Pretend You Don't See The Elephant

by Carol-Ann Medina

Book Overview

Pretend You Don''''t See The Elephant is a personal memoir about the author''''s life growing up in the 1950s. Throughout the narrative, the elephant represents the silence surrounding familial dysfunctional behavior. Christian Science provided the background of denial in a home where physical, emotional, and verbal abuse ran rampant. The severity of the abuse and the denial of it destroyed the author''''s desire to live and at the age of twelve, she tried to commit suicide. Failing to die, she was exiled to an alcoholic uncle''''s home, barely escaping sexual molestation before being returned home to her parents. The Christian Science religion of her mother was responsible for the refusal of medical attention, leaving her to die after a ruptured appendix. The author was told every day of her life that she was a failure as a Christian Scientist and her illnesses were her fault. From her father she was told she was so clumsy and ugly that no one would ever marry her. Don''''t talk, don''''t tell was a way of life, and she spent a lifetime living under this code of silence. The effects of Christian Science denial, coupled with the physical and emotion abuse would ride on her shirt tail for the rest of her life. This then is the story of a victim who became victorious. The memoir continues on as she faces a tragic automobile accident. Accepting medical assistance removed her from the Christian Science Church at a time when she needed her faith the most. The success of her story is celebrated when she comes to terms with ''''who God is'''' in her life. It is with peace of mind that she now shares her story, lifting the veil of silence from the little girl, to tell the story that she was told never to tell.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1420838598
• ISBN13: 9781420838596
• Release Date: October 2005
• Publisher: Authorhouse
• Length: 276 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

as an ex CS, I can identify with many elements of this book

I disagree with many statements made by the previous reveiwer. I believe that many of us were discouraged from seeking medical care--branch church membership, for instance, required that the applicant not be using medicine. Further, Mary Baker Eddy, in her textbook, Science and Health with key to the scriptures, makes many statements about the incompatibility of medicine and use of Christian Science. Finally, if a CS chooses medical care, they will then not be able to use or continue using the services of a CS practitioner (ie, CS who are paid to pray for others). The loss of even one child through reliance on this theology is too many, but I have never have heard censure for any CS who allowed their children to die from easily treatable diseases (ie, juvenile diabetes). I also thought that the use of CS prayer as a way to avoid confronting and dealing with dysfunctionality in families was spot on. This book is definitely worth reading.

The Title is Awesome - I love it

There is not much Theology of Christian Science, however the author gives a good sense of the lack of care, support, and affection received from a Christian Science parent. In the book the author has her appendix rupture and her mother would rather watch her "die" (which is unreal in Christian Science), read Science and Health by Eddy, than to have her receive medical care. A pastor from another denomination takes her to the hospital where she is operated on and lives. This reminds me of the Twitchell trial in Boston years ago. The parents and practitioner watch as the 2 1/2 boy vomits excrement and dies due to a bowel obstruction. They were demonstrating that he is a perfect child of God. They pretended not to see the elephant. This is an interesting read. For more information see Caroline Fraser's excellent work, "God's Perfect Child."