Editorial July 28, 1980 Issue

Temptation defused

GEOFFREY J. BARRATT

"I can resist everything except temptation." Oscar Wilde's epigram is more witty than wise.

To be tempted, though, is not an unusual event in human living. Temptation is defused in Christian Science on the radical, absolute basis that man is God's idea. God is not an enticer, man is never enticed. God is forever All. Evil is always a zero. Science doesn't toy with evil but shows us how to think the thoughts and live the lives that steadily disarm its claims.

Broadly speaking, evil does two things: it threatens us, and it extends appealing promises to us. We believe its menaces when we are tempted to be sick. We are falling for its promises when we do wrong for some kind of personal advantage or selfish indulgence. Evil claims to be interesting, even fascinating; but to spiritual sense, it is good that is compelling. Divine Truth, admitted, spiritualizes thought. And, like a bee finding a honeypot irresistible, thought that is spiritualizing is in turn drawn to Truth. Unspiritual thought is drawn to evil.

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