Letters

Debbie Bermel, Carolyn Hill, Joan Mikkelsen

FACING UP TO BULLIES

I am so grateful for the insights shared by Lois Carlson in her Sentinel chat called “A spiritual defense against bullying” [January 9, “Facing down bullies in your life”]. She explains how to best approach bullying: not by disrespecting bullies, but by remembering their spiritual nature as God’s children. And that all of us, including those who seem to bully, “exist to make God known.” It was also very insightful to read about standing up to “the mental tendencies in our own thought to put ourselves down.” I have at times felt quite dominated by various “bullies” in my thought: anxiety, sorrow, fear, lack, and so on. I was inspired by Ms. Carlson’s assurance that because we are each endowed with dominion, “just like God said in the first chapter of Genesis, we are endowed with the authority to face down the opposition to our own life purpose.”

Actually, the entire Sentinel was wonderful and has led me to really pray about bullying.

As I prayed, it occurred to me that Pilate was the biggest bully ever! I was able to pull out another pertinent Sentinel article: “The Pilate Assumption,” written in 1981 by Nathan Talbot. I highly recommend this article. When Jesus faced Pilate who was threatening to either kill him or save him, Jesus’ answer was the best response of all to bullying: “Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above” (John 19:11). Pilate assumed that he had power to stop the life purpose of Jesus—his resurrection and eventual ascension. But Pilate in actuality had no power at all, because God’s governing presence was supreme.

Nathan Talbot tells us how to follow Jesus’ example: “. . . the Christly approach is to reject the assumption [of Pilate or bullies] in the first place; and know God’s omnipotence, His unimpaired command, with such conviction and clarity that the actions and attitudes of others actually push us forward rather than defeat or frustrate us.”

Thanks so much again to the Sentinel for providing these wonderful articles, both old and new, for us to work with, and grow with, and which propel us all forward in our progress Godward, unimpeded and unbullied!!

Debbie Bermel
Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, US

MODERN-DAY PARABLE

Thank you to Caroline Martin, for her inspiring article in the January 9 Sentinel [“How a seagull taught me to ‘see more’ ”]. “Seymour” could have stepped right out of the 1970s classic, Jonathan Livingston Seagull. The message is clear and simple—what we might call a modern-day parable.

Carolyn Hill
Citrus Heights,California, US

IMPROVED TESTIMONIES

I want to thank you for the testimonies you publish and how clear they have become in the last couple of years. It seems to me that a lot more care is being taken to relate exactly how the testifier prayed, and to make it clear that this is scientific and proven prayer, based on personal experience with one’s prayers being effective.

I think this is hugely helpful to newcomers, and also to Christian Scientists who sometimes think their prayers can’t be effective for some reason.

Thank you for all you do and your dedication to Christian Science!

Joan Mikkelsen
Berkeley, California, US

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