Chapter XI - Some Objections Answered
God's idea the ideal man
346:1
by one critic. I regret that such criticism confounds man
by one critic. I regret that such criticism confounds man
with Adam. When man is spoken of as made in God's
image, it is not sinful and sickly mortal man
who is referred to, but the ideal man, reflecting
God's likeness.
Nothingness of error
346:6
It is sometimes said that Christian Science teaches the
It is sometimes said that Christian Science teaches the
nothingness of sin, sickness, and death, and then teaches
how this nothingness is to be saved and healed.
The nothingness of nothing is plain; but we
need to understand that error is nothing, and that its
nothingness is not saved, but must be demonstrated in
order to prove the somethingness – yea, the allness –
of Truth. It is self-evident that we are harmonious only
as we cease to manifest evil or the belief that we suffer
from the sins of others. Disbelief in error destroys error,
and leads to the discernment of Truth. There are no
vacuums. How then can this demonstration be "fraught
with falsities painful to behold"?
Truth antidotes error
346:19
We treat error through the understanding of Truth,
We treat error through the understanding of Truth,
because Truth is error's antidote. If a dream ceases, it
is self-destroyed, and the terror is over. When
a sufferer is convinced that there is no reality
in his belief of pain, – because matter has no sensation,
hence pain in matter is a false belief, – how can he suffer
longer? Do you feel the pain of tooth-pulling, when you
believe that nitrous-oxide gas has made you unconscious?
Yet, in your concept, the tooth, the operation, and the
forceps are unchanged.
Serving two masters
346:29
Material beliefs must be expelled to make room for
Material beliefs must be expelled to make room for
spiritual understanding. We cannot serve both
God and mammon at the same time; but is
not this what frail mortals are trying to do? Paul says:
347:1
"The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against
"The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against
the flesh." Who is ready to admit this?
347:3
It is said by one critic, that to verify this wonderful
It is said by one critic, that to verify this wonderful
philosophy Christian Science declares that whatever is
mortal or discordant has no origin, existence, nor real-
ness. Nothing really has Life but God, who is infinite
Life; hence all is Life, and death has no dominion. This
writer infers that if anything needs to be doctored, it
must be the one God, or Mind. Had he stated his syllo-
gism correctly, the conclusion would be that there is noth-
ing left to be doctored.
Essential element of Christianity
347:12
Critics should consider that the so-called mortal man
Critics should consider that the so-called mortal man
is not the reality of man. Then they would behold the
signs of Christ's coming. Christ, as the spir-
itual or true idea of God, comes now as of
old, preaching the gospel to the poor, heal-
ing the sick, and casting out evils. Is it error which
is restoring an essential element of Christianity, –
namely, apostolic, divine healing? No; it is the Science
of Christianity which is restoring it, and is the light
shining in darkness, which the darkness comprehends
not.
347:23
If Christian Science takes away the popular gods, –
If Christian Science takes away the popular gods, –
sin, sickness, and death, – it is Christ, Truth, who de-
stroys these evils, and so proves their nothingness.
347:26
The dream that matter and error are something
The dream that matter and error are something
must yield to reason and revelation. Then mortals
will behold the nothingness of sickness and sin, and
sin and sickness will disappear from consciousness.
The harmonious will appear real, and the inharmo-
nious unreal. These critics will then see that error
is indeed the nothingness, which they chide us for