As a child I was taught something of how to approach life in the way Christian Science teaches. I didn't know any Christian Scientists other than my family, but I felt certain that they all would think in exactly the same way. I couldn't wait for the opportunity to know some of these special people who would be in agreement on everything!
Later, when I was able to know other Christian Scientists, I found myself with a lot to think about. They were, indeed, fine people and undeniably sincere in their efforts to be faithful in their practice of this Science. They were in agreement on the absolute spiritual truth of God and man, which is taught in Christian Science. Yet I was startled to find that when it came to various human issues, they had some conflicting views as to how the teachings of Science would apply. Concerning national defense, some were hawks and some were doves. Some leaned more toward environmentalism, others were more sympathetic toward big business and development. Some were liberals and some were conservatives. They had different concepts of how best to bring up children and how to handle finances. They even held varying views on running a branch church. And what's more, they were all basing the way they saw things on statements in the Bible and in Science and Health by Mary Baker Eddy, the Christian Science textbooks. This seemed puzzling, indeed, since Christian Science reveals that God is the one Mind and creator; therefore, as God's offspring, as His very expression, all of us, in truth, have the same Mind. How could people pray to the same God and come up with such different answers?
It seemed, then, that I should determine which Christian Scientists were right and which were wrong as to what divine Mind would direct in given situations. Those who were higher and deeper in spiritual understanding would be the ones who knew "the Christian Science way." They would be in agreement with each other!
