On July 8, 2011, Mitch Horowitz wrote a column for The Wall Street Journal titled, “When spirituality kills.” In response, Russ Gerber, spokesman for the Christian Science Church, submitted a letter to the editor, which has been published. Click here for the letter posted on WSJ.com or please read below.
In “When Spirituality Kills” (Houses of Worship, July 8), Mitch Horowitz refers to Christian Science and alludes to its safety. While the track record of its practice over the last 140 years isn’t perfect, any connotation that the cumulative record suggests it is inherently unsafe doesn’t square with the facts.
For successive years for over a decade, the intent to use prayer to improve health has been on the rise in the U.S., as many surveys have shown. Acceptance is growing. It’s mainstream now. That’s not to suggest that people are abandoning Western medicine, but rather that they are choosing alternatives, and prayer is one of the leading ones.
That’s no excuse for irresponsible practice of spiritual care, under any condition, but it is to say that the average man and woman, on the front lines of health-care decision-making, seems to be finding prayer to be a safe and effective alternative.
Russ Gerber
The First Church of Christ, Scientist
Boston
Aleta Matteson says
July 20, 2011 at 3:49 amIn this time of so many pushing the boundaries — in extreme sports, extreme reality shows, extreme entertainment — is it any surprise that we would see extremes in efforts to find God or spirituality? However, Christian Science teaches that true spirituality can’t possibly hurt; it can only help and heal. So, how we define spirituality does matter. Also, who we follow does matter. And, common sense does matter. The writer of the Journal article was correct to question the insane practices that put people’s lives in real danger. Mary Baker Eddy, the discoverer and founder of Christian Science, wrote over 100 years ago: “The time for thinkers has come.” And, it still has come. [Thanks for the comment Aleta!- Bill]