Cruelty, much of it extreme and sadistic, has battened upon itself and become pandemic. It is the world's mad aunt in the attic, which many Christians and doubtless other decent people would prefer not to think about because of its repellent and highly unsettling nature--and of the feeling of helplessness to do something about it that usually accompanies it. Some cruelty is national/tribal, religious, or sectarian, some the disqueting depravity of individuals directed toward the defenseless--women, children, and animals. Mankind could enter an age of horrific and stygian darkness if this evil is not vigorously addressed and ultimately stamped out. Could this not be what the now common extremes of weather and severe geologic upheavals are foreshadowing?
More closely related to cruelty and sadism than its cowardly perpetrators, who often hide behind the skirts of religion, would ever admit is the Cerberus of bigotry, intolerance, and smug self-righteousness. The fomenters of cruelty, persecution, and massacre cannot be excused because they did not lend their dirty hands directly to the evil deeds.
"In my view, it is one's neighbors that one can't possibly love, but only perhaps these [sic, those?] who live far away. . . . To love a man, it's necessary that he should be hidden, for as soon as he shows his face, love is gone." (Ivan Karamazov speaking in Dostoyevsky's "The Brothers Karamazov", David Magarshack trans.) One Christian Scientist whose loving and compassionate thought sees clearly through the lie of cruelty and sadistic behavior and beholds only God's perfect man right where the Great Red Dragon of these evils seems to be, can begin healing this troubled world. Try to imagine what the result would be if thousands of sincere, humble, and thoroughly dedicated Christian Scientists did so. Well over a century ago Mrs. Eddy sounded an unambiguous and urgent tocsin that "the battle of Armageddon is upon us". (See Mis. 176-77) What does it say about Christian Scientists that her dire warning seems not to have been heeded or taken seriously? Humanity may already have begun bringing in the sheaves of this apocalyptic harvest of the whirlwind.
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21 comments:
A most thought-provoking essay. A serious subject, but you have presented it well.
Another fine blog post, very timely and a call to use what we've learned in our study of Christian Science.
Thanks much,
Another good one, professor.
Enjoyed reading this, so thanks.
Yes, it's challenging to watch the news these days, there's so much grim happenings. But did not Jesus warn that there would be great upheaval, and even men's hearts failing them for those things coming to pass? We can't say we haven't been warned.
Along the lines of the previous comment, our Leader says plainly that there will be Science and peace on one side, and dismay on the other. Thank God we're on the CS side!
A pleasure reading such a well-written blog post.
Thanks for doing what you are doing.
You are amazing in that you just keep these high-level blog posts coming. I recall something Helen Wood Bauman once said in a writer's conference, when asked how she could come up with so many ideas for articles and she said, "It's like holding a teacaup under Niagra Falls, so infinite is divine Mind." You must see this to some extent.
Thank you for giving the Field so much to think about and hopefully cause deeper thought and practicing of what CS brings out.
You've touched on something very important here for CS's to ponder--and do. Appreciate your using your considerable talents to lift up the thinking of your many readers.
With all we've been given in the Holy Bible and the writings of Mary Baker Eddy, we have all we need to rise above the evil in the world today and to help heal these conditions. So, I say to myself, I am going to do a better job at using what I've learned.
Well done, Christian. But then, yours almost always are, in my view.
Hi there,
Many good points in this, and I totally agree that the extreme weather conditions we've been seeing come from mortal mind. Doesn't Mrs. Eddy say physical force and mortal mind are one?
You're doing such a good job with your website, and I always get something worthwhile from reading your essays.
I agree that we CS's can do a much better job at using what we've been given, and your reminders ought to help us in that direction.
Many thanks,
And there are these words from Mary Baker Eddy's pen: "The physical universe expresses the conscious and unconscious thoughts of mortals. Physical force and mortal mind are one." (Science and Health, page 484) If this doesn't explain the upheaval/disasters/suffering we're seeing these days!
You will never know all the people you've helped -- and educated along the way.
Appreciate you, Christian
You are one good writer! Really like your website and hope you keep it going for a long time to come.
Can't help thinking you must be a very good Sunday School teacher, as I detect a school teacher in the admonitions you give out. They are certainly needed to inspire CS's to do better work.
Dear Blogger,
Meant to add a comment on your previous blog post and didn't get there in time, so will put it on this one. Something from our textbook stood out as relevant to your discussion and it is this: "In a world of sin and sensuality hastening to a greater development of power,it is wise earnestly to consider whether it is the human mind or the divine Mind which is influencing one." And on the next page, "Science only can explain the incredible good and evil elements now coming to the surface. Mortals must find refuge in Truth in order to escape the error of these latter days." (S&H, pages 82, 83)
Good job with this latest, Christian. We need more like you, thinking deeply and presenting it with such clarity and freshness.
Thanks!
I really get a lot from your blog. Thanks for your latest, and what I want to comment on is someting on a previous blog post. Sharon Howell quoted something from Science and Health which was an excellent illustration of the premise of your blog post, and I thought it would be good to add the sentence preceding that quotation, as it bears on your essay. Our Leader calls for our avoiding "loquacious tattling about disease, as we would avoid advocating crime."
As we CS's know, it's easier to keep error out of our consciousness than it is to get it out sometimes!
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