s woman too. Very grateful and blessed to have a younger sister’s example who has demonstrated breaking stereotypes in her career. (She has served the Army and has a mechanical engineering degree).
Thank you Evan and Kathy for this clearer recognition.
Bless you for sharing how your sister weighed in on “addressing the correct view of God’s woman too.” I appreciate your contribution, as I too have sisters who break barriers and a brother (twin to one of my sisters) who has contributed to my freedom as a female to pursue things like solo travel abroad, career changes in different parts of our country, setting an example of marrying later in life, etc.
God who is predominantly the head of all of us. Governs each of His children. Therfore, there is no special previledge, which is given
to men, as appose to women….the same decision a man can make. A woman cando it same. All power comes from our Father-Mother.
In my family experience questioning the ability of women vs men was never a question to even consider. This falsity simply didn’t arise.
Thankfully that was true in my family also.
I thought we experience error because we have a belief in a power outside of God ?
Inequality and prejudice aren’t real, so why would we want to make them real ?
As someone somewhat new to Christian Science, I find this giving power to mortal mind confusing.
Didn’t that never happen to who your wife truly is, and who the salesman truly is can’t have behaved that way, so none of it is real not even the power of the grudge held against the business ?
Please, no offense intended. Just genuine searching. I see articles in publications doing the same thing, and just feel confused by it.
Thank you.
You bring up an excellent point, Cat.
Was an effort made to bring healing to the situation by seeing the salesman as the perfect man of God’s creating?
Or was the salesman dismissed as unworthy, just as the Magdalene was dismissed by the Pharisee in this week’s lesson?
Indeed Cat, thank you for sharing as this was/is confusing as well.
I recall reading a story about Mrs. Eddy questioning a student if they were doing their work, and the student replied, ‘Oh, yes!’ And Mrs. Eddy said something to the effect of: ‘that’s wonderful….so you know that when you see a ‘drunk’ man on the street, you know that the ‘drunk’ thought is yours?!?’
Nothing to be corrected ‘out there’ whether in ‘society’ or another, rather within…error, no matter the name or nature, is still an error within.
God is the only power or presence we ever truly encounter…and even as I write this, I realize the seeming ‘need’ I have to write this is my own—this is the constant work of renewing our mind…
Very insightful and helpful! Thank you Anna.
maybe it’s kind of like testimonies. On the one hand, the teaching is that there is no disease. On the other hand, it helps people facing a particular disease to hear how others have successfully dealt with a similar experience.
That’s how I see it, Robin. The teachings of Christian Science are about divine Love, as well as that there is no Life Truth, or Love in matter. In Science, matter is a temporal illusion, though stubbornly, persistently, and seemingly real. (Both Mary Baker Eddy and Einstein said something to that effect. ) The Christ part is about Love. God is Love. As far as Evan’s story goes, remember the Wisemen went home by a different way… sometimes wisdom guides us not to go back to the same store.
Our focus is on divine Love, not the illusion. Millions of women struggle with being thought of as second-class. I read the post as being encouraging and supportive.
Hi Cat,
It might help to understand that there is a distinction to be made between how one handles disease and how one handles sin. Sin is wrong thinking that needs to be exposed in order to be handled. If one is facing dishonesty, for instance, just saying, “Dishonesty is not real,” does not necessarily reform the dishonesty. The sin needs to be exposed to be handled and overturned. Otherwise, the sinner persists in their sin. Sin is an atittude that needs reformation. “Go and sin no more,” Jesus often said to sinners needing reformation.
The discrimination my wife faced did not make us angry and mad. It is not a reality in our mind. We know God’s universal love and care for one and all. However, as many readers have noted, millions of women are facing discrimination every day, and often wondering what to do about it. My hope was to share a few ideas that help everyone understand that women deserve the same respect as men. God’s Love is universal, impartial for one and all! Our goal here is to promote the good and the pure. Thanks for your thoughts!
Thank you Evan!
Perfect, loving response Evan. Thank you! 🙂
Well Evan, I wonder if you are “too close” to this matter to remain objective.
Your stated goal is to promote the good and the pure. Then do that. And give no thought to ere else.
Anything other than that is error… And, you are breaching the First Commandment.
