Editorial June 8, 1974 Issue

"What am I doing wrong?"—An Answer

Geoffrey J. Barratt

Working out situations through Christian Science, one may sometimes feel that the resolution is not coming quickly or definitely enough. It's not unnatural to ask, "What am I doing wrong?"

In candidly responding to this question we may confess to ourselves that we are being sinful or immoral. If this is a fair answer to our self-questioning and not merely an unjustified wallow in guilt, then we must face up to the claim of wrongdoing until we have the mastery of it. If what I am doing wrong is underpaying my employees, then I must face up to the claims of greed and dishonesty that may have taken root in my thought and get rid of them through prayer.

We effectively face up to our apparent wrongdoing by right knowing—acknowledging the perfectness of God and man—and letting our right knowing improve our ethics. Christian Science teaches us that God is infinite good, All-in-all, and that therefore evil is unreal, nonexistent. Reasoning from this premise, we do right when we acknowledge with conviction that evil has no real claim on us. In reality it is never a claim or an action, a suggestion or an event. Understanding this has practical consequences. Mrs. Eddy heartens us with her assertion, "It is Truth's knowledge of its own infinitude which forbids the genuine existence of even a claim to error."^{No and Yes, p. 30;}

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"What am I doing wrong?"—An Answer

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