Thank you Father for eternal life, thank you for how precious each and every one of my brothers and sisters are, and thank you for the laws of Love which governs these things..

Thank you for those words, just what I needed today. To know that my life has no beginning and no end.

John, your words on this 6th. Commandment are so timely! I just had a conversation yesterday with someone, who, when a young child, witnessed his father commit suicide in front of him, and the after-effects seem, to him, impossible to release. Your sharing the idea that "no one can kill or be killed" when we see them as the child of God is an answer to my prayer to know how to help this man gain, as Christian Science teaches us- a sense of "the dear Father's priceless love." Thank you.

The 6th Commandment when obeyed will bring greater harmony to mankind. THOU SHALT NOT KILL is equal to THOU CANNOT KILL, because God's image couldn't do what God can't do.
Life is eternal because God is eternal, unlimited, and His image cannot die.
God is the life of man.
Based on this fact MBE tells us, "blood never gave life and can never take it away" S&H 376:11
ESPAÑOL
El sexto mandamiento, cuando sea obedecido traerá mayor armonía a la humanidad. NO MATARÁS es igual a NO SE PUEDE MATAR, porque la imagen de Dios no podría hacer lo que Dios no puede hacer.
La vida es eterna, porque Dios es eterno e ilimitado, y Su imagen no puede morir.
Dios es la vida del hombre.
Basándose en este hecho MBE nos dice, " la sangre nunca dio vida y nunca la puede quitar " CyS 376:13

Many thanks John for the great reminder that God and man are coexistent forever." "God and man coexistent and eternal; Science showing that the spiritual realities of all things are created by Him and exist forever." (S&H 581:1). "And when to Truth's green pastures/ With joy at length we come,/ There shall we find, O Shepherd,/ Our blest, eternal home." (Christian Science Hymnal #245).

Soooo, what about the animals we eat? I rescue spiders from my bath-tub, but eat meat from my butcher; fully aware of the absurd the conundrum!

Thank you. Yes we.live and move and have our being in God.

Thank you, John.

Thou cannot kill another's God-given peace, harmony and joy or anything that our loving Father-Mother God is giving us either. Thou cannot kill the march of Christian Science which is pouring forth love and blessings on all now and forever.

Thank you.

Seen through the lense of Christian Science there is nothing in God's creation that is a threat to Life. You explanation of the 6th Commandment is the best I have heard yet! Thank you.

Thank you so much for this "lift" and for your very inspiring lecture in Lewes, DE.

En realidad aunque se cometa crimen nadie muere es solo una creencia de que se muere, así aprendemos y así tenemos que sentirlo. Entonces el mandamiento no matarás que es imperioso ¿a que se refiere en realidad? Siento que lo que no debemos matar ni dejar morir en nosotros es el sentir espiritual, porque la muerte sucede cuando nos dejamos atrapar por lo humano, mortal y errado.
Confiar en ese sentir que Cristo tan bien ejemplizó, Él no temió pasar por esa apariencia de muerte y vencerla, no maldijo a quien lo obligó a pasarla El dijo: Padre perdónalos porque no saben lo que hacen, y la intención maligna de muerte ni siquiera lo rozó.
"Porque el pecado, tomando ocasión por el mandamiento, me engañó, y por él me mató" Romanos

"Nosotros sabemos que hemos pasado de muerte a vida, en que amamos a los hermanos,Todo aquel que aborrece a su hermano es homicida". 1ª de Juan
"El principio divino o Vida, no puede ser demostrado prácticamente en prolongación de días, como lo fue por los patriarcas, a menos que la Ciencia de este principio sea declarada con exactitud" MBE

Muchas gracias John, buen comienzo de semana con la VIDA IMPERECEDERA.

Thour cannot kill! Thank you!

Thank you, John....this is comforting, and so true that no one can lose their REAL life. But it still troubles me that Christian Scientists are involved in the military which participates in the killing of our brothers and sisters. I guess the intention is to have a healing effect on the thinking of those who are fighting. I pray about this.

Thanks for sharing this clear view of deathless Life

Dear John,

Thank you for this Lift. Thank you for all of the other comments as well. Special thanks Kristen and Elena (3 & 4 ), Malcolm #5 & Marj #10.

So, forgive me all...I love Star Trek, the Next Generation. Sometimes when I want to share an understanding of Christian Science with others, I will find an appropriate clip from Star Trek. Again forgive me. There is this episode where a Being does not understand the human experience called death..anyways...the Captain explains that our life is part of a larger reality called Life. Our experiences here may end but our life doesn't.

