Image credit: Emerging Gently.
As many of my regular readers will know, I’m a member of a few Facebook groups of ex-Christian Scientists. When I initially joined what most of us call the ‘main group’, I was a lurker, somewhat reluctant (I wasn’t sure I was quite ready to defect to the ‘dark side’), and the group wasn’t very active anyway–I’m probably one of the first 10 members of the group. In the three or so years since, it has grown to over 150 members. It has become a very lively and active place, and I’ve become an active participant. I’ve also joined a few other Facebook groups for former Christian Scientists.
This brings me to the catalyst for this post: the departure from one of our ex-Christian Scientist groups of a member, who in her time with us, was an active contributor to the group dynamics. This person has left for a truly wonderful reason: they have appreciated the support they’ve received in the group, the chance to lay open the wounds they’ve suffered thanks to their connection to Christian Science, and the healing they’ve received in the group. Now, this person simply wants to move on with their life, sans Christian Science and anything remotely connected to it; and that includes our group. They’ve taken out the trash, so to speak, left it at the curb, and now they’re moving on. I’m happy for them; and I applaud their decision, although I’ll miss their presence in the group.
This makes me begin to wonder if and when I might reach this point in my life, or have I? And, if I have, why don’t I just ‘move on’ as my friend has? In many ways, I feel like I have put my Christian Science past behind me faster than many others who’ve been out far longer than I have. This blog has been a huge part of that. It has served its initial purpose for me in being a cathartic release of what I’ve been through and the emotional and physical scars I’ve borne because of it.
Now, I tend more to just write about what I’m feeling, what I see going on around me vis-a-vis Christian Science/religion, and my current spiritual path. I feel like this blog is gradually becoming more of an introspective place for me now. I don’t post as often, as my work in the ex-Christian Scientist community is focused more on helping others: co-developing and co-editing the new website, The Ex-Christian Scientist, co-admining some of the Facebook groups, and responding to articles in the mainstream and on-line media by Christian Scientists and Christian Science Committees on Publication. Also, and the biggest reason, I have a life, and it has nothing to do with Christian Science or my former connection to it.
Like my friend, I have largely moved on in my day-to-day life. I go to the doctor with little hesitation, I use pain medications when I have a backache, I enjoy the occasional drink, and thanks to my cousin, I now enjoy an occasional cigar at the end of a long day out on my deck. Christian Science rarely seeps in to my daily walk and talk now. Often I do feel like just walking away, and cutting this last tie to Christian Science.
That said, I do feel a strong urge for now to continue to use my experience, skills, and other assets I can offer, to help and support the wider community of former Christian Scientists, and almost more importantly those who are considering or already trying to leave Christian Science. This is what fuels my continuing involvement in the ex-Christian Scientist community, and my continuation with this blog. Additionally, I want to do what I can to put the real truth out there about Christian Science–not the rose-coloured version the Christian Science Church wants to put out. I refuse to let them walk through the public sphere unchallenged. Someday, I may end some or all of this work, but for now, it’s work I want to do and support.
Christian Science is a religion and philosophy based on fallacious concepts, and founded by a woman I can best describe as a paranoid-delusional fraud who plagiarized much of her philosophy from others. To follow her teachings and to risk one’s health and the health of others on them is a dangerous step, and one that I’ve seen lead to unpleasant and painful deaths. As Jesus once said, “…ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32 – King James Version). I know the truth now, and it has set me free. I want to help set others free as well.
Emerging Gently 
Read through this quickly while away and saved it for another read. So glad you are keeping this up. I continue to struggle with a family relationship, a niece and her mother, my sister, who for years criticized me for my years as a Christian Scientist. They both turned around on a dime and, went through class . My niece is now a CS practitioner and nurse. She apparently accepted my late daughter’s accusations that I had, abused her” as accurate, in spite of the fact that my darling daughter was diagnosed as paranoid schizophrenic. I have the documents of her diagnosis, visited her while she was in the hospital and helped her daily as she was dying from LAM, a rare lung disease. I tried to reach out to my niece, asked what and how she came to these conclusions, but have been shunned. . . . where is, ” judge not” . . . ” let self righteous be still” ? She ignored my questions, but writes to tell me what her own daughter is doing at Principia Upper school as if I never wrote to her. We were so close as a family and thank God for my own children,CS never took with them. One did go through Class, but left CS within a few years. So keep it up.
It would have been so helpful to me if I’d been able to find others I could talk to, but I was able to find my own road and I’m writing still with an editor’s help. I know there have to be others out there! Martha Aldrich Mitchell