Debunk the Junk for a Happy Thanksgiving!

“Debunk the Junk” for a Happy Thanksgiving!
Metaphysical Application Ideas for CedarS campers and friends from the Christian Science Bible Lesson Sermon for Nov. 24-30, 2008: “ANCIENT AND MODERN NECROMANCY ALIAS MERMERISM AND HYPNOTISM DENOUNCED”
Prepared by Carole Schierholz, C.S. of Tampa, FL

Editor’s Note: The following application ideas for this week and Possible Sunday School Topics that follow are offered primarily to help CEDARS campers and staff (as well as friends) see and demonstrate the great value of daily study and application of the Christian Science Bible lessons year-round, not just at camp! You can sign up to have them emailed to you free — in English by Monday or Tuesday each week, or by each Wednesday you can get a FREE TRANSLATION in French from Pascal or in Spanish from Ana. (We no longer have a translator available for German.) JUST SIGN UP at www.cedarscamps.org/newsletters

Hey, you, yes, you, please don’t put this lesson aside just because you don’t understand the words in the subject of this week’s Bible Lesson or don’t think this subject could help you. I know, you like to feel the comfort that comes to you as you contemplate God’s love for you and everyone. Don’t you feel so safe as you think about your relationship to God being the reflection of God’s goodness. You love to read and think about God causing, creating and preserving you. I do too. You have probably had some healings and direction from this study. I have. But does your thinking stay focused on God’s love and care for you and this universe all of the time? Are you able to feel like God is meeting your every need all of the time? Why not? Then this lesson is for you. We all need to study this lesson to make every day our happiest thanksgiving yet. It is important to understand why we need to “debunk the junk,” to denounce ancient and modern necromancy alias mesmerism and hypnotism.

Those are big, mysterious, confusing-looking words aren’t they? Maybe you don’t want to take the time to research this ancient and modern necromancy. Mesmerism and hypnotism, well maybe you have heard something about them. So perhaps we can just leave this subject alone. STOP!! WRONG!! This way of thinking is just the way ancient and modern necromancy alias mesmerism and hypnotism works. All of those words are just another way of describing mortal mind and its junk – its allurements, deceptions and beliefs. It would like to obscure itself, and to belittle, condemn, and/or confuse you, so you will just let it alone so that it can grow. Mortal mind [like the junk in your closet] wants nothing more that to be left alone. Now, Mrs. Eddy knew better than to just let mortal mind be left alone. She has a whole chapter in Science and Health named “Animal Magnetism Unmasked.” Mortal mind with its deceptive lies needs to be unmasked, identified, and denounced, denied, cast out of our thinking as unreal because not of God.

Jesus told his disciples to “heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers and cast out demons.” This demand to “cast out demons,” doesn’t it sound a little like denounce to you? It does to me. These demons are suggestions or beliefs, deceptions and lies that would like for you to think about yourself and others in mortal terms, seeking happiness, health, satisfaction, and self worth on material terms. Jesus cast out these claims with the Christ, Truth and restored the health of people.

Let’s follow the Lesson to see how it instructs us to “debunk the junk” by denouncing the beliefs and claims of mortal mind.

The Golden Text praises God’s glorious power and greatness and recognizes how God’s power has destroyed the thoughts and beliefs that have tried to deceive, belittle, condemn or confuse consciousness.

The Responsive Reading from Psalms expands on this reality of God’s power and mercy. God is recognized as being a refuge and defense from frightening and threatening thoughts. The Psalmist called on God when overcome with fear and changed his thought to think of God’s greatness, Allness, and loving kindness. He found his thoughts of God had delivered him from the junk of mortal thoughts and fears that had filled his thinking. His thoughts about God saved him from these false beliefs and claims and gave him peace. We too can know that we are safe in God’s loving reality.

Section 1 identifies some of the practices of ancient necromancy. (One dictionary defines necromancy as: “The art of … revealing the future by pretended communication with the spirits of the dead; hence magic in general; conjuration.”) This section opens by alerting us to the suggestions that would have us look for help or direction from people, from their theories, or from some other source than God. (B1, B2)  God’s instruction is to turn to Him, for there is no other God. Don’t be deceived and confused and fall for mortal mind’s “magic” or illusions [the junk jewelry]. The story of Manasseh’s reign in Jerusalem show’s how as a young teenager he fell for necromancy; the different forms of deception practiced in his day, even to the extent of making an idol and putting it in the temple. Finally, when he was in captivity and affliction, he turned his thought to God for help. He received it and knew God to be the only true God, the only source of Truth.

