Article July 13, 1935 Issue

The Futility of Condemning Persons

NATHAN WALLACE

CHRISTIAN SCIENTISTS love Paul's illuminating and regenerating statement, "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Obedience to this enlightening and strengthening message not only brings healing of sinful and sickly thoughts and practices, but enables one to see himself and others as eternally dwelling in God's true, spiritual creation.

On page 71 of the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," we find this instructive and indispensable guide to right thinking: "Evil has no reality. It is neither person, place, nor thing, but is simply a belief, an illusion of material sense." The temptation to condemn ourselves or others springs from the belief that man is a composite of a good and an evil intelligence resident in a material body, whereas the fact is that the perfection of man created in God's image precludes any possibility of evil's being part of man. In Science and Health (p. 468) Mrs. Eddy states: "Spirit is God, and man is His image and likeness. Therefore man is not material; he is spiritual." This fundamental statement of true being utilized understandingly and practically, will impersonalize and nullify evil thinking and living, and reveal Spirit's perfect creation.

In a concrete example the unreality of evil was in a small measure proved by one student of Christian Science. He had learned a never-to-be-forgotten lesson, namely, that we must love our way out of every problem. Accordingly, he embraced the opportunity to demonstrate this lesson in the following experience. He endeavored to co-operate with a neighbor in a business way. Shortly thereafter it was found that in his transactions the fellow business man manifested a tendency toward racial prejudice and what are termed "highpressure" methods. The student being temporarily off guard, forgot to realize that evil is not personal. Resenting the unfair attitude of his business neighbor, he thereby unwittingly allowed the thought of condemnation to take possession of his consciousness. Consequently, both suffered a loss of business.

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