Tapestry

INSANITY: doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results.

This definition of insanity is often attributed to Albert Einstein, sometimes to Benjamin Franklin, and to author Rita Mae Brown. However, it is most likely to have originated with Alcoholics Anonymous, and they and other 12 step programs repeat this adage often. It definitely did not originate with Einstein. At any rate, whatever its origins, this quote sums up, quite succinctly, some of my feelings about Christian Science and my rather long connection to it. Christian Science doesn’t work as promised, and to try to keep making it work is at the very least stupid; at worst, dangerous; and quite possibly insane. I’ve often thought I was completely insane to have stuck with Christian Science as long as I did. Perhaps, however, I wasn’t. What if this was something I had to experience?

Evolve or Go Extinct

The theory of evolution states that all living things change (evolve) over time due to natural selection. Strong, adaptable, or otherwise positively attributed individuals survive to pass on their genetic strengths to succeeding generations, thus strengthening their species and increasing its chances for survival. Species that are unable to adapt to change eventually die out.

Does Christian Science Work?

I’ve said it time and time again in various posts here that I do not believe that Christian Science works. Yes, Christian Scientists like to point to a “well documented record of healing” a lot when refuting those of us who claim that it doesn’t work. The problem is, that “well documented record of healing” is anecdotal evidence at best–and it’s not particularly good anecdotal evidence anyway. All that is required for a testimony to be ‘documented’ (published in the Christian Science periodicals) is for verification from three people who have witnessed the so-called ‘healing’ or who can vouch for the integrity of the testifier. Usually, those who vouch for testifiers are Christian Scientists themselves–hence, as I see it, a large credibility gap. Independent, impartial verification would engender more faith in the testimony for me nowadays. So, today I’ll explore some of my own reasons why I don’t believe that Christian Science works. These are my proofs. These are my truths.

Capricious Natures

It’s August–the dog days of summer here in the northern hemisphere. Where I live, it is the height of fire season. Living in a semi-arid area, such as I do, we’re very conscious of the dangers of wildfires. Several years ago, a wildfire tore through the area, torching several thousand hectares of forest, and levelling several neighbourhoods on the outskirts of the city. This fire occasioned one of the largest single evacuations in Canadian history. Those who have lived here for a long time will sometimes measure events as “before the fire” or “after the fire”. Since then, awareness is at such a level that the smallest fire around here occasions a swift and heavy response. We’ve had a few bad fires since, one as recently as 2009, which threatened several neighbourhoods. Suffice it to say, we don’t look kindly on visitors who flick cigarette butts out of their car windows, or leave campfires unattended.

Deny, Deny, Deny

I’m sort of on a roll here with the denial theme–I think I’ll turn it into a bit of an on-going series, so look for other posts under the category “Perilous Denial”. Today is just a fairly random thought-spill on the whole topic, and a release for me on stuff I’ve seen that has reduced the esteem of the human species somewhat for me. Today is one of those days where I genuinely feel disheartened by the human condition, and I just start to wonder if it’s all worth it, and if I can’t make a difference, even a small one, why keep trying?

Perilous Denial

Artwork by Isabella Bannerman.

Denial…spend any time talking to a former Christian Scientist and you’ll get an earful on the subject–I’ve interwoven the subject throughout many posts on this blog. If you talk to a practicing Christian Scientist, you’ll find that denial is a perfectly legitimate way to address almost any problem. Christian Science denies problems, it denies grief, denies anything “bad”, and therefore claims that by this process, the problem (which they claim never existed anyway) is solved. Confused yet? If you are, I don’t blame you. Explaining Christian Science and the requisite mental gymnastics required to practice it to someone who knows little or nothing about it, is like describing colour to someone who has been blind from birth.