Christian Science

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'''Christian Science''' is a quasi-scientific and overtly religious belief system founded by Mary Baker Eddy in 1866, based on the idea that Christianity is a verifiable set of beliefs. The central texts of Christian Science are the [[Bible]] and the Christian Science textbook, ''Science & Health With Key to the Scriptures'' by Mary Baker Eddy.
 
'''Christian Science''' is a quasi-scientific and overtly religious belief system founded by Mary Baker Eddy in 1866, based on the idea that Christianity is a verifiable set of beliefs. The central texts of Christian Science are the [[Bible]] and the Christian Science textbook, ''Science & Health With Key to the Scriptures'' by Mary Baker Eddy.
  

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Christian Science is a quasi-scientific and overtly religious belief system founded by Mary Baker Eddy in 1866, based on the idea that Christianity is a verifiable set of beliefs. The central texts of Christian Science are the Bible and the Christian Science textbook, Science & Health With Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy.

Contents

Oxymoronic conotations

"Christian Science" is an oxymoron in the sense that "Christian" implies some form of dogma and set of beliefs to be adhered to, while "science" is a method that does not and cannot have a strict dogma. Unfortunately, it's an oxymoron that has attracted a sizable following. Contrary to the name, followers of "Christian Science" do not actually believe in science or even their own senses. There are also some who would doubt their religion is particularly Christian, but that is beyond our scope.

Medicine and health

Christian Scientists deny the reality of the physical world. They instead believe that the only reality is purely spiritual and that there is only one substance of which we are all composed (god). As a consequence, Christian Scientists deny the reality of pain and disease, believing them to be deceptive misperceptions of the pure spiritual nature of man and god. They contend any such misperception may be remedied through prayer and reflection on god's perfection and goodness. The official party line is that Christian Science does not try to convince people not to get medical attention, but does discourage mixing of Christian Science and reality-based treatments. The primary book for Christian Scientists is Science and Health With Key to the Scriptures, first published in 1875 by Mary Baker Eddy. It is no small irony that Eddy's history of hearing voices as a child suggests she may have been schizophrenic, a diagnosis medical science was incapable of in the 19th century and which Christian Science would have in any event rejected.

Nancy Brewster

Nancy Brewster was a seven year-old girl who died as a direct result of neglectful "treatment" at the hands of her mother, who followed the teachings of Christian Science. Because Nancy was "God's perfect child," it would be impossible for her to have health problems - thus when exercising in 100+ degree heat didn't cure her lymphoma, it was because she was being stubborn, a perfectly valid reason for her mother to repeatedly beat her and blame her for her illness. After her death, her mother told her siblings that she had taken a trip to Africa. Ms. Brewster's published testimony in the Christian Science Journal ignores the existence of Nancy.[1]

CS in positions of power

During the 1960s and 1970s, Christian Scientists occupied powerful positions in the federal government, including:

  • Stansfield M. Turner - Director of Central Intelligence 1977 - 1981.
  • William H. Webster - Director of the FBI 1978 - 1987; Director of Central Intelligence 1987 - 1991. Former Federal Judge.
  • John Daniel Ehrlichman - Assistant to the President for Domestic Affairs under President Richard Nixon.
  • H. R. Haldeman - White House Chief of Staff to President Richard Nixon.
  • Egil "Bud" Krogh, Jr. - Head of the "Special Investigation Unit" in the Nixon White House.

Haldeman and Ehrlichman used their influence in the White House to push a bill through Congress which extended the copyright of Eddy's Science and Health... for an extra seventy-five years. The bill has since been declared unconstitutional.

Legacy

The movement's most lasting contributions to humanity are its newspaper The Christian Science Monitor, which is usually considered quite excellent, and numerous air-conditioned "Christian Science Reading Rooms" tailor-made for a broke student to duck into for a few hours of quiet while traveling.

See also

Footnotes

  1. Nancy's story on Children's Health Care, along with the stories of many more who have died as a result of religious-based neglect.
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