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| Subject: ARE YOU A LAW TO YOURSELF OR AGAINST YOURSELF? |
Are you a “law to yourself”or against yourself?
As Christian Scientists we have been directed to give daily attention to a short note in First Church of Christ, Scientist and Miscellany, simply titled, “ TAKE NOTICE”
To Christian Scientists:-See Science and Health, page 442, line 30 and give daily attention thereto. S&H 442:30 reads:“Christian Scientists, be a law to yourselves that mental malpractice cannot harm you either when asleep or when awake.”
What does “Be a law to yourselves” mean?
What does the idiom, “law to yourself” actually mean? I have read this sentence for years but never really grasped the full meaning of the expression “be a law to yourself”. The Idiom Definition for that phrase reads, “If somebody's a law to themselves, they do what they believe is right regardless of what is generally accepted as correct.” Wow. That mental position is the basis of how a Christian Scientist approaches healing through prayer. No wonder we are instructed to give daily attention thereto.
Furthermore, the opposite of being a ‘law to yourself’ must mean being in sympathy with what is generally accepted as correct regardless of what we know to be spiritually right. In that case we would be a law against ourselves! We would be conforming to, repeating and defending that which is opposed to Truth. We would be malpracticing! In other words you would be mentally repeating an erroneous conclusion over and over again (ruminating) and then having our speech and actions influenced by the acceptance of what we know to be spiritually impossible. How many times have we all done this? When we adopt a “generally accepted” yet limited material interpretation of life we are mentally contributing to general opinion that God is not the only power. This could take the form of a reaction to an offensive act by another, being impressed or saddened by an accident we see along the road, being depressed by economic predictions, being overcome by an illness, anger at a political rivalry or a tragic news event. As an example, if we are feeling ill we have a choice to either accept the illness as a real and true condition or we can be a law unto ourselves and claim our freedom from illness by seeking a spiritual understanding of our health. Which shall it be? Holding to the always-harmonious spiritual fact about ourselves contrary to the material so-called evidence is our daily duty as a Christian Scientist. In order to be a law to ourselves we must be defined spiritually instead of materially. This is fundamental to spiritual healing as taught in Christian Science. Jesus referred to man’s spiritual nature when he said, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” He saw man’s perfection regardless of what others saw.
What about the” mental malpractice” part of the daily requirement?
To someone unfamiliar with Christian Science mental malpractice sounds like an odd term. It is therefore not surprising that the founder of Christian Science was asked this very question and she replied, “Mental malpractice is a bland denial of Truth, and is the antipode of Christian Science. To mentally argue in a manner that can disastrously affect the happiness of a fellow-being — harm him morally, physically, or spiritually — breaks the Golden Rule and subverts the scientific laws of being.” Armed with this explanation we can refer to the mental malpractitioner simple as the “denier of Truth”.
Elsewhere Mrs. Eddy writes, “The basis of malpractice is in erring human will, and this will is an outcome of what I call mortal mind, — a false and temporal sense of Truth, Life, and Love. To heal, in Christian Science, is to base your practice on immortal Mind, the divine Principle of man's being; and this requires a preparation of the heart and an answer of the lips from the Lord.”
The question arises, who is the mental malpractitioner or more simply, who is the one denying Truth, denying God? Is it the public in general impersonally holding a willful and antagonistic thought about your spiritual stand or is a specific individual willfully attempting to mentally argue against your happiness or success? Or, are we unwittingly the one denying the divine influence of Truth, God, for ourselves or others? Let’s look at some of these basic explanations of mental malpractice:
• “A bland denial of Truth”
One definition of “bland” is “the trait of exhibiting no … concern”. Another from the Student’s Reference Dictionary defines bland as mild, soft, gentle.
Thus, malpractice is not just denying God’s presence and power but also doing so without concern. The denier of Truth, God, would deny our divine reflection of goodness, abundance and intelligence integral to spiritual individuality and would do so quietly, so as not to reveal his true thinking. One might be sympathetic, kind, courteous and outwardly supportive yet mentally holding a negative or destructive thought about us - a bland denial of our understanding of the power of God to heal. If we are not alert we will take in this gentle yet false judgment until it appears as our own thinking. It becomes, “there is no God”, or “I can’t heal” or “Christian Science does not heal”. However, if we are a law to ourselves we will be ever - alert to these bland denials of Truth and demonstrate God’s healing power.
