Article September 6, 1930 Issue

A statement by a humorist in your issue of April 23 implies...

Israel Pickens, Committee on Publication for the State of Alabama,

Birmingham News

A statement by a humorist in your issue of April 23 implies a misconception, and is therefore likely to be misleading to your readers. He states, "They say the President is a Quaker, but the more we see of Hoover prosperity the more are we convinced that he is a Christian Scientist."

A usual fallacy, held by those who have no understanding of the teachings of Christian Science, would have it appear that Christian Science is a mere process of thinking a thing to be true when it is not true. Your humorist-writer uses the term "Hoover prosperity," implying the mere thinking prosperity to be present when it is not, and likens this process of thinking to Christian Science. Now, Christian Science does not ignore or dismiss mortal beliefs by saying they do not exist, through a process of mental suggestion. Christian Science does, however, distinguish between the reality that is God-created and the unreality that is of mortal belief. For example, Christian Science does not ignore the belief of lack and of business depression, but it certainly does intelligently handle this error as among the evils that God did not make—those things that are in the category of self-imposed mortal beliefs. A sick business condition can be overcome through the intelligent application of God's laws, in the same way as disease, sin, and other mortal errors can be overcome and healed. This process of right thinking, consecration, prayer, and righteous living is not in any sense a process of mental suggestion. Mrs. Eddy, in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," states (p. 1), "The prayer that reforms the sinner and heals the sick is an absolute faith that all things are possible to God,—a spiritual understanding of Him, an unselfed love." Such prayer is the most sacred thing in human experience.

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