Editorial July 15, 1933 Issue

Truth and Its Counterfeits

W. Stuart Booth

Mortal or carnal mind, being merely a counterfeit of the one Mind, God, cannot rise above the low level of counterfeiting in whatever it claims to offer and to do. All the offerings of this so-called mind, whether they are obviously bad and baneful or are presented as good and desirable—all are cast in the mold of matter and stamped with the seal of Satan, the imprint of evil. This is natural because mortal mind's supposed residence or seat of being and action is matter, the flesh, which, according to Scripture, is contrary to Spirit, God. Counterfeiting the pure joys of Soul, the carnal mind parades its pretense of pleasure in senseless matter; but its sham joys inevitably lead to disappointment, discord, and pain.

It is not surprising, therefore, to find recorded in the Bible a number of instances where the dupes and advocates of mortal mind showed error's counterfeiting nature and methods in their attempts to imitate the works wrought by means of faith in God and obedience to His law. When Moses and Aaron went before Pharaoh to ask the release of the Israelites, and Aaron cast down his rod, it became a serpent; then the magnicians of Egypt also cast down their rods, "and they became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods." The Hebrew prophets, in urging obedience to the one God, voiced repeated warnings against trust in sorceries and mortal mind manipulations.

When Christ Jesus confuted his opponents by his healing works, in desperation they said, "This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils." The Master's logical reply, however, combined with his healing of sickness and sin, served as an unanswerable argument. Knowing the nature of evil and foreseeing the continuing repetitions of its counterfeit claims, Jesus said to his disciples, "Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them." Perhaps Peter recalled these words when he was confronted by Simon the sorcerer, who arrogated power over people by means of superstition, for the disciple's rebuke of error was so forcible that Simon asked Peter's prayers in his behalf. Paul, likewise, had experiences with so-called mental workers wherein he denounced their evil methods, which had been put forward with the claim that they were as efficacious and beneficial as were Paul's Christian preaching and practice.

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