Yours truly,
John B
Hi all,
I reflected long and hard on what Evan had written, and then what I had written. And the tender lesson in it all was being lead to line 324, lines 7-9 in Science and Health
“Unless the harmony and immortality of man are becoming more apparent, we are not gaining the true idea of God;”
Thank you, God, Thank you, Evan, thank all y’all.
John B
Thank you for explaining about handling sin. I would appreciate the difference in handling disease, as per your email.
and here’s my two-cents-worth cat:
I was once walking down a suburban street in Denver. There was a man walking on the other side of the road slightly ahead of me. Unexpectedly I got the strong feeling this man wanted to hit me over the head. I felt frightened so at the next block I turned left, & at the end of that block turned right to continue in the same direction I’d been walking in.
I then saw he’d turned left at his next block and would be following me. At that point I made the decision to run. I knew a community centre I could run to. I reached it & ran to their upstairs level from where I could see him pacing backwards & forwards outside. He eventually gave up and walked on.
My intuition had been correct, and the solution was immediately there. I hadn’t come across Christian Science at that point but God’s help was very much at hand.
In CS we call that type of intuition an angel message or thought, and following these angel messages is wisdom. In working our way out of this material sense of life, the illusions & delusions we meet call for the exercise of wisdom. We are spiritual, not material – but we still eat to live. Well, I do anyway.
When confronted with a problem, we can bring to mind what’s spiritually true and then take the next step that seems best for us to take. That man was, and is, God’s exact image and likeness, – but it was right for me to run to safety. That was my ‘demonstration’.
When the angry crowd took Jesus to throw him over a cliff, he walked through the crowd without them even noticing (Luke 4:29-30). Jesus certainly knew the true identity of those men, but he took appropriate action.
We just do our best, step by step!
Thank you, Cat. I just realized I have been holding a grudge against a business for 30! years because. of the actions of one employee (who may not even be there anymore!). I can now see that man reflects God, not error and let go of my meaningless animosity.
This is marvelous and I sent this Blog to many of my friends who are not from church. Last summer I gave someone a series of articles. She came across the concept of God as mother and asked me where in the Bible it said it because she had always believed it but couldn’t find support for it in Biblical writings. I pointed out a few such as Isaiah’s words “ as a mother comforted her children so will I comfort you” and the parables from Jesus that start with “ The Kingdom of heaven is like a woman”
Here is a quote from an article titled God’s law of ascending order by Barbara Cook Spencer , “Referring to the order in which the divine creation is unfolded in the first chapter of Genesis, Mary Baker Eddy writes in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures: “The Mind or intelligence of production names the female gender last in the ascending order of creation. The intelligent individual idea, be it male or female, rising from the lesser to the greater, unfolds the infinitude of Love” (p. 508). She also explains in Miscellaneous Writings 1883–1896, “In its genesis, the Science of creation is stated in mathematical order, beginning with the lowest form and ascending the scale of being up to man” (p. 57).
To me this means that the divine idea, female, is the highest visible manifestation of divine Love in the world today because it was the last idea created in the ascending order of being.
Yep!
Thanks, Evan-
There have been many times in my life when I have been discriminated against and/or not taken seriously because I am a woman.
Jesus never saw woman as less but equal. There are many instances in the Bible where that is demonstrated. I have heard that much of women’s contributions in Biblical times were erased due to the prevalence of the Patriarchy. But we do have Esther, Abigail, the Mary’s and others to draw from.
Doing a deep dive on male and female, manhood/womanhood, masculine and feminine, etc., in The Bible and Mrs. Eddys writings is something I have begun to undertake in my spiritual study as of late. It is eye opening. We are equal in Gods eyes right now and that is all that matters. The human will catch up with the divine. Maybe not today but it will inevitably.
The Apocrypha is missing from the King James Bible and some of those books were written by women.
I am grateful as students of Christian Science we study Science and Health so we get a women’s perspective on the Bible. I think this is beneficial for both females and males. And I don’t think most of the United States, outside those who study Science and Health, get as much of a female perspective which is why we are in this situation.
So many women get allowances from men rather than salaries from work even today. And being a homemaker is a very underpaid position which is often taken for granted. And I believe that works against empowerment of women and the male perspective of how capable women are in the world.