• “To mentally argue in a manner that can disastrously affect the happiness of a fellow-being”
To “argue” is to offer as evidence a fact or assertion that something is true; To debate, disagree, or discuss opposing or differing viewpoints”
This is exactly the way the denier of Truth works: arguing in favor of the material evidence to prove a false assertion? This requires also that there must be minds plural as opposed to only one Mind, God; else, where is the argument? We know we are participating in the giving or receiving of malicious acts or
thoughts when we find ourselves down in the mire of opinions and material assertions denying the very presence
of God. We are then a law against ourselves, against our true spiritual selfhood and with our thought closed to a
higher, inspired thought.
• “The basis of malpractice is in erring human will…”
“Will” is defined as “a fixed and persistent intent or purpose;”
The denier of Truth has his own 3-R’s: persistently rehearsing, repeating and ruminating over the same ground reinforcing a false premise and educating human opinion. If we are to be a law to ourselves we must immediately and vigorously reverse these persistent false claims and malicious purposes occupying our thought. It also requires that we refuse to participate in the denier of Truth’s 3’R’s every time we find ourselves reliving and re-hear-ing a spiritually bankrupt argument. We are most vulnerable when, not being alert, we hand over our thought to unconscious and itinerant daydreaming. Like a piece of fly paper we catch every fear and wandering belief as our own thinking.
• “-a false and temporal sense of Truth, Life, and Love”
Temporal is from the Latin tempus = time; pertaining to time; not eternal; fleeting .
These fleeting, time anchored weights (false human opinions) need to be released from thought and replaced with the anchor of hope and faith which reaffirms Truth. We must consciously remove from our thinking mortal will and false estimates of our identity and find refuge in our infinite, spiritual nature which comes to us in the form of inspired thought or revelation (“the answer of the lips from the Lord”). This inspired view, contrary to a “temporal, fleeting” sense, will transform thinking, speech, actions and outcomes.
Based on Mrs. Eddy’s writings pertaining to mental malpractice we can conclude that such malpractice is a bland false argument of human will. It has no power, is not true and cannot deny or impede our progress, health or happiness. It knows nothing of our true spiritual nature or infinite capacity. The daily duty to be a law to ourselves then is simply stepping out of the way, refusing to be a target for malicious will whether directed at us or by us. This thought is summed up in the following paragraph, “Beloved Christian Scientists, keep your minds so filled with Truth and Love, that sin, disease, and death cannot enter them. It is plain that nothing can be added to the mind already full. There is no door through which evil can enter, and no space for evil to fill in a mind filled with goodness. Good thoughts are an impervious armor; clad therewith you are completely shielded from the attacks of error of every sort. And not only yourselves are safe, but all whom your thoughts rest upon are thereby benefited.
In thinking about this daily duty from our textbook I recalled a lesson from my Grandmother, a Christian Science practitioner, that sums up the way malpractice is neutralized. She drew a zero on a piece of paper and asked, “How much is this?” I replied, “Nothing, Grandma”. Then she added another zero and questioned me again. Again I relied, “Nothing”. This continued until there were so many zeros that it filled the page. Each time I repeated, “Nothing”. Then she put a one in front of all those zeros and asked me the value of the number. There were so many zeros that I didn’t have an answer. The number was too large. She then explained that by putting the one in front of the zeros made the zeros important and powerful. If I wanted to avoid the power of those zeros (errors of thought or false asserions) then I shouldn’t step in front of them. And, of course, if I did take on all those zeros all I had to do was step away and it’s so called power or value would vanish.
We can all be a law to ourselves and so expose human will’s complete powerlessness. Let’s stand in the Truth and not in front of those zeros.
OTHER REFERENCES
234:31-3
Evil thoughts and aims reach no farther and do no more harm than one's belief permits. Evil thoughts, lusts, and malicious purposes cannot go forth, like wandering pollen, from one human mind to another, finding unsuspected lodgment, if virtue and truth build a strong defense.
392:24-32 Stand
Stand porter at the door of thought. Admitting only such conclusions as you wish realized in bodily results, you will control yourself harmoniously. When the condition is present which you say induces disease, whether it be air, exercise, heredity, contagion, or accident, then perform your office as porter and shut out these unhealthy thoughts and fears. Exclude from mortal mind the offending errors; then the body cannot suffer from them.
