Day 249: Million Dollar Question

495:25-497:27

Two questions are in this reading and I’ll handle both of them. The first is the one I have been racing after this year: How can I progress most rapidly in the understanding of Christian Science?

The one element of her answer, and there is a lot to it, that was new to me was:

error cannot destroy error

That seems obvious and straightforward. I shouldn’t even have to try to remember this – it is such an obvious point. However, – and this is a big however, the thought came to me as I read this that a snarky retort to someone’s less-than-loving comment was the error that doesn’t destroy error. Then my mind raced around to all the aggressive or meanly defensive things I tend to do. Oh, you probably wouldn’t think me a mean person but I’m not always kind either. So the idea of error, even in its more commonly accepted form, should be replaced.

My Answer: I would like to add my own answer to the above question. I was raised in Christian Science, although I would call that a spotty job done. I went to Prin and I took class instruction from a previous CS Church Board Member. Outwardly, I took the appropriate steps. Inwardly, I trudged along. I’ve read the book front to back maybe six times. But until this journal, where I knew I only had 5 minutes worth of reading but wanted to get enough out of it to 1) progress and 2) write about it – I focused. Not well all the time, but generally I focused. I focused through a bit of marital turbulence, and a bit of static with my son. And now I want to do it again next year. I have gotten SO MUCH out of this journal that I don’t understand why more people don’t do it. Or talk about it. I think every person who wants to take class instruction should take it only after reading this journal. Or, and this won’t happen but it’s nice to think about, do away with a two-week class, and make the whole thing based on this journal. Make each student work for a year processing Recapitulation by reading the entire book.

The second question asks about a creed. I wanted to boil these tenets down to very short thoughts for myself:

1. Inspired word of the Bible (not the literal word)
2. one supreme and infinite God
3. God’s forgiveness of sin
4. man is saved through Truth, Life, and Love
5. crucifixion and resurrection served to understand nothingness of matter
6. for that Mind to be in us which was in Christ Jesus