"Are we putting too much hope on Obama and too much blame on Bush? I mean, these attitudes block healing."

"You can make a case that Bush disrupted our satisfaction with matter."

"Great! Let's give him that."

"There's so much wrong not only with the economy but also the wars and rumors of wars. How will we ever get through it all? It feels overwhelming."

"Sure, but doesn't the whole mess trace back to the belief we're living in matter with its ups and downs? What are we allowing to hold the reins of government — Mind or matter?"

"We're all in this. It's not just Bush or Wall Street that did it and Obama who'll save us. Every consumer, every voter, every news junkie like me — we all let it happen and it'll be up to us to turn it around."

"Particularly Christian Scientists who actually have the metaphysical tools to do something fundamental for the community."

"I was surprised to find Mrs. Eddy had so much to say about government — basically in the context of God governing the body, but really where does my body end? Doesn't it include the universe?"

"Maybe it co-extends with it?"

"Yeah — be careful you don't spill over into an ego inflation."

"Definitely! But ego inflation could also be seen in feelings of helplessness, hoping some other mortal person or government will do something, instead of letting the one Ego or God who's the real being of us all take charge."

"Let's heal some problems."

"I still don't get your point about the world being our body."

"I'm just stating what's factual, but of course we can limit and hobble ourselves in belief within whatever cubic volume we decide."

"He's just saying let the volume expand to its natural limits — infinity."

"You're part of the world. You vote, you go places, earn money, buy stuff and pay taxes. You're a participant in the life of the planet on this symbolic or human level. And as a student of Christian Science you can have a more profound effect on planetary wellbeing by letting your mind be the Mind that's God — all-knowing, all-present, all-powerful. Effectively you are then the government."

"Mrs. Eddy left us a practical problem when she set up the Christian Science Board of Directors as self-perpetuating. The only way members can help it adjust to reality is through prayer."

"And you know, they do seem to be coming along."

"Let's take the economy."

"Well, it's failing big time and world wide."

"Thanks for the news bulletin."

"And the Obama team's going to swoop in and revive it."

"I don't see it so much as a revival back to where we were, but more as a reordering of activity. What did one of Obama's guys say? Don't waste a crisis? It'll be a very different economy when the smoke clears."

"Maybe as Christian Scientists we should concentrate on the underpinnings of a healthy economy — like the unfolding of divine substance, action, joy and wellbeing."

"I had a healing that may give us some insights into what to see here. I got food poisoning the other night and worked on it in Science trying to see God as the only cause and effect. I talked to a practitioner in the morning and the whole thing faded by noon.

"Then sitting in church on Wednesday, it came to me that really there are no mortals awaiting healing. ' All is infinite Mind and its infinite manifestation' ( Science and Health 468: 10-11). There's nothing to heal. God is the only man and heaven is the only earth! I got a very powerful realization of God as all. If we could see this for the economy it should have a healing effect."

"Excellent! Let's do it."

"Okay — Gaza."

"Well, it's part of a bigger picture — not only Isreal-Palestine but the whole of Islam vs. everybody else, from Jews to Christians to Hindus and so on. They're the new kids on the block."

"Such a mammoth problem is really a good counterfeit of Truth. It's belief peering from its cloister trying to pattern the divine."

"I read a good article about Gaza in the Monitor that showed how awful the situation is and how American policies have deepened the crisis. But after some prayer it came to me that a full blown deal is within our grasp if only we can get beyond the emotions and the politics."

"In Science the deal's done. There's one Mind being all cause and effect. There are no new kids on the block — or rather we're all new kids on the block in terms God's fresh new ideas, untouched by human history. There's just the continuity of harmony and perfection."

"We're about out of time but shouldn't we pray about California and Prop 8?"

"You could broaden that to the divine governance of Gay and non-Gay people generally. It's not only about governments' positions — it's not even just about societal acceptance or better self-esteem, although those would be important markers on the belief level. It's about perceiving God's intention or plan — the divine idea — of our being."

"That's very much in line with what Jerry Brown, the attorney general of California, sees. There are certain inalienable rights inherent in human nature that ante-date the constitution and cannot be granted or taken away by it. Metaphysical, eh?"

"Wonderful — let's see that also for the recent UN declaration calling for the decriminalization of homosexuality. Sixty-six countries signed on, but the Islamic bloc and the US pointedly and with considerable kvetching did not."

"Well, Islamists and Christianists! Cut from the same cloth."

"They'll have to change. You can't resist Truth forever."

"Before we stop, can someone tell me how to go about getting class instruction in Christian Science?

"Why don't you look up some articles by teachers in the Christian Science Journal and see whose thought appeals to you? When you find someone, call them up and ask for an interview."

"It's a two week period completely devoted to finding out about God and our relationship to Him."

"That's my whole vacation!"

"Anything else you might have planned pales in comparison. I once had an invitation to a very enticing gig that would take me away from my annual association meeting. It was hard, but I decided to go to the association. That decision gave me a whole new way of seeing how Christian Science operates. It's not just a self-help technique — it's about allowing divine Love to be in charge and drive everything! The results of that mental breakthrough have been phenomenal."

"Now we do have to stop. We need a topic."

"I was thinking about studying these two upcoming Christian Science Lessons as our assignment. We can discuss them here and share what healings come up."

"What are the subjects?"

"Truth and Love."

"Very important synonyms. Let's do it!"

"If everyone agrees? Okay, Truth and Love for two weeks."