The following is a collection of contributions from members of the Ex-Christian Science collective about Church and Sunday School.
When I was about ten, and a student of the Christian Science Sunday School since I was two, I was so indoctrinated that I thought the last sentence of the Scientific Statement of Being was “Sunday School is dismissed!”
A friend’s father died, and since we had been taught so much about the unreality of death, I decided I should handle it that way. I did not tell my parents, and was expecting to see the departed one walking around any minute. My parents found out about the death from someone else and asked me why I didn’t tell them. I explained all I learned in Sunday School about death! My non-Christian Scientist dad then gave me a talk on reality— real reality.
I was miffed! I talked to a practitioner about this later and she advised me “You don’t walk on the water.” How much should we be expected to handle—or not handle—at the age of ten? Doing some thinking, we had a lesson called ‘Are Sin Disease and Death Real?’ which taught us the obvious answer: no. It made for a very confusing childhood!
– Anonymous
I really liked Sunday School and always enjoyed talking about philosophy and religion. Most of my Sunday School teachers were nice and interesting people. Of course, I always had a nagging feeling that even though I talked the talk, I would someday disappoint everyone in terms of Christian Science.
– Marie
There was a little girl in my Sunday School class; I was shy and awkward and she was pretty and popular. She picked on me very overtly, I mean loudly made fun of me and other things that were downright mean. When I finally got the courage to ask my dad to tell the Superintendent about it, the Superintendent chose to respond by sending me a letter to my home address. She said I was letting personal sense get in the way of enjoying Sunday School, and that I must remember that “we can’t always arrange things exactly the way we would want them to be.”
– Ashley
This site offers support resources to help individuals negotiate a transition in a manner that best fits their needs and convictions. We do not advocate any one particular path but acknowledge that there are many legitimate pathways that can be personally and spiritually fulfilling.
Wow. I love the story of the child expecting the dead dad to go walking around. I remember wondering why that wasn’t the case. Exactly..
And the answer to “are sin, disease and death real?” “NO!”
Oh my gosh. This is the very core of brainwashing.
BRAIN WASHING.
I want my family out of this cult so desperately. It hurts so much to see them get all their brainwashing regularly. And they feel sad for me that I am out, and I am positive they feel that I have lost my way. It’s heart breaking to me.
—–
Child: “someone is bullying me AT CHURCH.”
Adult: “suck it up, kid, reality isn’t real, so change your perspective.”
😡😡😡
Not cool!!
Too many churches do this to the beautiful and innocent children they are supposed to be teaching and help guide. Is it a wonder we have all walked away?
To churches:
Don’t let the bully – bully you!!!! Tell them off! Get them to STOP!!
Protect the children!
If you are a adult sitting in a Christian Science membership meeting, and there is an angry pig headed bully there, LEAVE.
Everyone should LEAVE. the church is HORRIBLE to allow pig headed bullies to have the last word. Fold the damned church.
The Ex CS community will be here to help you while you actually HEAL!
Yes – we are a bonafide loving, kind, empathetic, gracious community. Imagine that.
I am so happy and liberated and genuinely joy-filled now that I have LEFT CS church and found the Ex CS community. They help me every time I need help.