"You came up with the topic."

"Yeah — but you came up with the word. Go ahead and lead."

"Okay — but I'm pretty creeped out by the news about the guys trying to blow up the planes."

"That's an example of sectarianism run wild. What are we all doing?"

"Isn't there a hint of political manipulation in how the story is being hyped? The government's using terms like 'Islamic fascism.' I guess they've given up on winning hearts and minds."

"Why bother when you can bomb everybody to kingdom come? Instead of addressing our own evil within, it's so much easier to project it out on those people over there — and bomb them."

"We missed a lot of opportunities to take the high ground and draw others to us."

"Like after 9/11 or the Hizbullah abductions?"

"Exactly. What if we or our Israeli protegés had used these outrages to marshal world opinion to do something about all the seething problems? Instead we barreled ahead with under-analyzed military actions that backfired on the battlefield and are swinging world opinion heavily to radical Islam."

"All Islam is radical. I see nothing in the Koran that would lead to peace or tolerance."

"I don't know the Koran, but why was Islam once the center of civilization and the only place where all religions were allowed? When the so-called Catholic monarchs took over in Spain they chased all the Muslims and Jews out."

"Or they could convert to Christianity."

"Oh right. At the point of a sword."

"Once you've got an ideology in place, there's no room for common sense or humaneness..."

"And that's where most religions are at — dogma and ideology without spiritual experience. It's ruling the world now."

"Apocalypsists are in charge in Washington and Tehran. Bush and Ahmadinejad both believe a messiah is coming soon."

"We believe that too."

"Huh?"

"In a way. Christian Science is the long awaited Messiah."

"It's already here."

"Maybe in name. But a lot more practice is needed to pull off a rapture."

"There are Jewish sects in Brooklyn that think a messiah is due soon."

"Is Judaism a religion or an ethnicity?"

"I'd say both. There are Russian Jews, Ethiopian Jews..."

"But somewhere there had to be Jewish mother..."

"A Hebrew mother!"

"Abraham was from Ur in Mesopotamia."

"What would you call a non-religious Jew?"

"Non-observant. But they're still culturally Jewish."

"I'd say they are Hebrew."

"Call people what they want to be called. Would you want someone calling you an Eddyite? Anyway, aren't we trying to see beyond all these religious, ethnic and nationalistic terms?"

"I wouldn't yank people's dearest self-identifications and dogmas away. I'd try to see what they're getting at and work to find new, perhaps more helpful imagery to represent the underlying truths."

"We'll need an example of that — it's just too obscure."

"Oh I don't know. Well, take papal infallibility..."

"Or the gang of five on Huntington Avenue."

"Okay, whatever. It may have been of value at one time to have a pope or some church elders come up with righteous pronouncements. Now that kind of thing looks more like the misinformed elderly, loaded with prejudices, weighing political calculations before hurling thunderbolts, which most people disregard anyway. A total waste! Why not instead encourage adherents to look inward to their own infallible divine selfhood — their own inner pope!"

"I talk to a lot of young people at the dance studio and invariably we get into discussions about God."

"Do they use the term God?"

"Most do — but I try to get other terms into the conversation. Everyone seems to like Principle — and Love."

"The word God carries too much baggage."

"Do they ever mention their religious backgrounds?"

"I can't remember it ever coming up. And I certainly don't mention Christian Science."

"It's hard for me to think about the revelation of Christian Science without mentioning the name, because it's so radical. People'd think you're from another planet if you spout Christian Science without giving them the assurance it's actually an established philosophy and practice."

"There' s a way. You have to take baby steps. People today don't know about Christian Science but they probably know something about quantum physics or Buddhism or positive thinking.. I refer to some of the principles involved in these approaches but I also talk about God's all power."

"I'm sure the literalists and evangelicals in your group relate to that."

"Yes. But they see God as a humanesque potentate rather than all good."

"I've found when I say something like 'God's in charge,' most orthodox Christians won't find that a comfort because for them it might mean doom's on the way."

"I don't see any reason to hide the term Christian Science. If there's a problem, I'd welcome a discussion."

