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Practicing spiritual care responsibly
By Gary Jones
Christian Science practitioner
In his February 28 "On Faith" blog post ("Our Secular Coalition visit to the White House") Herb Silverman says he wants "to dispel some grossly unfair but predictable media comments" and to respond to "those who continually accuse the Secular Coalition for America of hate-filled, religion bashing." He exhorts them to take the time to examine the evidence.
Silverman should heed his own words. For, as he reports, in a public policy discussion at the highest levels of the Obama administration, his Secular Coalition has aligned Christian Science with the neglect of children's health. Examine the evidence. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Christian Science is a religion of love and goodwill toward all. "To injure no man, but to bless all mankind" is the motto of the well-respected Christian Science Monitor newspaper. Christian Scientists worldwide deeply love their children. Neglect of their children's health is abhorrent to them.
They seek to demonstrate wisdom as a result of their prayers for their children. Their church does not compel them to turn from medicine. Individual choice rules. If their prayers are not availing, they will turn to other means for healing, including medical. They do not believe that suffering or death is ever God's will.
Neither do they seek to place themselves above the law. Just like their neighbors, they want to fulfill the sacred duty of parenthood and protect their children from harm.
Congress and state legislatures have constitutional authority to reasonably accommodate religious beliefs and practices, and over the years a variety of statutory provisions have done this at the state and federal levels. Some provisions relate to the many Americans who use prayer and skilled nonmedical nursing care for their family's health. These provisions do not exempt, or immunize, parents from either parental responsibility or legal liability for the health of their children. They're not designed to give religious parents "legal loopholes." Every state in the union gives child protection authorities the right to initiate legal proceedings against parents - even in advance - to protect children from serious harm to their health. And this is as it should be.
Christian Science has a remarkable published record of healing over the past 140 years. The Secular Coalition's reliance before White House officials on a highly unfortunate case of suffering and harm to a child in a Christian Science family more than 30 years ago is an unjust and unfair attempt to convert the atypical to the norm.
Silverman concludes his article, "Of course, nothing will stop rants from those who would rather denigrate and stereotype than examine evidence." I agree.
Gary Jones is manager of the Federal Office, Christian Science Committee on Publication at The First Church of Christ, Scientist.
By Gary Jones |
March 5, 2010; 1:46 PM ET
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Posted by: neighborz75 | March 14, 2010 12:03 AM
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The above "General Information" about Christian Science from Wikipedia and Answers.com is mostly useful information until it gets to the end and makes the unfair quote about Christian Science being "neither Christian nor scientific." Wikipedia is supposed to be an online encyclopedia and I always thought that encyclopedias are supposed to give facts, not opinions.
Anyone who wants to could say anything they want about any religion, but most Americans would shun such prejudice.
While most people tend to believe that their own religion is right, I thank God that the majority of Americans are respectful toward other religions. To anyone who would accept the quote from George Bernard Shaw, I would say, find out some accurate information for yourself about Christian Science and make your own judgment rather than accepting someone else's opinion like that.
Each Christian denomination has its own definition of what is "Christian," so the decision as to whether or not any denomination is Christian could easily be disputed. But I believe that some of the common threads of Christianity are: acceptance of the teachings and practice of Christ Jesus; daily Bible study and putting Bible teachings into practice in one's life; charity towards humanity; and belief in the Virgin birth, resurrection and ascension of Jesus. On all of these points, Christian Science agrees.
As to whether or not Christian Science is scientific, one needs to be clear on the definition of "scientific." Some of the definitions of "science" in my dictionary are: "possession of knowledge as distinguished from ignorance or misunderstanding;" "knowledge attained through study or practice;" and "a department of systematized knowledge as an object of study (the science of theology)." (Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary, copyright 1980 by G. & C. Merriam co.) These definitions all apply to the study and practice of Christian Science.
Wikipedia does have some useful information about Christian Science, but it is also clearly marked that several points of its information on this subject are in dispute. Therefore, one should be careful not to accept everything Wikipedia says on Christian Science as accurate.
The best way to find out accurate information about Christian Science is to read the book, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy. This book contains the complete statement of Christian Science and is available in bookstores, libraries and in Christian Science Reading Rooms. Christian Science Reading Rooms can be found in telephone directories or on the website, http://christianscience.com, which is also a helpful website with accurate information about Christian Science.
Posted by: neighborz75 | March 12, 2010 8:29 AM
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General information:
"The Church of Christ, Scientist was founded in 1879 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, by Mary Baker Eddy. She was the author of the book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. Christian Science teaches that the "allness" of God denies the reality of sin, sickness, death, and the material world.
Accounts of healing through prayer are common within the church and adherents traditionally refuse medical treatment. The church, headquartered in Boston, with branches around the world, currently has a membership estimated at 100,000 to 400,000. [1]
"There's no truth to the rumor that a telephone was installed in Eddy's tomb in case she returned to life; the story arose from a phone line that was installed temporarily for watchmen at the site."
From: "George Bernard Shaw who was a friend of the well-known Christian Scientist Viscountess Nancy Astor:
The quip states "Christian Science is neither Christian nor scientific".
References: Wikipedia and Answers.com
Posted by: YEAL9 | March 9, 2010 3:34 PM
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The comments to this entry are closed.
Correction: In my reply below to YEAL9's information from Wikipedia, I meant to refer to the "General Information" "below," not "above," as I was replying to YEAL9, not Gary Jones.