I am grateful Mary Baker Eddy was such an example of female empowerment in her time and now. And I am grateful my father saw through this early on and worked to empower myself and my sister. Wonderful to hear of the examples above of women in the workplace. And it is wonderful to hear the respect Evan has for his wife in this post.
just a slight change in perspective: I’ve often had men — particularly with car repair and plumbing — be very kind and protective of me, explaining what I need to know to NOT be taken advantage of. I don’t think being “commanding” is in my repertoire. I don’t know much about what’s traditionally been make territory, but I’ve learned a lot from men. So it’s also true that men can be as kind and caring as women, and of course honesty has no gender.
Thanks for sharing Robin, as this has been my experience too.
Also, with both parents working, couples work together as a team when it comes to parenting and household chores.
Love all these comments. Thanks everyone!
Like Cat, I was confused by the fact there didn’t seem to be any forgiveness and instead an expression of resentment in these lines:
> He totally blew her off thinking she couldn’t make the decision.
> We have never gone back to that business.
And like Cat, I’m not trying to be snarky here. I’m just trying to understand what CS, Jesus, etc., means by “forgiveness.” According to Webster’s 1828 dictionary, forgive means:
To pardon; to remit, as an offense or debt; to overlook an offense, and treat the offender as not guilty.
Based on that decision, if Evan and his wife were practicing forgiveness, they would have treated the salesman as “not guilty” and gone back to the business to make their purchase. Perhaps before doing that they would have prayed to see the salesman as God’s perfect child and incapable of acting in a way that is contrary to God, Love. Or perhaps they did pray and their prayers led them to conclude the salesman needed to change his ways before they should go back. Hmmm…I’m really confused by when I should forgive and FORGET and when I should forgive and not forget.
Below is a link to another SpiritView blog on the topic of forgiveness that seems to contradict the blog today.
https://spiritview.net/always-forgive/
Hi James,
Please do not make too much out of the statement about not going back to the business. My blogs are conversational, short, and cover usually a singular point. The point today was about equal respect for men and women. The comment was just me being honest about what happened. But I harbor no animosity.
You are correct about forgiveness. My wife and I are not harboring any anger toward that business, or the salesman. We found another business across the street that loved to see us, and treated my wife as they would any other person. It was a joy to meet them and do business with them. And that’s what happened. We are open to visiting that business again someday in the future, if that seemed like the right place to go. And yes, we can easily look at that salesman and love him as much as anyone else we meet in public. He is a child of God too! Thanks for your thoughts.
We are All equal in God’s Truth. However, if we notice that males ‘seem to be’ favored
over females or age is favored as well….it still should not mean that “We had men for
president, so now we need a female”….it’s not a matter of switching the roles of power. And
deciding that Male or Female should be used to try to balance “Power in the World”….
God is the Only Power….stay in God’s Power, and the heck with human bodies. God sees
us as God’s Perfect Eternal Child, and we should see the same as God. We are Each God’s
Eternal Perfect Child….not matter what our bodies have to indicate.
Thanks, Evan, Jacqueline, and all, for opening your hearts to this delicate topic that is not so easy.
Like Jacqueline’s comment, we are each God’s child, and the sex’s identity comes in second place. After all
God’s has no sex orientation because itself is totally
Spirit, so that could be the end of the discussion. However, if a man or woman disrespects another, let’s face the situation in the best way possible at the human level. Still, at the same time, it will keep an eye, knowing and keeping us connected to the Source, God the infinite intelligence; by doing that, we let the spiritual power take place and see the disturbing human picture fade away, where we start to see no difference between sexes because God’s harmony will bless and control the situation.
Another area where a single woman is sometimes treated differently is on entering a CS church alone and seemingly ignored. Yet, when she returned to the same church with her husband, they were warmly welcomed.
Good point, SEW, I am a woman and went alone to a CS church for years. I felt like a ghost walking around, no one acknowledged me. If I would start a polite conversation, such as about the weather or “nice service today”, the member would weakly smile and nod and walk away. Or a wife would whisk her husband away before he could answer. .Just an example of what
a woman alone faces at times. Maybe a lone man would feel the same, I don’t know.
