Yesterday I went to the Christian Science reading room to learn more about the religion of Christian Science. I have to say it was fascinating! Like I have mentioned I really didn't know much of anything about Christian Science and didn't really know anyone who was a Christian Scientist. The Christian Science reading room is a source for anyone that is Christian Scientist or wants to learn more about it and it is their only means of outreach. The reading room is literally just that, a reading room. They have a lot of CS literature, archived editions of the Christian Science Monitor, bibles and much more.
First the Christian Scientists don't shun medical care, that's a common misconception, they are a religion of choice. What they do is encourage and practice spiritual healing. Everyone in the religion goes to a class taught by a CS teacher to learn how to heal. The two women that run the reading room, Betty and Linda were more than willing to answer any of my questions. Betty, who I would guess to be around 80 (I didn't want to be rude and ask her age) proclaimed that she has never so much as taken an aspirin!!! Never had medical care of any kind, yet she appeared to be in great health and very lucid for her age. The other woman Linda, said she had been ill when her neighbor introduced her to CS years ago. She was healed through the CS teachings and was somehow able to forgo a surgery she was going to have.
Mary Baker Eddy started Christian Science in the 1800's. She had become ill as a young woman and was able to heal herself after reading one of the Psalms (neither women could remember which one). She didn't understand why, so she started studying the bible. She went on years later to open a college which eventually evolved into the religion of Christian Science. Eventually she wrote Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, writings that are still revered and refered to today.
The women told me that you don't have to be a CS to be healed and that they believe they can heal anything. They did not go into detail about what a healing consists of, they just explained that you ask God what it is you need and he answers. They said God can cure anything, from catastrophic illness to mental conditions and anything else. I am extremely curious about this. I have an OCD I have struggled with for years (don't want to go into details, that's a whole other blog), it seems to worsen when I am under a lot of stress. I am going to talk to someone about doing a healing on me tomorrow when I attend their services. Maybe there is something to this?
Betty and Linda also informed me that CS don't do baptisms or take communion, although they do have a Sacrament Sunday.I bought a copy of Mary Baker Eddy's Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures and they gave me several copies of the Christian Science Monitor which I plan to read through today.
This was really an interesting meeting for me. With all the talk about health care (or lack of) in the US, maybe all we really need is God? Apparently Jesus wanted everyone to have health care! Well, hopefully I will find out tomorrow when I ask for a healing!
You can read more about Mary Baker Eddy here; http://marybakereddy.wwwhubs.com/
