Editorial July 7, 1956 Issue

AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE

John J. Selover

"Let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil." declared Jesus in his Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5:37).

In giving a Christian Science treatment the affirmation of absolute truth is essential. It is also necessary to deny foundationless evil, which claims authenticity. One cannot succeed by halfhearted or adulterated affirmations or denials. It is not Christianly scientific, for example, to declare that God is Spirit and All, but that matter has a place in that allness, or that sickness is unreal, but that it has existence and duration. Our declaration and our denial must be definite and certain and must be based upon spiritual reality alone. As spiritual fact is to God, so must it be declared in treatment. Our "Yea, yea" must be that God is Spirit and that man is His perfect offspring. Our "Nay, nay" must be that there is no matter; that sickness is unreal and therefore has no existence, no power, no body, no duration. "Truth is affirmative, and confers harmony," writes Mary Baker Eddy on page 418 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures."

In legal practice when a defendant is unjustly sued, he will deny generally and specifically every false allegation in the complaint. In addition, he will, in most cases, interpose an affirmative defense. He will state truths which show that it is unconscionable and unjust for the plaintiff to recover judgment. In like manner, when one is faced with a claim of disease or sin, he should immediately register a general and specific denial of the false plea. He should not for a moment admit error to be true or real, for error has no substance, has no existence or status in the kingdom of God, man's real habitation. Isaiah declared (33:24), "The inhabitant shall not say, I am sick: the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity."

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