Part 22 (2/2)
and the midweek experience meetings have testimonials of disease cured by Christian Science.
There is much truth in Christian Science. People are helped by it, people are sincere in their belief in it, but that Christian Science is all truth, all powerful, all right, all sufficient, cannot be proven.
What about the people who have gone hence before Christian Science was ever heard of?
The theological religion today, the practices and beliefs, differ from the vogue of fifty years ago.
If the Protestant religion be all truth what became of our religious ancestors who died before Martin Luther found the truth?
I have no quarrel with the Christian Scientist, the Protestant, the Roman Catholic, the Buddhist, or the Mohammedan. I must be generous and broad enough to say others have the right to think and be sincere. All sciences have truth, but no science, sect, cult, dogma, or creed is ALL truth.
Sincerity may be satisfaction and necessary for the possessors of that sincerity, but that your sincerity in your belief must be accepted by me as proof that I should believe as you do, is, I believe, the place where I have the undoubted right to say, ”I reserve the right to my own conclusions and I am unjust to myself if I force myself to accept your viewpoint without full belief myself that you are right.”
So, then, because a person is sincere in a belief that is contrary to your conscientious belief, do not be disturbed or swerved from common sense a.n.a.lysis or convinced against your better judgment.
No one possesses all the truth. It is for you and me to do our plain duty as we see it, to do the best we can each day in act and thought and word.
We can pretty much agree on the simple essential truths which are proven. That is, being honest, truthful, kind, lovable, sympathetic, cheerful, doing good, helping one another and doing things worth while.
If we agree on these things and do useful work and think helpful thoughts, we are doing our duty.
Theories, arguments and studying too deeply on bootless systems, codes, beliefs, cults, isms, or doctrines, is a waste of time.
When we can here and now derive definite benefits from doing the simple and helpful things and acting and thinking the simple practical cheer thoughts, it is not necessary or good for us to waste time on spiritualism or theoretical beliefs that cannot be proved to our own selves satisfactorily.
We are asked to believe these strange, impractical, unnatural beliefs, because of the sincerity of others. It's better to do, and to be the thing we can ourselves measure, understand and sincerely believe.
There are hundreds of strange beliefs and spiritual systems, each claiming to be all powerful, all right. If any one is all truth then all the others are all wrong.
The bigot who a.s.sumes he is the sole possessor of truth, the cult, sect, ism, or science that claims to possess all truth, and the exact rules for the world to obey, should be cla.s.sed with those other misguided men and religions which burned human beings who dared to doubt their right to the possession of all truth.
G.o.d never gave his approval to any one man-made religious sect.
G.o.d is the universal good power; man often tries to interpret G.o.d's idea to his own selfish narrow vision.
PILLS
The Man Who Has a Pill for Every Ill
How often we see the pill fiend. In his vest pocket he has a small apothecary shop, a collection of round paste-board boxes and little bottles.
Every little while he dopes himself. If his stomach is on a strike he pops in a pill. If his head aches he takes a tablet. If he sneezes he takes a cold cure pill.
When anyone around speaks of a pain or ache he hands the person a pill.
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