"Which deceiveth the whole world"

Mrs. Eddy writes in Science and Health (p. 207), "We must learn that evil is the awful deception and unreality of existence." Many individuals, however, object to placing the stamp of unreality on evil. They contend that because human experience includes so much that is contrary to good, it would be the height of folly to believe that evil is unreal.

According to Christian Science, it is the acceptance of evil as real that makes it a part of human experience. This Science points out that the only way we can ever be free from the adverse influence of evil is to understand and prove it to be delusive, unreal, and not be deceived by its false claims.

Christian Scientists do not deny that evil seems to be very real and, at times, overpowering. But instead of allowing their experience to be the criterion for their acceptance of evil as real, they are learning the value of denying the supposed presence, power, and influence of evil on the basis of the allness of good. They reason that if evil is real, then God, good, is not infinite, All. To admit such a thing would be to disobey the First Commandment. "Thou shalt have no other gods before me" (Ex. 20:3).

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August 22, 1964
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