Article September 4, 1971 Issue

"Are thoughts divine or human?"

PAULINE B. RADER

Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, in the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, under the marginal heading, "Anatomy defined" writes, "Are thoughts divine or human? That is the important question. This branch of study is indispensable to the excision of error."
Science and Health, p. 462;  Is it not, then, of the greatest importance to each of us that we devote time to this study in order to be more aware of the kind of thoughts we are entertaining in consciousness?

Most people are willing to admit that there is a supreme intelligence governing the universe. Christian Science calls this intelligence, Mind, and recognizes Mind as a synonym for God. Since God is One and All, there can be but one Mind. This Mind, being aware only of its own perfection, could not express an erroneous or limiting thought. It should be obvious, then, that only constructive, helpful, joyous, and healthful thoughts emanate from the one Mind.

Where, then, do fearful, sinful, and erroneous thoughts come from? Supposedly from a mind apart from God called in Christian Science, mortal mind—a name for all destructive, evil, aggressive, and hateful so-called influences in the world. But if God is Mind and God is All, where can this other mind be? In reality, nowhere! Then such thoughts must be false concepts, illusions, without intelligence or action. Continuing this reasoning, we may conclude that any thought of an erroneous nature that tries to enter our consciousness is not actually a thought but a suggestion —invalid, deceptive, and powerless.

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