"Being authentic — isn't that what it's all about?"

"Definitely. Most people can smell a phony when we're trying to reach out."

"Our community has had too many setbacks lately for us to cower in a corner. We have to be real, and that includes owning our orientation."

"Patrick Guerriero of the Log Cabin Republicans says..."

"Why quote that self-hating homo? I can't see why any Gay person would be a Republican."

"Some people have wondered how we could be Gay Christian Scientists, but we stuck with it and look what happened! Look at the doors that have opened."

"Okay, let's hear what Mr. Guerriero has to say."

"Well, he feels we absolutely must reach out to Red America and even work with the Republican Party to turn things around. They've got to get to know us."

"And I guess, we them, too ... ugh."

"Yes, of course. But frankly we're bathed in their lifestyle from all angles. We — I — could be a bit more sympathetic maybe."

"It's really hard to open up to folks who look at you as a sinner and as some kind of threat to their lifestyle."

"Yeah, I agree. But you know we do have the tools in Science to pull it off. I myself have survived life-threatening attacks by others when I resorted to the Truth. I should be able to handle a homophobe shaking a finger in my face."

"In theory I could too, but I'll let personal sense and memory and self-hatred and all the rest block the clear vision that brings healing. I'd need to let the sword of Science cut right through it all with a mighty whap!"

"If I find myself confronted by someone who finds my sexuality a problem, I'd like to be able to talk to them and allay their concerns and fears. How does Mrs. Eddy put it? Yes, here it is: 'The tender word and Christian encouragement of an invalid, pitiful patience with his fears and the removal of them, are better than hecatombs of gushing theories,"(Science and Health, p. 367:3)."

"You'd have to be firmly grounded in the rightness of what you're arguing for."

"Yes, but I'd try to keep the discussion off competing lifestyles (how I hate that word when we're talking about love) and focus on the heart of moral reality — the rightness of Love, Life, harmony and well being."

"In other words, the things we're all interested in."

"Right, exactly. Oh, and I'd be sure to ask loving questions about their way of life, how they see things, what moves them."

"Did you all see this letter from Dr. Bob Jones to the President? Let me read a sentence: 'In your re-election, God has graciously granted America — though she doesn't deserve it — a reprieve from the agenda of paganism.' He goes on to recommend legislation in accord with biblical norms regarding family, sexuality and other coded subjects on his presumably non-pagan agenda."

"I think the Right Wing is overreaching. I bet most Americans don't agree with this approach."

"But as Christian Scientists we could translate it into the underlying reality — just the way we would the craziest-sounding passages in the Bible."

"I'd like to hear some of your translations."

"What have I gotten myself into? Okay, I won't take it word for word, but first of all I see it as a typical dualistic, good vs. evil, screed — the kind of thing you find in all -isms and chosen people fantasies, usually resulting in wars. In other words, a total pagan agenda, to use Dr. Jones's wording. So, where are we? Why, we're in the Garden of Eden, of course. If we want to get back to reality, we'll need to access the the first chapter of Genesis, where everything and everyone is divine idea and God rules totally. Now we're in alignment with the First Commandment and can also love our neighbor as ourselves. And so endeth our lesson from Dr. Jones."

"Hello."

"Hi, come in."

"What group is this?"

"We're the Christian Science Group. Welcome!"

"Thanks. What do you do here?"

"We explore our relationship to God."

"I'd like to listen if it's okay."

"Sure, but we'd love to know about you."

"Well, I'm originally from Brazil. I've lived here fourteen years. I'm getting into Buddhism but my religious background is Catholicism and Candomblé."

"What's that?"

"It's the religion the slaves brought with them from Africa. Many of us practice it along with Catholicism. My mother followed mainly Candomblé, while my father followed Catholicism. I practiced both."

"I'm intrigued you could do both."

"Well, all the African gods have Christian saints associated with them. Iamanja, the queen of the oceans, is the Virgin Mary. Xangó, the fire god, is John the Baptist. Oxalá, the supreme god, is Jesus. We have dance rituals to celebrate their incarnations. There are special days and ceremonies for each one. We wear certain colors for each god and all the days of the week are protected by one of them."

"Hey, that's fascinating to see African gods integrated into the Christian myth. I think it's called 'syncretism.'"

"Yes, 'sincretismo' in Portuguese."

"Do you all have anything like the Mass, where you consume the god?"

"I'm not sure of the symbolism, but we eat popcorn on Oxalá's special days."

"As the equivalent of Jesus it makes sense. He's in the line of corn gods like Osiris who bring out the idea of a return to life. The usual Christian bread is made from wheat but it's called corn in the Old World. Popcorn seems to me a lively New World symbol of eternal life."

"My brother says differences in religion are differences in words. What we have to get to is what's in the heart. We have to reach out with unconditional love for others and let them do the same for us."

"I read something from a psychologist who said his attitude during a session was to be without memory or desire; that way he could be totally available to the patient."

"Think how we could ratchet that up in Science — to let every thought and emotion that emerges proceed through to a divine idea."

"I was talking to a Christian Scientist over the weekend who has recovered from Asberger's autism. First he got clear what the causes of this problem are said to be: genetics and perhaps inattentive mothering. He then upgraded cause to the divine; in other words, seeing God as his only source and condition. I was with him for several hours and couldn't detect any trouble."

"Tell us more about your practice of Buddhism."

"I'm just getting started, but so far we chant and meditate a lot. I like what I know of the philosophy."

"I think you'll find much of it agrees with Christian Science."

"A friend was telling me about the 'subtle body'. It's an Eastern concept, probably Hindu, but I imagine they cultivate it in Buddhism too. I guess we'd use the terms 'perfect man' or 'divine idea' in Science."

"We might say in Science that our body is God's outreach to the world."

"How about as the world, as the universe? God is reaching out as man and the universe. It's one infinite unfolding bliss."

"We'll need to see that ardently if something I heard on Charlie Rose comes about. A respected futurologist — I didn't get his name — was saying it would be very simple and inexpensive for anyone with a modicum of biological knack to produce some really horrendous viruses that could wipe out millions. He said the government needs to get cracking on this right away. I sat there slack-jawed, wondering how — I mean close every kitchen in the world? No more chemistry sets for the kids? In my feelings of helplessness and desperation I eventually remembered Science. But I'd really have to live it — no semi-metaphysical dodges allowed."

"Let me interject something that came to me this week. As usual, my attraction to beautiful men kept me swinging back and forth from elation to dejection. I remembered something Margaret Laird said to the effect that we couldn't want something we didn't already have. All the fun and joy and satisfaction I think I'd get from these gentlemen — yes, I'm a bit given to idealization — I already have 100% in and as my divine Selfhood. And, they all have it too. Now, regarding those who might produce viruses, they — and we — already have all the Love and Life we could possibly want and these divine dominants absolutely control us all."

"We'll have to close now. Most of us will be out of town next week, so we've canceled the meeting. Our next meeting will be Thursday December 2nd. Shall we work on Thanksgiving for two weeks?"

"Sounds good."

"That's fine with me."