Science and Health reveals God to be the only Spirit and denounces the belief of many spirits. Science and Health citation 2 denounces spiritualism, (the belief that personalities, alive or dead, could control you or me or anyone) with the truth that “God controls man, and God is the only Spirit.” (S&H 2) One of the attributes for Spirit is identity. Science and Health citation 3 tells how Christian Science stirs thought to be God-based and exposes the lies, delusions, deceptions, myths, and baselessness of all of mortal mind’s claims and denounces them all. (S&H 3) God is the All-in-all in all of us. God governs us all and we are willing to destroy in our thought any suggestion mortal mind offers with our understanding of God’s presence and power.

Section 2 covers the ancient and modern deceptions regarding wine and strong drink. Proverbs warns us, “whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.” (B 4) Often wine and strong drink are turned to in order to fulfill the desires of the mortal mind or to escape from mortal mind’s troubling thoughts. However, alcohol never offers a solution to the desires or a satisfactory escape. Paul warns not to be deceived and directs us to awake to righteousness (right consciousness). (B6, B7) Drunkenness is included is a long list of unsavory lusts of the flesh which we are admonished to not fulfill. (B7) In other words, we are to denounce and forsake them. The Bible offers these solutions to problems: “Walk in the Spirit,” think out and act out from Spirit; and, “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance; against such there is no law.” (B7)

Science and Health refers to drunkenness as a state of mesmerism and hypnotism. (S&H 6) One dictionary defines hypnotic as, “any agent that produces or tends to produce sleep; an opiate; a soporific, a narcotic. ” (S&H 9) Understanding the Science of being gives us the ability to resist evil, mortal mind’s deceptive thoughts, and to denounce the suggestions that mortality in any form could make us better, happier, wiser, more popular and accepted. The solution is to gain our mental “strength from the immortal and omnipotent Mind” which has already created us complete, lacking nothing, having every quality we could need forever. (S&H 10) We need to know “there is but one real attraction, that of Spirit” and to denounce any thought that would try to belittle us, condemn us, confuse us, or deceive us. (S&H 11) We can’t be put to sleep by mortal mind’s arguments to identify ourselves as mortals. This is drunkenness of another sort isn’t it? We can’t be made to drink in the claims of economic disaster either. It is God that supplies our every idea and these ideas will meet our daily needs.

Section 3 starts off with the Bible speaking of the salvation of the Lord being made known. (B 8) It follows with Jesus healing the man which had a spirit of an unclean devil. (B 9) It is interesting that the devil cried out to Jesus, asking to let US alone. Jesus was not about to let the belief of a diseased mortal mind go un-rebuked and un-denounced. He so clearly knew that “I and my Father are one” and that this was true of all of us, that he separated the unclean devil from man and the devil came out of him. The man was restored to his normal mental health. Jesus then went to Simon’s house and was asked to heal Simon’s wife’s mother who had a great fever. He rebuked the fever with Christ, Truth thereby denouncing the hypnotic beliefs of mortal mind claiming to be her and she was healed. She even got up and served them. Revelation declares how great and marvelous God’s works are. (B 10)

In Science and Health (S&H 12) we are called upon to realize God is a very present help in trouble and not to rely on drugs and hypnotism to heal disease. Jesus healed without drugs or hypnotism. (S&H 13) Our remedy is filling consciousness with Truth, with spiritual realities about our immortality, health and holiness as God’s child. (S&H 14) These ideas Mrs. Eddy says are “the coming of the Christ” to our consciousness “which casts out error and heals the sick” and brings “salvation.” (S&H 14) Mrs. Eddy defines “salvation” in the “Glossary” as “Life, Truth, and Love understood and demonstrated as supreme over all; sin, sickness, and death destroyed.” (S&H p. 593) As we understand Mind’s control over the body, we know Mind is the only healer and we are not liable to believe a drug of any kind can heal since we understand we are ideas, God’s ideas. We understand the Science of the Christ and divine Love to be all power. This understanding in consciousness lets go of mortal beliefs, unclasping the seemingly hypnotic hold of disease, sin, and death, thereby destroying them and all mortal thoughts. (S&H 16)

