Editorial June 16, 1945 Issue

Disposing of Troublesome "Why's"

John Randall Dunn

That small English word of three letters, "why," seems innocent enough, as it generally poses the question as to the cause, reason, or purpose of something. However, parents of alert and inquiring offspring may frequently wish that the language contained no such word; and Christian Science practitioners oftentimes may concur in this. "Why am I not healed?" is the question sometimes put by patients to their helpers. "Why do I have such problems?" Someone has well said that the word "why" needs only slight alteration to make that unlovely expression "whine"; and how often are the "why's" of mortals merely vain and time-wasting whines!

It is a significant fact that Mary Baker Eddy, in her published works, seldom uses the words "why" and "wherefore" with reference to error. Her theme is demonstrable Truth; and is there any "why" or "wherefore" to Truth? Truth is; and a lie, Truth's opposite or absence, can have only a fictitious existence. What is the "why" about darkness? Only this: that darkness is negation, the absence of light. It cannot be dissected and analyzed to discover its constituent, for an absence is just an absence, nothing more.

Suppose a mother is awakened some night by her little son who is in the throes of a nightmare. The child is crying out that he is lost in a forest and is being attacked by a wild animal. Does the mother waste any moments speculating about the "why" of the dream picture? Does she ask herself why in the world the boy should have wandered from home, and whence came the ferocious beast? Calmly, and with the happy certitude of knowing what is real and what is unreal, she sets about waking him up and quieting his fear. Before he sinks again into slumber the little lad and his mother will probably have a good laugh over mortal mind's silly claim to terrify them.

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