By an anonymous Ex-Christian Scientist Group Contributor.
People like to see things the way they want to see them, and spiritualizing it with a theology called ‘Christian Science’ gives a pseudo-rationale to the otherwise preposterous thought that we can have everything perfect just by imagining it so. That’s quite a selling point, isn’t it? All your problems can just vanish if you follow Christian Science’s dogma.
Christian Science leads to huge arrogance; at least it did in my family. We were well-to-do, which simply added to this attitude. Christian Scientists believe one is as smart as they want to be, one is privy to the most advanced understandings—which Jesus allegedly stumbled upon accidentally back in His day, and which Mary Baker Eddy would later ‘perfect’—and you’re just plain better than everyone else! No suffering, no sin, no poverty or shortage – heck, you won’t even die. There isn’t ANYTHING that Christian Science doesn’t promise!
If the thought that all this is unrealistic—or, heaven forbid, untrue—comes into your mind, that’s Animal Magnetism; banish the thought, and double-down on your Science & Health. It’ll all make sense someday. And, since Christian Science is, by definition, ‘Truth itself,’ anything that doesn’t support it is clearly untrue! Why would one waste their time? It’s what I call the Christian Science put-down: ‘no, you misunderstand…’ usually used when they can’t explain to you what they’re talking about. It’s a way to dodge a rational debate, and cop an attitude of superiority at the same time.
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.
I had an influential English teacher in high school for a few years–who is still writing well into her 80s for Christian Science magazines, etc–who was, and still is, one of the most arrogant people I have ever known. I naturally give people–even really bad people–the benefit of the doubt, being a firm believer in transformation. So, even after she poked fun of me in high school on numerous occasions, and made fun of my little sister only for being related to me, I stayed in touch with this woman for nearly 2 decades. Finally, in the late 90s, I broke off correspondence with her when, after I sent her a nice selection of my poetry which I had chosen for their spiritual and Biblical value, she wrote back and told me that the work was good but that I was not in any way spiritual. Well, enough is enough, and I have only run across her name now and again online. May God bless her. We all need his blessings, his grace, his love.
What do we do with difficult people in our lives? Well, we have two choices. One, we can let them turn us into cynical and hateful people like themselves–arrogant and foolish. Or, we can pray for them and allow Jesus and his Blood to soften our hearts and, in spite of it all, prepare us for eternal life with him.
If you would like to know the name of this teacher and author, I would be happy to supply it.