Article May 5, 1934 Issue

Realism

JULIA SALOME KINNEY

It is believed by many that realism is the opposite of idealism, and that the realist is a practical person who believes that evil has power, while the idealist is an impractical dreamer who may ignore every evidence of evil; and socalled worldly wisdom would seem sometimes to justify this conclusion. Mrs. Eddy uses the words "idealism" and "realism" in their true meaning.

Students of Christian Science may be helped by giving careful consideration to her use of these two words. On page 129 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," for instance, we read, "We must look deep into realism instead of accepting only the outward sense of things." This statement points to the necessity of looking deep into the spiritual creation and of recognizing the reality of its beauty, harmony, and joy, instead of depending upon the outward or material sense of things. It is now generally conceded by Christian thinkers that God's spiritual creation is perfect—ideal. But it is not generally understood by those unacquainted with Christian Science that it is the only creation, and that each individual must learn consciously to see and know as real this ideal creation. This task of recognizing the oneness of idealism and realism confronts every student of Christian Science, and his success in accomplishing it determines his progress and harmony.

As in every other line of human endeavor, there are right ways and mistaken ways of making use of the ideal in daily experience. Among the mistaken ways might be listed the habit of talking, without some accompanying demonstration, from the standpoint of absolute reality; also the false belief that we must withdraw entirely from friendly contact with others in order to attain the spiritual and real. The first mistake may lead to self-complacency or the belief that we have demonstrated all that we voice in words. And the feeling that we must withdraw from our fellow men may lead to selfishness and lack of love, and thus defeat our effort to reach and understand the realism of idealism.

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Associates of Health
May 5, 1934
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