I should add to my post that I ended up joining another CS church in a nearby town and served as Reader, Usher, Sunday School teacher and in different boards. I did continue to go to lectures at the original church.
A few months ago, a SV participant referred to a book (probably children‘s book) about a dream in which the dreaming girl could see the negative effects of not watching her thoughts. Bad and evil thoughts would sometimes sneak in and destroy the harmony/perfection and the garden/house resulted in a mess.
I wanted to share it with a friend, but unfortunately I couldn‘t remember the name of it anymore.
Konrad, I believe you may be thinking of the book “On the Way There,” written by Katherine M. Yates first published in 1904. Mrs. Eddy refers to it in the link below. I purchased a copy of the book from Longyear Museum. You might be able to find it there, as well.
https://sentinel.christianscience.com/shared/view/163rssx2yia?s=copylink
Thank you Cheryl,
This is exactly what I had been looking for and couldn‘t find anymore. So glad to be able to share it now to a friend in need.
I do not see Evan and Kathy’s choice to take their business elsewhere as not being forgiving. If you knew someone was handling their business dishonestly, you would choose to not do business with them. This salesman was handling his business dishonestly by dismissing women. I trust that Evan and Kathy claimed the perfection of this salesman as a perfect expression of God, but that does not mean they should forgive or knowingly participate in dishonest business practices. Jesus did not choose to do business with the money changers, but rather physically removed the dishonest behavior.
very interesting comments thank you
I believe that `image` is a masculine word in Hebrew and ` likeness` is a feminine word. I had often wondered why we are both,` God s image and likeness` when they seem to mean the same. but they don t. so we all have these masculine and feminine qualities . both,, maybe in equal measure we will find out. It s only in this mortal dream that we re separated out with different characteristics relating to male and female, and we have different material forms . and as we know now there are many in this generation rebelling against this kind of limited labelling. To me
.this separate male and female is a kind of hoax, nothing to do with the child of God s creating.
Thank you Gillian for commenting about the terms “image” and “likeness.” Very enlightening!
Many interesting comments about the status of women and how they are treated and or perceived by others. I have had an interesting life in the work- a -day world – from military experience in the US Navy to running a computer generated milling machine at an air plane manufacturer to a Personal Assistant for a Human Resources Representative to a college faculty member teaching at the baccalaureate degree level and other non-descript every day jobs. At all my different positions I found some that some men did snub women, some did not. and some were very jealous too-of the knowledge a woman had or their work ethic – it all depended on my approach to the job at hand. I sometimes found that women also looked down on other women more than men did and especially if the woman had more talents or treated people better than they did – and most of the time I feel that those jobs I had were good, fun, and were wonderful learning experiences. Even today, my very wonderful husband gets annoyed when I walk behind him – he thinks I do this because of some past experiences, however, I like to look with my eyes and see things around me perhaps wanting not to miss out on somethings. I think what my mom wrote about me in the baby book she gave to me years ago perhaps states how I am – the statement was the first complete sentence I spoke as a toddler – “I go out and I do it!” Being self assured is not always appreciated around those that lack self assurance and determination, always looking for the better in everyone and thing. The approach to a fulfilling life is not to be afraid, but trusting in our abilities and love for everything good and grand and sharing your enthusiasm with others nullifies any distractions or causes for unhappiness. Blessings to all.
“Individuality and Identity” by L. Ivimy Walter, from the May 13, 1972 issue of The Christian Science Sentinel:
https://sentinel.christianscience.com/shared/view/161l7dnijtc?s=copylink
This experience would appear to be someone’s poor “thought model”, aka out-dated thinking and incorrect assumptions. As a learning experience, and to foster a change in thinking, it may have been beneficial to have spoken to the sales manager to enlighten the business establishment on why they lost a sale.
I can see how things can be confusing. mortal mind has a way of doing that.
CS is not always easy to comprehend, especially in a world that is so materially
oriented. After many years of being dominated by another, and being more of
a mouse than a lion, I had no choice but to stand up for my principles. As Mrs. Eddy
was adamant in letting the mortal senses of fame, fortune or anything that would
try to make her any more or less of a person, because she was a woman … I think …
so should we – not be swayed by superficialities of mortal sense. We need to see
beyond the physicality, into the fact that we are All children of God, not determined
by our skin color, eye color, our gender, mortal characteristics, aspects, features, etc.
