The Denver Jewish news., 1922-01-18
why Jews Turn to Chri-
stian Science"
Continued From Last Week.

".tH 'piips'-''ii'~N. iuhiie~N' I'i
Of life. To such holiness and com
pletcncss religion must help man.
As for the affirmations of Christian
Science which it seems to have sub
stitutcd for the longtime stress of
religion upon the moral negative. sure
ly this again is nothing new. Half a
century ago, Emerson said: ''Ccase
your negatives: nerve us with afiirma-
tives." And centuries before. the great
rsalmist sang: Cease to do evil and
then he added. as if knowing that ccs-
sation from evil were not enough.
Learn to do WELL supplemcnting tho
negative inhibition with affirmative
and imperative.
Christian Science is violativc alike
of the spirit of religion and of the
spirit OF science. 1t was one OF the I'M
mortal achievements of the new scicn-
tifc order to have broken away from
the geOccntric theory of the universe,
which placed not only man but the
globe by man inhabited at the very
ccntcr of things. That ancient illusion
the magic of the mind of Copernicus
religion is nightly seeking to break
away from human attitude which
parallels the gcocentric theory of the
physical world-namely. the egoccn-
tric attitude. Religion is about 10
shatter the hlighting spell of human
sclf-centredness. long the bane and
Sursc of the race. Christian Science
is a variation of the old gcOcentric
theory of life reduced 10 n lower
level.
If the longtime at-shail-I-do-to-
be-saved type of religion is becoming
abhorrent. what shall we say of the
new species of faith the slogan of
which Is i-I-do-tO-be-saved-
not to save my soul. hut to save my
body? This is the rc-ap0theosis of
self. Of mans physical well-bcing as
the whole of life.
He who would judge Christian
Science as compared or contrasted
with Judaism or in truth with amy ono
of the traditional and historic Chris
tian faiths need hut consider the oft
repeated test of Christian Science as
1t affects the individual. Yes, it is
said of certain person. he is Chris
tioan Scientist and Christian Science
helped him wonderfully. Or. Yes. she
has Joined the Christian Science
church, for it has cured her of dis
case which physicians long pronounc-
cd incurablc.
Have you ever heard the question
asked concerning n man or woman
said to bc a convert to Christian
Science: a Christian Scientist
whom does he help? Docs he nobly
serve any cause? The essence of
Christian Science is neither ethical
ror religious I do not say that Chris
tian Science is unethical. but. / re-
neat. the essence of Christian Science
l. neither religion nor morals Incl
dentaliy. Christian Science may he
both moral and religious and so may
be its votarirs. But Christian Science
is not in essence either of these things.
Its essence is not conduct that is NOR
al. but healthfulness that is physical.
Its quest is not of rightness of living.
hut the prolongation of life.
Christian Science is "A religion of
comfort for the well-to-do rather than.
like the religion of Israel, n constraint
10 do we'll. Its everlasting command
is: Thou canst he well rather than:
Thou shalt do well. The great word
If Judaism is justice or equity or
Righteousness between man and man.
The great word of Christianity is love.
The great word of Scirnce is what?
Health Health !. Health... And jus
tice and love and righteousness. it may
br supplementary to health. Said the
New Testament writer: Pure first,
then peaceable. Said the Old Testa-
ment writer: Holy shall We be. Christ
ian Science says: Health first and all
else afterward.
The religion of Israel never offered
cnticemcnt physical or beguilement
spiritual. Frankly and urabashedly it
demanded compelled and exacted. For
centuries in any event throughout the
Christian era Israel has given nothing
ponderable and outwardly assessable
to. and at the same time asked every
thing of. its votnries. 1t has purport-
ed to grant nothing of outward peace
and content and comfort and it has
asked everything at the cost of all
those quietudes and serenities of life
within and without, which normally
mean so much TO men.
9, \