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I had given plenty of time for the ‘work’ to ‘work’

By Paul, an Ex-Christian Scientist Group Contributor.

As a kid, I had serious physical issues that arose from horse-riding accidents, playing sports, as well as dental procedures, etc., that all went off without the benefit of pain relievers or medical attention. The only time I was afforded medical care was when I broke my forearm. I consumed an adult beverage before I’d had so much as an Advil.

I remember one night I woke up about 2:00 AM and was itching like crazy. I couldn’t stop no matter what, and it was everywhere. Before the start of school I furtively bought some Noxema because I was so damn tired of having an unnecessarily poor complexion and felt I had given plenty of time for the Christian Science ‘work’ to ‘work’. So I decided to use my right to seek other treatment—as all of us in Christian Science were assured we could, so long as we never intended to actually follow through! I have no idea why, but I decided to slather that stuff all over myself, and it was a friggin’ miracle! That belief of itching stopped almost instantly!

I will say that generally, my parents and family must have been extraordinarily compassionate as Christian Scientists go, because I never was made to feel as if I was being a pain in the ass for ‘seeming to experience a belief of sickness’. That’s not to say that there aren’t dozens of other ways that I don’t feel as if I am constantly waging a battle in my head. It’s strange, in fact, how often I find myself having to explain that I grew up a Christian Scientist because I don’t share a common reference point or I have an issue with something that’s still a problem all these years later. Anxiety and depression were companions while I was still putting up the facade of trying to practice Christian Science, but it wasn’t until many years later that the big breakdown came and a tidal wave of pain and trauma came flooding out of me.

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There isn’t ANYTHING that Christian Science doesn’t promise

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.