Manual thought and question

[ajmusic]

Hey all,

I've been reading some of the posts for a bit now, but I haven't added anything until now. So before I do, hello everyone. Glad to be here.

A good friend once pointed something out to me that I've really loved. She said that because Mrs. Eddy was just as divinely directed and inspired to write the Church Manual as she was to write S&H, the Manual should be of equal importance to us and should be looked to for guidance. I had to think about that for a while, but I can really see the truth in that statement now. So, I've been thinking a lot about the Church Manual and specifically about a provision called Alertness to Duty (Article 8 Sec. 6) that says:

It shall be the duty of every member of this Church to defend himself daily against aggressive mental suggestion, and not be made to forget his duty to God, to his Leader, and to mankind. By his works he shall be judged, - and justified or condemned.

Every time I think about this I always pause on

[AVERT303]

I am so glad you brought this up! What a cool point that the Manual is just as important to study and consider. I love the idea that even the Manual was an inspired peice rather than just a law book. It's a really cool little book of guidlines.

For me I think our first duty for ourselves as well as mankind, is always to love God supremely. Our second duty is to reflect the love God has for us by loving mankind. And this can be thru prayer, affection, healing, being honest, kind, saying hello, moral behavior, being lawful, etc.

This is a rather simple answer, so I'm looking forward to hearing what everyone else has to say!! :)

[Ame Schneider]

As a Christian Scientist, I believe my duty to mankind is to constantly affirm the reality of man's spiritual being. This is done through demonstrating in my life the healing power of Love and Truth. Yesterday at the ORG meeting I went to here at UCLA - my cousin made a really good point. She said that healings are glimpses to that spiritual reality - and daily demonstration of good thinking, acting, and living bring us that much closer to having healings. And that is what we are all about - being a healing community - proving what Jesus brought to the world.

I think our duty to our Leader is to acknowledge that she discovered and reintroduced this lost element of healing to the world - and our gratitude to her is integral in healing. And our duty to God is to express and reflect our Creator's image and likeness with single hearted devotion. Following the 1st commandment is so important!

- Ame

[SummerMW]

When the Board of Directors came out to San Diego a while back, one of the things I distinctly remember Tom Black say was that the Manual was "a book of healing". I think that is our duty; to heal; to correct thought. How we see ourselves, others, and the world. And help others,when they are ready, to see things as thoughts as did our Leader and our Saviour.
"Metaphysics resolves things into thoughts, and exchanges the objects of sense for the ideas of Soul." Science & Health (p.269:14)

Peace & love - Summer