As we came up with our topic last week, some felt Mrs. Eddy's statement about animals being lesser ideas was questionable. An internet friend, in conjunction with a testimony about training his dog — more later on this — gave us this helpful perspective: 

"I got my dog because of the breaking-up of a relationship. Our previous dog had passed away a few months before and I just needed an unending source of love. At the Humane Society, we literally bonded instantly. I think the mortal way of looking at that statement in Science and Health, 'God gives the lesser idea of Himself for a link to the greater, and in return, the higher always protects the lower,' (p. 518:13-15) is to think of a lesser idea as one which is not as good as another. But I don't think that's what she's saying. One idea of God is not better or worse than another. Every idea reflects God completely and wholly. I think the lesser idea of a dog is a little simpler than a human, but the whole family of man includes dog, and cat, bird, tree, ant, tick and flea. This last idea has helped us avoid ticks this summer — we saw the tick as one of those 'harmless, useful, and indestructible' creatures of God (see Science and Health, p. 514: 28)."

This brought into focus some of the ideas about pets our members had been working on during the week. One member pointed out that men and animals are inextricably bound together, hinting at the fact in Science of our common source in divine Mind. Evolution is one of the ways mortals experience our oneness. Paleolithic cave paintings show early man's involvement with animals not only on a utilitarian basis but on a sacred level as well. Some animals came to be worshipped as gods; eventually some were domesticated for food and work purposes. Farm animals were often kept in living quarters for heat and security.

Where then did pets come from? Yes we could see from what was just discussed that pets would be the natural outcome eventually for some of the animals. One member told us of ducklings his grandfather, an ardent farmer, interested the grandchildren in. The kids became very attached to the animals; each had a name and was cared for with much love. One Sunday at the Grandparents'' house ended stormily when the ducks were served for lunch. The mix up as to what's a pet and what's destined for the table still causes our member much disquiet.

A member said that the introduction of the concept of pets into society represents a splitting of animal energies into "good" pets and "bad" wild animals (including germs and viruses). The latter are generally seen as beyond our control. Our ardent Francophile said that the French feel their pets have souls. Another member recounted a recent incident with a wild goose who came to his family's home and bonded with him over a period of days. Once the domesticated family pets happened on the scene, they nearly tore the poor so-called wild animal to pieces; he managed to escape.

All of these interesting observations got one member to comment that in Christian Science we must live our animals — pets and non pets — as divine ideas. Even wild animals can be lived this way. He read us the story of Moses and his rod, which became a snake (Exodus 4: 3, 4) and the correlative passage from Science and Health (321: 6-18). He also mentioned Daniel in the lion's den (Daniel 6:22). Furthermore he related some statements from Margaret Laird and Herbert Eustace, both Christian Science Teachers, about the need to live our germs and viruses not as dualistic problem causers but as ideas of God.

A member said this line of thought reminded him of some ideas contained in Native American spiritual practice. Various animals are seen as manifestations of the central wind god. They are ineffable archetypal essences, not material, but still very real. This all seems to resonate with Science, but when he pointed out that our word "animal" derives from roots meaning wind, breath, spirit, mind and soul we were dazzled.

We spent a few moments on animal traits ascribed to people. He's a pig, a chicken, a wolf, etc. They treated me like a dog. She's foxy. The last two Survivors on the CBS TV show were referred to as the snake who ate the rat. Terms for Gay people in Spanish and Portuguese are "duck" (pato) and "deer" (viado) respectively.

Here are some pet testimonies:

1) Our internet friend told of training his dog. Initially a professional trainer was engaged; he indicated that the dog was to be treated strictly as a dog: there would be no sleeping on the bed, absolute rules when walking to be administered with a strong grip on the leash and so on. The dog balked and eventually refused to go forward with the training. Our friend didn't know what to do; the dog needed training but the "human" way wasn't working. He decided to just love the dog and see what developed. When they took a walk, he would express much love to the dog and show him when necessary what he needed to do. He seemed to understand such directions were for his good. Our friend kept loving and loving and within six months the dog was fully trained. He waits for his master to say it's OK to cross the street; he walks only on the sidewalk and doesn't lunge at people or chase bikers as he once did.

2) A member in attendance told of a problem with his cat. As he and his boyfriend engaged in amatory activities the cat would go berserk, literally bouncing off the walls. Our member found that he must take the time to embrace the cat with loving affection before the human exchange gets underway.

3) Another member reported a healing of some long buried childhood pain and guilt. He heard this statement from Science and Health at the Wednesday testimony meeting at his branch church: "Willingness to become as a little child and to leave the old for the new, renders thought receptive of the advanced idea" (p. 323:32-2). Later in therapy, with this statement in mind and aware of our topic, he recalled a cat he had as a child. His mother did not like his pet and showed her hostility constantly. He was angry with her but dared not show it for fear of almost certain reprisals. Instead he transferred his rage unto the cat and in a moment of murderous fury flung it into a bonfire. The cat escaped with severe burns but wisely did not return to the household. Our member was able to grieve the incident and its seeming causes. An image of his cat came to him in reverie and they exchanged loving feelings for each other. He was also able to look at some current situations which called for discussion rather than bottled up rage and its effects.

Halfway through the meeting a woman in obvious pain entered the room. Her background was Catholic but recently she had been involved in Pentecostalism. In both systems she had been abused for her Lesbian orientation.

We told her of the Christian Science approach to such a problem, even while allowing for the deficiencies within our church. We also made her aware of the great variety of Gay Catholic and Pentecostal groups where she might feel comfortable. She seems to like us and our approach and may have at home a copy of Science and Health, which was obtained at a book sale conducted by Catholic nuns some years ago! We also like her very much. Indeed, one member was moved to voice the strength he had gained from her story: here she was, disowned by family and church friends but still moving painfully forward in response to her own divine impulsion, which could not be suppressed by a lot of religious clap trap.

We had to fish around for our next topic and came up with Travel as members here prepare for getting to the Emergence conference in Los Angeles in October.