Editorial April 2, 1977 Issue

Affirmative Discrimination

Nathan A. Talbot

It was a fairly typical Wednesday evening testimony meeting in Christian Science church. I noticed the two young strangers. They had wandered in to observe our service. The First Reader read inspiring selections from the Bible and from Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy. Healings and comments shared by those in the congregation provided useful spiritual insights. And then it happened! I mentally cringed as one testifier made statements that could certainly mislead or confuse someone new to Christian Science.

After the service I chatted briefly with the newcomers, and one of them said how much he appreciated the service and how helpful the testimonies had been. Of course, he said, there was the one that was obviously inconsistent with the readings and the other comments. The young man had clearly distinguished what was helpful and valid from what wasn't.

From time to time aren't all of us newcomers or strangers to a host of ideas, concepts, and sometimes rumors? How well do we recognize important distinctions between truth and error, fact and fiction, reality and rumor? What enabled that young man to make the proper distinction? In fact, what gives any of us such a capacity when we are faced with the unfamiliar or with conflicting evidence?

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