A Quaker visitor to our group got us started with the observation that labels are inevitable, "we can't get along without them." He noted that they don't always reflect what's going on below the surface. One of our regular members then reminded us of those cans without labels kicking around a grocery store. If we want fruit salad we don't want to chance buying dog food — so we go for the labeled product. The same with people — if we need a jazz band we'll be very interested in how people are labeling themselves.

Of course, even the finest labels do not guarantee the quality of what's inside — we'd need to open and sample the contents, whether product or person, to get at that information. We noted in passing how many folks, ourselves often included, are fixated on labels whether of some garment or, yes, person. One could starve physically, emotionally and spiritually if he goes no deeper than labels.

We next discussed the pejorative or hurtful use of labels. Everyone operates under a number of labels — e. g., male/female, white/black, Gay/non-Gay, this or that nationality or religion and so forth. These all carry emotional baggage important for association and bonding; they are also used for marketing and electoral purposes.

Problems seem to arise when some people suppress what is felt to be a negative trait in themselves and end up projecting the negativity onto others. This happened with the Nazis vis-à-vis the Jews and with Gay people vis-à-vis right wing Christians. Merely evoking the name Jew or Gay with appropriate tone of voice can be hate speech. And of course hate crimes can flow from this sort of thing.

In assessing labels from a Christian Science standpoint we had to see that matter itself is nothing but a label, a dualistic supposition of some medium apart from God that could fluctuate between good and evil. A member stated clearly that nothing is ever matter — every person, place, thing is always a spiritual idea. Held in this light we could expect the energies of Heaven to bring out the highest forms possible on our present belief level. One other point — and it was a hard one — came up at this time: the view that victims, so called, are complicit in the bigotry directed against them. This shocking notion has a compensation however; by living infinitely, eternally, perfectly and at-one with and as God the victim can move himself and perpetrator rapidly towards salvation.

Here are some other ideas shared on how to break the habit of labeling.

1) We could ask ourselves, "Am I living a label?" False posturings invite scorn. We must constantly weigh whether our attitudes and actions reflect our true selfhood or just some faddish trend.

2) We could ask, "Do I love my neighbor as myself, not because someone said I should but because I recognize that he is myself, in light of one I or Ego?"

3) "Do I see with the vision of Science beyond appearances and welcome seeming differences as an opportunity to expand my human vista towards its divine potential?" A member told of looking at a woman at the gym — he did not know her — and thinking what infinities of experience and wisdom lay behind her exterior.

4) In order to shake free from the belief in many mortals, this statement by Margaret Laird, a Christian Science teacher, has been helpful to at least one of our members: "As subject I'm unaware of myself as object."

5) The TV movie "The Truth About Jane" helped a member see how lovingly family-based homophobia can be handled with the assistance of P-FLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gay Men). It's now playing on Lifetime.

Our resident Jungian (there were two other Jungians in attendance) pointed out that symbols are a wonderful help in breaking the grip of matter. He had seen an episode of "Queer As Folk", the British sitcom and found himself moved to tears by the beauty and honesty of one of the characters. Why?, he wondered. Could this represent his lost youth, perhaps a parent or lover from long ago? Or his divine child archetype? (See Isaiah 9: 6, 7). He couldn't yet tell, but was willing to let its significance emerge gently so that its full deific value is revealed.

We briefly talked of the political season and all the opportunities for labeling and thus redemption — i.e., trading up the raw material for realities of higher, broader value. The accession of Joseph Lieberman to the Democratic ticket was, as Jesse Jackson said, a breakthrough for all minorities. Having before the country an Orthodox Jew with an almost perfect record in support of Gay rights must cause some consternation in conservative Christian circles.

These healings were reported.

1) A member, greatly harried by work and other duties, found himself having persistent chest pains. He even thought of calling 911 but decided to open completely to God instead. The statement by Jesus, "My Father worketh hitherto, and I work" (John 5:17) came to him with force. He relaxed and the problem evaporated during the night as he slept. It tried to return during the church service on Sunday as he was doing his work in Science for the congregation. This time he saw that he must let go of seeing himself as a Christian Scientist applying Science and go forward to being the Christ Science itself. The pains instantly ceased.

2) A member was fired from his job during the week for being Gay. He undoubtedly has a good court case but has decided to handle it in Science as would Jesus or Paul. He can see that behind the labels Gay and bigot is only divine Love healing the problem and blessing all. He is keeping it at the level of divine Love alone.

3) A member got a brick through his window after he came out to his congregation. It was truly a shock but he handled it with scientific prayer and the bigotry has been seen as nothing. Conditions are much better.

As we came to a close and sought a topic for next week a member recommended "Lover Wanted", based on his own feelings and what he thought were those of others. There was considerable resistance; one even called the proposed topic "tawdry". We fished around madly and came up finally with the more elegant "Intimate Other".