Article January 24, 1942 Issue

Intelligence Is Omnipotent

HENRY W. STEIGER

In her answer to the question, "What is intelligence?" on page 469 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," Mary Baker Eddy writes as follows: "Intelligence is omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence. It is the primal and eternal quality of infinite Mind, of the triune Principle,—Life, Truth, and Love,— named God."

In studying this passage in detail, the writer was startled by the statement that intelligence is omnipotence. This is the exact opposite of what we seem to experience materially. The material evidence in every instance is that intelligence is not omnipotent, omnipresent, or omniscient. We may feel handicapped by unintelligent laws and regulations, which, instead of making a country prosperous, hamper freedom; and even though conditions are better in some countries than in others, an unlimited manifestation of intelligence is nowhere to be seen in human governments. We may have had the experience that a particular government restriction has made our life hard and has prevented us from doing what seemed intelligent and natural. Again, that such a condition can continue to block intelligent action is an argument for the inability of intelligence to manifest itself. Many other examples could be given to illustrate the point, but those two are especially pertinent today, when erroneous political activity seems so widespread.

Since the time of the ancient Greeks, a philosophical discussion has gone on seeking reconciliation between two concepts of truth. From the point of view of human reasoning it seems logical that every effect has a cause; but if a First Cause for the universe is accepted, and is considered to be good, material experience becomes an enigma, because this First Cause, God, would have to be responsible for evil as well as good, and this is illogical. On the other hand, if material experience is taken as the starting point, there is a very complex system of cause and effect, and the chief question, "What is the first cause, the creator, of this material experience?" remains unanswered. Even the question, "What keeps this material mechanism moving?" remains unanswered.

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