About New Thought | Dr. Ernest Holmes | Influences on the Teaching
Declaration of Principles | FAQ | More Q and A

More Questions and Answers
About Religious Science

The contents of this page were taken from the book How to Speak Religious Science, compiled and written by Dr. Dennis Merritt Jones, the founding pastor of the Simi Valley Church of Religious Science. The information here will help you be able to talk about Religious Science in plain English. Our thanks to Dr. Jones for allowing us to use this wonderful work here.

How To Speak Religious Science

The world is tired of mysteries, does not understand symbols, and longs for reality. What is Reality? Where may it be found? How may it be used? These are some of the questions we should like to have answered.

This document has been created to assist the individual who is on the pathway of Self–discovery in revealing the answer to the above questions.

Who We Are

We are not Scientology.
We are not Christian Science.
We are Religious Science.

Religious Science was founded in 1926 by Dr. Ernest Holmes. The teachings are called the Science of Mind®. Religious Science exists to facilitate the reawakening of each individual's awareness of the higher Self.

Each Church of Religious Science, through Sunday services, Science of Mind® classes, self–growth seminars, and individual counseling provides an educational and spiritual process in a supportive environment enabling all who desire to discover and know the ultimate Oneness of Universal Life to do so.

Religious Science is not in opposition to any religious belief or philosophy. Rather, it seeks to bring to light the thread of Truth which exists in all religions.

We recognize that each individual is on a path to his own fulfillment and must be guided by his own inner voice. We offer practical and definite methods with which each individual can create positive life changes. Among the benefits of the teachings of Religious Science is the understanding of positive prayer or spiritual mind healing. We refer to this as spiritual mind treatment.

In summary, Religious Science offers healing, spiritual understanding, and an opportunity to experience greater love, greater joy, and greater life expression. In the words of Dr. Ernest Holmes, There is a power for good in the Universe, greater than you are, and you can use it!

 

 

How To Speak Religious Science

Listed below are many of the words that most often come up while discussing what we believe with those people who may be of a different religious persuasion.

The definitions are offered only as tools to better help explain the Science of Mind® and enhance one’s ability to communicate with others. Communication is the key to all relationships.

Our goal in discussing our beliefs with others is not to convert or save anyone, nor is it to prove who is right and who is wrong. Our goal is to inform and educate. The Infinite Intelligence within each person will know if it’s right for him. Divine Truth never needs to be sold, just told!

 

Listing of Terms

ABSOLUTE

Is Absolute another word for god? Yes.

The absolute Truth is God is all there is. As Absolute being God is Infinite. Perfect, Unlimited, Unconditioned, Self Existent, and all Self-Sufficient (See Reality).

 

 

BIBLE

Do we use it? Of course. Do we take it literally? No.

The Bible was written 2,000 to 3,000 years ago, by the Semitic people, for the Semitic people. The Bible is a valuable and valid source of Truth when read and understood according to the authors' consciousness and heritage. Truth is Truth and the Bible must read with an open mind, looking for the higher meaning in the stories, metaphors, and parables. To finally understand the Bible, one must understand idioms and the psychology used by the men who wrote the book. Yes, God did write the Bible, through the consciousness of carnal man; therefore, we must understand carnal man to understand the book.

 

CHRIST

Was Jesus the Christ? Yes!

It is important to understand that Christ was not Jesus’ last name; it is a title which acknowledges the fact that he fully understood and demonstrated his divine nature!

The word Christ comes from the Greek word christos which means anointed or enlightened one. Christ is a universal idea, and each one puts on the Christ to the degree that he surrenders a limited sense of life to the divine realization of wholeness and unity with Good, Spirit—God.

 

 

CHRISTIAN

Do we consider ourselves Christians?

A Christian by definition is one who 1) Believes in Jesus Christ, and 2) Follows his teachings. In the traditional sense, we do not consider ourselves Christian because we do not claim the man Jesus as our Lord and Savior. (See savior) However, we do believe in his teaching. The Science of Mind® textbook is based largely upon his teachings.

We believe that the teacher Jesus came to show us each the way of the Christ. (See Christ) Therefore, it is up to each individual to analyze his own life to decide if he is Christian or not. The message of the Christ is Unconditional Love, Non-judgment, Forgiveness, Brotherhood, and Peace. Perhaps true Christianity is more of a lifestyle than it is any one particular religion.

