At this writing, Kids, a hotly controversial film, which follows the lives of a few teenagers for twenty-four hours in New York City, has been playing in the United States for some weeks. What has sparked debate is not simply that the film graphically portrays extremely unsafe sex, as well as drug use and a host of other crimes by its young characters in a dysfunctional age. Other films have shown that. The difference is that the teenage characters here register no awareness of the brutality they are engaged in.

A New York Times article gives an overview of several decades of landmark films on rebellious teens. It says: "The teen-agers in 'Kids' are not screaming wild animals anymore, but dull, mindless ones, untouched by idealism or fear. ... As such, they are out of reach; there's no hope for them" (July 16, 1995).

The Christian Science Sentinel, modest in size and in circulation, is in some ways immodest in its hopes and aims. The aim of healing is never out of its sights, just as the reminder to "Watch" is never off its cover. The two go hand in hand. Of course, watching the film is not the intent of that reminder. But thought and trends of thought do need watching. The aim—healing—is reached as thought is turned in a holy direction.

But what turns thought? In a word, Christ. Christ is the spirit of Love and of Life and of intelligence that comes from God to human consciousness and experience. While Christ may at first dawn in our thought unnoticed, it comes with irresistible impulsion. It cannot be permanently ignored. Christ impels thought to turn in a wholesome and healing direction. Christ never stops speaking. Its message never stops coming. Its power continuously impels the individual to turn to what is holy until he or she is completely transformed into that which is already established by Spirit—the likeness of pure Life and Love, of God.

Christ Jesus' ministry includes a meeting at a remote well with a Samaritan woman, apparently a moral outcast from society (see John 4:5–30, 39–42). In the ensuing conversation he causes the women to first turn and then turn again. First he enables her to turn and face her own sins as he reveals his knowledge that she has had five husbands and now lives with a man who is not her husband. Then Jesus' teaching enables her to return to her associates and declare "Is not this the Christ?" Both the turn for needed self-awareness and the turn to declare the Christ are Christ-impelled. Christ, the spirit of Love, awakens humanity and enables each of us to see what we seem to be and to see further what we truly are as God's own likeness.

Because of Christ's insistent speaking to human consciousness, no one can indefinitely avoid acknowledging the Saviour. The recognition of the saving power of Christ is something every single one of us will ultimately come to. This recognition forwards our own transformation and our ability to see others transformed—that is, restored to their original purity. It's intriguing, though, that Christ Jesus' statement on the cover of this Sentinel—"What I say unto you I say unto all, Watch" (Mark 13:37)—does not come as part of an exhortation to watch for all the good and pure things from God. Instead, it is part of an alert to be wary of false christs and false prophets.

In Jesus' time, many believed that the Messiah would be a military or political figure. Nowadays false christs may not be so obvious. A false christ would be anything people looked to as a savior. Some individuals might see violence as a savior from poverty or from just plain boredom. Others might look to sexual promiscuity as a savior from loneliness.

Still others might view life as so void of future obligations or opportunities that they see no savior at all—not even a false one. This bleakest of outlooks calls for the most faithful watching. It stands as a signal to all Christians to realize the presence of Christ causing each individual to turn first to examine one's own thoughts, and then turn again to the spiritual truth of God and man. First turn to see one's self, including human shortcomings and harmful tendencies, and then turn to recognize and declare the Christly nature that is true for each of us.

Perhaps self-righteousness comes on too freely, here. It's easy to slip into a kind of moralizing outlook as to what society must watch against, what others must be alert not to slip into. But such moralizing isn't really the need.

Mary Baker Eddy, who discovered and founded Christian Science, wrote a brief article entitled "Watching versus Watching Out." She turns the spotlight on oneself. She writes: "Is there not something to watch in yourself, in your daily life, since 'by their fruits ye shall know them,' which prevents an effective watch? Otherwise, wherefore the Lord's Prayer, 'Deliver us from evil'?" (The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, p. 233)

And of course, we're not just delivered from but also to. As we pray to be delivered from evil find we are delivered to good. We turn, and then turn again. Christ moves us from what we've faced of a false selfhood to our true selfhood in the likeness of the Divine. Christ moves us to this unselfed, true view of every individual, every teen, not just ourselves. But it is not quite enough that Christ does this. We must realize, and conform to this true view. Then it is enough.

The vast majority of teens today are not like their latest cinematic counterparts. A few undoubtedly are. Perhaps it was inevitable that a godless view of society would arrive at a mindless portrayal of man. But if any kids could be so numbed as to not even monitor the wreckage being piled up in their lives, the last thing a Christian "watcher" should do is be so numbed by the picture that he turns away in despair or disgust.

St. Paul described the saving power of Christ in this way: "The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death" (Rom. 8:2). This law is in operation and benefits each and every one of us. As we watch our own thought on behalf of humanity, including today's teens, we will be turned, and turned again to see the true Christ coming to each heart and each life. Christ's transforming power then takes hold and reveals the innocent sons and daughters of God right where, before, only lost individuals seemed to be.

(Channing Walker is a contributing editor of the Christian Science religious magazines.)