Words are very important in Christian Science, one of the most commonly used words is perfect, for example, man is made in God's perfect image and likeness. In Christian Science, perfect is used as an adjective -- man is ideal, flawless ,without fault, exemplary. Man's state of perfection is presented as FACT, to accept anything less … Continue reading Finding Balance in Perfection
Category: Christian Science
the backfiring of denial
The following is a guest post by regular reader and sometimes contributor, the Amazing Bacon. For more about Bacon, please visit the Guest Posts & Contributors tab at the top of the page. Having been raised in CS, denial of material self is touted as one of the greatest virtues: denial of pain, injury, hunger, … Continue reading the backfiring of denial
The Narcissism of The God of My Wants
We are taught that we should not covet material wealth, nor should we make false gods/idols out of material possessions, however, vast material wealth is seen as a reflection of vast Spiritual advancement. The Christian Scientist's willingness to rely on God to provide - to those leaning on the sustaining infinite today is big with … Continue reading The Narcissism of The God of My Wants
Christian Science & the Apostles’ Creed
This is part of a series of posts exploring the questions of Is Christian Science Christian? Not Christian? A Cult? All posts will be tagged Christian or Cult? I've heard (and read) quite a few critiques of Christian Science "not really being Christian" (see links below - 1) but I never really bothered with it … Continue reading Christian Science & the Apostles’ Creed
Portraits of Our Beloved Leader
Propaganda & the image of Mary Baker Eddy I was required to take an art history class for my major in college, it didn't really pertain to my major, but it fell into some outdated requirements so I spent 50 minutes every morning for ten weeks in a dimly-lit, too-warm room, being lectured at (basically … Continue reading Portraits of Our Beloved Leader
All the Rugged Way
The following guest post is a short story by Joseph Woodbury III., shared with his permission. A frail, elderly lady, pale and birdlike, walked slowly down the busy street, quietly singing a hymn to herself, “Shepherd, show me how to go, O’er the hillside steep. How to gather, how to sow, How to feed Thy … Continue reading All the Rugged Way
Wanna be a Sheep
The other day the Awkward Moments Children's Bible Facebook page shared a collection of horrifying "Christian Music" videos gathered from YouTube. I followed some of the links to their logical conclusions, and came across "I Just Want To (Be A Sheep)" The sheep theme reminded me of the guest post by the (obviously a pseudonym) … Continue reading Wanna be a Sheep
It’s All in Your Head: A Statement on Which Both Christian Scientists and I Can Agree
Another wonderful perspective on Christian Science from an outsider. I feel all warm and fuzzy inside. This one is worth the read!
Out of curiosity, I ask the woman I have been speaking to for a minute about the “Science” in “Christian Science”. She approached me at the end of the talk because the presenter had asked everyone in the room to introduce oneself to a stranger and talk about one’s inner qualities.
I don’t remember if this particular woman got around to enumerating her inner qualities, but I do remember her talking to a fellow attendee before the talk started. She was saying she has only had good tenants in the building she owns. Of course, she immediately added, she prayed for this to happen.
The reason this particular Christian sect claims to be scientific is because it purports to have uncovered Jesus’ laws, truths so powerful and immutable, they are said to be scientific.
I am reminded of something the speaker said earlier. “The body can’t resist great ideas.” Mine…
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Games Christians Play: Three Common Examples of Confirmation Bias
While many argue that Christian Science isn’t really “Christian” the “logic” used in their Confirmation Bias follows a similar track. It uses slightly different language, but the logic is very similar.
People often ask me why I left my faith. There are no good short answers to that question, but one of the simplest ways to explain what happened is to describe the games I was taught to play to protect my beliefs and to keep them immune to falsification. Stepping outside of my own thought processes long enough to see how these games work probably went further than anything else I did to convince me that my religion was all inside my own head. “Know thyself,” the Greeks wisely advised. That’s certainly where it started for me.
Confirmation bias can be a powerful thing. When you have a strong personal need to believe something, you set out to verify your belief with a mixture of motives. You want to know if what you believe is true, but the cost of disappointment may be so high that you become susceptible to…
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A Parable
I came across this in a collection of essays entitled The Truth about Jesus : Is He a Myth? compiled by M. M. Mangasarian, I found it again, online at http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net. I am reminded of the opening of Lord of the Rings (the movie): much that once was is now lost, for none now live … Continue reading A Parable
kind-ism 