I try to explain life here as being similar to being in school. We may have a close friend attending school with us but one day they are taken out of school by their parents and we never see them again. They are taken to another school. Our sadness is because we miss them. They may have left our school but they have not exited the School system, they have gone on to other experiences.

We are not there to experience their experiences, but they are still very much alive. We cannot know what "life" is like there either because every experience is individual just like College. Someone could tell me what College is like, but when I get there it will be something completely different; hence no one call tell us what we will experience.

We will all come to the understanding that life is continuous because it is of God; we therefore cannot kill. Thanks John! Lovely!

Thank you for this clear explanation. To Janine (No 6) I would suggest that we do not have to be troubled by the material appearance, which can rise no higher than the transient and symbolic, even when trying to represent a 'good idea' such as substance or food. The absolute life of men and animals and all creation, the reflection of God, Spirit, who is Life, is untouched by the material appearance.

Wonderful ! Thank you.. :-)

To Janine (#6). The Bible tells us that:

“The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb,
The leopard shall lie down with the young goat,
The calf and the young lion and the fatling together;
And a little child shall lead them."(Isaiah)

I understand this to mean that each of us will demonstrate this ideal, each in our own way, in our own time. It is something to pray about.

Thank you, John, for this morning enlightenment on the 6th. Commandment.

That was wonderful; as was your interpretation, Troy from Barbados.

Thank you

Well Janine, The meat you eat from the butcher comes from animals that really have their true being in God, Spirit. Their seeming physical expression is no more real than ours is. Nothing in God's creation is ever material, that premise is the reasoning that leads to the often bizarre reasoning that leads us to rescue spiders, yet eat meat. I do the same! All God's creation enjoys eternal Life. Perhaps we should all become vegetarians! It is always God, divine Love, that feeds "our famished affections".Thank you for your comment, and John for his lift.

This must be a key commandment, and yet we don't hear so much about how to demonstrate this in the present. Mary Baker Eddy tells us that Life is eternal. "We should find this out and begin the demonstration thereof." The comments so far have been very thoughtful, but I would love to hear more about specific demonstrations along this line.

The book "Christian Science Wartime Activities" has a number of such wonderful realizations with humanly amazing results such as the man put onto the front lines in World War I who knew that he could not be hurt if Life was eternal, and he was obedient.

In the morning after the fiercest battle of the war, he found himself perfectly intact with gunfire pitting the ground in a circle all around him. Surely that is what Eddy mean in her book, Science and Health, by being "Clad in the panoply of Love" where "human hatred cannot reach you." That seems to me to be a clear demonstration that Life is indeed eternal, and this man had seen that fact so tangibly etched in his consciousness that he experienced it right in the apparently terrifying situation where he found himself.

I hope we'll share more such experiences after listening to John's thoughtful "lift"!

Thanks for the upLift and the uplifting comments. I need not puzzle over the mystery of life because enigmas are no part of eternity.

Mary Baker Eddy says, "I am still with you on the field of battle, taking forward marches, broader and higher views, and with the hope that you will follow."( Misc. Writings, page 136.)

John, what beautiful insight. Thank you.

Beautiful explanation! makes this Commandment more meaningful to all -- thanks so much for the lovely inspiration!

B.J.

Thank you, John.
How perfectly beautiful.

Thank you, John, for this wonderful Lift. And of course this includes all sorts of other killings too: gossip, criticism, deliberate malicious malpractice, and the other one:self-condemnation. And how wonderful to think it can all be reversed by love, lovingkindness, gentleness and tenderness. Starting with the first timid offers of forgiveness, until it becomes an outpouring of love and compassion and all thought of resentment or bitterness are completely washed away.
Thank you Nate and the team - wonderful music; thanks to the BoL and lecturers, this is all history making and very healing; and thanks to our Daily Lift family, a most peaceful band of healers for the world.

Thank you John! Thank you.

Great perspective! I am reminded of a Sentinel broadcast (sorry, I don't remember when or who) in which the speaker talks of his prayers as a military chaplain and the protection of all the soldiers--on both sides. My prayer lately for all the wars in the world and the soldiers therein has expanded to the protection of the innocence and physical protection for all the combatants on all sides as well as for the populace. This firm stand, that one can neither kill nor be killed, not can his/her innocence be assalted or killed is a great place for me to begin. Thank you!