CAUSE AND EFFECT

What is the difference between Cause and Effect?

Cause is always that which produces an effect. Metaphysically we are always becoming cause to our effect by our thinking and deepest beliefs (See consciousness). Our conscious mind is that point where cause begins. The effect or result is be reflected in our physical bodies and the body of our affairs. When we become aware of this process, we find that as we change the cause (our thinking), the effect (our lives) changes automatically. As Religious Scientists, we deal in cause, rather than effect (See Thought).

 

CONSCIOUSNESS

What or where is consciousness?

Our consciousness is our mental awareness. It is both the conscious and subconscious mind and all it contains. In essence, our consciousness is simply the sum total of everything we have ever believed and accepted to be the Truth about ourselves from the moment we were born until this moment in time, Our consciousness is how we Make individual use of Universal Mind. Our consciousness forms a belief system into which life pours Itself (See Mind). We can change our consciousness through Spiritual Mind Treatment (See Prayer). The ultimate conscious we want to develop would embrace an awareness that God is all there is.

 

CULT

Are we a cult?

According to Webster's dictionary, a cult is a group which studies a system of religious worship, admiration of, or devotion to a person or a thing.

In Religious Science we worship no one or no thing. To do so would be idolatry. We feel we need no middle man to interceded between ourselves and God. Unlike some teaching that have begun to worship the messenger instead of the message, Religious Science is the furthest thing from being a cult. Our teaching is Universal, in the open, and places no one above or below ourselves. We believe God is available to one and all equally.

 

 

DEATH

Do we believe in death? Yes…and no.

The divine principle of life is an eternally unfolding, upward spiraling movement. The spirit of God is the spirit of man and it is both birthless and deathless. The principle of life cannot know death.

The human experience of dying is but the laying off of an old garment and the donning of a new one. There is a material body and spiritual body. This spiritual body is the resurrection body.

 

DEMONSTRATION

We demonstrate at the level of our ability to know the Truth.

A demonstration is simply the result of our mental and spiritual work which creates a greater and more abundant life. Our demonstrations may be large of small. We should celebrate them all because they illustrate our ability to consciously know the Truth and use Principle in positive ways! (See Truth)

 

 

DESTINY

Do we believe in predestination?

The only destiny we have we decree by understanding that what we think and embody today becomes our reality tomorrow. Our destiny is simply the perfect outpicturing of our individualized use of the law of Cause and Effect (See Cause and Effect and Consciousness).

 

DEVIL

Do we believe in a devil? No.

To believe in a devil would be to believe in duality or, in other words, to believe that there could be God—and some opposing power. There is not a power for good and a power for evil; there is only one power and it is God. There are people, however, who misuse their power. The only devil we shall ever know will be that which appears as a result of our own negative thinking, which then creates negative results. The devil is not a person, but an idea based in hellish thinking. (See Hell).

 

 

DIAGNOSIS

Medically, a diagnosis is a recognition of the presence of disease, according to symptoms or conditions.

To Religious Scientists, a diagnosis is nothing more than an opinion about current conditions. We know that while conditions may be facts, facts can also change. A diagnosis should not be ignored because God's intelligence can be revealed in and through all medical opinions, however, it is not a verdict or a death sentence. We know that as we do our work in consciousness, we are operating at the Spiritual level. This means that we are reminding ourselves that God is First Case to all our experience and that in the mind of God there is no disease, nor any other discordant condition. (See Prayer)

DISEASE

Dis-ease is simply an effect of wrong thinking.

It is an impersonal thought force operating through people which is not the truth about them. To the degree which our creative minds become at-ease, dis-ease in our bodies will dis-appear. As we become more aware of the true presence of God at the very center of our being, inner peace will be the result. God-Self awareness is the key to being at-ease.

DOCTORS AND MEDICINE

Do we believe in the use of doctors and medicine?

We believe that God is omnipresent and therefore can do Its healing work in many ways. Certainly if God is everywhere, in everyone, then the intelligence of God can and does work through the doctor's mind and body as well as through any medication prescribed.

Of course, the ultimate goal for us as Religious Scientists is to understand that it is our thinking which creates all conditions in our bodies and the body of our affairs. It is a simple case of cause and effect. As we grow in our awareness of this truth, we know there will come a time when we are so fully aligned with the power and presence of God within us that there is no need for medical attention, for we are being maintained in our natural state of perfection and wholeness. Perfect God, perfect man, perfect being!

