Practitioners many times get phone calls from hysterical parents,‭ ‬and that the first goal of the Practitioner is to calm the parent by quoting verses from various sources and then asking the parents to read certain scriptures to the child and then sing a hymn over the child.  She then gave me an example of a child listening and observing a mother singing a hymn or reading calmly from the Bible and that that made the child feel better and not feel sick.

I also inquired about the use of certain drugs‭ – ‬nicotine,‭ ‬caffeine,‭ ‬and alcohol.  The official stance of the church is that members should not use any‭ “‬mood changers.‭”  ‬Drugs are not permitted,‭ ‬even socially acceptable ones.  However,‭ ‬there are approximately‭ ‬2000‭ ‬branch churches worldwide,‭ ‬and it is the standard practice of these branch churches not to ask its members if he or she uses caffeine or nicotine.  Barbara then told me that the church allowed its members to take some medicine or to decline medicine‭ – ‬depending upon their choice.  However,‭ ‬later I found out that according to practice,‭ ‬if a Practitioner finds out that a patient is using medicine or seeking medical care,‭ ‬they are required to stop treating the patient.  Barbara mentioned a term in Christian Science called‭ “‬scrupulosity‭” ‬that referred to members being judgmental to other members who do not follow the religion totally and do take some medicine.

At this point,‭ ‬Barbara did something that reminded me of something that some patients did at various hospitals where I have volunteered.  At the three hospitals where I have volunteered,‭ ‬I got chances to speak with the patients.  Many times during the interview with these patients,‭ ‬they would turn their heads,‭ ‬motion me in closer to them and tell me that they were not following their doctors‭’ ‬orders‭ – ‬some did not take their medication that was prescribed to them or that they also went to herbalists that gave the patients Spanish herbs and teas to take.  I always reminded the patients that they should let their doctors know what they were doing,‭ ‬so the doctors could better help them.  What Barbara did was turn to me and tell me that she did see a medical doctor.  It was for‭ “‬cosmetic‭” ‬reasons‭ – ‬she got botox shot treatments around her lips for wrinkles.  She also told me of a personal healing anecdote.  One time when she got her botox shots,‭ ‬the area around her mouth where she had gotten shots had turned black and blue.  She went to a reading room and within an hour or so,‭ ‬half the bruises were gone.  ‭ ‬She then introduced me to another member and told me that this woman did not see any medical doctors or dentists,‭ ‬which I completely believed,‭ ‬especially since she did not have front teeth.  Also,‭ ‬at one point,‭ ‬Barbara went into her bag to give me a business card and I could see a prescription bottle as well.

I also asked about Christian Science’s role and its relationship to the government.