Article January 23, 1937 Issue

Condemn Not

MABEL H. FITZ GERALD

According to Luke's account, Jesus said, "Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven." These words carry with them the distinct warning that as we condemn, so are we condemned. Though applicable in all ages, they seem to have a special message for mankind today.

The desperate struggles for human power, the world's resistance to peace, the fears and jealousies of nations, are some of the phases of mortal belief which, working through human will, weigh down mankind with the burden of mortal mind's condemnation.

It is certain that God does not condemn His own idea, man. Mortal mind does this in devious ways. It would have us think that our neighbor is in some way undesirable, or has done something of which we disapprove. Individual has a grievance against individual, nation against nation, and thus mortal condemnation comes into full swing. However sick, however sinful, we appear to be, it is from universal mortal condemnation that we suffer, and not from anything that God has done or will do. Human philosophy, false theology, so-called physical laws, and self-condemnation are all phases of this collective accumulation of false mortal belief. This mental falsity, having been accepted as reality through the ages, is but the resistance of the carnal mind against Truth. Rejection of the false sense of condemnation, both for oneself and others, renders impotent the belief in material resistance. Mrs. Eddy writes in the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 357), "We sustain Truth, not by accepting, but by rejecting a lie."

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