In Africa, people cherish certain traditions that are part of their cultural inheritance. One such tradition is when all the inhabitants of a village regularly gather under a palaver tree to pass African wisdom from generation to generation. For centuries these gatherings have been an excellent way to further the development of each village. Other traditions and beliefs, however, continue to hold a large number of people in slavery to superstition. One of these superstitions is the belief that signs of bad luck announce the arrival of sad events, such as a death or an accident.
I now understand these beliefs to be a type of public and ignorant mental malpractice. Mary Baker Eddy, who discovered Christian Science, describes mental malpractice in this way: “Mental malpractice is a bland denial of Truth, and is the antipode of Christian Science. To mentally argue in a manner that can disastrously affect the happiness of a fellow-being—harm him morally, physically, or spiritually—breaks the Golden Rule and subverts the scientific laws of being” (Miscellaneous Writings 1883–1896, p. 31).
In my country, many people believe that particular animals have the power to bring bad luck. But in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, by Mary Baker Eddy, I found this statement: “Evil has no reality. It is neither person, place, nor thing, but is simply a belief, an illusion of material sense” (p. 71). And in the Bible, we read, “God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good” (Genesis 1:31). We can recognize that each one of God’s creatures is an idea of God and is therefore perfect, and that their existence glorifies God. We can see creation as God sees it. Having the right concept of what surrounds us, we can discern good everywhere. This correct vision of reality frees us from false beliefs and their effects.
In 2010, I decided to spend the Christmas holidays with my whole family in my home village. We celebrated by sharing a large meal and giving thanks for all the blessings received during the year. Two days before my return to Douala, the city where I live, I went to wash my mother’s clothes in the river. As I was doing so, I overheard a conversation among some village women. They were wondering who would die that day, since all signs announcing someone’s death were present: the singing of a certain bird, a line of big black ants surrounding the houses of the village, a red centipede, and several other things.
Each one of God’s creatures is an idea of God, is therefore perfect, and that their existence glorifies God.
Immediately, their talk brought back memories from my childhood, when I lived in that village. When those so-called bad signs appeared, the whole village would become frantic. Those who had a sick family member became terrified. Others would pray for the death to occur in someone else’s family so that their own family would be spared. In the end, someone indeed died. When I had questioned my relatives about the bad signs bringing death to the village, they answered that it was the way things were from the beginning of time. So I grew up with the same fear that paralyzed everyone else in the village.
That day at the river, I did hear the bird sing and saw ants crawling around, but I felt that it was time to put an end to my participation in this ignorant mental malpractice. This time I was well equipped to do so, since I had found Christian Science a few years earlier, when I picked up from the ground a French edition of The Herald of Christian Science that my neighbor had thrown away. After learning about Christian Science, I began a daily study of the Bible and of Science and Health, and read the Christian Science periodicals regularly. This study has changed my way of seeing, interpreting, and understanding everything. Moreover, I had recently attended Primary class instruction with an authorized Christian Science teacher. This 12-day course had deepened my understanding of Christian Science and of its spiritual method of healing.
As I prayed, I began to understand that the fear of those women at the river came from the conscious and unconscious thoughts of mortals, and did not constitute spiritual reality. My duty as a Christian Scientist was to reflect the light of the Christ, annulling evil suggestions everywhere. In Matthew, Jesus said, “Ye are the light of the world” (5:14). This light shines through the radiance of our understanding of God’s perfection, glory, and magnificence.
By acknowledging that there is only one Mind, God, who governs all, and that His goodness fills all space, I realized that absolutely nothing in me or in anyone else could be manipulated or hypnotized. All thoughts are controlled by divine Mind, the only source of each idea and action. There can be no effect from any other cause but good, since Love, God, is the only cause of its perfect and complete creation. With one divine Mind, there can be only one divine, harmonious influence. I also understood that God is indestructible divine Life. All of God’s creatures are innocent and harmless. Through their presence, song, and activity, they can only glorify the infinite and immortal perfection of the Father, eternal Life.
After reasoning in this way, I turned in the direction of where I was hearing the bird. Aloud and with authority, I said that a bird could sing only for God’s glory because this is what it was created for; otherwise, it must be silent. Immediately the song stopped. And when I turned back, I saw no more ants or any other so-called bad signs in the village. And no one died in the village because of the bad signs, contrary to what had been predicted.
We can reverse mortal illusions, and bring to light divine reality, where good is always present and indestructible. Man and the universe are directed by divine, unerring law, without disorder, chaos, or fear. It has been two years now since this occurred, and I no longer believe in, nor even see any signs of “bad luck.” The people in my village told me that they felt something had changed, and also have not noticed any more signs of bad luck. The more I talk to others about my position on this matter, the more I hear that they are moving away from these long-held erroneous beliefs. I am so grateful for Christian Science, which gives us the ability to face and overcome all evil mental suggestions.
Zeh Angèle lives in Douala, Cameroon.
