My church's [abreviated] declaration of principles.

[Maat]

I believe these have been abbreviated from Ernest Holmes' teachings. But here is what we say every Sunday at the Church of Religious Science:

"I believe in God, the One Creative Intelligence, operating through the Universe, and operating throughout my entire being, now and always.

I believe this Perfect Spirit operates upon a Law of Mind and creates my experience exactly according to my belief.

I believe this Perfect Creative Intelligence can be used by me, and by every other person, to produce healthy, abundance and love in mind, body and total life experience.

I use it now and I rejoice in it. And so it is!"

I think that it is neat. Thoughts?

[wildflower]

1. Would you say these are the basic tenets of the Church of Religious Sci.?

Sorry I had to abbreviate; I couldn't fit it all in the subject line. Thanks for posting this, Ma'at.

I am wondering if you would you consider the recitation above the basic essence of the Church of Religious Science? Or if there would be more necessary to completely outline its principles?

There's something else I've been wondering. Does C.R.S. say that you have complete control over your health with your mind? I.e., you can cure anything mentally?

Though I believe strongly in the mind-body connection, and that we can do much mentally to help ourselves physically (and vice versa), I don't go quite that far, i.e. to believe that we have total control over our bodies. I think some the manifestation/outcome of our illness is subject to something more - whether it's considered genetics, or God, or both.

Thanks for posting about this.

-wildflower

[Maat]

2. No, the one that at least used to be reluctant to send people ..

to avail themselves of modern health practioners is CHRISTIAN Science. I haven't really had a discussion about it with a Christian Scientist lately. Isn't Jim Wallis, of Sojo.net, a Christian Scientist?

Yes, I think what I posted is pretty accurate. They seem down-to-earth; for example, if one of us got sick with cancer, he or she would get the same treatment choices (and select one) as anyone else. But my pastor would certainly be wanting he or she to be visualizing health also - and availing himself or herself of Spirit's willing power and abundance (thoughts for health, healing).

And my colleagues in mental health (or at least I used to work there) all agree that a positive mental attitude is critical. So, the belief system seems common sense to me.

Thanks for the post. I love it when we post things. My church is really just the Church of Positive Thinking - which is a good one for me since my nickname is 'Eeyore' (because I talk just like him sometimes).

But the founder was just a philospher who believed that religion AND science were COMPATIBLE. Hence, the name.

[wildflower]

3. Ok. The reason I asked...

is I had been to a Web site (it may have been one you posted) at one time about C.R.S., and I got the impression they believe in the power of the mind to heal. This is a part of some new age thought and alternative healing as well. (And as I said, I don't entirely disagree with it; I just think it's true only up to a point.) So I wondered if this statement encompassed that idea:

I believe this Perfect Spirit operates upon a Law of Mind and creates my experience exactly according to my belief.

My understanding of the Christian sects that avoid medicine was that they think God or prayer will cure disease (not the mind), and thus medicine is not required. ? I don't really know.

I think I've seen the name Jim Wallis on beliefnet.

Thank you for clearing that up!

-wildflower

(EDITED to fix italics)

[Maat]

4. Thanks for the post.

Both CHRISTIAN Science and RELIGIOUS Science are New Thought churches. And Unity is New Thought also.

I'm going to, now that you have me curious, try and do some research as to what Christian Scientists current beliefs are. They may have modernized (I'm sure they have).

I'm remembering that Mary Baker Eddy (Christian Science) studied under the same philosophers as Ernest Holmes (Religious Science).

All I know is that Thoreau and Emerson - Holmes read their writing extensively.

I know that Mary Baker Eddy was the one who did not believe in physicians. Of course, I have to put that in context, because doctors in that day - there was cause to fear them (actually, my brother-in-law's a doctor, and from what he says ... ah, never mind).

Anyway, an ob-gyn really made me a lot better about a year and some ago - thank fortune all I needed was medication and a minor procedure (not cancer, fortunately).

[elshiva]

5. I agree, but I'm more of a traditional

Nicene creed girl. Do you believe anything of the Nicene Creed?
Note: I am a universalist, so I don't think you have to believe in it, I'm just interested. Here's the Nicene Creed:
We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, light from light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary
and became truly human.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father ,
who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.

[kwassa]

6. I just read up on the origin of Council of Nicea

under Constantine that formalized the creed, and Christianity in general. It is pretty interesting.

[elshiva]

7. Good for you. Are you taking any religious studies

courses, Kwassa?

[kwassa]

9. no, just reading on my own.

[elshiva]

10. Good for you, kwassa!

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

8. I like it

especially "I believe this Perfect Creative Intelligence can be used by me , and by every other person, to produce healthy, abundance and love in mind, body, and total life experience."

I had the honor of visiting with a healer over the weekend. I believe she has been in the Church of Religious Science. I know that she practices using the PCI to heal. She says what is important in healing is to stay in what she calls the Sacred Heart-to operate from love-and then all things are possible.