 

DUALITY

What is duality, and how does it affect us?

Duality is the belief in two separate and opposing powers. We heal this fear by experiencing God's presence within us first, then realizing that God is always Omnipresent. Duality results from a fear based belief that we are, could or might possibly be separate from God or Good, and the appearance of things, conditions and individuals in the material world seem to re-enforce this belief (See Omnipresent, Reality, and Devil).

EVIL

Evil is simply the word 'devil' without the letter 'd'.

Evil is an experience of the soul on its journey toward the realization of reality (See Reality).

Of itself, it is neither person, place, nor thing and will disappear in the exact proportion that we cease thinking negatively and using destructive methods. As long as we make mistakes we shall be automatically punished. A simple case of cause and effects (See Sin).

 

ENERGY

Is energy another word for God? Yes!

Divine Energy is at the center and circumference of All that is. Quantum physics tells us energy is everywhere present and working even down to the subatomic level. Metaphysics tells us that energy in any form is God in action. All energy is creative. We direct energy first by understanding it and then unifying with it (See Thought).

EMBODY

What is 'embodiment', and how do we use it?

To embody is to give form or make part of. When we embody our thoughts and words through Spiritual Mind Treatment, we are actually allowing our thoughts to generate feelings, As our thought generates a feeling we give it form or make it part of our entire being, spiritually, mentally and physically.

Embodiment conveys to subconscious mind our acceptance of a conscious idea. We embody things constructively when we believe in what we want and want what we believe in (See Truth).

 

ETERNAL

What does eternality mean to us as Religious Scientists?

The Eternal is the essence of God which has no beginning and no encl. It is without time or space, There is that part of each of us which is also eternal, because we are One in God (See Death and Reincarnation).

FEAR

What is fear and how can we deal with it?

Metaphysically, fear is an emotional experience generated by a sense of separation from Source (god). All fear is attached to a concern of loss at some level. A full realization of God's presence, as source and supply of whatever is needed to sustain us in wholeness will neutralize fear. Fear is simply the lack of the awareness of God's presence, which in Its highest vibration is love. (See Love).

 

GOD

Do we believe in God? Of course! God is all we believe in.

God is the First Cause, the great I AM, the One and Only. God is Spirit or Creative Energy which is the cause of all visible things. God is all that we see and do not see.

God is Love, Wisdom, Intelligence, Power, Substance, and Mind. God is the Truth which is real, the Principle which is dependable.

To the degree which we can experience the presence of God in us, and as us, we will be whole.

HEAVEN

Do we believe in a Heaven?

Heaven is an inner state of happiness. It is not a place or locality out there somewhere with streets paved in gold. It is a real state of being. The Kingdom of Heaven is within and can be fully experienced when we bond and unify with the presence of God at the center of our very being.

 

HELL

Do we believe in a Hell?

Hell, just as heaven, is a state of mind, all based on our awareness or lack of awareness of the presence of God within us.

Hell is a discordant state of being, a belief in duality, a belief or sense of separation from source, God. Many people are filled with hellish thoughts and therefore experience a living hell every day.

I AM

I Am That I Am!

The "I AM" is the highest name of God.

The I Am is both individual and universal. As we begin to walk in the I Am consciousness, we heal all sense of separation from God. God In Me, As Me, Is Me!

Affirming "I Am" is the most powerful statement we can make. The impartial Law of Mind also affirms, that which we place "I Am" in front of, we become.

 

IMMORTALITY

See Death

JUDGMENT

How does judgment affect us?

When the teacher Jesus said, "Judge not that you shall not be judged", he was simply referring to the Law of Cause and Effect. Since judgment is passed in our own mind, it impacts necessarily on our own experience, and not necessarily the experience of the person we are judging. When we judge others (or ourselves) we only create a sense of separation between ourselves and God.

It is also not ours to judge if others are deserving of some form of punishment. The Law of Cause and effect operates without judgment. There is no punishment, there are only consequences. When we begin to see first and foremost the Presence of God in ourselves and others we have no need or desire to judge (See Sin).

KARMA

Do we believe in Karma?