I cannot begin to express how precious this lift and all the posts are to me. I so relate to eating the meat, yet freeing the spiders, only in my case I'm freeing scorpions and spiders that find their way to my bath tub. It's a constant battle to put the material world in its proper perspective, as #18 says "the absolute life...is untouched by material appearance." As John explained in the lift, no beginning and no end, just eternal life. Every three weeks I take my son to get chemo treatments--his choice of how to deal with the material appearance that has been diagnosed. We approach a new threshold where the doctor says the treatment is having little to no effect. Something I knew of course from the start--matter has no intelligence, no power, and is not the source of healing. However, mortal mind steps in, mesmerizing, with waves of fear and grief, laboring diligently to make its illusion reality. Then John, you say, "Thou cannot kill." What a blessing. What a reminder! Thank goodness God is my son's creator and not me, not mortal mind, and not matter. It's time to wake up from this awful dream of disease and death.

Thank you John for your "deep dive"into this commandment and for all the wonderful close looks we've been receiving on the Ten Commandments.

Thanks for the great lift - it is wonderful having the commandments revisited with fresh, inspiring viewpoints.
To #6, #20, and #22 - I have been a vegetarian for a number of years, and at first, it was just something I wanted to do because I couldn't bear to think that animals would suffer (particularly in slaughterhouses) so that I could be fed, and I didn't think vegetarianism had much connection with Christian Science. But at one point a statement Mary Baker Eddy writes in Science and Health, p. 514 (just preceding her quoting of Isaiah about the wolf dwelling with the lamb, etc.), "The individuality created by God is not carnivorous . . ." came through with a lot of clarity, and I realized that that is not an individuality for the future, but one that each of us can begin to live in accord with now.

Thank you John. That's such an important message in these times--the Golden Rule in action. We know that man CAN progress in thinking and actions!

Thank you John for your clear and insightful explanation of our 6th Commandment. So appreciated!

Thanks also to our wonderful Lifters and their takes on this Commandment. Especially got a lot out of what #17, Troy said - a beautiful explanation of our experience we call "life". Also thanks to #18 Eleanor, sooo clear! And #20 Kathleen, Mexico, - I love your sharing of the Bible passage from Isaiah, and your understanding of it! Thank you ALL so much!
Love Judth

Thank you all for such enlightening comments and John for this lift!

Lovely expression of Truth, John. Esp appreciate Troy from Barbados #17 and will refer to it when explaining death to children and grieving adults. My favorite thing to say to adults is, "if we were meant to live forever, then Lazarus would be around telling us so." Also, SiouxZ #23, I read C.S. Wartime Stories as a new student of Christian Science and found it fascinating. Thank you so much for sharing. Reminds me of the man on the Titanic who took a moment to "be still with God" and because he didn't just rush to the other side of theboat like the other men, he was called from below, there was space for him in a life boat, he jumped into it and was saved. As a nursing student, my job was to listen to the fetal heart beat every 15 minutes, 5 minutes later, the "still, small voice" told me to listen for it again, but it had stopped. I rushed to find a doctor who was delivering a baby. All other doctors and nurses were at lunch. He said to me, "If you are wrong, I will see to it that you never work in another hospital again!" I trusted the voice of the Christ within me and the baby's life was saved. The doctor, amazed at my perseverance, offered me a job working as his nurse anytime. It's been my experience that the Holy Spirit always knows the Truth and is on the side of Life. We can trust that, even as we know that the soul lives on. I believe God wants us to have a good quality, long life and a peaceful death.
Isn't that Christian Science?

Reply from John Adams:

Your comments regarding the sensing of God's influence were moving. Thank you.

In Science and Health we read, "The death of a false material sense and of sin, not the death of organic matter, is what reveals man and Life, harmonious, real, and eternal." 296:10-13

Thank you.

How grateful I am to be reminded that there is no death for "There is no life, truth,intelligence in matter." [Science and Health p. 468] I am learning not to accept matter as being born or dying in any situation. It is not real, My true sustenance is divine Love. "Give us grace for tday, feed the famished affections." It is a bit of a leap, but it works for me.

This lift is so timely. Yesterday my uncle passed away and I was mesmerized by the seeming tragedy of it all. Also, I found myself getting into arguments and misunderstandings with a number of people within the last 2 days. From this lift I'm reminded that Life is eternal, no beginning and no end. I am also reminded that by believing the material mortal picture of tragedy, anger, splintered relationships, misunderstandings, distrust, etc., we are participating in the "killing" of our spirit. I need to see that the material picture is a farce and the only thing happening right now is love, healing, and harmony. Thank you John and the Daily Lifters for this, much appreciated!