"Like why didn't they get a doctor for the baby?"

"Okay — we could get into that. But also what does Christian mean technically — and what's scientific about it."

"The word Christian turns a lot of people off."

"Understandably — because it's being paraded around as a label without any depth or understanding. In Science it's the oneness of God, man and universe. God right here, right now!"

"We're free to come up with our own words to express the Science. My teacher always encouraged us to re-write passages from Mrs. Eddy's works. If we could get them clear in our own words we'd be likely to get them into practice."

"There is a danger in re-writing Mrs. Eddy's words. Remember she sometimes spent years getting just the right word to convey a point in Science. I'd keep the books handy for reference!"

"I refer to the dictionary too. Many of her words have shifted in meaning.."

"When I talk with people we bring all kinds of spiritual stuff in. You know — the Bible, the Koran, What the Bleep? We're open to anything."

"Did you just join a branch church?"

"I had my intake interview last week."

"How'd they deal with your deficiencies?"

"They're desperate for members — so it was very friendly. And I learned something. Prayer in church is 'collectively and exclusively for the congregations' (see Church Manual 42: 1-3).

"I've always extended that to include the world. The world's my congregation."

"Well, whether we pray narrowly for those assembled — or more broadly for the world, it gets the focus off oneself and lets Truth in."

"Church membership's the closest thing we've been able to come up with to provide for our crucifixion needs."

"The great thing about Christian Science — the pearl of great price — is our practice of spiritual healing. All the talking and crucifying in the world can't match that."

"I heard a testimony where a woman said she just sees everyone as a Christian Scientist. Then she doesn't have to talk down to them or pressure them. She's dealing with equals and they all know it all already."

"That's good — but really we're more than Christian Scientists. We're divine Science. If we live out from there, healings will occur right and left without taking thought."

"Back to the plane thing. Those arrested are all British subjects. The danger is everywhere."

"Which means the solution is everywhere. That just needs to be fully known and acknowledged. Terror is our daily crucifixion. We're treating ourselves to daily crucifixions — in other words, opportunities to drop beliefs in mortality."

"Someone should point out Jews, Christians and Muslims trace back to Abraham. We're brothers."

"Technically Muslims are half brothers through Ishmael."

"I don't think any of that is a comfort. Cain and Abel were full brothers!"

"Good point! When we get all tied up in material concepts we're heading for trouble. We'll find peace based on our common spiritual being — not our human ancestry."

"Thanks for that Sentinel article on the Church Manual by Blanche Hogue (September 10, 1910)."

"It was endorsed by Mrs. Eddy (see Miscellany 237: 21-24)."

"I found it dated in its rah-rah support for church organization, and there were, uh, codependency issues..."

"For crying out loud — the poor woman was writing in 1910!"

"All the more reason to recycle its message for modern use. And I did find some good ideas about the discipline involved in unselfed action and letting go of human will."

"I wanted you all to see it because I'd studied it quite a bit before joining my branch. The emphasis on selfless service helped me recently have a joyous day when I worked with others to pack up the Tri-State Reading Room for its move. I was climbing around and lifting heavy boxes but I was never exhausted and, of course, there was no strain or injury. I just knew it was right activity protected by God. By the end of the day I'd had a huge infusion of joy."

"Organized religion is a terrible imposition on mankind. It should all just go away."

"Church governed by the Manual is encouraging us to look away from matter. The 'Rule for Motives And Acts' alone is a remarkably healing statement, recommending we 'daily watch and pray to be delivered from all evil, from prophesying, judging, condemning, counseling, influencing or being influenced erroneously' (Church Manual 40: 12-15)."

"Do you see the demand there to prophesy, judge etc. correctly? I mean do I prophesy the allness of God and the nothingness of matter — or do I try to figure out some human turn of events using my limited human mind?"

"We're out of time. Let's get a three-week topic to take us over Labor Day."

"How about no topic? We haven't done that in a while. Everybody can work on their own projects and we'll see if some common theme emerges."

"I like having a topic but I don't have one to recommend. What if we reconsider the situation next week and see if we have a topic then?"