Article January 20, 1986 Issue

Spiritual unity and world peace

STEPHEN D. HELMER

Perhaps the greatest enemies of peace—our own and the world's—are hatred, personal divisions, and disagreement. So persistent and widespread seems the temptation to fall away from love that we should consistently work to be free from this rancorous evil. And it is just such a demand that is made on the members of the Church of Christ, Scientist. In the Manual of The Mother Church Mrs. Eddy writes: "Neither animosity nor mere personal attachment should impel the motives or acts of the members of The Mother Church. In Science, divine Love alone governs man; and a Christian Scientist reflects the sweet amenities of Love, in rebuking sin, in true brotherliness, charitableness, and forgiveness."^{ Man., Art. VIII, Sect. 1.}

Surely this warning includes not only big, obvious animosities—raging anger, blatant prejudice, bitter antagonism—but also such disaffection as smoldering resentment, self-righteous grumbling, indignant peevishness, or just simple impatience, irritability, pig-headed insistence on our own way of doing things.

These all cause their share of conflict and unhappiness. They disturb the peace of families, communities, and nations. And don't these seductive tempters almost always cast others in the role of the bad guy? "He's such a bonehead." "Why can't she be more organized?" "They just don't understand." We're never at fault.

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