Thanks, John, for "Thou cannot kill...Thou shalt not kill...a moral directive that is absolute with no exceptions...non-violent teachings of Jesus...Jesus raised the dead and overcame the cross and the grave proving Life to be eternal. He showed that the material body did not determine man's absolute Life that is God...no capability to kill or be killed...Thank you, Father." Thank you so much for this thought-provoking and inspiring Lift. The human "shalt not" and the spiritual "cannot." Wow!!! Because there is no death. There is only Life. "Never born and never dying, it were impossible for man, under the government of God in eternal Science, to fall from his high estate" (Science and Health, 258). "Man," each of us, as God's own child, a reflection only of Everlasting Life, itself. And God so loved us that He gave us the Ten Commandments and then Jesus, who summed them all up as living life by loving God and loving each other. Accordingly, we are free to consider Life and how to enjoy a quality life. What a Great God we have!!! Thanks again, John!!!

Thank you John, for your wonderful lift. And to those who may be wrestling with the "conundrum" of saving spiders yet continuing to eat meat, may I say, love the real man and learn of his stewardship as the reflection of the one loving Mind.
"The individuality created by God is not carnivorous, as witness the millennial estate pictured by Isaiah: —
The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb,
And the leopard shall lie down with the kid;
And the calf and the young lion, and the fatling together;
And a little child shall lead them." S&H p 514:20
You reflect this individuality in all things. Through my study of Christian Science I have come to understand that we cannot accept the claims of a meat based diet - the sensualism, the belief rooted in biology - that states that we need meat to sustain the health of our bodies, the utter waste of grain and land that might be used more effectively to feed the masses that are not able to afford to eat a meat based diet. I pray to know that myself and all of mankind and creation are not "food" for invading bacteria or beliefs of wasting diseases. We are awake to this truth now - we know it and we are able to understand that God provides for ours and the needs of all creation in a gentle and benign manner. In truth there is no material "food chain". And we can begin to demonstrate this compassionate truth right now.

The very first written discription of a killing is the story of Cain & Able in the bible. Cain being a false concept of man, so as to commit murder (kill), and Able being the right & true concept of man, & therefore not having a desire for murder, only to do good toward his fellow man. The 6th commandment therefore means that man can never be separated from God & being in God's image & likeness is too pure to behold evil which is killing.

thank you. To Margaret, a special thanks for expansion on this commandment. There is a lot to consider, ponder and pray about here.

Thank you John. And all the comments, Elena, Troy, and Margaret -- and ALL . A great start to the week. This revisiting the 10 Commandments is so strengthening.

Wonderful lift, John! Your thoughts about this commandment also help remove the 'fear of death' which appears to be the most terrorizing of all mortal beliefs. Understanding that God is our life and that our being can never end because it never began is, indeed, a huge help forward in our journey "from sense to Soul," and something I work with each day. And for Janine #6: I have not eaten meat for 7+ years. This change came to me gradually. I was troubled by what seemed a sense of duality when it came to interpreting this 6th Commandment. Did it mean it is okay to kill some things but not others? That did not make any sense. So after searching and praying, it came to met that it would be a progressive step to eat the plenty of other foods available to mankind and stop eating meat — which I did. What else helped in this decision was Genesis 1:29, 30 —which I had never really thought about before— and which made sense. Especially interesting is that verse 30 speaks to the animals as well! At least this is how it came to me. The transition was not difficult. Now when it comes to bugs, rodents, spiders, etc. I continue to work with these creatures by knowing that they have their rightful place, and it is not in my home! I confess they are not my favorite things, but if they do appear, I generally can get them out with a jar and piece of cardboard under it — once my initial surprise//shock at finding them is under control! Thanks again, John, and DL team for such great work!!

A beautifully rendered insight into the 6th commandment. Thank you.

I am loving this series! How about adding an 11th day on loving your neighbor as yourself?

In Jesus parable of the rich man and the beggar named Lazarus, the beggar ends up comforted in the arms of Abraham, and the rich man tormented without [living] water. Abraham explains there is a "great gulf" fixed between them, those who "hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will be persuaded though one rose from the dead." (Luke 16).
Mrs. Eddy explains in Science and Health that "Our aim must be to have them (the Scriptures) understood spiritually...." and quotes the scriptures "...and whosever will, let him take the water of life freely" (pages 547 & 548).
Thanks for this thought provoking lift, and for all those comments, especially those not afraid to to ask about how to cross that "great gulf".

"Nothing can kill the good God is giving me and others"
This is infering thought I`ve grasped today with your message.
And made me think also in this quotation from Science and Health by Mrs.Eddy: To all mankind and in every hour, divine Love supplies all good.

sincerely
clarae. from Cuernavaca, Mèxico

Thank you John. Obrigada.

Hi,

I know I already commented, but I would like to add one more comment. The importance of the practical and the inspirational (or metaphorical) meaning behind the Commandments. We can both see how, in the 6th Commandment there is a practical demonstration as well as an inspirational or metaphorical importance.

