CHRISTIAN SCIENCE

[Butterbean]

Does anyone know anything about or have any experience w/Christian Science? 

Here is some information I found.  Does anyone know why they use the term "Christian" in this belief system since it really conflicts w/the Christian bible?

(from carm.org)

-Christian Scientists prefer not to use doctors, medicine, or immunizations.  Christian Science Practitioners are used to help people through the false reality of illness.
-Proper prayer and training are employed to battle the "non-reality" of illness.
-They have no ordinances like the Lord's Supper or baptism.
-Church services are interspersed with Bible reading and readings from Science and Health.
-Mary Baker Eddy is highly regarded as a revelator of God's word.


other beliefs:


What does Christian Science Teach?
The following doctrines are referenced out of the primary Christian Science work,
Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, by Mary Baker Eddy.  It is supposed to be a companion to the Bible.  Science and Health together with the Bible are called the Pastor of Christian Science.

  God is infinite...and there is no other power or source, S&H, 471:18.
  God is Universal Principle, S&H 331:18-19
  God cannot indwell a person, S&H 336:19-20
  God is the only intelligence in the universe, including man S&H 330:11-12
  God is Mind, S&H 330:20-21; 469:13 
  God is the Father-Mother, S&H 331:30; 332:4
  The Trinity is Life, Truth, and Love, S&H 331:26
  Belief in the traditional doctrine of the Trinity is polytheism, S&H 256:9-11
  Christ is the spiritual idea of sonship S&H 331:30-31
  Jesus was not the Christ, S&H 333:3-15; 334:3
  "Jesus Christ is not God, as Jesus himself declared..." S&H 361:12-13
  Jesus did not reflect the fullness of God, S&H 336:20-21
  Jesus did not die, S&H 45:32-46:3
  The Holy Spirit is divine science, S&H 331:31
  There is no devil, S&H 469:13-17
  There is no sin, S&H 447:24
  Evil and good are not real, S&H, 330:25-27; 470:9-14
  Matter, sin, and sickness are not real, but only illusions,"  S&H 335:7-15; 447:27-28.
  Life is not material or organic, "S&H, 83:21
  The sacrifice of Jesus was not sufficient to cleanse from sin, "S&H, 25:6.
  True healings are the result of true belief, "S&H, 194:6"

Terms and Definitions of Christian Science

Angels are God’s thoughts passing to man, an inspiration of goodness, purity that counters evil and material reality.
Atonement is not the shedding of Christ’s blood, but "At-one-ment." "Lifting the whole man into Christ Consciousness." The Biblical account is metaphorical, not real.
Baptism means the daily, ongoing purification of thought and deed. Eucharist is spiritual communion with God, celebrated with silent prayer and Christian living. It is a "submergence in Spirit."
Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is the belief that God created disharmony in the world.
Body is "the form of expression of both spirit and soul" (Metaphysical Bible Dictionary, p. 628). It is the apparent materialization of the limits of soul as influenced by a person’s conscious development in Christian Science Principles.
Christ is the divine idea man. Jesus was not the Christ but a perfect representation of the Christ consciousness that is the true and higher self of every person. Christ is the manifestation of all that is good and true, the realization of divine principle. A Christian Scientist can say, "I am Christ."
Creation is the product of Divine Mind. There is only one reality which emanates and is part of the Divine Mind. Anything that is not in harmony with the Divine Mind is not a reality, but a lack of understanding of the principles of divine mind brought about by people.
Death - "An illusion, the lie of life in matter."
Devil - "Evil, a lie, error." He is not an entity, not a person, has no existence. "A belief in sin, sickness, and death."
Evil spirits are false beliefs
Flesh - "An error of physical belief; a supposition that life, substance, and intelligence are in matter; an illusion."
Gods - "A belief that life, substance, and intelligence are both mental and material; a supposition of sentient physicality.
God is Spirit who is a ever-present, all-knowing, all-powerful, and good. God is the Father/Mother God. Other names for God are Divine Mind, Soul, Principle, Life, Truth, Love. To the Christian Scientist God is the governing Principle of the universe to which a person must harmonize his belief system.
Healing is accomplished by correct thinking according to Christian Science principles.  A change in belief that effects physical symptoms.  (SH p. 194:6)
Heaven is not a literal place of eternal bliss, but a harmonious condition of understanding where a person’s consciousness are in harmony with Divine Mind. "Harmony; the reign of Spirit; government of divine Principle."
Hell is a state of mind which can include the effects of their improper understanding of Divine Mind and Christian Science Principles. Hell is not a literal place of damnation and eternal torment. Hell exists when a person’s thoughts are out of harmony with the reality of Divine Mind. "Mortal belief, error; lust; hatred, sin; sickness; effects of sin."
Holy Spirit, the, is Divine Science. is the spirit of God and is only discernable and knowable by a person through his spiritual awareness. It is an emanation, a presence, "a law of God in action."
Jesus’ stripes is simply his rejection of error, not the beating he received in the flesh (S&H, 20:15).
Knowledge - "Evidence obtained from the five corporeal senses; mortality; beliefs and opinions. The opposite of spiritual Truth and understanding." (S. H. 590).
Material realityis really non-existent. It is only an interpretation of Divine Mind. Even though someone might feel pain or sickness, in reality it does not exist.
Mortal Mind - "Nothing claiming to be something, for Mind is immortal; error creating other errors."
Pastor really means the combined books of the Bible and Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures.
Personhood is an aspect and reflection of Divine Mind.
Prayer is contemplation and internalization of divine truths. "The taking hold of God’s willingness." It is an affirmation of God’s being in relation to man.
Resurrection is "Spiritualization of thought; a new and higher idea of immortality, or spiritual existence; material belief yielding to spiritual understanding."
Salvation is "Life, Truth, and Love understood and demonstrated as supreme over all; sin, sickness, and death destroyed."
Sickness is the false understanding given the appearance of reality by the unfaithful and ignorant of Divine Principle and Mind.
Sin is not understanding and behaving according to Divine Law of God and the law of our being.
Soul is "man’s consciousness -- that which he has apprehended or developed out of Spirit. . . Soul is both conscious and subconscious" (Metaphysical Bible Dictionary, p. 628).
Spirit is another name for God. Divine substance; Mind; divine Principle; all that is good." Christ
Wrath is really the working out of the law of God’s being upon a person. It is not God’s judgment upon a sinner.

