Category: outside of Christian Science

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.

godless in dixie

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.

dilbert_diss

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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look at all my trials & tribulations, sinking in a gentle pool of wine

(1) It surprises some of my fellow former-Christian Scientists that while I have left the Mother Church, and no longer follow (or believe) in the teachings of Ms. Eddy, I continue to refrain from imbibing alcohol. I don't drink wine, beer, or cocktails. I don't enjoy vodka, tequila, or spirits. I've had a few sips … Continue reading look at all my trials & tribulations, sinking in a gentle pool of wine

Church of Christ, Scientist (aka Christian Science)

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I love when non-CS go to a CS service and share their views, it is always refreshing to get a new perspective and to hear what stands out as “odd” to them.

Steeple Stretch

photo 3-2 First Church of Christ, Scientist

Sunday #14 – Church of Christ, Scientist, 501 N. Alamo, San Antonio, TX

After last week’s “toe dip” into Scientology, I thought I’d check out one of the other religions often mistaken for Scientology – Christian Science. The church is one of several on the decline in America’s religious landscape. However, you might be surprised to learn that some pretty well known people were raised in the Christian Science faith: Doris Day, Robin Williams, Marilyn Monroe, Henry Fonda, Andy Rooney, Bette Davis, Gene Autrey, Carol Channing, Ginger Rogers, Val Kilmer, Joan Crawford, Elizabeth Taylor, Marlon Brando, and on and on.

Though the church doesn’t publish its membership numbers, I’ve read estimates of membership in the 100,00 to 500,000-range worldwide. However, many feel the number is closer to the lower level. Why is this? I can only guess its due to its unwillingness of the…

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• View from the Pew: Dispatches of a Church-going Atheist–Christian Science

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An atheist live-tweets the Sunday Service based on the Weekly Bible Lesson “Reality.” He lucked out and got a congregation that could sing and had a good accompanist, I speak from experience when I say not everyone is so lucky.

DIYThinking

Third in an ongoing series of dispatches from the pew (Week 1–Mormon Church, Week 2–Jehovah’s Witnesses).

Part 1 is a catalog of my live tweets from a Christian Science sermon titled “Reality”.

Part 2 details my impressions of a brief conversation with two Scientists (!) about the church’s finances and evidence for its claims.

Part 1

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Mary Baker Eddy, The Mother Church, Vaccinations, Doctors & Practical Health Care

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This post was originally going to try and show Christian Scientists that Mary Baker Eddy was not totally against doctors and people doing their best to meet their needs at their own current spiritual level, and abide by the law. So far I've come across one article from the from The Christian Science Journal, Volume 18 … Continue reading Mary Baker Eddy, The Mother Church, Vaccinations, Doctors & Practical Health Care

What I’ve been Reading: Measles, the Dead & Healthcare Access

Measles Outbreak in a Highly Vaccinated Population, San Diego, 2008: Role of the Intentionally Undervaccinated via Refutations to Anti-Vaccine Memes Thanks, Anti-Vaxxers. You Just Brought Back Measles in NYC. via the Daily Beast Anti-vaccine activists contributing to measles outbreaks around the U.S. via Raw Story Insurance for All: Germans Can't Fathom US Aversion to Obama's … Continue reading What I’ve been Reading: Measles, the Dead & Healthcare Access

Christian Science, the Affordable Health Care Act & Congressional Lobbying

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The Christian Science Church has a special Committee on Publication's U.S. Federal Office: Located in Washington, DC, this office works with U.S. Congressional, executive, and regulatory offices to help them and the public gain a more accurate understanding of Christian Science. We follow developments in health care and insurance, and we work to ensure that … Continue reading Christian Science, the Affordable Health Care Act & Congressional Lobbying

Question: If a Christian Scientist is gravely ill and prays for healing and dies when a medical intervention could have saved their life is that, in the minds of their loved ones, simply because God didn’t want them to live?

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The following is a Question & Answer post where former Christian Scientists try and explain Christian Science reasoning to fairly commonly asked questions. We will be periodically sharing them, as questions that would benefit from multiple perspectives arise. This post is being answered by EG, who blogs at emergegently.wordpress.com, and  Kat, who blogs at Kindism.org. … Continue reading Question: If a Christian Scientist is gravely ill and prays for healing and dies when a medical intervention could have saved their life is that, in the minds of their loved ones, simply because God didn’t want them to live?