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032
Christian Science
by Mark Twain (1907)
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Mark Twain came from the very part of America where contradiction in Christian faith was at its highest, most foolish and powerful, and he was one of the greatest critics of those who manipulated Christianity until it made no sense at all; yet he was much loved for his writings throughout America and the world.
It is an intriguing paradox that his deep cynicism is synonymous with American atheism but does not seem to have tarnished his reputation in the slightest. Perhaps his gift for turning irrationality into humour, and his willingness to give credit where it is due allow him to remain permanently on this pedestal. This entertaining volume is a brilliant example.
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Within the last quarter of a century, in America, several sects of curers have appeared under various names and have done notable things in the way of healing ailments without the use of medicines. There are the Mind Cure the Faith Cure, the Prayer Cure, the Mental Science Cure, and the Christian-Science Cure; and apparently they all do their miracles with the same old, powerful instrument--the patient's imagination. Differing names, but no difference in the process. But they do not give that instrument the credit; each sect claims that its way differs from the ways of the others.
They all achieve some cures, there is no question about it; and the Faith Cure and the Prayer Cure probably do no harm when they do no good, since they do not forbid the patient to help out the cure with medicines if he wants to; but the others bar medicines, and claim ability to cure every conceivable human ailment through the application of their mental forces alone. There would seem to be an element of danger here. It has the look of claiming too much, I think. Public confidence would probably be increased if less were claimed.
The Christian Scientist was not able to cure my stomach-ache and my cold; but the horse-doctor did it. This convinces me that Christian Science claims too much. In my opinion it ought to let diseases alone and confine itself to surgery. There it would have everything its own way.
The horse-doctor charged me thirty kreutzers, and I paid him; in fact, I doubled it and gave him a shilling. Mrs. Fuller brought in an itemized bill for a crate of broken bones mended in two hundred and thirty-four places--one dollar per fracture.
"Nothing exists but Mind?"
"Nothing," she answered. "All else is substanceless, all else is imaginary."
I gave her an imaginary check, and now she is suing me for substantial dollars. It looks inconsistent.
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Christian Science by Mark Twain
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http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/3187
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