[OzmO]

This is a great example of my contention with the idea of the Bible being the "infallible word of God".  The interpretations of the bible have been so numerous and have spawned so many "takes" on the Word of God that here we have an example of people who would let their 10 year son die before they allow a doctor to cure them.

[Butterbean]

This is a great example of my contention with the idea of the Bible being the "infallible word of God".  The interpretations of the bible have been so numerous and have spawned so many "takes" on the Word of God that here we have an example of people who would let their 10 year son die before they allow a doctor to cure them.

I don't think most of those are interpretations of the bible I think they are something else entirely that the Eddy woman came up with. 

  Jesus was not the Christ, S&H 333:3-15; 334:3
  "Jesus Christ is not God, as Jesus himself declared..." S&H 361:12-13

  Jesus did not die, S&H 45:32-46:3

  There is no devil, S&H 469:13-17

  There is no sin, S&H 447:24

  Evil and good are not real, S&H, 330:25-27; 470:9-14
 
  The sacrifice of Jesus was not sufficient to cleanse from sin, "S&H, 25:6.

For instance, the above are not open to interpretation just as the bible simply stating the opposite of the above is not open to interpretation.

Christian Science is not Christianity

[OzmO]

I wonder how they get the name then?

And why was the Eddy woman able to start a movement like this i wonder.

But the "Christian Religion" is still very fragmented.  just like all major religion i supposed but still, i think it shouldn't be that way.  Perhaps if the bible was only 1000 words instead of 2 million.

[Butterbean]

I wonder how they get the name then?

Yeah.  Maybe it had something to do w/mass appeal or familiarity w/the word?

Here is what they claim (from christianscience.com):

"What is Christian Science?
Simply put, it is the science of Christianity – the practical application of Christian ideas to daily life. It's both a religious teaching and a system of healing founded on the Bible's universal truths – one infinite God who is all-powerful and all-good, and the tender, compassionate love of Christ to heal and restore mind and body to health and wholeness"


Maybe they are counting on people joining that haven't actually read the bible?

[Necrosis]

christianity and science should be in the same sentence. What is scientific about it?

not a thing.

[Dos Equis]

This is a great example of my contention with the idea of the Bible being the "infallible word of God".  The interpretations of the bible have been so numerous and have spawned so many "takes" on the Word of God that here we have an example of people who would let their 10 year son die before they allow a doctor to cure them.

Parents letting their son die is an example of parents who are not smart enough to take their kid to the doctor.  I don't think it says anything about whether the Bible is the word of God.  The Bible says nothing about not seeking medical treatment and letting your kid die as a result. 

Wasn't one of the disciples a doctor?   

[OzmO]

Parents letting their son die is an example of parents who are not smart enough to take their kid to the doctor.  I don't think it says anything about whether the Bible is the word of God.  The Bible says nothing about not seeking medical treatment and letting your kid die as a result. 

Wasn't one of the disciples a doctor?   

I'm not saying the "word of God" said to, i'm saying the numerous misinterpretations caused this.  But as Stella, corrected and informed me, it wasn't from the bible that they got that idea.

[Dos Equis]

I'm not saying the "word of God" said to, i'm saying the numerous misinterpretations caused this.  But as Stella, corrected and informed me, it wasn't from the bible that they got that idea.

Got it.   

A number of religions have practices and beliefs that you won't find in the Bible, like the JW's not saying the pledge of allegiance or receiving blood transfusions, a Catholic priest having the power to forgive sins, etc. 

[Samourai Pizzacat]

Science with an agenda can never be 'true' science, many regular studies are funded, directly or indirectly ,by institutions that have something to gain. Science is something that should be approached with a very critical eye, in essence it's a wonderful thing, in practice there's a lot awry.

[Butterbean]

That is really interesting garreth.  Do you remember why they stopped following CS?  Was there any specific incident or did they just lose interest?

But it did have some nice side effects...we were never given much medication as kids, so now when we do take meds, they really affect us at low dosages.

I thought you weren't supposed to have any medication at all?

And the people are really, really health conscious -- they kinda have to be in order to prevent sickness. So my mom was a health natzi when I was younger.

Being health conscious is obviously a very good thing but was it ever brought up that to be so careful was a "lack of faith?"

...but I do believe you can conquer and prevent minor sicknesses with your mind (colds and such).

How do you do this?

[Necrosis]

How do you do this?

with your mind

hope this helps












no seriously, the placebo effect is quite strong and people have gone into remission from such mind body alterations.


the mind has a strong effect on the body, just look at optimism.

but i dont know how to stave off illness once it has occured other then to forget you are sick.

maybe garreth has a trick.

[tleilaxutank]

say "hi" to baby jesus for me...we're boys