Chapter XI - Some Objections Answered
Spiritual meaning
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gain the spiritual meaning of Christian Science, and then
gain the spiritual meaning of Christian Science, and then
the ambiguity will vanish.
Practical arguments
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The charge of inconsistency in Christianly scientific
The charge of inconsistency in Christianly scientific
methods of dealing with sin and disease is met by some-
thing practical, – namely, the proof of the
utility of these methods; and proofs are better
than mere verbal arguments or prayers which evince no
spiritual power to heal.
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As for sin and disease, Christian Science says, in the
As for sin and disease, Christian Science says, in the
language of the Master, "Follow me; and let the dead
bury their dead." Let discord of every name and nature
be heard no more, and let the harmonious and true sense
of Life and being take possession of human consciousness.
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What is the relative value of the two conflicting the-
What is the relative value of the two conflicting the-
ories regarding Christian healing? One, according to
the commands of our Master, heals the sick. The other,
popular religion, declines to admit that Christ's religion
has exercised any systematic healing power since the first
century.
Conditions of criticism
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The statement that the teachings of Christian Sci-
The statement that the teachings of Christian Sci-
ence in this work are "absolutely false, and the most
egregious fallacies ever offered for accept-
ance," is an opinion wholly due to a misap-
prehension both of the divine Principle and practice of
Christian Science and to a consequent inability to demon-
strate this Science. Without this understanding, no one
is capable of impartial or correct criticism, because demon-
stration and spiritual understanding are God's immortal
keynotes, proved to be such by our Master and evidenced
by the sick who are cured and by the sinners who are
reformed.
Weakness of material theories
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Strangely enough, we ask for material theories in sup-
Strangely enough, we ask for material theories in sup-
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port of spiritual and eternal truths, when the two are so
port of spiritual and eternal truths, when the two are so
antagonistic that the material thought must become spir-
itualized before the spiritual fact is attained.
So-called material existence affords no evidence
of spiritual existence and immortality. Sin,
sickness, and death do not prove man's entity or immor-
tality. Discord can never establish the facts of harmony.
Matter is not the vestibule of Spirit.
Irreconciliable differences
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Jesus reasoned on this subject practically, and con-
Jesus reasoned on this subject practically, and con-
trolled sickness, sin, and death on the basis of his spir-
ituality. Understanding the nothingness of
material things, he spoke of flesh and Spirit
as the two opposites, – as error and Truth, not contrib-
uting in any way to each other's happiness and existence.
Jesus knew, "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh
profiteth nothing."
Copartnership impossible
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There is neither a present nor an eternal copartner-
There is neither a present nor an eternal copartner-
ship between error and Truth, between flesh and Spirit.
God is as incapable of producing sin, sick-
ness, and death as He is of experiencing these
errors. How then is it possible for Him to create man
subject to this triad of errors, – man who is made in the
divine likeness?
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Does God create a material man out of Himself, Spirit?
Does God create a material man out of Himself, Spirit?
Does evil proceed from good? Does divine Love com-
mit a fraud on humanity by making man inclined to sin,
and then punishing him for it? Would any one call it
wise and good to create the primitive, and then punish its
derivative?
Two infinite creators absurd
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Does subsequent follow its antecedent? It does.
Does subsequent follow its antecedent? It does.
Was there original self-creative sin? Then there must
have been more than one creator, more than one God.