Article February 22, 1969 Issue

True Heredity Is from God

ANNA HARPER REID

As soon as a child is born, relatives and friends begin to look eagerly for evidence of inherited family traits and characteristics. It is common to hear people say that a youngster is just like his father or mother, or that something "runs in the family."

These comments are usually meant affectionately and in praise, but too often they are used to explain or excuse an undesirable habit or a personal shortcoming. Frequently, bad temper, deceitfulness, or poor health is accepted as part of a child's inheritance; and later on some families look for a tendency to indulge in alcohol, drugs, or immorality. Unfortunately, young people often conform to this negative outlining and feel no responsibility to rise above so-called inherited characteristics. In any case, these comparisons tend to limit them to the mental and physical capacities of their human forefathers and thus defraud them of their limitless, individual, and spiritual inheritance of good from God.

Christ Jesus urged: "Call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven." ^{Matt. 23:9;} Referring to this statement, Mrs. Eddy says, "Jesus acknowledged no ties of the flesh," and adds: "We have no record of his calling any man by the name of father. He recognized Spirit, God, as the only creator, and therefore as the Father of all." ^{Science and Health, p.31;}