My 210:2
Beloved Christian Scientists, keep your minds so filled with Truth and Love, that sin, disease, and death cannot enter them. It is plain that nothing can be added to the mind already full. There is no door through which evil can enter, and no space for evil to fill in a mind filled with goodness. Good thoughts are an impervious armor; clad therewith you are completely shielded from the attacks of error of every sort. And not only yourselves are safe, but all whom your thoughts rest upon are thereby benefited.
451:26
All mental malpractice arises from ignorance or malice aforethought. It is the injurious action of one mortal mind controlling another from wrong motives, and it is practised either with a mistaken or a wicked purpose.
451:31
Show your student that mental malpractice tends to blast moral sense, health, and the human life. Instruct him how to bar the door of his thought against this seeming power, — a task not difficult, when one understands that evil has in reality no power. Incorrect reasoning leads to practical error. The wrong thought should be arrested before it has a chance to manifest itself.
Mis 31:1-7
What do you consider to be mental malpractice?
Mental malpractice is a bland denial of Truth, and is the antipode of Christian Science. To mentally argue in a manner that can disastrously affect the happiness of a fellow-being — harm him morally, physically, or spiritually — breaks the Golden Rule and subverts the scientific laws of being.
Mis 115:2-5 (to ,)
With Science and Health for their textbook, I am astounded at the apathy of some students on the subject of sin and mental malpractice,
Mis 315:24-4
Teachers shall not silently mentally address the thought, to handle it, nor allow their students to do thus, except the individual needing it asks for mental treatment. They shall steadily and patiently strive to educate their students in conformity to the unerring wisdom and law of God, and shall enjoin upon them habitually to study His revealed Word, the Scriptures, and "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures."
They shall teach their students how to defend themselves against mental malpractice, but never to return evil for evil; never to attack the malpractitioner, but to know the truth that makes free, — and so to be a law not unto others, but themselves.
Rudimental Divine Science"
(p. 9): "The basis of malpractice is in erring human will,
and this will is an outcome of what I call mortal mind,—a
false and temporal sense of Truth, Life, and Love. To heal,
in Christian Science, is to base your practice on immortal
Mind, the divine Principle of man's being; and this requires
a preparation of the heart and an answer of the lips from
the Lord."
'01 19:20-27
MENTAL MALPRACTICE
From ordinary mental practice to Christian Science is a long ascent, but to go from the use of inanimate drugs to any susceptible misuse of the human mind, such as mesmerism, hypnotism, and the like, is to subject mankind unwarned and undefended to the unbridled individual human will. The currents of God flow through no such channels.
My 130:2-5
Watch and guard your own thoughts against evil suggestions and against malicious mental malpractice, wholly disloyal to the teachings of Christian Science.
My 213:15
Unless one's eyes are opened to the modes of mental malpractice, working so subtly that we mistake its suggestions for the impulses of our own thought, the victim will allow himself to drift in the wrong direction without knowing it. Be ever on guard against this enemy. Watch your thoughts, and see whether they lead you to God and into harmony with His true followers. Guard and strengthen your own citadel more strongly. Thus you will grow wiser and better through every attack of your foe, and the Golden Rule will not rust for lack of use or be misinterpreted by the adverse influence of animal magnetism.
Christian Science Sentinel
Established, 1898, by Mary Baker Eddy
WILLIAM P. MCKENZIE, Editor ELLA W. HOAG, Associate Editor
Published every Saturday by
T H E C H R I S T I A N S C I E N C E P U B L I S H I N G SOCIETY
Boston, U.S.A.
Editorial
Be a Law to Yourself
KNOWING the character of a man one can usually predict
what he will do. The courageous man will rise above whelming
fear, the courteous man will be polite regardless of insult,
the merciful man will show favor, and the kind man
will be generous. The ill doer is also true to type; hence the
Scripture, "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still;" but
herein also the other fact is recognized, because it is further
said, "He that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he
that is holy, let him be holy still," and the continuation of the
passage is interesting: "Behold, I come quickly; and my reward
is with me, to give every man according as his work
shall be." This expectation brings comfort to all who are
willing to say of Mind, "How I love thy law."
