PAGANISM AND RELIGION

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21087, 12 February 1934, Page 15

PAGANISM AND RELIGION

TO IKB EDITOR OT Ttf* I'IUSS. Sir,—Your correspondent "Christian" is biased against Voltaire. Will he be so good as to tell us why. Or is it possible that he is not acquainted with the history of this man, of whom the great Goethe said: "If you wish depth, "cuius, imagination, taste, reason, sensibility, philosophy, elevation, originality nature, intellect, fancy, rectitude, facility, flexibility, precision. art, abundance, variety, fertility, watrnth magic, charm, grace, force, an eagle sweep of vision, vast understandms instruction rich,, tone cxcellei t urbanitv suavity, delicacy, correctness, purity, clearness, eloquence, harmony, brilliancy, rapidity, gaiety, pal ho-, sublimity, and universality, perlection indeed, behold Voltaire." . I will gladly admit that Christianity is a psvchologic necessity and ( is indispensable; but surely "Christians attack on Voltaire is malignant or ignorant, perhaps because "Christian heard of him from scandalous informants! If Voltaire is accounted a snake and an evil man, is it because he avowed that all priests are gentle and disinterested; that Jesuits are honest people; that monks are neither proud nor given lo intrigue, and mat (heir odour is agreeable; that the Holy Inquisition is the triumph of humanity and tolerance. Does "Christian not know that Voltaire recanted, and very willingly declared: "Pascal is always right." Also he said: If St. Luke and St. Mark contradict one another, it is only another proof of the truth of religion to those who know how to understand such things and another lovely proof of religion is that it is unintelligible." Voltaire's memory has been maligned by the Christian world for 200 years, mainly because his heart was so large that lie pitied those who needed the aid of religion to be honest He did not pretend to be profound, because he was not stupid. Voltaire attacked the creed ot his time because it was dishonourable to his God. He praised the God o Nature, who gives us rain and light and food and flowers, and health and ha Does eSS, ''Christian" appreciate the work and generosity of Voltaire in connexion with Jean Calas andl the rescue of his family, of the Sirvens of Languedoc, of Espenasse, and of the Chevalier de la Barre and d EtaiWhat particular necessity has "Christian" for an auto-da-fe? Why malign

Voltaire, whose name deserves the respectful mention of his deeds and fame.—Yours, etc., SUBLIMI VERTICE, February 10, 1934. TO THE BDITOE 0/ TH« I-MBS. Sir > —Your correspondent "Lex" quotes Dean Inge. Without having read the book mentioned, I can hardly judge what he refers to as "patriotic legends." Would "Lex" please enlighten me? I would suggest to "Giuseppe" that the reason why men receive a stone when bread is asked for, and why church benches are empty, is that the dispensers of the Bread of Life have taken to preaching man's word instead of the truths of the Bible. The evolution theory and higher criticism have taken the place of the gospel of salvation through faith in Jesus in most churches.

"Catholic Reader" quotes Lionel E. P. Erith, who affirms that all attempts to harmonise the earlier chapters of Genesis are impossible. Erith was evidently writing at the time referred to above, when the evolution theory was almost universally accepted, and was evidently influenced by it. Since then modern science has abandoned the theory as being unscientific, because incapable of verification. After the most careful investigations it was found that not a trace of the operation of the law of evolution (apart from the affairs of man) was discoverable, and those possessed of the most up-to-date knowledge now admit, though in some cases reluctantly, that the Genesis record cannot be disproved. The accuracy of Scripture statements is most essential. If Genesis, which is the very foundation, is unreliable, how can we rely on anything following? But not one of its records has yet been proved to be incorrect. But on the other hand, man's theories are constantly proved to be wrong. When challenged, not one single instance of the differentiation of any species from "after its kind," as in the Genesis statement, could be cited; and science now admits that man is powerless to alter that law. All attempts to produce life apart from antecedent life have been futile.—Yours, etc., PEACEFUL. February 10. 1934.

TO TUB EDITOII Or TOP. fIISS. Sir,—"Christian," in his letter in answer to mine, says that I am against the God of the churches, and so I am: for God is not a personality for an individuality, but the highest Principle on which the whole world rests and has its being. There is nothing in heaven or earth bereft of Him. In the very last analysis there is neither good nor evil, but only' life; and what we call evil is only the undeveloped state of the soul. The spirit of religion expresses itself through the many stages of man's development; and the higher man evolves, the greater is his expression of the Divine. Voltaire was a highly religious man; for he devoted his whole life to the helping of oppressed humanity, and risked his own life for the benefit of others. Voltaire fought the churches, for they were corrupted. They lived on the misery and the ignorance of the people. They detenderi the corruption and tyranny of king? and nobles, and used religion to cloak social evils. . .

"Christian" wishes me to join a church: but if I did. I should be divided from others, belonging toother churches than mine. If I wish to see God's glory, I sec it in the lmmensitv oTcroation; if I wish to contemplate His love, I find it in the magnificent justice and the expression of His laws. I see His mercy in the fact that He does not withhold His abundance from the unthankful. At last, if I wish to know God's nature, I read it in that great Bible called Nature. —Yours, etc., _ GIUSEPPE. February 10. 1931. ! 1