Thankfully the world is starting to wake up from these limiting factors that would see
us as anything less than how God, our Creator, has created us, as reflections of this
Power of Truth and Love.
(Also, feel it appropriate to mention here, with this topic,) that I think replacing
“Mrs. Eddy”, which has been so endearing to her followers for so many years,
with just “Eddy”is/was one way of de-gendering her many accomplishments
as a “woman” and like with other ways of lessening such achievements in seeing
we all, as equal in our successes, we need to see each other in a spiritual light of
unbiased identity. In one way, acknowledging our equality is beneficial, but
in another way, accentuating the male/female qualities that we all express
is also helpful in seeing ourselves in God’s perfection. I think we all are a work
in progress, when it comes to this seeming “material world”.
Mrs. Eddy says on page 482:14 of Science and Health, “ Never breathe an immoral atmosphere, unless with the intent to purify it.” I trust that Evan treated his thought by declaring the truth of Gods creation including women, but unless called upon spiritually, one would not try to treat or fix the salesman. We can trust that God is speaking to all His creation, including the salesman, and leading him to the Truth. It’s okay to be led to or not be led to return to his store.
Thanks Candace for your thoughts. I was watching a lecture by Alexandre Fischer, “How spiritual perception brings healing” and he talks about “deconstructing a belief” which also gives a higher view of dealing with situations. It starts around 41:58.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peO8WmNalz8
This is great Evan! I appreciate this and the testimony .
Wonderful Spiritview This is great Evan! I appreciate this and the testimony .
thank you Anna for the drunk man image that does not need to be corrected! Yes!
Still, I think there is a time in a woman’s life when she can almost feel invisible – her children leaving, marriage adjusting, – so much of what was her primary focus is not anymore. It can be difficult for her to focus on her own goals at this point. Sometimes a bigger problem for women than feeling less powerful than males – even if the woman has always felt competent
Ive found a new freedom since our children have grown to focus more on prayer and serving church, becoming a chaplain. There is so much to do when.your focus is serving God. You will never feel invisible With love, S
Studying this weeks lesson..and Mary Magdalin..a shift was taking place,.. that Mary..her ‘sins’,..never explicit, …she heard Jesus was near and found him…. as if she ‘understood’ where no words can describe .. she went where she wasn’t allowed , …did what was unheard of.. was on her knees in an adoration of the ‘Spirit’.. not the man Jesus.. her sheer Joy overflowing, understanding what the Christ was about. ..the pharisaic directors today might still scratch their head..and probably skip that part.
Be-ing in the moment is the affirmation of selflessness, like Mary.,,the sacrament of mortality.. .. is realizing its nothingness, so looking back.. what was sacrificed..’Nothing.’..
the new self ,..seeing ,..the new world … God made the fullness of this infinite creation already perfect . ..forgive for they know not what they do,, That God is all in all, ..Spiritual Reality governs all. Peace Be Still.
Beyond the seemingly false bravado.. assuming an entitlement of respect. without this revelation. really is a deeper folly to overcome… If women’ have’ a nurturing quality, blessed are they… putting aside for others….is no sacrifice, to supply all, needs every moment, is Infinite Love operating…
Good Men may watch over and pray, gird with thy heavenly armour, ‘Don’t worry be Happy.’
Be Satisfied..as Mrs Eddy wrote, in her hymn..thank you, everyone for the opening door…
and standing porter
We are all faced with personal bias at some point in our lives or many points. For me the point is to recognize and rise above it and not replicate it. Learning to love beyond bias knowing that bias is often not recognized by the holder of that bias. It also means that we my hold some form of bias unknown to ourselves. Forgiveness is a good way to finish the experience without malice. In many professions it is a learning or teaching experience when presented correctly as such.
Thank you Josef, very powerful way to put the meters at ZERO !
I just want to come back to Evan’s topic of the equalisation of both sexes. I looked up in the Concordance to the Writings of Mary Baker Eddy.
