Catholic View on Christian Science

[Neil_LA]

Hello

Could someone please tell me what the Catholic view of Christian Science is?

A friend of mine has told me about Christian Science and I have to admit part of it is attractive to me, especially the question of that if God is all good and God created man in God’s image and likeness then why is there sickness, sin and death?

And if Jesus and his disciples healed the sick, why has that healing stopped in recent years?

I’m sure the Catholic view has something to do about the Fall and original sin, but then I ask: why would a good God allow people to be born with sin? And: If Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead to end sin and redeem people, why does the issue of sin still exist?

Part of me questions Christian Science. Why, if matter is not of God and is not real, are we born into this world? Why, if God is All-Good, do humans have an idea of sin, sickness and death? Why does God allow us to have these thoughts if they are not real?

I’m confused…I have studied many religious traditions throughout my life and there are good points and negative points in them all…I am at a place where I don’t know what to believe or how to pray to God.

Thank you

 

[FCEGM]

Hello

Could someone please tell me what the Catholic view of Christian Science is?

A friend of mine has told me about Christian Science and I have to admit part of it is attractive to me, especially the question of that if God is all good and God created man in God’s image and likeness then why is there sickness, sin and death?

And if Jesus and his disciples healed the sick, why has that healing stopped in recent years?

I’m sure the Catholic view has something to do about the Fall and original sin, but then I ask: why would a good God allow people to be born with sin? And: If Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead to end sin and redeem people, why does the issue of sin still exist?

Part of me questions Christian Science. Why, if matter is not of God and is not real, are we born into this world? Why, if God is All-Good, do humans have an idea of sin, sickness and death? Why does God allow us to have these thoughts if they are not real?

I’m confused…I have studied many religious traditions throughout my life and there are good points and negative points in them all…I am at a place where I don’t know what to believe or how to pray to God.

Thank you

Neil, this article about Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of Christian Science, may help you:

catholic.com/thisrock/1992/9202prof.asp

God gave us freedom because love is nothing if it is not freely given, thus Original Sin arose from our first parents’ freedom to choose against their Creator. A book you might find helpful is Frank Sheed’s Theology for Beginners.

 

[Neil_LA]

Hi Frances

Thank you. I should have done my research before posting.

I will read the article.

God Bless!

Neil

 

[Matariel]

If I remember correctly, Christian Science teaches that sin is actually an illusion, and this is related to the Hindu concept of Maya, That sin is the equivalent of ignorance or illusion.

This teaching I find nothing attractive about at all.

The Catholic concept is completely understandable. God created man to love God, just as God loves man. However, you have to have free will in order to have true love. One must choose love, not be forced to reciprocate it. So man was given a choice, to love God, demostrated by obedience to Him, or to question God, by defying Him. Man chose to defy him, and thus, the entire human family was infected with original sin.

 

[nebula]

Hello

Could someone please tell me what the Catholic view of Christian Science is?

A friend of mine has told me about Christian Science and I have to admit part of it is attractive to me, especially the question of that if God is all good and God created man in God’s image and likeness then why is there sickness, sin and death?

And if Jesus and his disciples healed the sick, why has that healing stopped in recent years?

I’m sure the Catholic view has something to do about the Fall and original sin, but then I ask: why would a good God allow people to be born with sin? And: If Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead to end sin and redeem people, why does the issue of sin still exist?

Part of me questions Christian Science. Why, if matter is not of God and is not real, are we born into this world? Why, if God is All-Good, do humans have an idea of sin, sickness and death? Why does God allow us to have these thoughts if they are not real?

I’m confused…I have studied many religious traditions throughout my life and there are good points and negative points in them all…I am at a place where I don’t know what to believe or how to pray to God.

Thank you

I’m not big on this theology either. It’s better to acknowledge that suffering does occur, is very real, than to try to deny it as illusion because that is insulting to the sufferers of this world. Yes, that proposition raises many difficulties, but it is better than burying our heads in the sand and refusing to take aspirin or see physicians. Although I do not identify myself as a Catholic, I appreciate the fact that Catholicism teaches that the material world is real and matters.

Good luck figuring everything out Neil-- it’s a difficult thing to sort everything out, but the one thing I’d suggest is to mine Catholicism for answers. You have thousands of years of theology to read up on from hundreds of great thinkers who have all wondered the same things as you, and that is a great thing, make use of it!

 

[zerinus]

Hello

Could someone please tell me what the Catholic view of Christian Science is?

A friend of mine has told me about Christian Science and I have to admit part of it is attractive to me, especially the question of that if God is all good and God created man in God’s image and likeness then why is there sickness, sin and death?

And if Jesus and his disciples healed the sick, why has that healing stopped in recent years?

I’m sure the Catholic view has something to do about the Fall and original sin, but then I ask: why would a good God allow people to be born with sin? And: If Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead to end sin and redeem people, why does the issue of sin still exist?

