Christian Science

{{confused|[[Scientology]], which is somehow crazier than Christian Science}}{{religion}}{{cquote|''I see [[faith]] in your eyes.<br>Never you hear the discouraging lies.<br>I hear faith in your cries.<br>Broken is the promise, betrayal.<br>The healing hand held back by the deepened nail.<br>Follow the god that failed.''|||{{wpl|Metallica||,}} "{{wpl|The God That Failed (song)|The God that Failed}}"<ref group=note>"The God that Failed" is a scathing takedown of Christian Science. Metallica frontman James Hetfield's mother was a Christian Science adherent and refused any kind of medical treatment when she was diagnosed with [[cancer]] for this reason.</ref>}}
'''Christian Science''' is a [[pseudoscientific]] and overtly [[religious]] belief system founded by [[Mary Baker Eddy]] in 1866, based on the idea that [[Christianity]] is a verifiable set of beliefs. The central texts of Christian Science are the [[Bible]] and the Christian Science textbook, ''[[Science and Health (Christian Science)|Science & Health With Key to the Scriptures]]'' by Mary Baker Eddy.

==Oxymoronic connotations==
"Christian Science" is an [[oxymoron]] in the sense that "Christian" implies some form of [[dogma]] and set of beliefs to be adhered to, while "[[Science]]" is a method that does not and cannot have a strict dogma.<ref group=note>The closest thing science has to a dogma is the [[scientific method]] itself.</ref> Unfortunately, it's an oxymoron that has attracted a sizable following (which isn't entirely surprising, since the "Science" part of the name was tacked on to gain [[Argument from authority|credibility]]). Contrary to the name, followers of "Christian Science" do not actually believe in science — or even, it would seem, their own senses, since they specifically [[Denialism|deny]] any [[evidence]] which contradicts their interpretation of the Bible. There are also some who would [[No True Scotsman|doubt that their religion is particularly Christian]], but that is beyond our scope.

==Medicine and health==
Christian Scientists deny the [[reality]] of [[Materialism|the physical world]], similar to [[Gnosticism]]. They instead believe that the only reality is purely spiritual and that there is only one substance of which we are all composed ([[God]]). As a consequence, Christian Scientists deny the reality of [[pain]] and [[disease]], believing them to be deceptive misperceptions of the pure [[spiritual]] nature of man and God. They contend that any such misperception may be remedied through [[prayer]] and reflection on God's perfection and goodness. 

The official party line is that Christian Science does not try to convince people not to get [[medical]] attention, but does discourage mixing of Christian Science and reality-based treatments. However, Christian Scientists are [[Ignorance|encouraged not to educate themselves]] about physical ailments.<ref>Fraser (Atlantic) 1995. Also see Arnold S. Relman, "Christian Science and the care of children", ''New England Journal of Medicine'', 309(26), December 29, 1983, p. 1639; Rita Swan, "Faith healing, Christian Science, and the medical care of children", ''New England Journal of Medicine'', 309(26), December 29, 1983, pp. 1639–1641; Nathan Talbot, "The position of the Christian Science church", ''New England Journal of Medicine'', 309(26), December 29, 1983, pp. 1641–1644.</ref> The primary book for Christian Scientists is ''Science and Health With Key to the Scriptures'', first published in 1875 by Mary Baker Eddy. It is no small irony that Eddy's history of [[Hallucination|hearing voices]] as a child suggests she may have been [[schizophrenia|schizophrenic]], a diagnosis that medical science was not yet capable of making in the 19<sup>th</sup> century and which Christian Science would have in any event rejected.

===Nancy Brewster===
Nancy Brewster was a seven-year-old girl who died as a direct result of neglectful "treatment" at the hands of her mother, who followed the teachings of Christian Science. Because Nancy was "God's perfect child", it would be impossible for her to have health problems — thus when exercising in 100+ degree heat didn't cure her [[Cancer|lymphoma]], it was because she was being stubborn, a perfectly valid reason for her mother to ''[[Corporal punishment|repeatedly beat her]] and [[Blaming the victim|blame her for her illness]]''. After her death, her mother [[Deceit|told her siblings]] that she had taken a trip to [[Africa]]. Ms. Brewster's published testimony in the ''Christian Science Journal'' [[Lying by omission|ignores the existence]] of Nancy.<ref>[http://childrenshealthcare.org/?page_id=132#Nancy Nancy's story on Children's Health Care], along with the stories of many more who have died as a result of religious-based neglect.</ref>

Many other [[children]] have also died at the hands of Christian Scientist parents.<ref>[https://www.theatlantic.com/past/docs/unbound/flashbks/xsci/suffer.htm Suffering Children and the Christian Science Church], ''The Atlantic''</ref> The conditions they die from are usually easily treatable, e.g. diabetes. Due to religious exemptions in [[criminal]] and civil code, many of these parents are able to escape justice altogether or get off on lesser charges.

