The readings and the early part of the meeting stuck to our topic, Mercy, which our facilitator recommended last week because of his feeling that many Christian Scientists fail to give it sufficient weight in the healing work and our lives in general.

He kicked off with the story of the good Samaritan. The readings from Science and Health showed Mrs. Eddy links mercy and justice—mirroring basic Judeo-Christian beliefs and her own frequent pairing of Principle and Love, synonyms for God. Members seemed to agree that mercy as a mere human trait had better be balanced by justice or we could have dangerous results.

The quotes from Unity of Good, which Mrs. Eddy considered her most spiritual work, opened new vistas for us; one member summarized it this way: "The God that seems to pity and have mercy on us is in fact the divine Mind or Love which knows us as perfect. God's greatest gift to mortals is their non-mortality."

As with all subjects in Christian Science we had come (rather quickly this time) to the dichotomy between a relative and an absolute sense of mercy. Certainly we all need to be kind and forgiving; to feel and have empathy. Several members noted however that human traits can be feigned, just to get us out of a jam or to manage impressions. This kind of thing will not heal and, since it's built on the sands of personality, can lead to a mighty crash. The student of Christian Science can bring so much more to the practice of mercy: the reflection of the divine Mercy that lives good alone as all.

A member illustrated with a couple of experiences in negating street crimes through immediately accessing the divinity of everyone involved in the scene. In one case he was able to talk with his attackers afterwards, give them some money and Christian Science Sentinels. He felt so secure in the healing he then told them he hoped to see them often as he came along this way every day on his way from the office. Another member told of fending off the attack of a friend and the Christian Science work he then undertook to dispel animosity and feel forgiveness. Still another talked of dropping a court case against her landlord, and the feelings of joy which followed.

These testimonies led one member to challenge us to use our understanding of Christian Science, and not human will, to dissolve all the grudges, gripes, hurts and offenses we feel towards others. "Who knows what this might ultimate in," asked one member. "That's getting ahead of ourselves: first do the work," replied the challenger.

One other point came up here: when giving Christian Science help to someone of limited experience in Science, it's not a good idea to describe what you're seeing in absolute terms. It can sound most unmerciful. We agreed we should use ordinary, even orthodox, terminology. "Talk to be heard of men; think to be heard of God."

We next took on some of the news stories of the day, with these results.

1) Attorney General Ashcroft. We noted how with appropriate watching — human as well as Christian Science — this man could be a great boon to the LGBT community. He's certainly a lightning rod for our issues and those of other minorities. Some members felt he would help us stay awake by constantly evaluating him as divine idea. We don't have to give him the option of sin; indeed if we do, are we not complicit? We must see him as run by Principle alone.

2 ) Lockerbie. A good place to let divine Mercy prevail by seeing/living all those involved, whether "alive" or "dead" as ongoing, infinite, eternal, interpenetrative divine ideas.

3) Faith-based social services. LGBT churches and other spiritual outreaches should be getting their budgets ready for submission. Lord knows we have the needs for help in treating physical disease, addiction and mental problems. Special needs for older and younger LGBT folks are every day being identified. One wonders whether Christian Scientists should apply for funding; after all we should be able to separate the physical from the metaphysical, and back up the former with prayerful work in Science. In any case, our work in Science needn't await any funding, and this initiative can be seen as a goad to such work now.

4) The Economy. Fluctuating indicators foretell developments in the economy. One member outlined for us the divine Economy — the only Economy that is — which is absolute perfection with every need and want met fully, every person, place and thing precisely employed. "What are Its indicators telling us," he asked.

The meeting then got a bit contentious as we returned to one of our recurrent themes: absolute vs. relative Christian Science. A couple of members tried to mediate. One offered the example of a bridge game. We are all dealt our hands and must bid and play them according to whatever wisdom we can muster. Bridge can be taken as a metaphor for life; it's filled with veiled communications and even sexual imagery ("He jumped me with a weak raise!") Its artificial bidding systems have proliferated over time as intelligence reaches out for precision. Someday players may find ways to change and enrich the game or perhaps drop it altogether for other forms that better reflect life. In any case, life goes on throughout the process, whatever the game drawing on it for inspiration.

Another member offered something like the following. A relative sense of Science, leading to sin, sickness and death is simply a prayer ritual evincing desire—indeed desire for God. God is aware of us by living us, not because we desire him or His goodies. Desire, also known as problems, then is a mortal device directing thought to some aspect of God which we feel we do not have but in fact already have fully. See Unity of Good, p. 63: 7-11. "Where does the mind that desires and has problems come from," asked one of those not much impressed with the foregoing. The response was a question, "Where does the mind that says 2 plus 2 equals 5 come from?"

The air of contention was not particularly salved by these examples, but they did run out our clock. (Animosities receded at the dinner table later).

One of the mediators reached for his Science and Health and read this statement: "Prayer means that we desire to walk and will walk in the light so far as we receive it, even though with bleeding footsteps, and that waiting patiently on the Lord, we will leave our real desires to be rewarded by Him." (p. 10:1) He then asked if we'd like to investigate for next time what "our real desires" are. There was quick agreement; so the topic is "Real Desires".