- Hardcover: 1 pages
- Publisher: PROMETHEUS BOOKS; illustrated edition edition (Dec 31 1990)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0879758384
- ISBN-13: 978-0879758387
- Product Dimensions: 23.8 x 16 x 2.6 cm
- Shipping Weight: 576 g
- Average Customer Review: 2.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
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Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
#2,429,479 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #90 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Christianity > Protestantism > Christian Science
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Product Description
From Kirkus Reviews
Gardner (The Whys of a Philosophical Scrivener, 1983, etc.), world-class debunker of paranormal phenomena, now turns his demolition skills on the woman who founded one of America's most successful home-grown religions. The title is bitingly ironic, for Gardner considers Mary Baker Eddy's Christian Science to be neither healing nor revelatory but, rather, a farrago of wild imaginings. According to Gardner, Eddy (1821-1910) suffered from ``delusions of grandeur'' and ``delusions of persecution,'' and wrote her books by plagiarizing other writers. In fact, he declares, Christian Science's central precept- -that Divine Mind is the sole reality, and illness and death illusions--was lifted by Eddy from the teachings of a ``quack'' named Phineas Parkhurst, who cured her of a spinal ailment. Eddy always denied her connection to Parkhurst, claiming that her doctrines came as a direct transmission from God; to Gardner, this is yet more evidence of her ``outrageous lying.'' He makes a strong case, demonstrating Eddy's plagiarism in damning fashion by placing her writings side-by-side with her apparent sources, and detailing her relentless persecution of heretics, her nervous disorders (including lifelong morphine addiction), and her extraordinary fears (she believed enemies were killing her through ``malicious animal magnetism''). Most welcome from the standpoint of literary history is the author's favorable reassessment of Mark Twain's forgotten booklength battering of Eddy, Christian Science (1907). More inquisition than objective report, but on target: a well- aimed tomato to the face. (Photographs--not seen) -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
Book Description
In a penetrating biography, famed science writer Martin Gardner profiles the life and teachings of the controversial founder of Christian Science, showing her to be a power-hungry individual whose life included spiritualism, drug addiction, and frequent hysterical rages. Includes Mark Twain's famous essay attacking Eddy, and more.
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Most helpful customer reviews
1.0 out of 5 stars
"Ill informed negativity",
By A Customer
This review is from: Healing Revelations Of Mary B Edd (Hardcover)
In order to understand CS one has to devote their life to the continually unfoldment that is a result of studying Mrs. Eddy's teaching's. It is not unusual for sometime to totally miss the essence of CS . But the fact remains it is a demonstrable science. Most Christians Scientists have demonstrated good health , happiness and prosperity throughout their long lives. This speaks volumes. "Scientist's simply follow the example and teachings of Christ Jesus. Mrs. Eddy , thankfully explained the teachings of Christ to a degree that had not been done before.She laid no claim to inventing the truth but rather explaining it through what she called "Christian Science". Naturally after her passing the "truth began to get diluted and hence demonstations were less frequent. She was simply trying to wake everyone up to the fact that " The truth will set them free" from the erroneous thinking of mankind. It's evident that every forward thinking person throughout history has been persecuted by those of lesser vision. Why should she be an exception. "Forgive them father they know not what they do".
5.0 out of 5 stars
Insightful,
By A Customer
This review is from: Healing Revelations Of Mary B Edd (Hardcover)
You won't find any spin from brainwashed followers in this book. The truth shall set you free.
1.0 out of 5 stars
Mrs. Eddy surely differed greatly from Quimby.,
By A Customer
This review is from: Healing Revelations Of Mary B Edd (Hardcover)
Gardner's claim of plagiarism of Quimby's writings by Mrs. Eddy simply doesn't hold water. Quimby did reach the point of recognizing to a meager extend the influence of the human mind on the body. So by necessity, some of Mrs. Eddy's writings might seem to parallel Quimby's writings regarding the human mind/body relationship. But that's as far as any seeming similarity can be found between the two. Here's excerpts about what Mrs. Eddy says about Quimby in her book, Miscellaneous Writings: "Having practised homoeopathy, it never occurred to the author to learn his [Quimby's] practice, but she did ask him how manipulation could benefit the sick. He answered kindly and squarely, in substance, 'Because it conveys electricity to them.' That was the sum of what he taught her of his medical profession. "The readers of my books cannot fail to see that metaphysical therapeutics, as in Christian Science, are farther removed from such thoughts than the nebulous system is from the earth. "I never heard him say that matter was not as real as Mind, or that electricity was not as potential or remedial, or allude to God as the divine Principle of all healing. He certainly had advanced views of his own, but they commingled error with truth, and were not Science." Throughout the latter years of her time here on earth, Mrs. Eddy was constantly being accused of plagiarizing the writings of Quimby. Many of her detractors claimed that he was the one who healed her of her many years of invalidism. The truth is that she seemed to derive temporary benefit from his treatments, but soon after, lapsed into an even worse physical state. Eventually she was completely healed through her own study of the Bible and her faith in a higher power, far transcending the electricity/magnetism techniques that Quimby employed. It's obvious that Gardner didn't study Mrs. Eddy's writings sufficiently to discern the vast gulf between her teachings, and those of Quimby. And as other reviewers have noted, he misstates many facts regarding the life of Mary Baker Eddy, which seriously compromises and undermines his arguments from the starting line to the finish line. Don't waste your money on this one.
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