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No force besides God
When I was in high school some friends and I went out for dinner. Afterward we sat in a car, talking. One of the guys said he could hypnotize us. As he started up with his mental suggestions, I silently decided that I wasn’t going to allow myself to be hypnotized. And I wasn’t. But a friend fell under the spell and was soon talking and acting at the hypnotist’s commands. Later, when the spell was broken, this friend couldn’t remember anything that had happened.
Sometimes what we term hypnotism or mesmerism can be thought of as innocent fun or entertainment. Other times it can be thought of as a means by which problems can be solved; for instance, there are hypnotists who run ads claiming they can help you stop smoking. And hypnotism has been used maliciously to make people act contrary to their sense of what’s right.
About the author
Paul Sedan is a Christian Science practitioner who lives in San Francisco, California.
About the author
Name: Paul Sedan IP: 127.0.0.1 Copyright Agreement - 2013-11-22 09:18PM: JSH Contributor Copyright Assignment In return for the opportunity to participate or for other consideration, I hereby assign to The Christian Science Publishing Society, 210 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA (“CSPS”) the copyright, which includes all the privileges of copyright as defined in the U.S. Copyright Act, in my Text contribution submitted with or otherwise described in this Agreement, with the understanding that such Text contribution may be published by CSPS, including without limitation in The Christian Science Journal, Christian Science Sentinel, The Herald of Christian Science, as the article on Christian Science in The Christian Science Monitor, on JSH-Online, and/or in any other print, electronic or broadcast products of, and on other websites maintained by, CSPS and/or its licensees. I also irrevocably relinquish for the benefit of CSPS and its assigns any moral rights in my Text contribution which may be recognized by applicable law. I understand that my Text contribution may be published, broadcast, transmitted, displayed, performed, or otherwise distributed worldwide in electronic, print, audio and/or audio-visual media or formats distributed by means of radio, TV, Internet, or any other media or distribution methods currently existing or that may be developed in the future. Because this is a copyright assignment, subsequent use by CSPS or its licensees will not require my further permission or approval. I understand and agree that when my Text contribution is reprinted or republished, it may be edited. Except when anonymity has been requested, my name, city, state or province, country, and any other biographical information I provide may be included or omitted with my Text contribution in CSPS’s sole discretion. I represent and warrant that my Text contribution is an original work and does not violate any copyright or other rights of any person or organization. This Copyright Assignment shall be binding on my heirs, executors, administrators, next of kin and legal representatives and shall be governed by the laws of the United States of America and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts without regard to choice of law principles. last updated 8/08/2012
March 10, 2014 issue
View Issue-
Letters
Elizabeth Beall, Kevin Graunke, Jeanne Shultz
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Ready for takeoff
Wallace Wethe
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No force besides God
Paul Sedan
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Removing roadblocks to healing
Aaron Bingham
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A ‘note’ book for family harmony
Michele Newport
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Would you rather talk than write?
Rita Polatin
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"If any man is thirsty..."
Photograph by Jim Waltz
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A man of substance
Christian A. Harder
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My school was in lockdown: How I prayed
Brooke Engel
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‘Hand in hand’ with God
Heather Bauer
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Gratitude for 2 p.m. testimonies
Nita Murphy
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No more cancer
Rebecca Tripp
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Running with freedom
Susan Powers Thomas
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Warmth instead of coldness
Janet Dillingham
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Smoke signals
From the Editors