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.