Section 4 Chapter 19 of Acts tells the story of the seven vagabond Jews, sons of Sceva, the chief of the priests. (B 11) A vagabond Jew was one who went from town to town claiming to be able to cast out all kinds of evil spirits for money. These fellows did not believe in Jesus, nor were they his followers, but they used his name to enrich themselves. By dishonesty and deceitful spells and charms they claimed to cure those in need. They duped the people and charged money for this so-called service. The evil spirit in a man cried out and challenged these vagabonds, saying, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?” And the man which had the evil spirit dwelling in him leaped on them and overcame them. These vagabonds fled wounded and naked. A dishonest, deceiving position is a form of necromancy that needs to be exposed, denounced and replaced with the right, spiritual understanding of perfect God and perfect man.

Science and Health makes it clear that true healing is accomplished through divine Mind alone which casts out error with Truth. (S&H 18) Citation 19 shows “dishonesty, sensuality, falsehood, …” don’t originate in Truth and have no “healing in their wings.” (Mal. 4:2 & Hymn 392:2)  Citation 20 denounces unscientific mental practice and makes it clear that Christian Science makes one better mentally and morally while healing him through divine Love. “Christianity is the basis of true healing.” (S&H 21)

Has medical advertising given you seemly-honest, but matter-based, arguments to try to sell you on finding health in a bottle, or in a lotion, or in a vitamin? Or to seek better times in a drug? I hear such ads on TV all the time. Do you just accept the suggestions or….? What should we do? Can we defend our thoughts? Other’s thoughts?

Section 5 Chapter 4 of Acts speaks of the signs and wonders that the apostles worked among the people and how they were threatened by the Sadducees because of their preaching of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Peter and John were not intimidated and continued to glorify God and what He had done. When released these followers of God asked for the courage to heal and preach in “the name of the holy child Jesus.” (B13) All that were there were filled with the Holy Ghost and with courage they shared the word of God and of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. “…and great grace was upon them all.” (B13) This section closes with the Beatitude, “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (B14) Didn’t these disciples, knowing the power of God was the only power, boldly denounce the ancient and modern necromancy, alias mesmerism and hypnotism, which was handling those leaders and continue teaching about God’s kingdom and Allness? Isn’t this a wonderful lesson for us to realize the powerless of any threat of danger from mortal mind (the only place a threat could come from, certainly not from God). Nothing can stop the unfoldment of God’s greatness, health, harmony, intelligence and good. We can all pray for the boldness and courage to speak of God’s perfection as demonstrated by Jesus whenever modern hypnotism and mesmerism shouts at us to give in and give up, to shut up and not share Christian Science with others.

In Science & Health it is clear that error will lie and slander today as it did when it shouted at the early followers of God. (S&H 22, 23) To defend ourselves, to build our mental muscles so as not to fall victims to these subtle and not so subtle arguments, we are told to “be a law to yourselves.” (S&H 24) I like to think of a law as some rule that cannot be broken, so the law could be not to let my thoughts get outside of the kingdom of God and His Allness which includes us as His perfect, spiritual ideas, expressing His intelligence.
I have had to practice building my mental muscles by keeping my thought focused on God’s kingdom. It takes practice. The first time I wandered off track in about 12 seconds, I believe. I have gotten better now; however, I still keep building my mental, spiritual thought-forces daily. Don’t hesitate to start building yours. Persistently know that “God is the only power,” no matter what rush of mortal claims shout at you to try to deceive you. (S&H 25) What a comfort it is to know that wrong, mortal thoughts “fall before an honest heart,” a heart focused on God’s Love and Truth. (S&H 26) Don’t hesitate to denounce these boastful lies of mortal mind as they try to rush in. After all, they are lies, lies about God and His creation. We don’t believe lies!!

