Christian Science frees us up to see and experience the constant flow of divine perfection as man and the universe. It enables us to "...rejoice that we are subject to the divine 'powers that be' " (Science and Health, p. 249: 8-9). Really, we have no choice in Science but "to drink of the river of thy pleasures."

The word "affluence" comes from roots meaning to swell, well up, overflow — even to be tumescent. It was the last sense that alerted us to the difference between divine affluence and that which is merely mortal. In many religions and cultures the phallus is worshipped as a god or divine aspect. This hints at the power of this symbol, even in the most so-called civilized places. When the energies thus represented are allowed to sink to the level of the mundane, Puritanism and sexual addiction start happening along with phenomena like the jockeying for position among the billionaires reported annually in Forbes magazine. But any of us can fall prey to an outward, disconnected sense of our being as we rest on belief in money, investments, jobs, looks — whatever.

The work in Science is clear and simple. While we might aim at the Truth through a suggestive symbol like the phallus, we must find and live its divine reality: the all power, all presence and all knowledge that animates our God being. We discussed briefly the difference between the words egotist and egoist, as Mrs. Eddy outlines them in Unity of Good: "evil is egotistic, — boastful, but fleeing like a shadow at daybreak; while God [and thus man as His reflection] is egoistic, knowing only His own all-presence, all-knowledge, all-power" (p. 27:13).

The egotist, boasting of his much, or little money, or anything whatsoever — friends, lovers, even spiritual understanding — is objectifying himself right away, and the resolution of that erroneous stance may be painful. The egoist carefully keeps himself (and all others, in his thought) aligned with the divine flow of good, so that what appears is secondary, although of course, harmonious.

A Catholic friend of our Group recommended an article by Philip Zalenski in the Winter 1999 issue of Parabola, contrasting Eve's gluttonous appetite for the knowledge of good and evil with the Virgin Mary's quiet emptiness before God's will. Mrs. Eddy described Mary's gift to mankind as follows: "The Holy Ghost, or divine Spirit, overshadowed the pure sense of the Virgin-mother with the full recognition that being is Spirit" (Science and Health, p. 29:24-26).

Do we ravenously pursue health, wealth, happiness and fill ourselves with dualistic concepts or do we practice Science and let all these things flow as demonstration of acceptance of the facts of our being?

The present world economic situation came up. Here are some of the ideas shared:

1) The 107 month expansion of the US economy — the longest in history — is not based on Mr. Greenspan or the internet — although we have nothing against them. The divine economy is infinite bliss and fully controls the human economy.

2) Conflicts between rich and poor people and nations are real and felt to the extent we accept minds many and lords many. To the one Mind that is the cause and effect of all, such problems are solutions. Everyone of us is in reality an infinite, eternal idea: that's the standpoint of Science. Anything less than full infinite status is malpractice, although it may be very appealingly presented. We're not talking about human actions here — those can usefully flow from a correct apprehension in Science.

3) The conundrum faced by the Fed. in managing monetary policy to rein in growth looks tricky, since spending seems to rest on escalating stock and real estate prices. We cannot presume to offer prescriptions but we can and must know the Truth. The same applies to the outlook for the budget surplus and proposals for tax cuts: "...as in heaven, so on earth, — God is omnipotent, supreme," (Science and Health, p. 17: 2-3). His economy, the only economy, is infinite, unfluctuating, non-spiky, harmony. Keeping our focus here, we may be of assistance to those who have to make the hard calls on policy.

These healings were reported:

1) Two members were lamenting losses they had suffered last week in the stock market and were comparing notes on what various analytic gurus were predicting. They became rather confused and depressed. Finally, one remembered Science and recommended they "... rejoice in the affluence of our God." That broke the mesmeric spell and they were peaceful, even happy, again. Of course, the market recovered.

2) Another member, feeling the onset of the flu, started work in Science. He was holding his own, but experienced rapid healing once he realized that Jesus' healing work was never partial but complete. He needed no recuperation period.

3) Another member found himself in a threatening situation with his landlord over rent stabilization. He achieved intermittent peace through scientific prayer but saw the problem resolved when he worked on the problem from both sides of the table, and on a city wide basis. Questions came up in his thought, as follows with their answers: "You can't work for others without their permission." "To the I that is Us there are no others." "It's too big a problem." " Bigger than God?" " It's a deeply entrenched problem." "Entrenched in what, where?" "Some people will be hurt if this is resolved." "Whatever blesses one, blesses all," (see Science and Health, p. 206: 16). Great peace followed and his own situation was resolved. He will continue to work for the harmony of the community.

We chose the topic Confrontation to explore for next week.