"I requested this topic because I wanted to work on the idea that God is all on earth, or the relative, as in Heaven, or the absolute."

"Do you feel you got some insights, because I didn't particularly — except for the usual scrappy sense of God's presence."

"I can't say I got more than glimpses, but what about others?"

"Well, I think Science works best in demonstration rather than abstract thought."

"Fill us in on any demonstrations, then."

"I had to deal with a sore tooth. It was so bad I dropped to the floor, doubled over in prayer. It got a bit more bearable and I reached for my Science and Health. I opened at random to page 401 and read: 'Until the advancing age admits the efficacy and supremacy of Mind, it is better for Christian Scientists to leave surgery and the adjustment of broken bones and dislocations to the fingers of a surgeon,' (pg. 401:27). So I went to the dentist where root canal work was performed and a crown is now being prepared. I wish I could have worked the whole thing out in Science, but at least I feel comforted by what was said in the Textbook."

"I think there's a way of seeing the whole experience as a Christian Science healing. As you said it is backed up by the Textbook and all aspects of the situation can be placed in the context of your divinity being identified."

"The dentist wants me to take antibiotics, but I'm not sure."

"I'd do what he says and go along with the program. But I'd also stay clear where my health and harmony come from."

"I had a run-in with the dentist's secretary over payment and with the druggist over prescriptions, but prayed my way through those."

"Why is it mortal mind always has to throw a clinker into the works?"

"Maybe just to keep us from relaxing too much into matter as the allness of God rolls into view."

"That reminds me of some work I did this week on invasive odors and gases in my apartment. The Japanese sushi restaurant next door, the Chinese cleaners two doors down, and the Irish smokers fuming away downstairs all contributed their exotic effluvia to the atmosphere of my apartment. I was ready to call the Environmental Protection Agency when a friend said, 'Look, you live in New York City. You have to expect these things — and rejoice in them!' Was he joking? That alerted me, however, to go deeper. It occurred to me that it's a kind of mini-UN — all these intermixing gaseous emissions. Metaphysically, the UN is about completeness, oneness. So I'm working along these lines now, concentrating on the underlying perfection which should adjust the surface appearances."

"That's really interesting. Anyone else?"

"I have a testimony. Last week you remember I asked for prayerful help about my wallet. I lost it earlier that day. Before I go on, I'd like those who worked on the problem to describe how they worked."

"I recall discussing the one Mind with you, that it was your Mind, in which everything resides and is never lost."

"I worked to see that nothing is lost in Mind. All that you and your wallet represent are actually divine idea, permanently one with God. This at-one-ment cannot be misplaced or displaced."

"Well, here's what happened..."

"Hold on one minute. There's more to the story. While I was praying about your wallet, a friend at work told me he had lost his keys. I asked if I could pray about it and he said OK. He called the next day to say they'd been found. He was very grateful but also a bit stunned. I think he may come to our group."

"That's terrific! I want to thank you both for your work. I was almost too worried to pray and tore my house apart that evening. I was ready to call the credit card companies when the phone rang. It was the cleaners — they had my wallet, I'd left it there. It was intact, all the money, cards and ID. I am so thankful for Christian Science."

"I had an interesting demonstration at the gym Sunday. I'd been doing squats with a heavy barbell on my shoulders. As I went to place the weight back on the rack my left little finger got caught between the weight and the rack. I thought I'd broken it — it was stiff, numb, and painful all at the same time. All sorts of scenarios flashed before my thought — doctors, splints, restricted activities. Plus, 'Well, you were ogling men again and not paying attention.' Thankfully I quickly went for the absolute, like accidents are unknown to God, perfection rules and is continuous, substance is divine and so on. I let these truths drive all contrary beliefs out. The pain receded and I quickly got back full range of motion. There was no swelling or discoloration. What an eye-opener! If we quickly go to God about a situation, it's handled right away."

"We need to think as Mind thinks."

"You know Jung saw thinking as one of the four functions of mind — the others are sensing, intuiting and feeling. So we can also sense as God would, intuit as He would and feel, or assign values as He would."

"Today we'd go beyond the concept of man as a mind-controlled body and understand him as a whole mind-body experience. Metaphysically we're each infinite idea."

"Oh, I ran across something on a Margaret Laird tape and copied it down: 'I'm individual, which means undivided, the whole. Therefore, I'm my brother's keeper and he is mine. We cannot exist without each other.'"

"That's beautiful."

"This week I was reading about Zeus swooping down as an eagle and carrying Ganymede off to Olympus as his lover and cup bearer. I got to thinking about all the Rapture business and the Second Coming of Jesus, carrying right wing people off to Heaven. Don't they know they're being thrilled by homosexual imagery? I mean the men at least."

"That's a good point. Women are being cheated out of a Lesbian experience. Maybe Mary can be fired up to do something."

"Metaphysically the thrill is at-one-ment with God, or our 'homo-being' and 'homo-substance' lived."

"Let's talk about the war. I'm seeing it as a catalyst or angel entertained unawares."

"You're not agreeing with Bush's actions, are you?"

"Not exactly. I mean it's a mess — Georgie's amazing adventure looks pretty bad."

"And it's time for the adults to come in and clean it up.'

"I agree with that, but still no adult would have thrust us into this incautious war, which may have been the only way for Christians and Muslims to fully engage."

"Well, we are getting to know each other, but from a mortal, dualistic — I'd say largely stereotypical — way."

"Look at this from Unity of Good: 'The Science of physical harmony, as now presented to the people in divine light, is radical enough to promote as forcible collisions of thought as the age has strength to bear.' (by Mary Baker Eddy, pg. 6:10) To me that says Christian Scientists have to be prepared for political clashes as Truth meets error. As the agonies of Islam meet the arrogance of Christendom, and all the rest. Mrs. Eddy says on page 563 of Science and Health that we shouldn't 'stand aghast at nothingness' but can see 'the nothingness of evil and the allness of God.'"

"What's the scientific counter-fact of all the pain and suffering?"

"I'd say it's wholeness, oneness. There's just one religion — God's progressive revelation of Himself as man and the universe."

"Bush has screwed up lots of areas — look at the economy, the environment and Gay civil rights."

"You know things are actually getting better in these areas. Maybe even in Iraq."

"Yes, and I'm tempted to want them to worsen, to ensure a Kerry win."

"Yeah, me too. But the harmony we seek in all areas is from God, not a president or candidate. What if improvement appears to come under a Bush administration? Should I run it down and lapse from impersonal Christian Science into personal political science?"

"Ouch!"

"We're in overtime. We need a topic for next week."

"How about, 'I need a lover?'"

"Need?"

"I think it's too blunt."

"But true."

"What about, 'God is my lover?'"

"Has He consented? Anyway it's dualistic — God is the Love that is I, Us."

"Let's just do Lover — is that OK?"

"OK."

"Yes, that's fine."