Part of me questions Christian Science. Why, if matter is not of God and is not real, are we born into this world? Why, if God is All-Good, do humans have an idea of sin, sickness and death? Why does God allow us to have these thoughts if they are not real?

I’m confused…I have studied many religious traditions throughout my life and there are good points and negative points in them all…I am at a place where I don’t know what to believe or how to pray to God.

Thank you

What is your answer to these questions? Presumably you have found some kind of answer to them, otherwise you would not be posing them here.

zerinus

 

[Neil_LA]

What is your answer to these questions? Presumably you have found some kind of answer to them, otherwise you would not be posing them here.

zerinus

Hi Zerinus

Nope I have no answers. Why do you think that I have answers?
If I did, would I say that I am confused? Nope…every religion says they have the truth…but they all argue with each other…makes me confused.

 

[zerinus]

Hi Zerinus

Nope I have no answers. Why do you think that I have answers?
If I did, would I say that I am confused? Nope…every religion says they have the truth…but they all argue with each other…makes me confused.

You asked those questions in conjunction with your questions regarding Christian Science; so presumably in your mind they are related. Do you believe they have found an answer to those questions? If so, what are they? If not, why are asking them in the context of questions regarding Christian Science?

zerinus

 

[Neil_LA]

You asked those questions in conjunction with your questions regarding Christian Science; so presumably in your mind they are related. Do you believe they have found an answer to those questions? If so, what are they? If not, why are asking them in the context of questions regarding Christian Science?

zerinus

I’m sorry if my posting wasn’t clear for you Zerinus.

A friend recently told me about Christian Science.
Parts of it sounded like it made sense, parts of it didn’t.

The experience made me realise my profound confusion regarding religious tradtitions.

I found that this experience heightened my basic questions, ie: Which “expression” of God is the correct one. Each religion says that they have the truth and yet the more I explore any particular tradition, the more unsure I am about God and who/what God is and how I should relate to Him.

Maybe it wasn’t appropriate to ask these questions on a Catholic forum?

Please forgive me if I have been inappropraiate.

I keep changing religions because they all have aspects that are attractive and yet all have aspects that I find negative.

 

[zerinus]

I keep changing religions because they all have aspects that are attractive and yet all have aspects that I find negative.

How many religions have you changed so far?

zerinus

 

[nebula]

I’m sorry if my posting wasn’t clear for you Zerinus.

A friend recently told me about Christian Science.
Parts of it sounded like it made sense, parts of it didn’t.

The experience made me realise my profound confusion regarding religious tradtitions.

I found that this experience heightened my basic questions, ie: Which “expression” of God is the correct one. Each religion says that they have the truth and yet the more I explore any particular tradition, the more unsure I am about God and who/what God is and how I should relate to Him.

Maybe it wasn’t appropriate to ask these questions on a Catholic forum?

Please forgive me if I have been inappropraiate.

I keep changing religions because they all have aspects that are attractive and yet all have aspects that I find negative.

That sounds completely appropriate to me Neil. Sounds like maybe you should start from square one and ask: does God exist? and slowly build from there and see what you get. Trying to go top down from the established religions may be futile when you aren’t sure what you believe. Just a suggestion.

 

[Neil_LA]

How many religions have you changed so far?

zerinus

5 types of Christianity
4 types of Buddhism
6 types of Hinduism
2 types of Islam
2 types of Judaism
3 types of Neo-Paganism
2 Shinto sects/off-shoots
2 types of Taoism

Just one religion doesn’t provide everything…

 

[Matariel]

5 types of Christianity
4 types of Buddhism
6 types of Hinduism
2 types of Islam
2 types of Judaism
3 types of Neo-Paganism
2 Shinto sects/off-shoots
2 types of Taoism

Just one religion doesn’t provide everything…

Well, what are your basic beliefs? I myself have a coagulation of beliefs, including Catholicism (Which I rank above the others) Orthodoxy, Anglicanism, Catholic Kaballah, Judaism, and minimally, Buddhism.

First, what do you currently believe about God? Monotheism, Pantheism, Panentheism, Henotheism, Transcendentalism, Aspirationism? As to His nature, do you believe it to be Uniate, Biune (believe it or not, there are Binitarians) Triune, Pleromatic, etc.?

And what Scriptural text do you hold to? The Protestant Holy Bible, Catholic Holy Bible, Q’uran, Torah, Vedas, Diamond Sutra, etc.?

What do you believe of the nature of evil? Christian Science never made sense to me, and this was one of their main problems. Evil is a very real part of human nature, and to deny that is not a very good thing. I do however, recommend reading the writings of Carl Jung. Very enlightening, although I disagree with his treatment of the shadow. Perhaps you can benefit from that.

 

[Neil_LA]

Well, what are your basic beliefs? I myself have a coagulation of beliefs, including Catholicism (Which I rank above the others) Orthodoxy, Anglicanism, Catholic Kaballah, Judaism, and minimally, Buddhism.

