The scientific fact that man's origin is spiritual, not material or fleshly, and that his relationship to God is eternal and indestructible, is clearly set forth by Mary Baker Eddy in this passage from "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 63): "In Science man is the offspring of Spirit. The beautiful, good, and pure constitute his ancestry. His origin is not, like that of mortals, in brute instinct, nor does he pass through material conditions prior to reaching intelligence. Spirit is his primitive and ultimate source of being; God is his Father, and Life is the law of his being."
Man, as the son, or reflection, of God, is thus heir to all that is good, perfect, pure, substantial, and enduring. His life is the expression of the immortal and inexhaustible energies of the divine Life. His relations to his Maker and to his brother man are inseverable, uninterrupted, and harmonious, characterized by mutual understanding, justice, and good will. The divine Mind is the unfailing source of his intelligence, wisdom, and understanding.
In mortal history one's origin and relationships are based on matter rather than on Spirit and are thus the exact opposite of the spiritual and true. Mortal thought creates its so-called man of material elements and thereby subjects him to matter's limitations and discords. It binds him with its own fictitious laws and theories, among which the laws of heredity hold a prominent place. The blood and other material elements are then regarded as the main constituents of life and the bond in which families and races are held in common relation and kinship. They are also considered the medium through which family and racial traits, either good or bad, are transmitted from one generation to another.
