Article July 5, 1975 Issue

No "Debbil Debbil" Darkness

THOMAS BUSHNIE

The light had burned all night in the aboriginal woman's little humpy (shack). When asked why, she—steeped in fear of the occult—replied, "Light, him keep nasty feller debbil debbil out there longa dark."

We may shrug off such states of mind as ignorant superstition by which we would never be influenced. Yet, even in well-lighted cities many are afraid to venture forth at night. They believe that there is a criminal element "out there" that may do them bodily harm.

Christian Science can help us to be as uninfluenced by this fear as we would be by obviously superstitious fears. It teaches us to look within rather than "out there" for the right solution and for certain protection from belief in danger. Fear is the outcome of ignorance of what God and His creation really are. This creation is as He made and pronounced it, "very good."^{Gen. 1:31;} This creation, including man, made and maintained in the light of Spirit, has no element of darkness, no threatening shadows of human fears. Consistently admitting this, and living accordingly, strengthens our defense against harm.