Article October 10, 1983 Issue

Friendly prayer

JANE CLARK WALKER

You and I are embraced in Christianly scientific prayer right now. All mankind is included in the prayers of Christian Scientists every day. And whenever we attend a Christian Science church service, we are specifically included in the prayers for the congregation collectively. Friendly prayer is all around us, and friendly prayer that acknowledges the truth of being can heal.

Our perfect model of how to help others through prayer is Christ Jesus. His whole life was a healing prayer for his friends, as well as his enemies. He gave us the great rule for living blessedly: "As ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise."^{Luke 6:31.} Obedience to the Golden Rule demands that we never interfere with anyone's right of self-government, never try to heal anyone through prayer who has not asked for such healing, except in certain extreme emergency situations.

But obedience to the Golden Rule also demands that we never believe a lie about anyone. Christian Science classifies sin, sickness, and death as lies. The textbook of scientific Christianity, Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy, states: "Jesus said of personified evil, that it was 'a liar, and the father of it.' Truth creates neither a lie, a capacity to lie, nor a liar."^{Science and Health, p. 357.} What comfort there is in having a friend who will not only not interfere, but will also refuse to believe mortality's lies about us.