SENTINEL WATCH November 28, 2005 Issue

HARMONY'S HOUR

MARIO TOSTO

IT'S BEEN A ROUGH YEAR for the planet. A massive tsunami, multiple hurricanes and earthquakes, and threats of pandemics have spurred various commentators, from Pat Robertson to Jon Stewart, to speculate that something "Biblical" is going on. Indeed, many claim that such a string of disasters indicates that God is so displeased with humanity that He is sending this trouble to initiate the total destruction of the world. That many people believe this is indicated by the huge success of today's apocalyptic literature, most notably the hugely popular Left Behind series of books and films, all based on the belief that the end of the world is imminent.

From the perspective of Christian Science, however, these signs have a different meaning. First of all, God, whom Christian Science and the New Testament identify as Love, does not cause harm. Love does not destroy; it builds up, sustains, and harmonizes. God is the Principle, or law, of goodness, which does not contradict itself by also being the source of evil. God is not a cranky super-parent who has moods, gets angry, loses control, and takes offense at the stupidity of humans. According to Christian Science, these disasters are actually aberrations, the result of mistaken views of reality—more like dreams and nightmares than states of existence.

As the Principle, or source, of reality, God does not enter these fantasies as a player. Illusion is the contradiction of reality, and reality continues on, despite any number of mistaken views. But more important, spiritual reality acts on illusion like the ringing of an alarm clock, or the gentle nudges of a friend waking you up from a bad dream.