Section 6 Chapter 54 of Isaiah talks about the wonderful heritage of freedom from malicious attacks that you have as a child of God. (B 18) The 31st chapter of Psalms raves about the great goodness and protection provided for those who trust in God. The 4th chapter of II Timothy tells about Paul’s protection as he followed his course and “kept the faith:” he was able to say, “I have fought a good fight.” He tells of his conviction and courage as God stood with him and strengthened him while he preached the good news of the gospel. His knowledge of God preserved him and delivered him from every attack of mortal mind, even from “the mouth of the lion.” (B19)

In Science and Health we read how “the history of Christianity furnishes sublime proofs” of the protecting power of understanding God. (S&H 27) By this spiritual understanding, man is protected from physical as well as mental suffering. Science & Health citation 28 instructs us how to defend our thoughts from mortal mind’s errors by knowing the doctrine of Christian Science. (Do you know “the doctrine of absolute Christian Science” and how it benefits you? (See S&H 28)  Science & Health citation 29 reduces evil to nothingness by denouncing its claims to be person, place or thing and shows evil to be “simply a belief, an illusion of material sense.” (S&H 29) The Bible Lesson closes with a re-assuring statement about what God’s Word does. It sustains man in God’s Allness and rids thought of mortal mind’s lies!

Now we have definite instructions on how to fight the good fight and win! It is the denouncing of mortal mind’s suggestions, lies and beliefs with the understanding of God’s immortal perfection and of man being the reflection of God’s immortal perfection. It is this Christ, Truth that enables us to express God’s abundance of good. Don’t we have a lot to be grateful for! (including two Bible Lessons this week!) Happy Thanks-giving!!
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Camp Director’s Note: This sharing is the latest in an ongoing, seven-year series of CedarS Bible Lesson “mets” (metaphysical application ideas) contributed weekly by a rotation of CedarS Resident Practitioners and occasionally by other metaphysicians. (To keep the flow of the practitioner’s ideas intact and to allow for more selective printing the “Possible Sunday School Topics” come on a following page or subsequent email.) This weekly email (and website posting) is intended to encourage further study and application of ideas in the lesson and to invigorate Sunday School participation by students and by the budding teachers on our staff. Originally sent JUST to my Sunday School students and to campers, staff and CedarS families who wanted to continue at home and in their home Sunday Schools the same type of focused Lesson study, application and inspiration they had felt at camp, CedarS lesson “mets” are in no way meant to be definitive or conclusive or in any way a substitute for daily study of the lesson. The thoughts presented are the inspiration of the moment and are offered to give a bit more dimension, background and new angles on daily applicability to some of the ideas and passages being studied. The weekly Bible Lessons are copyrighted by the Christian Science Publishing Society and are printed in the Christian Science Quarterly as available at Christian Science Reading Rooms or online at eBibleLesson.com or myBibleLesson.com. The citations referenced (i.e. B1 and S28) from this week’s Bible Lesson in the “met” (metaphysical application ideas) are taken from the King James Version of the Bible (B1-24) and the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health With Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy. (S1-30) The Bible and Science and Health are the ordained pastor of the Churches of Christ, Scientist. The Bible Lesson is the sermon read in Christian Science church services throughout the world. The Lesson-Sermon speaks individually through the Christ to everyone, providing unique insights and tailor-made applications for each one. We are glad you requested this metaphysical sharing and hope that you find some of these ideas helpful in your daily spiritual journey, in your deeper digging in the books and in closer bonding with your Comforter and Pastor.
Enjoy!
Warren Huff, Camp Director, director@cedarscamps.org (636) 394-6162
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Possible Sunday School Topics by Merrill Boudreaux [& a fellow CedarS SS teacher]
for the Christian Science Bible Lesson: “Ancient and Modern Necromancy, Alias Mesmerism and Hypnotism, Denounced” for Nov. 24-30, 2008

Possible Sunday School Topic [P.S.S.T. – Golden Text and Responsive Reading] – Have students fill in the blank: Power __________________
As in Power Hitter (baseball), Power Play (football), Power House (weight lifting or wrestling), Power Struggle (as in organizational hierarchy or business), [Power Aide (as in a sports beverage)]. Where is the power, in the hand, in the foot, in the arm, in the body? Or, is power in God and His angels coming to thought with the foregoing power improvements as the result? How does one overcome the belief that power is in the person, (who one is), or power in the office, (title, position, or job), or power in the personality, (charm or charisma)? Look to the Golden Text and Responsive Reading to identify the source of one’s strength. From where does one’s defense come? From where does the ability to overcome sorrow or distress come? Have students share examples of God’s loving kindness and power that helped them.

