Halloween may only come once a year, but a boogeyman scarier than any trick-or-treater haunts some Christian Science churches weekly and year-round as it has, regrettably, for decades. That anomalous specter is coldness and indifference shown to visitors and even fellow church members.
With torpidity, apathy, decline, and decay staring glumly at church members week after week, why would they add the cold shoulder to an already uninviting environment? And this isn't a problem which can be remedied by forced or artificial warmth or phony and insincere bonhomie, but only by letting "Love [be] reflected in love".
If Christian Scientists don't express spontaneous warmth and Christian love for those attending their churches (and everyone, for that matter), then all that's left is a really scary fellowship of zombies.
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8 comments:
What an arresting title! Couldn't wait to read what you had to say. You've put your finger on a real problem in churches these days, and probably not only CS ones. Too little Christly warmth. How can those who profess to follow the most loving man the world has ever seen be cold to their fellowman? Don't understand it at all. But as you point out, Love is reflected in love, and we can always turn up the heat and make sure we are spreading the love.
Thanks.
A most important point made in a most delightful way! Enjoyed this thoroughly.
A.W.
(New England)
Boy, did you hit the nail on the head. On our vacation recently to New England, experience what you write about. Just about the coldest congregation we've seen. There's absolutely no reason for this, none at all. What does it cost to show a little interest in your fellowman, for heaven's sake!
Boo Hoo to the bad bad Christian Scientists!
How about this angle? These days church members don't know if a "visitor" is from "Boston" and spying on them and the visitor may be harboring similar views from either side of the coin. Unfortunately Mrs. Eddy's prediction of a schism by not following the Christ and her Manual have come to pass. But either way, isn't New England home of the old saying that goes something like this, "Where the Cabots speak only to the Lodges and the Lodges speak only to God." Wouldn't want to be too forward, you know!
Think the previous commenter may have a point: the possibility that some stooge from Boston may in the congregation trying to find out who's "loyal" and who isn't (that is, to persons presently in charge) could have a stultifying effect on things.
There might even be visitors from "Boston" reading and posting here!
I'm reminded of something that came to me when I was going through CS Class Instruction many moons ago, and that was that we didn't have to worry so much about attacks from outside the church as we did from those from within--how prophetic in these times. Of course, MBE is our Leader, first, last and always. About the current lessons coming from Boston, however, I haven't seen much that forwards Christian Science in reality since the Board started meddling with the lesson committee--and we keep reading about the "book" during a lesson on Christian Science instead of what CS really is. This is away from the original topic, sorry. Churches, many of them, seem gripped with fear--you don't know who you can talk to without offending. Others, just trying to stay afloat, may not be alert to greeting people at their services. This "article" is a good wakeup call.
Thank you.
So. Az
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