Inspired
One advantage of my job is that I get to read through a bunch of cool articles about Christian Science. Here's one I read today, that just appeared in the Washington Post this past Friday, July 14. It's by Diane Hayden:
"I was raised in a sheltered environment as a Christian Scientist (you know, the folks who don't go to doctors), and even attended a school for Christian Scientists. I graduated and went off to college in D.C. where suddenly no one cared if I went to class, stayed out all night or did whatever. To say I was thrown off balance is to put what happened to me mildly. By the end of my first semester, I was on academic probation, having failed two courses and barely passed the others. I had given up church attendance, was dating a fraternity guy, and experimenting with drinking and other things. And I was miserable.
One spring evening I sat behind the library almost in tears when the thought came: "Go to church."
"No way," I thought, "I'm done with that." But the thought persisted, until the next thing I knew I was sprinting across campus back to the dorm to change my clothes (those were the days when skirts and dresses were the only acceptable attire in church.) I got changed and to the bus in record time. As I walked into the building, the congregation was singing a loved and familiar hymn and I felt like I had come home. The Scripture readings that night were centered on Jesus's words, "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." By the time that service was over, I knew who I was and what was important to me.
I walked out of church that night having made Christian Science my own, and have never looked back..."
That inspires and comforts me. And it reminds me what Christian Science is really about, and what it's not about. It's not about judging. I think CSers can be so overly judgmental sometimes, and it really frustrates me, especially knowing that I'm guilty of being judgmental. I've often felt judged being here, and it has just made work no fun. Besides, none of these people have any right to be judging me or anyone. Everyone has to work out their own salvation with God, and even IF you know what's best for someone, you could be wrong. And even if you're not wrong, it's not your place to preach. The person has to work things out with God, not with other people. I think I'm going to write an article about this for the periodicals (the Christian Science Journal, the Christian Science Sentinel, and spirituality.com) and see if it gets published somewhere, because I think this is really important. Christian Scientists just destroy the movement if they're judging others. We need to be infinitely forgiving, for forgiveness is the way of understanding.
"I was raised in a sheltered environment as a Christian Scientist (you know, the folks who don't go to doctors), and even attended a school for Christian Scientists. I graduated and went off to college in D.C. where suddenly no one cared if I went to class, stayed out all night or did whatever. To say I was thrown off balance is to put what happened to me mildly. By the end of my first semester, I was on academic probation, having failed two courses and barely passed the others. I had given up church attendance, was dating a fraternity guy, and experimenting with drinking and other things. And I was miserable.
One spring evening I sat behind the library almost in tears when the thought came: "Go to church."
"No way," I thought, "I'm done with that." But the thought persisted, until the next thing I knew I was sprinting across campus back to the dorm to change my clothes (those were the days when skirts and dresses were the only acceptable attire in church.) I got changed and to the bus in record time. As I walked into the building, the congregation was singing a loved and familiar hymn and I felt like I had come home. The Scripture readings that night were centered on Jesus's words, "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." By the time that service was over, I knew who I was and what was important to me.
I walked out of church that night having made Christian Science my own, and have never looked back..."
That inspires and comforts me. And it reminds me what Christian Science is really about, and what it's not about. It's not about judging. I think CSers can be so overly judgmental sometimes, and it really frustrates me, especially knowing that I'm guilty of being judgmental. I've often felt judged being here, and it has just made work no fun. Besides, none of these people have any right to be judging me or anyone. Everyone has to work out their own salvation with God, and even IF you know what's best for someone, you could be wrong. And even if you're not wrong, it's not your place to preach. The person has to work things out with God, not with other people. I think I'm going to write an article about this for the periodicals (the Christian Science Journal, the Christian Science Sentinel, and spirituality.com) and see if it gets published somewhere, because I think this is really important. Christian Scientists just destroy the movement if they're judging others. We need to be infinitely forgiving, for forgiveness is the way of understanding.