OPPOSITION TO CHRISTIAN SCIENCE

THE BIBLE 

ACTS

 

5:12 … by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people;

15 Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them.

16 There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.

17 ¶Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation,

18 And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison.

19 But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said,

20 Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.

21 And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught.

22 … when the officers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned, and told,

23 Saying, The prison truly found we shut with all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within.

25 Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people.

27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them,

28  Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name?

29 ¶Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.

31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

33 ¶When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them.

34 Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space;

35 And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men.

38 And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought:

39 But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.

40 And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

41 ¶And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.

42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.

6:7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly;

8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.

9 ¶Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen.

10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.

11 Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God.

12  And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council,

13 And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law:

15  And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.

 

ROMANS

 

14:1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.

13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more:

16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of:

22 Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God.

8:5 … they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

28  … we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

 

JOHN

 

1:6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.

8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

 

JAMES

 

2:8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:

18 … a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

24 … by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

 

MATTHEW

 

5:13 Ye are the salt of the earth:

14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

 

SCIENCE & HEALTH WITH KEY TO THE SCRIPTURES

BY MARY BAKER EDDY

 

SH 546:23-26

Christian Science is dawning upon a material age.  The great spiritual facts of being, like rays of light, shine in the darkness, though the darkness, comprehending them not, may deny their reality.

 

SH xi:9-15

The physical healing of Christian Science results now, as in Jesus’ time, from the operation of divine Principle, before which sin and disease lose their reality in human consciousness and disappear as naturally and as necessarily as darkness gives place to light and sin to reformation. Now, as then, these mighty works are not supernatural, but supremely natural.

 

SH 131:6-10

When once destroyed by divine Science, the false evidence before the corporeal senses disappears. Hence the opposition of sensuous man to the Science of

Soul and the significance of the Scripture, “The carnal mind is enmity against God.”

 

SH 483:22-30

Because the Science of Mind seems to bring into dishonor the ordinary scientific schools, which wrestle with material observations alone, this Science has
met with opposition; but if any system honors God, it ought to receive aid, not opposition, from all thinking persons. And Christian Science does honor God as
no other theory honors Him, and it does this in the way of His appointing, by doing many wonderful works through the divine name and nature.

 

SH 341:17

The facts are so absolute and numerous in support of Christian Science, that misrepresentation and denunciation cannot overthrow it. Paul alludes to “doubtful disputations.” The hour has struck when proof and demonstration, instead of opinion and dogma, are summoned to the support of Christianity, “making wise the simple.”

 

SH 342:29-1

If Christian Scientists were teaching or practising pharmacy or obstetrics according to the common theories, no denunciations would follow them, even if their treatment resulted in the death of a patient. The people are taught in such cases to say, Amen.

 

SH 329:29 the

… the deeper the error into which mortal mind is plunged, the more intense the opposition to spirituality, till error yields to Truth.

 

SH 226:18-19

Human codes, scholastic theology, material medicine and hygiene, fetter faith and spiritual understanding.

 

SH 534:24-26

There will be greater mental opposition to the spiritual, scientific meaning of the Scriptures than there has ever been since the Christian era began.

 

SH 114:32-8

Apart from the usual opposition to everything new, the one great obstacle to the reception of that spirituality, through which the understanding of Mind-science comes, is the inadequacy of material terms for metaphysical statements, and the consequent difficulty of so expressing metaphysical ideas as to make them comprehensible to any reader, who has not personally demonstrated Christian Science as brought forth in my discovery.

 

SH 341:1-6

The strictures on this volume would condemn to oblivion the truth, which is raising up thousands from helplessness to strength and elevating them from
a theoretical to a practical Christianity. These criticisms are generally based on detached sentences or clauses separated from their context.

 

SH 358:9-11, 15

Christian Science, understood, coincides with the Scriptures, and sustains logically and demonstratively every point it presents.

It presents the calm and clear verdict of Truth against error, uttered and illustrated by the prophets, by Jesus, by his apostles, as is recorded throughout the Scriptures.

 

SH 224:16

Of old the cross was truth’s central sign, and it is to-day. The modern lash is less
material than the Roman scourge, but it is equally as cutting. Cold disdain, stubborn resistance, opposition from church, state laws, and the press, are still the harbingers of truth’s full-orbed appearing.

 

SH 329:32

Human resistance to divine Science weakens in proportion as mortals give up error for Truth and the understanding of being supersedes mere belief. Until the author of this book learned the vastness of Christian Science, the fixedness of mortal illusions, and the human hatred of Truth, she cherished sanguine hopes that Christian Science would meet with immediate and universal acceptance.

 

SH 348:26

I have never supposed the world would immediately witness the full fruitage of Christian Science, or that sin, disease, and death would not be believed for
an indefinite time; but this I do aver, that, as a result of teaching Christian Science, ethics and temperance have received an impulse, health has been
restored, and longevity increased. If such are the present fruits, what will the harvest be, when this Science is more generally understood?

 

SH 483:32

Christianity will never be based on a divine Principle and so found to be unerring, until its absolute Science is reached. When this is accomplished, neither pride, prejudice, bigotry, nor envy can wash away its foundation, for it is built upon the rock, Christ.

 

SH 329:22-23, 22 (only)

Science is a divine demand, not a human.

You cannot mock it by human will.

 

 

PUBLICATIONS QUOTATION   

“Opposition to Christian Science”

Christian Science Journal, March, 1891

(No credited author)

 

“The advent of Christian Science meets the same opposition and persecution as did the advent of the teachings of Jesus, the Christ.  From clergy, press, and people arises the cry, “We will not have this Truth to rule over us.”

 

“If, through scientific demonstration, Christian Science proves that Divine Mind or God is supreme; that good is the only reality; that evil is a false claim, therefore unreal; and that, when sin is destroyed, sickness vanishes; why does the world, and particularly the clergy professing to be disciples of Christ, combat its teachings with such vigor?  For exactly the same reason that the world and its theology eighteen hundred years ago crucified the best man that ever trod the earth: because it teaches the Truth as Jesus taught it; that man must take up his cross daily and overcome (as did the Master) the world, the flesh and the devil (evil)—the belief of Life, Substance and Intelligence in matter, the testimony of the personal senses, the dominion of the false claim of carnal, mortal, mind which brings to mankind sin, sickness and death; and which ever will continue so to do until the Science of Being is understood.

 

“Saul, after he heard the voice from heaven saying, “It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks,” saw that it was fruitless to oppose Truth; so to-­day, it is useless for the world to oppose the “March Triumphant” of Divine Science, as given to mankind in the understanding and demonstration of Christian Science. None but the spiritual interpretation of the Scriptures reveals their true meaning. To interpret them in a wholly historical and literal sense, is to lose the very substance of their Truth.”

 

 

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