Article July 8, 1991 Issue

The failure of egotism, the success of Christ

The victory over sin and suffering begins with the defeat of the human ego.

Ralph W. Emerson

Sometimes egotism takes the form of a feeling of superiority and, other times, of inferiority. The two go together.

For if one feels superior to some, he usually feels inferior to others, and vice versa. Both, however, stem from an acceptance of the notion that there is an ego separate from God.

Mrs. Eddy puts it this way in Science and Health: "Mortals are egotists. They believe themselves to be independent workers, personal authors, and even privileged originators of something which Deity would not or could not create." Continuing her description of mortal man, she adds, "He becomes a general mis-creator, who believes he is a semi-god." Such egotistical thinking and acting result all too often in great disappointments, including mistakes, failure, injury, suffering, even sickness and death.

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