Karma is neither good nor bad, as it is not a thing in itself. It is simply the use we make of our mentality through the law of Cause and Effect. Therefore, at any given moment we can begin to change our future because we can change our minds about the way we think and believe.

We do not recognize karma as inevitable retribution or reward, because God cannot hold judgments or grudges. As we learn from our mistakes and forgive ourselves, we let go of tile past and all of its ties. This moment is our point of power and now is when we become cause to a new effect or new karma (See Destiny).

 

LAW

The Law is Mind in action.

The Law of Mind is the creative medium through which Spirit as (conscious Mind moves. The Law is deductive only. It receives the impress of thought and acts upon it much in the same manner which the creative medium of the earth's soil receives a seed, never rejecting it.

Whatever we think, believe in, feel, visualize, image, read and talk about is going into the creative medium of our subconscious mind, which is our individualized use of Universal Mind. The Law is a blind force and whatever goes into the subconscious state of our thought tends to return again as some condition or effect (See Mind).

JESUS

Was Jesus the son of God? Yes.

We believe that Jesus was indeed the son of God and so is every other human being the son or daughter of God.

 

LOVE

God is the essence of love.

"He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is Love." Love is the self-givingness of Spirit to its creation and is a cosmic force whose sweep is irresistible. Love is the highest vibration in the universe; nothing can withstand its embrace. The opposite of love is fear. In the light and vibration of love, the darkness of fear cannot exist. To know God's presence is to experience unconditional love. To see the presence of God in others is to love them. Unconditional love is always the answer.

MEDITATION

What is meditation and how do we use it?

Meditation is simply quieting the Conscious Mind to facilitate a fuller experience of God's presence. Meditation is not for the purpose of praying or receiving answers. It is after we meditate that the higher Self may be revealed in the form of guidance or desired answers.

There are many forms of meditation and one is not better than another. Meditation will help instill a deep sense of inner peace and relaxation which benefits us spiritually, mentally and physically.

 

METAPHYSICS

Are we a metaphysical teaching, and what is metaphysics?

Religious Science is a metaphysically based organization, There is nothing mysterious or supernatural about metaphysics. "Meta" means above or beyond, and "physical" means material or that which is experienced by the five senses. Metaphysics is simply the study of God as Creative Intelligence or Universal Mind, which is everywhere present, in and through all that we see, touch, smell, hear, taste...and beyond! (See Omnipresent).

MIND

By "Mind" do we mean God's mind? Yes.

We also mean our own mind, as we are all one in God. There is actually no such thing as your mind and my mind, his mind or her mind, and God's mind. There is just one Mind in which we all live, move, and have our being.

This mind is both conscious and subconscious. Conscious mind is the spirit either in God or man, and unconscious mind is the law of conscious mind in action and is, therefore, subject to Conscious mind. Spirit moves through the Law of Mind to create. (See Cause and Effect). That which we call our mind is simply that point in God-consciousness where we are aware of Self (See Spirit).

 

NEW AGE

Are we part of the New Age movement? Do we believe in the use of crystals, channelers, psychics, hypnotism, tarot cards, or astrology?

Religious Science is actually part of the New Thought Movement, not the New Age Movement. While we are in a new age of scientific discoveries and spiritual awakenings, there is nothing new about the principles we study and strive to apply in our daily lives. As New Thought, Religious Science teaches the age old wisdom of many of the world's great religions, in a new, and contemporary format. This wisdom always leads us back to the fact that our Truth and connection to God can only be found within; therefore, we feel no need to use any tool outside of our own consciousness to experience total wholeness, peace of mind, and a balanced life.

We do not feel the need to turn to aids or entities outside of our own innate intelligence for divine guidance or advice. To do so would be to give our power away. Religious Science and Science of Mind® exist for one reason, to help each person discover his own true inner power, not to take it away from him. God is the only true power. It is First Cause and must first be found within each individual, not in the outer world. Our desire is to heal any and all feeling or belief in separation from the source of all our good - God. This is an inner experience and an age old Truth!

OMNIPOTENCE

The All-Powerful One God!

The benefit in knowing that God is all powerful lies in the fact that we are One in this Power. As we begin to experience the presence of God within, we know we can let this power do wonderful things through us.

This is where our Power in Spiritual Mind Treatment comes from. We know that we of ourselves do nothing but Realize the Divine Truth…it is God within that does the work (See Truth).

