Arresting international hatred
Some governments consciously instill in the minds of their people a hatred for certain things "foreign." In other countries, hatred may be a spontaneous reaction to a specific injustice. But in every case, hatred is mental violence. Unless dealt with, it is deeply harmful to the perpetrator and potentially so to its victim.
Security and alertness may help prevent international incidents, but only the Christ, Truth, can effectively eradicate the roots of evil thinking.Christian Science identifies hateful thinking on the part of one person or group toward others as an aspect of mental malpractice. In answer to a question about the nature of mental malpractice, Mary Baker Eddy n1 explains, "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." n2
n1 Mary Baker Eddy is the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science;
n2 Miscellaneous Writings,m p. 31.
Belief in the power of mental malpractice rests on the premise of a mind separate from God -- even a nation of minds hating or being victimized by hatred. The solution to such international malpractice grows out of an understanding that God is the only Mind; that this one perfect Mind neither originates evil nor is susceptible to evil; that evil, hatred, is in truth void of either cause or effect. Those who know Mind to be the only power can rise above the discord that hatred would sometimes seem to stir up. And they can be wise enough not to practice a form of malpractice themselves -- that is, defining their fellowman as irrational, savage, ignorant.
True being is spiritual. Armed with this fact, we can help guard and preserve the political, economic, and social health of nations. When nations are spiritually defended, they will not be susceptible to ignorant, hateful thinking.
The moral stature of a people is indispensable to its prosperity. Purity, compassion, honesty, temperance -- all support and strengthen progress. The malpractice of hatred is powerless to affect the morals of a nation when citizens are sufficiently alert prayerfully to defend themselves and their fellow citizens.
God mandates spirituality for His entire creation. The shield of spirituality is impenetrable. As we use it, it assures safety. Since hatred would claim to operate through and toward mortal mentality, our need is to leave the basis of mortality and, as Christ Jesus did, identify ourselves fully with Mind. Mind blesses its spiritual idea, man. Trusting that fact with enlightenment and conviction is a sure defense against the hate that would claim to curse or kill spirituality.
The Bible records Balak's fear of the children of Israel and his efforts to have them cursed. Balaam, who was encouraged by Balak to pronounce the curse, perceived such an effort to be inconsistent with the will of God. He asked, "How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed?" And he declared, "Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it." [* ]
[*] Numbers 23:8, 20.
In like manner we have the opportunity and the obligation to affirm for our world, for everym people on earth, God's inevitable, irreversible blessing. We should feel secure from expressing hostility toward others or from being victimized by hatred from others because we understand that every form of evil is powerless before the allness of Mind.
International hatred would claim to harm physically, morally, and spiritually. But the power of God eradicates this lie. We each can pray regularly, in our respective countries, to understand that only the blessing of Love is able to cross national, religious, or ethnic borders. For only Love's blessing is active anywhere.