Practical - Do not kill, do not take someone's life, your individuality cannot be killed, God is Life.

The Inspirational - Do not gossip about someone (do not speak ill of their intent, do not cast a stone until you yourself are free of sin),

Do not think of yourself as less than God's Perfect Child, so do not kill that image of perfection - keep it always before you.

Do not lie, you are not keeping truth alive when you lie. What picture of you or others are you holding before you? A lie or the truth?

Do not define the state of Church based on physical, material measurements. Church, the Structure of Truth and Love, is Alive and is Healing,

Finally Eccl. 3:3 - "A time to kill and a time to heal" to me..means that to heal, we must do away with the mortal picture of fear and of man being separated from God. Not killing a man, but doing away with the views material thinking brings with it. As we break down the old material picture we can build a structure filled with Truth. Sometimes to plant flowers, we need to clear away, do away, with the vines and weeds.

"The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death" (I Cor. 15:26).

Well, having listened to your Lift today and, having read most of the comments I find myself compelled to ask you a question or two. By the way, I belong to a branch church; have gone to church around the U.S.; have gone through CS class; go to church each Sunday; and study CS daily, particularly our lesson. I have experienced many healings and heard of, or read about many others. I have no doubt about their truth. "Thou shalt not kill," is a translation of earlier language. I take it to mean "you should not kill," others. I agree. As to food, and I have the same dilemma of conscious that Janine, above, has. Okay, we have been given dominion over all. I guess this explains it. It is still troubling to read words, such as these, and connect them to our life, i.e., to connect our material experience with spiritual experience. How do you deal with this?

From John Adams:

Thanks to you and others who, in good conscience, have voiced concern about what they see as a moral conflict.

To be given dominion doesn't mean to dominate. I see it as having unhampered mental and spiritual ability to be thoughtful and to do good.

Our spiritual growth and understanding determine our thinking and actions.

If out of a reverence and a respect for life, one chooses not to eat meat, this is certainly one way of honoring the 6th Commandment.

Mrs. Eddy shares a prophetic vision when she writes," The elements and functions of the physical body and the physical world will change as mortal mind changes its beliefs" (S&h.124:32-2).

Perhaps the discontinuance of ingesting all meat might be one of those results.

Two important terms merit reiterating here. Humanly speaking, or to the RELATIVE, material and changing sense of things, it appears that a bullet can stop a man's life. As Mrs. Eddy brought out, in ABSOLUTE Truth, a bullet can't kill because God IS man's Life. Our God is a God of eternal Life, IS Life itself, in whom there is no death. "In Him we live and move and have our being."
Thanks, John, for helping us divinely reason through what may seem to be a conundrum if we try to apply human reasoning to it! In absolute Science there are no conundrums. Science and Health helps us understand the human progressive journeying from the relative consciousness (material appearances) to the demonstration of our God-given, Christly-divine consciousness, so that we can apply these practical spiritual laws & ideas to our daily lives. The CS periodicals are full of accounts of healings that do the same. Every time someone is healed through spiritual means this is proof of the active presence of the Christ-consciousness, bringing healing to our bodies, our families, our workplace, our environment, our economy, our food choices, our world. Thanks, John, for such a powerful uplift highlighting the spiritual fact that because man's true nature is like God, all-loving and good, man therefore cannot kill. And this spiritual fact, or Truth, governs the outward and actual. Peace and blessings to all mankind.

Thou shalt not kill a person's path, or his dialogue with God, or "thwart the spiritual ultimate of all things." mrs Eddy says, "let Truth uncover and destroy error in God's own way, and let human justice pattern the divine." also"the basis of thought and demonstration" is "perfect God and perfect man." so let us be "cognizant only of the things of God" and follow faithfully the daily duty to "pray to be delivered from all evil, from prophesying, judging, condemning, counseling, influencing, or being influenced erroneously.", and all unnecessary human activity will naturally melt away as we're ready.

Thank John, this Lift is do engaging !

I've never heard this commandment explained so well before!! Thank you!
Beautiful day to all :-)

Malcolm Drummond, Henrietta NY - thanks for the reference to the Hymn. I play the piano and have always used hymns as my way of healing all my ills. Thanks so much.

And John - thanks for your daily lift - it goes without saying that in todays society where we hear so much about "Gang" troubles - "Thou Can not Kill" is very much needed.

Thank you John.
The comments from the lifters were so thoughtful and individual.