 

OMNISCIENCE

The All-Knowing Mind of God!

The Truth is there has never been nor will there be a problem or question that the solution or answer didn't already exist in the Omniscient Mind of God.

Through Spiritual Mind Treatment and meditation, we can consciously align with this Omniscient Mind of God, realizing that we already exist in It, As we do this, we begin to draw into our minds the wisdom and courage necessary to heal us in our difficulties.

We could begin daily to affirm and know; God in me, as me, is me; therefore I now know what I need to know!

OMNIPRESENCE

The Constant Presence of the Universal Whole! God Is All There Is!

There's not a spot where God is now! The entire premise of Science of Mind® rests solely on the fact that God is All There Is; the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End and everything in-between.

While we know we are not all that God is, God is All that we are. All discord in our lives arises because at some level, we have created a sense of separation from God. Our ultimate goal in Science of Mind® is to heal this mistaken belief. As we daily practice our Unity with God by experiencing God's full presence at the center and circumference of our experience, a deep and fulfilling sense of Inner Peace and Wholeness will be the result. This is the Peace of God which truly does pass all understanding.

 

PRACTITIONER

What is a Practitioner and when and why would I use one?

A practitioner does not counsel or give advice. A practitioner is a person who is trained and licensed to perform Spiritual Mind Treatment for others (See Prayer).

To do treatment work is to practice mental and spiritual healing, and to demonstrate for other than physical healing. All healing is done in consciousness and is reflected in the physical body and the body of one's affairs. Because the practitioner knows he and the person for whom he is treating are both one in the mind of God, he treats to know within himself the truth about that person. Being one in Mind, this self-knowingness rises into the consciousness of the one being treated (See Mind and Consciousness).

One might use the services of a licensed practitioner when one is emotionally entangled or too close to a problem to consciously know the Spiritual Truth about himself (See Truth).

PRAYER

Do we pray in our teaching?

Prayer, by definition, means a "humble communication in thought or speech to God or to an object of worship expressing supplication, confession, and praise".

In Religious Science we do communicate in thought and speech with God through a process we call spiritual mind treatment, or affirmative prayer. We believe that God has already given us by our Divine birthright all that we ever will need to live a complete, healthy, whole, and prosperous life; our only job is to accept it! The communication always takes place within our own consciousness and mind.

Spiritual mind treatment is simply a process used to change our consciousness or belief 'system. Treatment acknowledges to mind (or Law) that that which we are treating for already exists and is ours. There is never any asking, begging, or supplication, only acceptance. The Law of Cause and Effect makes it so. Indeed, it is done unto us as we believe!

 

PRINCIPLE

What is the "Principle" upon which Science of Mind® is based?

Science of Mind® is the study of the Principle of Being. Principle is defined as "a fundamental Truth or Law upon which others are based". We might say that because God is All There Is, Principle is the Intelligence of God in action.

How does Principle operate? By means of each of us, the Intelligence of God, as conscious mind, moves through a field of subconscious mind (or creative medium) creating a result (or effect). Knowing that we all exist in the One Mind of God, we each individualize this Principle every time we think and feet. As we understand Principle and how it operates, we can then choose to rely upon it to change our lives in positive ways. Principle is not bound by precedent! (See Law).

PUNISHMENT

See Sin

RACE MIND

What is Race Mind and what does it do?

Also referred to as the collective unconscious or social belief system, race mind is the collective unconscious thought of the entire human race. It is a thought force which permeates the entire planet.

Race mind suggestion is this human belief system operating through the mentality of any individual who is open and receptive to it. If we are not aware, it is quite easy to slip into the vibration and influence of race mind. Race suggestion can be a prolific source of negative energy resulting in disease.

We can rise above the negative vibration of race thought by consciously focusing our awareness daily upon a higher reality. Race mind cannot operate through one who is fully aware of God's presence in and around him.

 

REALITY

We live in a world where that which we can see, touch and smell seems like reality, but it is actually our unreality!

The Ultimate Reality is the absolute truth, that behind all form is the formless energy and intelligence of the one God. The apparent reality (that which we see, touch, and smell) is just that–it appears to be something, and is always subject to change. The Ultimate Reality is changeless perfection; therefore, the Real Self is perfection, for god could not know anything unlike itself. The spirit of God within us and all around us is the only true reality. As we begin to get in touch daily with this perfect principle, we can then demonstrate it in our daily lives. Perfect God, Perfect Man, Perfect Being – this is the Absolute Truth!

