The phrase used in the title appears in one of four directives written by Mrs. Eddy to members of a branch Church of Christ, Scientist. In full the sentence reads: "Heal the sick, make spotless the blemished, raise the living dead, cast out fashionable lunacy." ^{The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, p. 192;} The last words are so thought-arresting that we do well to examine how pertinent they are to our times and ourselves.

One dictionary definition of the word "fashionable" is, "Merely echoing or imitating thoughtlessly or irresponsibly a contemporary fashion rather than acting responsibly or with a full awareness of essential issues." Definitions of the word "lunacy" include: "Wild foolishness, extravagant folly," as well as "absurdity, stupidity."

A question naturally follows such unflattering descriptions. What extreme trend in current thought identifies the phrase "fashionable lunacy" as needing to be cast out? Just this: a small but insistent segment of our contemporaries suggests that people put aside their moral consciousness, as well as some of the provisions for wise and happy behavior found in the Mosaic Decalogue and the Sermon on the Mount. By tempting the individual to withhold judgments on his own or others' acts, that is, to assume a neutral, amoral view of human conduct, moral blindness identifies itself as the fashionable lunacy of the hour.

It is not uncommon for one to be assailed by pressures and suggestions that he silence or discard moral values as a basis for his tastes, judgments, and actions. By repetition or by degree of insistence these suggestions press their claim of popularity on the attention of the unwary. These wares of evil—vulgarity, addictions, violence, promiscuity—are offered as harmless and satisfying in a context devoid of moral connotations.

Regardless of how small or great the pressure, or how seldom or often it comes, each of us can be positioned at the door of thought. Mrs. Eddy advises us to be there when she says: "Watch, and pray daily that evil suggestions, in whatever guise, take no root in your thought nor bear fruit. Ofttimes examine yourselves, and see if there be found anywhere a deterrent of Truth and Love, and 'hold fast that which is good.'" ^{pp. 128, 129;} From this standpoint foolishness, folly, and absurdity are denied admittance to thought; and wisdom, stability, and purity prevail.

By different means, and in colorful and irresponsible terms, persuasions and persuaders, vend the false proposition that mankind need no safeguard from evil—that, by putting aside moral sense and disciplines, life can and will expand for everyone into greater dimensions of happiness and gain. These arguments are not new to humanity. Many centuries ago Christ Jesus warned the people to judge carefully what they were seeing and hearing. He said, "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." ^{Matt. 7:15;} Knowing the importance of recognizing these false prophets, he followed this admonition by telling the people how to distinguish between the true and false.

The guise of amorality is sometimes a false intellectualism, coupled with worldliness, material sophistication, and pretended adulthood. But contrary to its promises, the repeated disinclination, or refusal, to deal with human values as right or wrong, good or evil, if accepted by the individual, gradually lessens his moral awareness, cuts him off from progress and happiness, and renders him useless to himself and others. Once severed from moral standards, mortals are not free but in captivity. "He cannot escape from barriers who commits his moral sense to a dungeon," ^{Miscellaneous Writings, p. 269;} affirms Mrs. Eddy.

Such a void of moral and spiritual illumination emits an aura of deception. In many ways it is like the condition occurring in the mountains in winter when the sun becomes obscured by low-lying, heavy clouds from which snow often falls. Skiers refer to this daytime weather phenomenon as "flat light." A skier finds it almost impossible to determine the relief of the snowy slopes as his depth perception decreases with the reduction of sunlight. Indistinguishability of terrain—snow mounds, rough depressions, pitch of slope—renders the area flat to human vision. Experienced skiers, however, realize that this flatness is an illusion and often warn others to descend with care.

What a fooler is moral insensitivity! And how fooled its believers, until apprised of possible miscalculations like those of skiers in unfavorable light conditions. Lacking real perspective, one finds that what appears as a safe and harmless course can actually be unsafe and very harmful.

Each of us welcomes a word in time, a gesture from a respected loved one given to "keep us from our own undoing." ^{Christian Science Hymnal, No. 115;} In like manner, God's protective counsel puts a restraining touch to our hearts by asking us to take another look at what we are being asked to admire, adopt as a standard, follow by joining in. "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise," ^{Prov. 12:15.} we read in Proverbs.

Truly, there is no wiser counselor than God. The Science of Christianity turns one to God to hear and understand His way of love and protection. Christian Science is the law of good, of God, the understanding of which helps us demonstrate in daily life the divine rules of ever-present, universal harmony. It affirms that man is God-created and God-governed, dwelling in a God-made and God-maintained universe. Understanding our unity with divine Mind, we are humane, honest, affectionate, discriminating, obedient, and temperate.

The Bible and Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy abound with counsel on what is God-derived and what is not, and therefore untrue and evil. They illustrate the difference between good and evil and show us the need to be aware of the difference. They make plain what our moral status and responsibilities are, and neither equivocate nor omit the standard by which we can wisely measure the worth of our thoughts and actions. As we search these sources, we begin to evaluate our thoughts from a Christly standpoint. We begin to cultivate more meticulous thinking habits so that what might be ill-advised or ill-considered will give way to right-mindedness and sound-mindedness.

Let us side with God, not with what is currently in favor or out of favor with the public. Let us "cast out fashionable lunacy" as out of favor with God. Then, by nurturing what is in favor with Him—moral awareness—we will qualify for its rewards of spiritual insight, happiness, surety, and progress.