Surely efforts, at whatever point on the vegetarian issue must come from one's spiritual reasoning; (I am "emerging gently" on that one), simply eating less meat and finding delicious recipes for vegetables, grains, etc.
Yes, we seem to be in the relative, the human, and hopefully moral, but the absolute Truth does the healing; the fact is that God and all His creatures, are perfect, useful, immortal, and loved.

There are many good lessons and there are many good qualities to be demonstrated in the military. I love Mrs Eddy's comparative statement, "Thou shalt not commit adultery, is no less imperative than Thou shalt not kill," in the Marriage chapter of Science and Health. How does one compare the honorable soldier to the promiscuous businessman? Christian Scientists are needed everywhere to "leaven the whole."

I also love the story in Science and Health of the dyspeptic man that illustrates man's dominion over the belief "that a piece of animal flesh could overwhelm him."

God meets us where we are in our demonstrations of Life Truth and Love, and for this I am extremely grateful and relieved. We're all on the same path of overcoming earthly limitations.

I love all of my fellow Lifters and I love their responses to the Lifts.

Thank you Mr Adams for stretching our thought.

Thanks for this blow to the mortal sense of life, which makes one seem ephemeral and small. This explanation gives to each individual a sense of grandeur and significance. "In beauty, grandeur, order, His handiwork is shown." (Hymn 329)

Thank you for this thought-provoking lift John and commenters!
Like Jan #15, I too have misgivings about the general support of the military that I have seen in so much Christian Science literature. I have been "observing" C.S. for the past two years or so now as I've considered becoming a Christian Scientist. One of my main reasons for deciding against becoming a Christian Scientist, is this support of the military. How can one reconcile "thou shalt not kill" with the support of an institution that is all about "killing the enemy" (aren't we all one Mind, one Love?!?). While I deeply appreciate the teachings of C.S., this tone of supporting a giant "killing machine", strikes me as a great contradiction. I would love to know if there are C.S. folks out there who struggle with this dilemma.

Mr Adams, that was a good reminder that the 10 commandments when understood,
are mandatory universal spiritual laws, which in truth, have not been broken ever, by anyone.
And, they are also the human experience guide to daily living, unto heaven.
Stone tablets can be broken, but not the living eternal Word of God.

Thank you John.A fresh perspective that gives a more complete explanation and understanding of this commandment that helps me see it's deeper meaning....which I needed.

Thanks for ALL the great lifts, expecially Troy 17
what a perfect analogy...& JOHN for your insite. . ..

Dear Alabama (32) your love for God and man (your son) is so evident in your comments. You are coming "out from the material world" and separating yourself from it. By clinging to God you are discerning the Truth of God and man. God is an ever present help as you are seeing. Lots of Love to you.

In answer to Felicia's thought-provoking question above: Until mankind reaches a point of development where thieves, murderers and war supporting pride and conquest are no longer present, we must defend ourselves in appropriate ways. Otherwise, civilization will disappear and the grosser elements in society will remain to scourge the earth. As individuals, we have the Christly demand to rise up higher and to love our enemies as ourselves. This we can do only as we preserve our own lives and culture in the best way we can at present.

Thank you sincerely for this clear explanation. Your words are simple and true and full of peace.

enjoyed this life very much sir...thank you....blessings....

Thank you for the Lift, John!

Yes, Felicia #62, I would have to say there are many of us who agree with you- that it is difficult to understand how practicing Christian Science relates to supporting military action. (Perhaps it would be a bit easier to understand defending our people/nation here on our own soil, but it's very troubling to us who see U.S. soldiers fighting abroad, even in the name of "protecting our freedom/interests".) Some of us feel strongly that war is never the answer. Civilization will never disappear, nor grosser elements prevail --because of the powerful effects of prayer and waging peace. If only our dedicated and unselfish young people who see the "honor"/attraction of fighting in the military were given opportunities to serve as peace-builders, think of the awesome changes they could make! I pray daily that wisdom, forgiveness, compassion, unselfishness reign in the hearts of all, including those in a position to resolve international conflicts--without killing.

Thank you, John for this timely message in light of all of the news reports about violence in the cities. In the downloaded version of "My Bible Lesson" this week on "God," the characters in the caption in Section 5 state : Destroy the anger and not each other! Also thanks to commenter #47 for reference to Genesis !: 29, 30 about food for people and animals.

Much love to you Alabama, #32, recognizing you and your son as permanently linked to your divine Father-Mother, never confined to life in a physical body, or by laws of matter. His life is harmonious and intact, period!
Thanks to all of you LIfters for adding such encouraging, thoughtful responses! I read them daily and get so much inspiration!

