We discover in Christian Science the complete safety and freedom that come from understanding and acknowledging God, good, as the one and only power. Through our study and demonstration of these teachings, we increasingly learn that evil is not real or powerful or something to be feared. The misconception that evil is as real as, and even more powerful than, good is termed animal magnetism in Mary Baker Eddy’s writings. And this belief called animal magnetism is annihilated by an understanding of the truth of being as taught in Christian Science: that God, good, the one divine Mind, alone is real and all-powerful and can be proven to be the only legitimate influence and cause in our thoughts and lives. This understanding in turn brings tremendous blessings and protection from evil.
In the chapter titled “Animal Magnetism Unmasked” in the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy sets forth what we need in order to defend our thought against the suggestions of animal magnetism and shows it to be nothing more than a false and self-assertive claim appearing to be real (see Science and Health, pp. 100–106).
At the end of this chapter, Mrs. Eddy quotes a key passage from Paul’s epistle to the Galatians that makes clear the complete protection that comes from eschewing the methods and modes of evil and embracing and living the fruits of the Spirit—the attributes of good: “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:19–23).
