Liz Kantor

History 1445 M 10:00-11:00

Monday October 13, 2014

TF: Steven Brown
Section Assignment

Response to Why Am I an Agnostic? and Christian Science

The Bible has been my only authority. I have no other guide in the straight and
narrow way of Truth. This statement of Eddys unwavering belief in the Bible is
exactly what Robert Ingersolls attempts to undermine in his piece. Throughout his piece
on Christian Science, Eddy refers to science as the way in which god governs the
universe rather than the fundamental way by which the universe exists. He champions
that the Bible is the only source of truth. Ingersoll, however, pushes people to not accept
information based on the authority that presents them (even then, he asks, why is the
Bible a source of authority?) Ingersolls and Eddys arguments fall on the polar opposite
ends of the spectrum. Eddy advocates for faith, Ingersoll advocates for proof.
Although their arguments are polarized, both address the question of the power of
the human mind. Eddy believes that Mind governs the body not partially, but wholly,
and that the mind is an incarnation of god in all of us. He even capitalizes Mind
throughout the piece to affirm its divine nature. While Eddy regards the Mind as
limitless, Ingersoll knows that the minds capabilities are finite. He also acknowledges
that the mind varies from person to person and is not governed by a divine force. Even
though Eddys piece was written after Ingersolls, it is exactly the type of literature and
belief that Ingersoll criticizes and undermines in Why Am I an Agnostic?

Questions:
1. Im quite confused by the point the Christian Science article is trying to make.
The author makes all these statements that seem like theyre going to synthesize
into a valid conclusion, and then the conclusions he comes to dont make sense
given his statements. I know this isnt really a question, but its something Id
love to talk about.
2. How does the following statement found in Elizabeth Cady Stantons piece
resonate with us today? Forty years ago it seemed as ridiculous totimid, timeserving and retrograde folk for women to demand an expurgated edition of the
laws, as it now does to demand an expurgated edition of the Liturgies and the
Scriptures.