REALIZATION

A realization is an impression of reality on the mind.

The ultimate Reality is: God Is All There Is. As we live and move and have our Being within this reality, Divine Realization will become commonplace for us.

A realization may be experienced as a Divine "a-ha". It's simply an awareness of God's presence, infused within us and around us in whatever we are saying or doing. (See Reality).

 

REINCARNATION

Do we believe in reincarnation?

On page 387 of the Science of Mind® textbook, Dr. Ernest Holmes writes, "The spiral of life is upward. Evolution carries us forward, not backward. Eternal and progressive expansion is Its Law, and there are no breaks in Its continuity. I can believe in planes beyond this one without number, in eternal progress. I can not believe that nature is limited to one sphere of action".

Life is an eternal flow and we are streams of consciousness within this flow, forever unfolding. The question of reincarnation is meaningless when we accept the fact that at some level we have always been and shall always be; it's what we do today with who we are that matters (See Eternal and Destiny).

RELATIVE

The Relative is that which depends on something else for its existence.

In Religious Science, the relative is anything we experience with the five senses of sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell. While the relative world may appear as conditions separate and apart from the All, it is not. God is all there is.

In the beginning, there was only God who so desired to be more fully expressed, that out of Itself it created form through which to do so. Hence, the relative. The relative is really another term for the body of God. God is Absolute and Relative! (See Absolute and Universe).

 

RELIGION

Any Religion is simply giving a certain form to humankind's idea of god.

The word religion comes from the Greek/Latin word religare, which means "to bind together".

It seems, however, that many of the world's religions have done just the opposite, separating mankind not only from one another but from God also. All religions could assist their members in realizing their unity with one another and God. This is what Religious Science teaches.

RELIGIOUS SCIENCE

Is Religious Science a religion?

The Church of Religious Science is the institution or organization which houses or gives form to the teaching called The Science of Mind®.

In its broadest sense, Religious Science can be approached as a science, a philosophy and a religion. As a religion, Religious Science is a straight forward approach to the Universal Truths found in many of the world's great religions. The Principles we believe in free us from guilt, fear, and superstition (See Science of Mind).

 

RESURRECTION

See Death

SAVIOR

Is Jesus our savior? No.

Jesus was a wayshower and master teacher who knew the Divine Truth about himself and all others. We do not believe he died on a cross to save us from sin (See Sin).

We look to the teacher Jesus as the great example rather than the great exception. In this teaching, no attempt is made to rob Jesus of his greatness or refute his teachings. If anything, Science of Mind® is based on his teachings. The works that I do shall you do also; and greater works than these you shall do. Therein lies the divine potential for all mankind.

SCIENCE OF MIND

What is the Science of Mind®?

The Science of Mind® is the name of the book written by Dr. Ernest Holmes in 1926. The book became the text and basis for the teaching of Science of Mind® as a science, philosophy and religion for many thousands of people worldwide.

As a science, The Science of Mind® is based on specific Universal Principles that many of the world's leading scientists are now proving. As a philosophy, The Science of Mind® is a simple, practical and down to earth way of understanding the full nature of the universe and our relationship to it.

For the dedicated student, The Science Mind is not just a teaching but rather a way of life (See Religious Science).

SIN

Do we believe that man is a sinner?

The word sin comes from an ancient Greek term. When an archer missed his target with his arrow, he sinned. Sin means to miss the mark, or to make a mistake.

There is no sin but a mistake, and no punishment but a consequence. The Law of Cause and Effect always brings with it the consequences of the action or mistake.

God does not punish sin. As we correct our mistakes, we forgive our own sins. God does not sit in judgment. God is a God of love, not anger, judgment, or punishment. God allows us to answer for our own mistakes (sins) to the immutable Law of Cause and Effect. There is no good or bad – only consequences.

 

SOUL

Do we believe that man has a soul? Yes.

The truth is there is only one Soul and it is the Soul of the Universe Individual man's soul is simply that point within him where the Universe (or God) personalizes Itself.

We believe that the soul is man's creative medium and is therefore subjective to his conscious thought. The soul is that perfect part of our being which accepts us and our actions, never judging us as right or wrong, always ready to assist us in achieving whatever we choose to do when we believe we can do it.