[In this week’s CedarS Metaphysical Application Ideas (“Met”) Carole Schierholz writes: “This demand to “cast out demons,” doesn’t it sound a little like denounce to you? It does to me. These demons are suggestions or beliefs, deceptions and lies that would like for you to think about yourself and others in mortal terms, seeking happiness, health, satisfaction, and self worth in material ways.” What material ways seem like shortcuts to happiness? Who are you thinking about in mortal terms? How can you instead see them and yourself as God does?]

Possible Sunday School Topic [P.S.S.T. – Section 1] – In this section explore the story of Manasseh. Who was he, where did he reign, beginning when and for how long? Because of a lack of maturity, understanding or wisdom what did this young king do? What was his relationship to the one God during his immature years? What was the turning point for him?

Possible Sunday School Topic [P.S.S.T. – Section 2] –  In this section is provided a whole list of counterfeit characteristics: woe, sorrow, contention, babbling, wounds, redness of eyes, tarrying at the wine, among others. Take that list and create their counter facts. Add any others you would like.

[In this week’s Lesson “Met,” Carole Schierholz writes: “We can’t be put to sleep by mortal mind’s arguments to identify ourselves as mortals. This is drunkenness of another sort isn’t it? We can’t be made to drink in the claims of economic disaster either. It is God that supplies our every idea and these ideas will meet our daily needs.” When you hear the latest economic woe played up, how will you stay “sober” and at the same time “spiritually light-hearted?”]

Possible Sunday School Topic [P.S.S.T. – Section 3] – One of the ways to overcome sinful suggestions is to sing unto The Lord. Here is a good opportunity for students to share their favorite hymns, maybe even sing a few (quietly of course), and talk about why their hymn or singing is a good counter fact or remedy for error of every kind.

[In this week’s CedarS Lesson “Met,” Carole Schierholz writes: “It is interesting that the devil cried out to Jesus, asking to let US alone. Jesus was not about to let the belief of a diseased mortal mind go un-rebuked and un-denounced.” What “junk” in your room and in your life just wants to be left alone? Will you be fooled into settling for that?]

Possible Sunday School Topic [P.S.S.T. – Section 4] – Review the Saul/Paul story in the Bible, Acts, Chapter 9. This was a turnaround story much like Manasseh in Section 1. Have students talk about Paul’s life afterward; his letters and travels, his establishing of churches. At what point can a person change their life from doing wicked deeds to doing good deeds? What kind of power then comes to the individual after this change? (See S&H # 21.)

[In this week’s CedarS Lesson “Met,” Carole Schierholz writes: “Has medical advertising given you seemly-honest, but matter-based, arguments to try to sell you on finding health in a bottle, or in a lotion, or in a vitamin? Or to seek better times in a drug? I hear such ads on TV all the time. Do you just accept the suggestions or….? What should we do? Can we defend our thoughts? Other’s thoughts?” What ads seem most prevalent to you? Most annoying? Most believable?]

Possible Sunday School Topic [P.S.S.T. – Section 5] – What was the power struggle in this Bible section? List the two sides in this struggle. What is the argument for each side? What is the Beatitude prayer that provided help to Peter and John? (See also the correlative statement of truth in S&H 464: 23-24 in Marker 26.)

[In this week’s CedarS Lesson “Met,” Carole Schierholz writes: “We can all pray for the boldness and courage to speak of God’s perfection as demonstrated by Jesus whenever modern hypnotism and mesmerism shouts at us to give in and give up, to shut up and not share Christian Science with others.” Are you ready to experience the freedom and joy that come with confidence in your beliefs and unselfish boldness to share them?]

Possible Sunday School Topic [P.S.S.T. – Section 6] –
“In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust…” (Psalm 31:1)
Make a list of what I am able to do when trusting The Lord. (See Bible Marker 19 for hints.)
Since this lesson also comes during Thanksgiving week, this might also be a good opportunity to have students share statements of gratitude.
[What personal (or world) problems seems to be caused by a person? A place? A thing?  Can you see through that illusion and so heal the problem(s) in question?]