RATIONALISM

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22414, 30 May 1938, Page 5

RATIONALISM

Owing, to the number of letters on this subject and their length, only extracts can be given.—Ed., “The Press.”]

G. F. Seward. —“ ‘Rationalist’ does not say whether he believes in the existence of God or not. If he does, then it is irrational to decry religion, for if God exists He is of necessity the sum and essence of all good, the first Cause and the last End of all things. No sensible, rational being can afford to ignore God, if He exists. But if ‘Rationalist does not believe’ in the existence of God he is still more irrational, for ‘God has not left Himself without witness’ and His existence can be proved by reason. Either way ‘Rationalist’ is irrational.”

F. W. Bourke.—“ln your issue of May 25 ‘Rationalist’ attacks what he calls ‘Christianity/ viz., organised religion—rChurchianity. All atheists and agnostics make the same mistake. 1 was an agnostic for more than 25 ,years, and I made the same error as •Rationalist.’- I was spiritually blind and could not see the impassable gulf fixed between the creed-of Christ and institutional religion—a foul libel on His name. ‘Rationalist’ speaks of peace. There never can be any peace in this life until men come under Christ’s influence, shed their selfish ambition and lusts, and adopt the true Christian religion of altruism and selfsacrifice; but no atheist or agnostic can eyer be expected to reach Christ’s standard. I came in contact with scores of them when I was an agnostic, and I found every one of them a compound mass of selfishness and greed, Christ’s creed cannot be identified with superstition or theological dogmas, ‘Rationalist’ speaks of s^lf -respect arid respect for the rights of others. • AH the so-called rationalists that I ever knew had an abundance of egotism, but none of them had any .consideration for the rights of others. They were all go-getters and that was what could be-expected from them. Being sheer materialists, they had no conception of spiritual values or of; real brotherhood. How could they when they reject the ideal of Our Lord, the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of Man as a barren : ideality? •Rationalist’ speaks of founding a moral life on natural and social law; it cannot be done. All men’s desires are selfish and bear bitter fruit. No map-madc law can make a man good; it is only when he finds Christ that he.

can be detached from the world, the devil and the flesh.”

“A Mother.”—“ln reply to ‘Rationalist,’ I must say his letter was splendid. I And the meaning of the word ‘rational’ is relating to the reason, endowed with reason, agreeable to reason, sensible, wise, judicious: therefore let us be rational, and not be blinded by religious dogmas. Religion has been the means of more hatred and bloodshed through the ages than anything else we know, and in the age when the poorer class were uneducated they used religion to get every ounce of strength out of the workers; in fact, they would not allow them to be educated in any other way, because they would find out too much. But in these days people should think for themselves and not leave it for the paid ministers to show them how to think,”

“Pax.”—“We can see why ‘Rationalist’ cannot see anything in Christianity. There is a conflict going on within him, and if he admits the truth it will stop him from doing what the baser nature is demanding. I can sympathise with him, as I have done a good deal of rationalising myself in the past, but a study of psychology and a ruthless self-analysis revealed to me why we are rationalists. ‘Rationalist’ .says Christianity, is a failure. No, it is not a failure, it has not yet been adopted on a large scale. The individual who makes the sincere effort soon finds that it brings the promised peace.”

“0.G.C.”—"1 would offend many Christians by identifying their morals with irrationalism, and feel sure that J. Dennis Hervey could share that humiliation. Yet the latter correspondent associates ‘non-Christians and rationalists,’ negatively, Christians and irrationalists. Now if this atheistic polemic lacked an innate sense of logic he would have difficulty in determining just where J. D. Hervey’s quotation from ‘Rationalist’ ends, and thereby condemn himself. As his letter stands, it begins ‘morality can exist , . .” and could possibly end almost anywhere. He would be well advised against the ambiguity of nonparenthetical argument. He says he is a Christian, and for that reason I take it, irrational. I seek to make him and his contemporary more so. ‘The moral standards of the rationalist’ (the man with sense) ‘would naturally adapt themselves to fit circumstances. Now we can see why rationalists differ from Christians.’ But whether Christian conservatism is a virtue or a vice your correspondent has not said. I take it to be a virtue in spite of contrary evidence. The character of Peel secured abundant admiration when he renounced his party brief to repeal the hated Corn Laws, yet your correspondent contends that the ability to change one’s front is a vice, and surely he should know; he is a Christian.” “Rationalist No. 2.”—“lt was quite a treat to read ‘Rationalist’s’ letter this morning. I always feel amused when I read that the world would go to pieces if people did not believe the Bible to be the word of God. My father was one of the early pioneers and lived at Gabriel’s Gully, helping to make some of the first roads, etc. He was married twice and had IS) children in the two families. He always read the Bible to us, but was careful to explain that to the best of his belief it was simply a history of, the time at which it was written. Father taught us that anything which stood in» the way of truth had to go. lip taught us to be honest in word and deed, never to pretend to believe if we had a doubt. He taught us all to give full measure and a bit over either in goods or service and to look straight in everybody’s face. He taught us our first duty was to ourselves, to feed and clothe ourselves properly—after that was to marry and provide for a wife and family; then, if there was anything over,’ to help our less fortunate neighbours. Father always said if a person committed a wrong the only way to get forgiveness was to right the wrong first. I do not know that any of his children have been before a Court of Justice, I do not know of aiv having been divorced or separated. I know families who have been reared on the Bible, and yet who have not a better record.” “Rationalist No. 3.”—“Rationalism is an escape from pride, vainglory, and hypocrisy, and leaves people to think for themselves, and not others to think for them. . . . Christian religion does not want the people to investigate it. Rationalism asks them to investigate everything; Christian religion asks the people to deny themselves the good things of this planet, and they will be rewarded a hundredfold when they die. Christianity is the enemy of science, and has kept it back from bringing the comforts of life to the people. Rationalism welcomes science for bringing comfort and happiness, but Christianity has got It to be used for_ destruction, of people in several countries.”