We are aware, then, of right activity in the world, and
we can observe wrong actions also; that is, we see men engaged
in manly practice, or else in malpractice, concerning
which Mrs. Eddy declares in "Rudimental Divine Science"
(p. 9): "The basis of malpractice is in erring human will,
and this will is an outcome of what I call mortal mind,—a
false and temporal sense of Truth, Life, and Love. To heal,
in Christian Science, is to base your practice on immortal
Mind, the divine Principle of man's being; and this requires
a preparation of the heart and an answer of the lips from
the Lord."
One may say of the malpractitioner that he loses his individuality
in trying to be some one other than himself, or
else in trying to persuade others to become subordinate to
his own changing mortal self. He wants to be a power in
the world and conform human beings to his will, hence tries
to project himself into spheres where he has no right to enter.
When he interferes with others he causes discord continually;
he will not enter into peace himself, yet hinders those
who are trying to find the way to harmony. In short, he
acts like the operators of Jesus' day of whom the Master
said, "They bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne,
and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will
not move them with one of their fingers."
Let each man examine himself as to the law he makes
for himself. Some one who in a critical spirit attended public
worship in a church, found fault with the caretaker, criticized
the singing and the service, the readers and the soloist
and the ushers; and on complaining to another of being
wearied and vexed received this gentle and friendly rebuke:
Think how many different persons you have tried to be; you
can only be happy in finding yourself as a child of God.
Causeless criticism is often unwitting malpractice.
But there are those who malpractice wittingly, criminals
who think themselves unseen, claiming to project a hidden
influence by means of hypnotism into other lives. Is not this
the unseen sin behind all cruelty and tyranny, all seduction
and betrayal, behind every attempt to control and exploit
mankind through fear? It is a human will, the reversal of
divine benevolence, claiming to be as a god ruling the world.
Concerning right protection from this Mrs. Eddy calmly says
(Science and Health, p. 442), "Christian Scientists, be a law
to yourselves that mental malpractice cannot harm you
either when asleep or when awake." Of the righteous man
it is said, "He shall not be afraid of evil tidings;" of the wise
man it is written that he "shall dwell safely, and shall be
quiet from fear of evil."
The Leader of the Christian Science movement has not
left her followers without complete guidance as to the way
in which the student can find himself and dwell protected
from both malpractice and malpractitioner. Here is no warfare
such as is legendary, whereby one rushes out to contest
with an enemy, giving and receiving wounds; nor is it besiegement
either, where one finds hostile invaders encircle his
dwelling place, cutting off aid and comfort from him. In this
warfare what happens is within. No weapons of offense, no
munitions for defense are needed. Protection is from Mind,
unfolding the safeguard of law. Victorious practice is not
contest but obedience to one Mind. Thereby the lawful
thinker knows how "less than nothing, and vanity" is any
claim to power in lawless thinking or animal cerebration, and
how irresistible is metaphysical healing. In the chapter entitled
"Church and School" in her "Miscellaneous Writings"
(p. 315) Mrs. Eddy with great clearness set forth the way
in which this protection through Mind shall be explained by
teachers: "They shall teach their students how to defend
themselves against mental malpractice, but never to return
evil for evil; never to attack the malpractitioner, but to know
the truth that makes free,—and so to be a law not unto
others, but themselves."
This brings safety down to very simple terms. It reminds
us of the words of Christ Jesus when he taught his disciples
that the kingdom of heaven would not come with outward
show,—"Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold,
the kingdom of God is within you." Does not this kingdom
protect itself from the invasion of evil just as a beam of
light protects itself by making it true that wherever it extends
you can find no darkness? Is the Christian Scientist,
then, as light in the world? Even so. Furthermore, as John
says, "God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in
God, and God in him." Can Mind, God, fear a malpractitioner?
Of course not. Can those to whom Mind is law believe
that there is any potence in evil minds? That, too,
would be absurd. The obeyers of law are a law to themselves
whereby hate and fear are abolished. Love is within,
and hence "without are . . . sorcerers . . . and whosoever
loveth and maketh a lie." Let every one, then, enjoy the
blessedness of the man "that walketh not in the counsel of
the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth
in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of
the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night."
WILLIAM P. MCKENZIE.
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