In No and Yes there is the following passage: ” In natural law and in religion the right of woman to fill the highest.measure of enlightened understanding and the highest places in government, is inalienable, and these rights are ably vindicated by the noblest of both sexes. This is woman’s hour, with all it’s sweet amenities and it’s moral and religious reforms.” (p. 45). I think that passage indicates the highest Standard of the woman who God created to His Image and likeness.
I also read that in the absolute divine Science the sexes disappear and man (meaning both sexes) as idea, the Image of LOVE; being not physique. He (man) is the compound idea of God, including all right ideas; the generic term for all that reflects God’s Image and likeness.” SH p.475 with the question “What is Man?”
For me this passage clarifies the total equalisation of both sexes.
Here is another clear passage in Missellany p. 239 :
“Gender means a kind. Hence mindkind – in other words, a kind of man who is identified by sex – is the material , so-called man born of the flesh, and is not the spiritual man, created by God, Spirit, who made all that was made.”
Yes, we talked here today about fairely equalisation of the sexes. But for me it’s comforting to look into the spiritual reality of Being in order to understand the perfect God created man!
Thank you , dear Evan for your so clear understandable and loving corrections of the two commenters here.
And it’s really a healing Blog with wonderful spiritual views. Thank you very much indeed!♡
And I’m overwhelmed about the abundance of interesting and inspiring comments – thank you all!♡
Thank you Uta for sharing this research. it is a very important concept, Truth, to have in thought.
A very interesting example of having to watch one’s own thought in light of intense discrimination is the book “Cracking the Camouflage Ceiling”, Faith, Persistence and Progress in the Army Chaplaincy During the Early Integration of Women in the Military, by Chaplain (Colonel) Janet Yarlott Horton US Army (Ret). The author was a Christian Science Chaplain in the Army, and recounted many wonderful examples of rising above challenges and forgiving, but never yielding to being a doormat. My favorite story was the coyote experience in the southwest. The author had discovered that when military personnel were convinced that a woman was able to do the job, they were quicker to accept her than the chaplains were, some of whom believed that not only should women not be in the military, but even more fundamental to them, not in the clergy. When she preached the gospel to a pack of coyote’s surrounding her (while her fellow chaplains were up in trees).the men said, “ if you can get a pack of wild dogs to listen to the gospel, then you can probably get soldiers to listen as well!” She got through to the coyotes because she “just loved dogs” and the lead dog nodded as she told them God made them very good. The coyote’s trotted off and the men came down out of the trees. :>)
Hi Kay, thanks for reminding me about Chaplain Janet Horton. I saw a video a while back where she was being interviewed about her experiences in the military and how she applied her CS understanding to many situations, she was fascinating to listen to. She told the story about the coyotes. I managed to find the link to the talk. There are other good talks on the page too, scroll down to find Janet Horton May 2, 2021.
https://www.discoverybound.org/programs/virtual-inspiring-talks/
J, Thanks for the Fischer lecture! It was a good example of how to address this type of challenge.
Yw Candace. For a quick link below, Alexandre Fischer talks about “deconstructing a belief”. The whole lecture is excellent, but this comment starts around 41:58.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peO8WmNalz8
In reading all of these wonderful thoughts and comments, it is very enlightening and I
thank you all. I have found that other women have told me that I do a lot of things that
they would feel incapable of doing. I give credit to the strength and guidance of God’s
help. A lot of it is by necessity rather than by choice, but it is always a great sense of accomplishment to see something completed that I didn’t know if I was capable of.
Above, where Robin mentions her experience with men being protective in experiences
such as car repairs or plumbing … I sometimes find that to be true, also … When I
needed to get a different car after my car had been totaled, I did prayerful work that I
would be able to be knowledgable and guided of which to chose. I asked the salesman
if I could look under the hood, not really having any idea what I was looking at, but figured
if it had an engine – it would be good. : ) The one I was guided to choose turned out to
be a good choice and met my needs perfectly for the time needed.
Thank you, too, for the links and lecture by Alexandre Fischer, dear J, that I found very
helpful.
On page 218 in Science and Health, Mrs. Eddy writes: “Treat a belief in sickness as you would sin, with sudden dismissal. Resist the temptation to believe in matter as intelligent, as having sensation or power.”
The marginal note in the paragraph above is: “Sickness akin to sin”