First, what do you currently believe about God? Monotheism, Pantheism, Panentheism, Henotheism, Transcendentalism, Aspirationism? As to His nature, do you believe it to be Uniate, Biune (believe it or not, there are Binitarians) Triune, Pleromatic, etc.?

And what Scriptural text do you hold to? The Protestant Holy Bible, Catholic Holy Bible, Q’uran, Torah, Vedas, Diamond Sutra, etc.?

What do you believe of the nature of evil? Christian Science never made sense to me, and this was one of their main problems. Evil is a very real part of human nature, and to deny that is not a very good thing. I do however, recommend reading the writings of Carl Jung. Very enlightening, although I disagree with his treatment of the shadow. Perhaps you can benefit from that.

These are some very good questions.

I definitely believe in God.

I want to know God and experience God.

As to technical terminology and scriptures, I’m really beginning to feel that these things are becoming a hindrance to me. All these conflicting views. Defining God and telling stories of other people’s experiences with God doesn’t really help me BE with God…

I know it is arrogant of me to try to dictate to God what* I *believe His (or Her) agenda should be, but I really don’t understand why God would choose to reveal Himself to some people and not others.

Why do some people have “spiritual experiences” and others don’t? I would very much like God to come to me so that I can know for certain who he is.

I don’t know…I believe God IS… but I want to know who God is…Muhammed (ṣallā llahu ʿalayhi wa sallam) believed with out a doubt that God came to him and spoke to him through the angel Gabriel. St Paul believed without a doubt that Jesus is God and spoke to him on the road to Damascus. Sri Ramakrishna knew that God in the form of Divine Mother spoke to him, without a doubt. There are many ordinary people who know for certain who God is and they are SO sure…I wish that God would speak to me.

I have always believed in God. I have always felt drawn to explore the different ways of believing in God and the various ways to worship that different cultures have.

I want to love God above all else, but I am so filled with doubt as to who God is, in his entirety, I just don’t feel that any religion is adequate. And yet religions are based on someone else’s experience.

I am angry at God for not showing me who He is. I want to love Him, but how can I love someone who is so vague and mysterious. If God IS (and I do believe so) why doesn’t He make Himself known to me in a direct way?

I am willing to say that my ideas about what God “should” do could very well be cutting myself off from experiencing God as He is.

 

[Matariel]

These are some very good questions.

I definitely believe in God.

I want to know God and experience God.

As to technical terminology and scriptures, I’m really beginning to feel that these things are becoming a hindrance to me. All these conflicting views. Defining God and telling stories of other people’s experiences with God doesn’t really help me BE with God…

I know it is arrogant of me to try to dictate to God what* I *believe His (or Her) agenda should be, but I really don’t understand why God would choose to reveal Himself to some people and not others…
I am angry at God for not showing me who He is. I want to love Him, but how can I love someone who is so vague and mysterious. If God IS (and I do believe so) why doesn’t He make Himself known to me in a direct way?

I am willing to say that my ideas about what God “should” do could very well be cutting myself off from experiencing God as He is.

I know exactly how you feel, and I really, really hope that you find what you are looking for. I struggled with the same exact things, and finally ended up inbetween Orthodoxy and Catholicism. Then I began to get angry at God, because I seriously had no idea which one to believe (still not 100% sure.)

Maybe you are clouding your ideas with what God “should” be, with what God really is, as I have before. I know it’s really hard, 'cause I really struggled with the same exact issues, though remaining mostly within Christian/Judaic religions.

I really don’t want you to give up hope though. Remember, God only holds people resposible for what they know, and He knows you’re searching for the Truth. And that is to be commended. So many people never stop and think “Why?” in this life.

I know, because I had a huge struggle with God over why there is suffering in this world. And Catholicism’s answer to that is so profoundly right to me, and I identify so much with Christ on the Cross, and His suffering…

So, what did you particularly like about Christianity and Judaism, and what did you dislike?

 

[zerinus]

5 types of Christianity
4 types of Buddhism
6 types of Hinduism
2 types of Islam
2 types of Judaism
3 types of Neo-Paganism
2 Shinto sects/off-shoots
2 types of Taoism

Just one religion doesn’t provide everything…

That is not nearly enough! You have to try lots more before you hit on the right one.

zerinus

 

[bpbasilphx]

An Orthodox Archbishop was fond of calling Christian Science the Grape-Nuts religion. “Just as Grape-Nuts is neither grape nor nuts, so CS is neither Christianity nor scientific.”

It’s basically a form of gnosticism. Classical gnosticism denied the goodness of matter. CS goes even further, by denying its objective reality–and hence the objective reality of sin and disease.

Therefore, they also deny the Incarnation, Atonement, and Resurrection.

Needless to say, they practice none of the Sacraments. How can non-existent matter have any effect in the spiritual world.

They also say that what we perceive with our senses deceives us, and do not present us with reality. It would seem therefore that the eyes that read SCIENCE AND HEALTH are also deceived, but they never seem to deal with this issue.

I could go on, but you get the idea.