Editorial April 17, 1976 Issue

Clearing the Atmosphere

Geoffrey J. Barratt

We live in a clear atmosphere. With so much expert talk about the dirtiness of industrial processes, fallout from nuclear bomb testing, and pollution from car emissions, this may seem an irresponsible statement. Viewed in a spiritually scientific way, though, it is true, and it is applicable to problems of these times.

The "we" of the opening statement doesn't refer to corporeal beings but to divine Spirit's ideas, to the essential self of each of us. These ideas don't live in a realm of material elements but in the atmosphere of Spirit's love and presence. While human beings may seem capable of polluting the air and making it injurious to defenseless populations, Spirit's ideas enjoy only the pure, beneficent, all-embracing presence of Spirit. The affirmation of these metaphysical truths—pointing to realities fully in accord with Christ Jesus' teachings and works—cleanses from our thought the unhealthy and polluted beliefs that man is fleshly, potentially unhealthy and potentially dead. It helps actualize a cleaner environment in our so-termed physical life.

Through metaphysical treatment we can reverse beliefs of living in an impure material atmosphere, realizing the purity and invulnerability of Spirit's ideal man and universe. Reasoning pervaded by this spiritual logic corrects beliefs of corporeality and materiality and purifies thought, life, environment. Mary Baker Eddy explains, with pure beauty, the results of doing this: "A radiant sunset, beautiful as blessings when they take their flight, dilates and kindles into rest. Thus will a life corrected illumine its own atmosphere with spiritual glow and understanding."^{Miscellaneous Writings, p. 356;} And the Bible says, "The way of man is froward and strange: but as for the pure, his work is right."^{Prov. 21:8;}