A number of comments refer to killing and eating animals. They fit with the Q&A in the July issue of The Christian Science Journal, now online: http://journal.christianscience.com/issues/2012/7/130-07/how-can-people-have-such-a-blind-spot-when-it-comes-to-killing

It occurs to me that Jesus never killed the fishes that he served others (and possibly ate himself). They just appeared! They served as proof of God's abundant supply of right, needful ideas, which flow continuously to God's children and are evident to (and appreciated by) those who look to our Father-Mother for all our needs. But needs evolve as we advance, don't they?

Jesus must've felt killing animals wasn't compatible with worshiping God: he halted the massacre by shutting down the business of selling innocent creatures to innocent pilgrims.

This morning, before I listened to John's DL or read the comments, I was led to look up the words "self-justification" and "willingness" in Science and Health.

The citations I found (pp 8, 115 & 242 for the former and pp 24, 323 & 493 for the latter) confirm that our childlike willingness to express our spiritual individuality enables each of us to at any moment put off our old view of animals as requisite food (see a few false beliefs mentioned by #43 Chris).

What seems to cause us to cling to those old culturally programmed views is the adamant of self-justification. The sooner we release that bugaboo, the sooner we soar to heavenly heights, like our bird friends!

Thank you, John! I often look at the verbs in the Commandments and note that, sometimes, we can make them work 2 ways ... like.e.g., Thou Shalt not kill also means Thou shalt not be killed.

Thanks you John for the interesting lift .

This is what I KNOW in my experience, in defense of soldiers, every single one, they are good people, and are acting up to their highest sense of right, and whatever ignorance needs to be stripped away, is done one step at a time, gravitating Godward in this human experience. For every soldier at the point of battle, there are at least 20 supporting him and her, and it is what is NEEDED. Prayerful support by civilians is always needed and is a divine impetus, unselfed prayers for safety, wisdom, supply, and for a higher sense warfare, like Michael and his angels. Prayers for all to realize a higher sense of peace too; Jesus said, I will not leave you comfortless, I will come to you, and, my peace I leave with you, not as the world giveth give I unto you... So between these loving prayers and by CSs in the military, who are ALWAYS in their rightful place, we do our part in leavening the whole, and every "department in life" needs this clean-up. Mrs Eddy says, the cement of a higher humanity will unite all interests in the one divinity. We MUST trust the operation of the Christ in every human consciousness with its goal of reform. When I was a CS nurse it was the idea of being a spiritual warrior that called to me, and it was the good qualities that I learned in the military , like steadfastness, courage, fearlessness, being undaunted by the human picture, eagerness, to name a few, that I relied on in the "sick chamber.". I love my fellow-soldiers, my brothers and sisters, just like I love, and respect my fellow-nurses (both medical and CS) and love people, all of His Creation.

We all need "Christ and him crucified." need the world's spiritual prayers of understanding deathless life and loving our neighbor and not lifting a finger to defend ourselves physically, because no amount of material defense or elite training will keep us from the false belief, death.; just ask Abimilech and the woman who tossed a chamber pot, Richard the Lion-hearted, Stonewall Jackson, the Sioux at Wounded Knee, or the football star, Pat Tillman, who became an army Ranger to fight for his country in Afghanistan, leaving millions of dollars.

We all need love and we all need to give love, "for Love alone is Life."

Having spent the last three days alone with one who died, I have spent many years thinking about this.
Amen, Brother... Amen.

Most people probably say: "This commandment doesn't apply to me. I would never kill anyone." But there are other ways to kill. Saying to your child, engaged in a fun activity, "Oh don't do that! You'll get hurt," can be killing the child's enthusiasm. A broken bone will heal, but killed enthusiasm can last forever. There are lots of ways to kill and when we consider them the commandment takes on more relevance to us all.

Thank you John for uplifting my thoughts today. Like they say, "I needed that"

Thanks, John, for this helpful lift.

Though it seems serving in an Army is a thing against God's commandment but Mrs. Eddy gives us a clear indication not only pray without ceasing for peace but practically to defend peace going to war particularly to defend your own country and not the politician's ambitions.

Thank you kindly for this deep command to follow. Regarding eating meat - it looks like someone wrote to emerge gently to Spirit is the work for us all to do. In arctic you must eat reindeer or in the desert you must chop a head of scorpion and eat its body otherwise you cannot survive. Again as some one wrote Jesus did not kill fish he just accepted what God provides to him to survive. So should we kill animal it looks the same why we should destroy the plants to eat? Perhaps the best thing is not to eat at all as some do - but this is another question for discussion. Thank you for your lovely and deep thoughts- so great to learn.

