PAGAN SECTS DENOUNCED

Evening Star, Issue 22192, 21 November 1935, Page 15

PAGAN SECTS DENOUNCED

COMMUNISM FAVOURABLY DEFENDED CHURCH VIEWS ON LIVE ISSUE “ Communism is a very live issue in the world to-day,” was the reply of the Rev. C. H. Olds (chairman), when it was disputed, as the result of a report from the Public Questions Committee to yesterday afternoon’s session of the Otago-Southland District Synod of the Methodist Church of New Zealand, that such a subject should concern the church. The section of the report referred to stated:—“As a Christian church we cannot accept the philosophy of materialistic Communism, nor can we associate ourselves with any organisation advocating methods that conflict with the teaching of Christ,” Objections were raised ns to the form of the committee’s finding, and Mr Olds pointed out that anything that tended to drift apart from the ideals of Christianity was a concern of the church. Christianity was neither Communism’s creed, function, or programme. “ Why not include Fascism,” it was asked amidst laughter. The Rev. L. B. Neale contended that the committee’s statement was ton broad in its compass. He felt it could be narrowed to be more effective, for he himself did not desire to antagonise Communists who were members of his congregation. There was nothing wrong witli Communism -if it were Christian. What the church did object to was materialistic' Socialism, which was a negation of God. This also applied in the case of numerous other “isms.” “It might not be wise to broadcast to the world this finding by our committee unless the term 1 materialistic Communism ’ is altered to something like ‘ materialistic philosophies,’ ” Mr Neale concluded. Communism might have the Christian faith as its basis, but Nationalism was paganism purely and simply, according to the Rev. G. E. Brown (clerk). It was constituted without suggestion of the great humanitarian factors of the Christian faith. It was a negation of every ethic the Christian church stood for. On the motion of Mr Brown the matter was referred to a special sub-com-mittee for a more suitable finding. At this morning’s session of synod, Mr Neale said that in view of the various other materialistic doctrines besides Communism, it seemed unfair to differentiate, and the committee therefore recommended that the paragraph be deleted. This course was adopted.