PERSPECTIVE ON THE NEWS April 23, 1979 Issue

Nuclear reactors, radiation, and safety

Incidents at a nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania expose urgent need for spiritual answers to fear of nuclear radiation. And for some, a recent film, "The China Syndrome," depicting a similar accident, takes on added weight.

Controversy has surrounded the nuclear energy industry from its inception. Major questions of public policy are raised and will need resolution. Fear, ill-informed opinions, and self-interest need to be held in check as facts are considered and conclusions are drawn about future energy sources.

While few of us may understand an atomic reactor, still there is something we can do. We can better understand God as all-powerful divine Mind. "Power belongeth unto God,"^{Ps. 62:11;} the Psalmist insisted. If we view matter as the basis of power, we will always be confronted with facets of matter's destructiveness. But if we view Mind as the only genuine power and substance, we'll find effective ways to deal with our present concepts of matter. We'll find, in fact, that we have dominion over material events regardless of how threatening they may seem.