Thank you, John Q. for showing the 6th Commandment isn't one of being a "No, no!", but is actuality a "Yes, yes!". God isn't saying, "I wish you would not kill", but is telling us that killing is not a possibility, not a reality. It was Christian Science which made me aware that the Commandments aren't "10 Ought nots", but some of us will show Him a thing or two, In Gen. 1, God said and it was done. It is impossible the in so short a span of life on earth, it is God's image and likeness that put a stop to
his control. These 10 laws are "God said, and it was so.", as surely as Gen.1. This is a comfort, an affirmation of life eternal. We learn in CS that error tries to present the opposite of Truth. Life is true instead of dead, and healing or raising what is believed dead is opposite of killing. You've reminded me of this promise of good and eternal life, subject only to God, our Creator. Your concept of dominion, given in answer to #54 is very nice. Thanks for that, too. #75 Anne, A lovely interpretation!.

62, Felicia, & #71 Lift friend, Not in the military, so this isn't a testimony. I, too oppose war, etc. but from the heart, as I read your comment, it suddenly for the 1st time came to me, Christian Science needs to be where it's needed most on the human scene. Other than physical healing of people around us, seems those knowing truth firmly can bring blessing and reduce conflicts, injuries, & deaths for all involved in conflict, not just our side. I read German soldiers joined US soldiers singing Silent Night one Christmas Eve unexpectedly. Where a Christian Scientist is, we can expect more peace, political advances on either,/or both sides, and resolved conflicts, but especially filling the mental atmosphere with love, Trust, and Spirit, and healing for all involved. Also, CS students often have one or more supporting him/her metaphysically back home. That increases benefits coming from military duty. We do not know how much, if any, the prayers of those in the military, and from those back home, brought significant improvements or end of past conflicts. "One with God is a majority", not dependent on those back in high government positions. This may not satisfy your concerns, but tonight has brought me the 1st answer I'm comfortable with. I will increase prayerful support for our troops, going beyond safety and quick return home, and of course, gratitude for sacrifice of pleasant conditions, and sadly sometimes so much more. Added as I wrote this, #77 Steve, Thanks!

Thank you all. What a thoughtful discussion. I appreciate it all very much. The pull to accept mortality and death can seem so persuasive but accepting this commandment as a protective law of immortal, indestructible life for all is terrific! I'm grateful to have some extra time to spend with this important Lift.

Dear Felicia, thank you, I am like minded. The military is greatly overrated. The Friends Service has a yearly budget of the military costs that show it absorbs over 60% of US funds. We make our own enemies.
This lift bears revisiting, it presents so much that demands soul searching of many facets. Mrs Eddy took her meals privately in her later years, and chided her students over the sensuality of their eating. She grew in her understanding, as we all must do. Dearest John,Thank you for this terrific lift, that sets us all thinking deeply.

Thank YOU, JS, for your thoughtful comment, which they are always..

I love this Lift, and to all who pray unselfishly and sincerely for the betterment of humanity, I rejoice with you all in knowing that our "fruits will prove what the understanding of God brings to man." and these "fruits" come from all sincere seekers of Truth in all walks of life, wherever their paths from God have taken them to learn the things we need to learn in what best promotes our spiritual advancement.

Thank you to all the Lifters for their sincere and unselfish responses, and thank you John Q for the wonderful take on this Commandment.

86, Mrs Eddy said, Follow me insofar as I follow Jesus...and if Mrs Eddy really did eat away from her staff and her students, then I choose not to follow her there, because Jesus never did that. Jesus ate what was readily available, and so did Mrs Eddy.

Mrs Eddy quotes Shakespeare, " Thou art right, immortal Shakespeare, great poet of humanity:
Sweet are the uses of adversity; Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous, Wears yet a precious jewel in his head.'"

It was while I was in the military that I learned this is not my path to manhood, but it was a step along the way. Just like it was while I was in the hospital, w tubes sticking out everywhere that I found my relationship with God. Being in the belly of the hospital was a step for me along the way, just like it was for Jonah, in the belly of the whale. It's God's path for us, not our path for us.

So human judgement statements, like those who declared the earth to be flat, "the military is greatly overrated," is a gross mis-step for mankind., and esp for Christian Scientists making their way. Every person has every good quality in them, whether in the military or not, waiting to be demonstrated, and these qualities can come out at anytime, whether on the battlefield or not, whether in the hospital or not, whether in the safety of your home or not.

I have had many false beliefs drop away, and there are many more to be dropped, some more tenacious than others.

cont'd

Eating what is put before me, having served in the military, having lain in a hospital, these will not be a hindrance to heaven, because these have been my path to God.

Thou can't kill with human opinion!

Mr Adams Lift has been VERY thought-provoking, and we can agree, it does bear continual revisitation..