The soul has been referred to as the mirror of mind because it reflects the forms of thought which are given it. We choose the thoughts it reflects; or in other words, brings into an experience. (See Law).

SPIRIT

Does man have a Spirit? Of course!

More than that, man actually is spirit. We believe that the Spirit of God desired to be more fully expressed, so out of itself, it created form to express through.

That form takes many different shapes and conditions. Among the highest forms of God's expression is the human form. You! We are each the Spirit of God individualized. Rather than trying as human beings to have a spiritual experience, we should realize that we are truly spiritual beings having a human experience.

You are not just a body of flesh and bones! There is a self-conscious, free-choosing, volitional spirit at the center of your being. This Spirit is sometimes referred to as 'the inner observer'.

As we become more aware of the presence of the Spirit that we really are, we automatically begin to live in the awareness that God and we truly are one. Spirit thinks consciously and this thought moves through the creative subjective medium of mind (our soul) and becomes objectified in our outer world of effect. Spirit is the cause; the result of the thought is the effect.

 

THOUGHT

Thought is the movement of consciousness.

As Religious Scientists, we know that our thoughts are energy being directed in a specific way.

Our thought originates as cause in our conscious mind which then moves through our subconscious minds as law. In other words our thoughts work through Law, but that Law is consciously set in motion. This is how thoughts become things. The realization that we are responsible for the thoughts we think and thus can change them is the beginning of our using Law consciously! Change your thinking, change your life! (See Law).

TREATMENT

See Prayer

TRUTH

The Truth is that which is.

It is Reason, Cause and Power in and through everything. It is birthless, deathless, changeless, complete, perfect, whole, self-existent, causeless, almighty, Spirit, Law, Mind, Intelligence, Reality - GOD.

When the teacher Jesus said, "Know the truth and the truth shall set you free", he was simply saying to the degree you know the real truth about yourself, you will then be free and able to direct your own life in wonderful, creative, meaningful ways, simply by understanding that your every thought is creative.

The truth about you is: God in you, as you, is you. God really is all that is. Know this truth and you are free to express your true Self.

 

UNIVERSE

The Universe is simply the body of God.

It is that which it created out of itself in order to be more fully expressed (See Relative).

Scientists tell us the Universe is continually expanding. This is the creative Divine Urge of God always becoming more than it was yesterday. This same creative Divine urge permeates every cell in our bodies. It is that urge which causes us to grow and be more than we were yesterday. Our bodies are simply mini-universes…the microcosm within the macrocosm.

WORD OF GOD

The Word means the ability of Spirit to declare itself into manifestation, into form.

The Word of God simply means the Self-Contemplation of the Spirit. I Am that I Am! The physical manifest Universe which we see, as well as the invisible Universe which must also exist, is the self-contemplation of God.

This is meaningful to us because as incarnations of the One Spirit of God, each time we think or contemplate, we are really speaking the word into creative mind and, through the Law of Cause and Effect, our word becomes manifest!

 

In Summary

The Church of Religious Science and the teaching of Science of Mind® have one primary purpose: To assist the individual who desires and is willing to heal his life of any and all discord, fear, superstition, guilt and sense of lack. Wholeness is a Reality and it can be found at the very center of who and what we are now.

Our desire as an organization is not based so much in instructing willing individuals in what to think but rather how to think. We can best learn how to think by first understanding that we live in a Spiritual Universe which operates on purpose, by responding to our thoughts, feelings and deepest beliefs.

It is we, and we alone who ultimately create our experience. While this Truth may be a challenge at times to accept, it is also the Truth which sets us free. As we learn to take responsibility for our thinking, we shall see our lives transformed in incredible and wonderful ways. We can begin to live, move and have our being in a greater awareness that God really is All that is. As we honor Its Presence in all people and places (including Ourselves, wherever we may be) the Divine Principle of Life automatically honors us.

in the conclusion of the Science of Mind® textbook, Dr. Ernest Holmes summarized this all very well when he wrote:

The practice of truth is personal to each, and in the long run no one can live our life for us. To each is given what he needs and the gifts of heaven come to all alike. How we shall use these gifts is what matters…

In other words, there is a Power for good in the universe greater than you are and you can use it now.

This is God's gift to you. And what you decide to do with it is your gift to God!