Editorial August 29, 1953 Issue

THE GREAT DELUSION

Richard J. Davis

One cannot fail to be impressed by the spiritual insight which enabled Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, to recognize that material existence in all its phases is unreal, a state of self-deception to those who accept it, and not the reality of being. To face the human insistence on evil's reality indeed demands courage, but this is the stand that Christian Scientists take. We not only declare but know evil to be unreal, a fraudulent deception imposed upon the race.

It is a curious perversion of mortal mind that when Christian Science declares that there is no disease and no death, there are those who appear to resent and challenge these statements; and yet it may be asked: Should one not be grateful to have disease and death proved unreal and forever destroyed? Is not this what the human race is desperately trying to do—get rid of the whole illegitimate and outrageous imposition? Who, it might be asked, would willingly and knowingly become the devil's advocate? Who can intelligently defend and support evil's reality?

Let us penetrate this great delusion. Practically every Christian, Moslem, and Jew declares himself to be a monotheist. He willingly affirms that he believes in one infinite God and no other. Yet belief in evil is dualism, not monotheism. To find a cause for evil is to find an origin. If such an origin actually existed, this would definitely establish evil's eternal reality, and the human race would be helpless and hopeless. If evil has its origin in God, then God has within Himself the elements of His own self-destruction and has provided for man's eternal suffering and damnation. If this were true, the universe would have been reduced to chaos long since.

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