Knowledge is freedom (from stress)

Image credit: Cottonbro Studio (Pexels).

Recently, I attended a discussion panel on atrial fibrillation. This is a heart condition that I was diagnosed with about five years ago, although I suspect I’ve had it since my latter years in Boston (when I was still swimming in the Krazy Sauce of Christian Science), so maybe since 2008 or 2009. I believe that to be so, as I do recall occasionally feeling symptoms of it back about then. The symptoms were very occasional, and mild. I’ll be honest, it scared me sometimes, but in my Christian Science-addled mind, I didn’t know what to do, so I kind of did a combination of ignore and deny, with a side of prayer thrown in for good measure. Fortunately, atrial fibrillation is generally, at least in early stages, not serious, and it is the most common form of arrhythmia (approximately 200,000 people in Canada have been diagnosed with it). However, if you don’t do something about it, it can get serious and lead to heart failure and, most commonly, to stroke.

Why not just move on and live and let live?

Sandy Lake – Bowron Lake Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada. Image credit: Emerging Gently.

The title of this post sums up some comments on posts that I’ve been receiving lately. It’s various versions of, “Why don’t you just move on?” or “Just let it go?” It does make me think, do I hold on to things I shouldn’t? Would it be better for me to let it all go and move on. Or, have I? I don’t really agree with what I see as the sentiment behind many of the comments. After all, I think most Americans would get pretty upset at anyone who loudly said they should just get over September 11th. Would you tell a parent who grieves their dead child to “get over it”? I don’t think so. However, these comments do also spur my thought in a good way by making me step back for a moment and make sure I’m not just wallowing in self pity here. That is something I do not want to do. I do not want to be shackled to my past.

Blog Update

I thought about posting this on April 1st. Since I returned to writing regularly here again, back in January, I’ve been posting weekly. I’ve come to realize that this is not really a pace that I can reasonably sustain with new and worthwhile content. I don’t want to waste your time or attention with stuff that I don’t think is worthwhile that I’ve written just because I want to post something every week. I’m also ever mindful of not wanting to cover ground that I’ve already covered. Life is also taking away from time to spend here. My wife and I are relocating to a different part of the province soon, so it’s going to get busy.

Lucky kid…

Recently, I had to take a family member to the emergency room at our local hospital. No big deal, it was just a nasty stomach virus that was making the rounds–painful and unpleasant, but not serious or life threatening. They were hooked up to an intravenous drip of saline and an anti-nausea medication to rehydrate them and quell their violent symptoms, and their condition improved quickly.

A new post

Well, it’s been almost a year since I last wrote a new post. I had thought at the time that I’d just take a break for a few months, but it ended up being a longer break. As I said, I’m not quite finished with this project, but I’m probably close. How close is anyone’s guess (including mine). For now, I’m just going to post when I feel inspired, rather than returning to a regular schedule of posts.

Will they ever let us leave?

A fellow group member in an ex-Christian Scientist Facebook group I’m in commented–well, more like ranted–about how a Christian Scientist referred to them not as a “non-Christian Scientist”, but rather as a “non-practising Christian Scientist”. The ensuing discussion was largely a collective acknowledging head-nod of “yeah, we get it, been there, done that,” but this all brings up a seemingly small, but for many of us who’ve left Christian Science, huge irritant: that feeling that on some level, we will never completely leave Christian Science, or it will never completely leave us. Trust me, I think I speak for most of us: we all wish it would leave us.

Why I’m doing this…

My regular readers may (or may not) know that I am involved as an editor and writer for the website ‘The Ex-Christian Scientist‘. It is increasingly becoming the main focus for my ‘work’ in the ex-Christian Scientist community, and why my posting here on this blog has become more infrequent. If you have not already done so, I encourage you to visit the site. It is certainly a resource I wish I had six years ago when I had the first inklings of my final departure from Christian Science.

This is a re-posting of my own recently published personal mission statement for the site.

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Image credit: The Ex-Christian Scientist (exchristianscience.com).

My final departure from Christian Science began six years ago, when my Mom unexpectedly became ill and died, all within the span of about three months. She died in excruciating pain with a large tumour in her abdomen, all the while refusing any sort of medical intervention–not even pain abatement. She died in a Christian Science nursing facility before I was able to fly cross-country to see her. Later the same year, my Dad succumbed to untreated heart failure which had been going on for an estimated 5 – 7 years.

Guest Post: Neo’s Story (Part Two)

The following guest post was written by Neo. This is Part Two of a two-part post. Part One was posted last Sunday.

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Questioning my religion…

An interesting facet of Christian Science practice that I discovered at the time I was in college was that the human ego could be brought to bear in its application. By this I mean, as you mentally apply or study the teachings, you can do so in a disinterested way, ‘logically’ as it were, or you can apply the force of your belief in willing your prayer or whatever it is to be … True? Applied? Fruiful? I witnessed the results of this kind of ‘prayer’ on my physical state a number of times, and it actually caused me some mental pain. I believed that Christian Science was a ‘pure’ religion and that its teachings could only be applied in one way. I was troubled to learn from my own practice that I could actually bend these teachings to my own will.

Guest Post: Neo’s Story (Part One)

The following guest post was written by Neo. This is Part One of two.

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I was born to a Christian Scientist mother and father. My father’s parents still went to church for some of my childhood but became cynical about church politics and stopped attending while I was still young. My mother’s father was never a Christian Scientist but supported her mother in her religion and she was a Christian Scientist until she passed away. No other members of either of my parents’ families are Christian Scientists.

Moving on…

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.