A similar event was presented in ''Family Guy'' episode titled "Livin' on a Prayer" (Season 10, Episode 12). In addition to the usual [[shoehorning|shoehorned]] cut-scenes, the plot of the episode is based around an infant being diagnosed with a treatable form of cancer taken home by his Christian Science mother, then kidnapped by the Griffins, who took him to a hospital. There is a brief standoff at the hospital between Lois and the parents of the child (and [[police]]) which includes Lois making brilliant counter-arguments to Christian Science ("What if medical treatment is God's will?" or "What if penicillin is answered prayer?"). The standoff ends with Lois saying "What's the point of praying to God for a cure if you're just going to wipe your butt with his answers?" Interestingly, there was no word of a lawsuit regarding the incident.

==The Church==
[[File:Christian Science Center (8636637091).jpg|thumb|right|The church headquarters in Boston]]
Unsurprisingly, Mary Baker Eddy used Christian Science as the basis for founding a new [[church]]. Its official name is ''The Church of Christ, Scientist''. Instead of sermons, the Church has readings from ''Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures'', per Ms. Eddy's instructions.

===Official positions on social and political issues===
The Church of Christian Science claims that they are unable to speak for anyone, as they are an individualistic religion. However, their web page on "social issues" would suggest that they do have specific positions on some issues:<ref>The following from [http://christianscience.com/what-is-christian-science/social-political-and-global-issues the official web site.]</ref>
*[[Homosexuality]] – [[Marriage]] is for procreation, and is a blessing from and of God. Hence, it is likely that as a Church, they would not support [[gay marriage]]. However, gay relationships must be seen as a part of the human condition, though they also say all people are not as pure as [[Jesus]], and strive in their own life to grow spiritually. While this line supposedly suggests that gay members should be accepted openly, it is tainted with some idea that it is not as healthy or godly as heterosexuality.
*[[Abortion]] – In another vaguely worded position statement, each woman must strive in herself to find "the steps that are nearest right for them in this situation." At the same time, "we stress [[faith healing|non-medical solutions]] to all problems."

==CS in positions of power==
During the 1960s and 1970s, Christian Scientists occupied powerful positions in the federal [[government]], including:
*Stansfield M. Turner - Director of [[CIA|Central Intelligence]] (1977-1981).
*William H. Webster - Director of the [[FBI]] (1978-1987) and Director of Central Intelligence (1987-1991). Former federal judge.
*[[Watergate|John Daniel Ehrlichman]] - Assistant to the President for Domestic Affairs under President [[Richard Nixon]].
*[[Watergate|H. R. Haldeman]] - White House Chief of Staff to President Richard Nixon.
*[[Watergate|Egil "Bud" Krogh, Jr.]] - Head of the "Special Investigation Unit" in the Nixon [[White House]].

Haldeman and Ehrlichman used their influence in the White House to push a bill through Congress which extended the [[copyright]] of Eddy's ''Science and Health...'' for an extra 75 years. The bill was declared unconstitutional.

==Legacy==
[[File:Christian Science Reading Room, Lexington MA.jpg|thumb|right|Abandon all Medicine, Ye who enter here]]
The movement's most lasting contributions to humanity are its newspaper [http://www.csmonitor.com/ '''''The Christian Science Monitor'''''], which is usually considered quite excellent,<ref group=note>7 Pulitzer Prizes. Just don't follow their medical advice!</ref> and numerous air-conditioned {{wpl|Christian Science Reading Room|"Christian Science Reading Rooms"}} tailor-made for a broke student to duck into for a few hours of quiet while travelling. One notable contributor to the ''Christian Science Monitor'' is British maritime officer and ''[[Titanic]]'' survivor {{wpl|Charles Lightoller||,}} who converted to Christian Science in the early 1900s and wrote articles for their newspaper.<ref>[https://www.titanicofficers.com/article_15.html Titanic's Officers - Articles - Lightoller's Faith: A Christian Scientist]</ref>

However, the movement appears to be in slow but steady decline. The number of Christian Science congregations fell by half, and the number of practitioners declined by four-fifths, between 1971 and 2009.<ref>[http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/cs.html Christian Science Statistics: Practitioners, Teachers, and Churches in the United States], Quackwatch</ref> The ''Monitor'' reports that in 2009, more new members came from [[Africa]] than the United States.<ref>[http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2009/0609/p02s07-usgn.html Africa contributes biggest share of new members to Christian Science church], ''Christian Science Monitor''</ref>

==See also==
*[[Creation science]]

==External links==
*''Christian Science'' is also the name of [http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/3187 a skeptical book about the religion] by [[Mark Twain]].
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7RT4wNhiYQ A more-or-less comprehensive history of the movement]

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}

==References==
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[[Category:Pseudoscience]]
[[Category:Christian denominations]]
[[Category:Christianity]]
[[Category:Cults]]
[[Category:Misnomers]]
[[Category:Oxymorons]]

Categories: Pseudoscience, Christian denominations, Christianity, Cults, Misnomers, Oxymorons