Last week some members felt that a serious student of Christian Science could not also be in love with another person. Being in love was seen as a form of idolatry. Others in the group felt such a position, while perhaps logical in certain orthodox creeds, was quite illogical in Science, which promotes working out and living the divine-human coincidence in all areas of life. To wall off any endeavor from the operation of Science is in a perverse way its own idolatry, positing a remote God who does not govern and control His universe completely.

Members who attended the Emergence Conference in Key West came away relishing the joy and love expressed in a number of long term intimate partnerships which they observed there. Unless they were greatly deluded, Christian Science and human love are functioning quite well in concert around our country at this time.

We found much inspiration in a discussion of the points applicable to our topic from the Christian Science lecture members participated in at Key West. The startling statement was made that "everyone loves you". No matter the appearances! We must realize the all inclusiveness of Love and Truth, thus freeing us from impediments to harmony and intimacy. By acknowledging and loving the perfect being of ourselves and all others, we can fearlessly express our individuality.

The lecture spoke directly to a number of problems that arise in relationship: e.g., fear of the other, fear of what people will think (including homophobia) and constriction of one's individuality (sometimes called codependency).

This led to a consideration of scientific individuality, based in Soul, as infinite and all inclusive. One includes his or her intimate other as himself and vice versa. Love your neighbor as yourself because he is yourself.

The word "in" came up. Mrs. Eddy calls it obsolete in Science if used regarding God (see Science and Health, p. 588: 22-23). She goes on to make the point very clear when defining Mind, which in part reads "...not that which is in man, but the divine Principle, of whom man is the full and perfect expression..." (Science and Health, p. 591: 18-19). We concluded that since each one of us as Mind's idea or expression is all we can follow Margaret Laird's exhortation, "Love is a role, not a goal."

Some members bewailed sad and even dangerous couplings in the past. There was still a need to expunge the pain still exerting influence. But most had to allow that even the maddest and most dysfunctional of these provided rich psychic information and drove us to the arms of divine Love. See Science and Health, p. 322: 26-31.

This naturally led to a discussion of Mrs. Eddy's erotic life. As we went through the marriages, obsessions and affairs we gained a great deal of respect for her demonstration in this area. So she fell for a Gay man (Richard Kennedy) and had a philandering drunk husband (Daniel Patterson). But she survived these traumas and the death of her first husband, George Glover, whom she loved passionately. She was able to engage in a warmly companionable relationship with her third husband, Asa Eddy. And then there was the deeply felt association with Sarah Bagley reported in the Gillian Gill biography, "Mary Baker Eddy", page 181, note 32.

Is it too much to claim that the imaginal, emotional and sensory detonations set off in Mrs. Eddy's and our own erotic involvements acted as depth charges bringing to the surface material otherwise inaccessible to conscious thought? And could it be that it is this often ugly and uncomfortable material that is the very stuff in which she and we discover our divinity?

We turned to the news that some of the terrorists were homosexual. They had to hide their sexual orientation in their societies, which are severely condemning at official level, while same-sex love is common beyond visibility. This situation reminded some members of the 1950's in the US. We thanked God for Gay liberation — surely one of the effects of Christian Science on human thought. Besides all the other opportunities now coming up in the conflict, there seems to be a chemicalization of Islamic relational possibilities.

And now for the best part of the meeting. We reviewed and luxuriated in the following testimony which arrived by Internet at mid week. We'll just quote it as it came to us — that it may be a blessing to our visitors as it has been and is to us.

Two women met each other in Primary Class. One had had many relationships with women in the past, but had only experienced sorrow. She was committed completely to a single, celibate life, so the joy and love she expressed to others was now pure and holy.

The other had never come out to herself and had attempted to "live an upright life" by getting into a heterosexual marriage with a Christian Scientist.

She endured years and years in the marriage, thinking it was the right thing to do, even though he was mentally very abusive and she was not happy.

More and more, her heart was with the woman she met in class, though they lived far apart. She became terribly depressed and thought very often of killing herself. What kept her alive was the thought of the love of her friend from class. She just knew that someday, against what seemed impossible odds, they would be together.

Finally, several things happened together, like the hand of God moving obstacles on a road to allow travelers to pass by.

The married woman began to recognize that she was not obligated to destroy herself for the sake of a marriage.

The other woman had grown spiritually and was ready for a stable, healthy relationship.

The husband, who had always tried to drive a wedge between the women, and who was very manipulative and controlling, suddenly became amazingly passive and submissive. It was like when the Red Sea parted for the Children of Israel's passage. The woman was able to get safely away from her husband and start a new life, and feel safe in God's care.

So the two women began a relationship. They grew together, helping each other through the lessons they had to learn about themselves. And their love grew more and more. And all those years of waiting and maturing seemed like a few days compared to all of the spiritual growth and good they were enjoying as partners.

For next week we'll work on False Fears, from Hymn 160 in the Christian Science Hymnal. "False fears are foes, Truth tatters those, When understood"