Spirituality & Healing lecture- scam?

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 16 Nov 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Dark Inquisitor	16 Nov 2002
I narrowly missed attending a lecture hosted by a book store chain entitled "Spirituality & Healing." My friend went under the assumption it was a new age kind of topic- she has recently had a miraculous healing herself and wanted to find out more. When she got there, it turned out to be a Christian Science presentation ! (For those of you that don't know, that are the sect that doesn't believe in doctors at all.) The book they were peddling was reprint of the same original founding text by Mary Baker Eddy- probably 80 years old and widely available. When she got in, there was a book on every chair with a pencil & yellow highlighter. They were told that the books were theirs & they should take notes & use the highlighter. The lecture turned out to be just going over the points of the text, with a lot of page flipping. Halfway through the lecture, the speaker announced that they could pay for their books at the register - because they were written in, & it was store policy they had to be paid for!!!!! (10.00) It was a really good thing I didn't go. I would not have sat through it, & I would not have been very nice to the whomever arranged that for the store. I think it was really underhanded . So if you hear of a similar lecture coming to your area, check it out thoroughly & ask a lot questions before you waste your time. Tarotphelia

Diana	16 Nov 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Tarotphelia When she got there, it turned out to be a Christian Science presentation ! (For those of you that don't know, that are the sect that doesn't believe in doctors at all.) There's a lot more to Christian Science than "a sect that doesn't believe in doctors at all". Firstly, it is not a sect. I have Mary Baker Eddy's book on my shelves along with my other spiritual books. There are some wonderful passages in it, and the first sentence alone has often brought me great comfort: "To those leaning on the sustaining infinite, to-day is big with blessings". I don't agree with all she says in her book, but there is some very deep wisdom in it. She was a brave and courageous woman who went against the tide of the fundamentalism of her day. As to not believing in doctors - most doctors are donkeys anyway. Whenever I "need" to go to a so-called traditional doctor (i.e. one who is brainwashed by the pharmaceutical companies), or to a hospital, I tremble in my boots, wondering if I'll come out of there sicker than before. The actual official Christian Science church has gone through a lot of turmoil over the last 20 years or so, and I wouldn't go near it with a barge-pole. But that doesn't affect my respect for the Christian Science religion. If some people are corrupting it by proselytising it, it's a shame, but it seems that in the USA, this is the way religions are run these days.

fairyhedgehog	16 Nov 2002
This seems to have been undertaken and carried out in a very underhand way. I'm surprised, as I'd have thought that people would realise that the underhandedness would put people off rather than attract them. While I don't believe in what I know of Christian Science, I imagine that there are many very honest and honorable Christian Scientists around who would be unhappy at this type of behaviour. Diana has pointed out how valuable some of their teachings can be to people. So it is a pity that this lecture was given in the way that it was. I wonder if the 'lecturer' was even a Christian Scientist, or simply someone out to sell books? Your point about taking care what you are getting into is very well made :)

allibee	16 Nov 2002
I suppose it's the joy of being in the UK, that something like that would hit the front pages of the regional papers here in double quick time, followed up by a short passage in the dailys. Could the store not be held to account in some way, underhand is one thing, gaining money by deception is another - pity no one had a tape recorder. allibee

DarkElectric	16 Nov 2002
Wow, what an unethical way to extort $10.00 per person. Hearing about this makes me very sad. It also stresses, once again, the importance of asking questions, being informed, and "Caveat Emptor". An ancient term which has enjoyed an unprecedented public revival, being the principal disclaimer on e-bay.

Faerie Lin	16 Nov 2002
Heck yeah that was a scam!!! I so would NOT have paid for that book. I would have looked at them like they were crazy, dropped the book and walked out! (after complaining that they should not have said these books were "ours" BEFORE saying they need to be paid for of course!) Ha! I love Dark Electric's response!! Thanx for giving us the heads up Tarotphelia and the reminder of always making sure we ask questions.... especially "So this is free?" lin

Laurel	19 Nov 2002
What a rude and immoral scam and unpleasant introduction to Christian Science. I would call it the exception and not the rule. Most of the Christian Scientists I have met are ethical people. Laurel

Teranar	19 Nov 2002
I would have risen out of my seat, gone up to the speaker and told him: you said that the books were ours, made no mention of paying, therefore they are ours free of charge and if you attempt to persue payment of them furthur on behalf of everyone present I will cause injury to you rivaling the cost of these books. And I bet everyone present would have chipped in for bail too.

The Spirituality & Healing lecture- scam? thread was originally posted on 16 Nov 2002 in the Spirituality board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Spirituality, or read more archived threads.